Bright, light yellow.
Aromas of lemon/grapefruit zest, cream and a hint of oak.
Intense, vibrant flavors of ripe pear, lemon zest, kiwi. Definitely has a fruit sweetness, possibly from RS (day 3 - not). Long, mineral-laden finish. Really does seem like you're chewing on rocks.
This is utterly refreshing and nonetheless packs some seriously ripe, almost exotic, fruit character. The 2004 was even riper, but had less delineation and mineral chew.
100% from 100 year-old Verdejo
Absolutely killer.
$25
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Quinta Sardonia Castilla y Leon 2004
Very deep red/purple.
Very deep nose of high-quality French oak (Darnajou no doubt) toast, caramel, custard. Blackberry/blueberry coulis lurking underneath. Smells seamless.
Great palate depth, creamy and round. Even shows complexity in the mouth, unusual for such a packed young wine. Substantial tannic spine, largely hidden.
36% Tempranillo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
$55
Very deep nose of high-quality French oak (Darnajou no doubt) toast, caramel, custard. Blackberry/blueberry coulis lurking underneath. Smells seamless.
Great palate depth, creamy and round. Even shows complexity in the mouth, unusual for such a packed young wine. Substantial tannic spine, largely hidden.
36% Tempranillo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
$55
Muga Seleccion Especial Rioja 2001
Deep red.
Earth/clay, (citrus) pepper/spice, sausage and red and black fruit nose.
Intense pepper/earth entry, good roundness, buffered by chewy, grainy tannin and good acidity. Very good flavor follow through, start to finish. This needs time, but has the raw material, and inherent complexity, to reward several more years in the cellar.
The citrus character here only obvious on day 3. I assume some Garnacha is responsible. Other regions are getting monster press, but the complexity of many Riojas, based, I assume, on blending Tempranillo with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano,
continues to impress me.
$25
Earth/clay, (citrus) pepper/spice, sausage and red and black fruit nose.
Intense pepper/earth entry, good roundness, buffered by chewy, grainy tannin and good acidity. Very good flavor follow through, start to finish. This needs time, but has the raw material, and inherent complexity, to reward several more years in the cellar.
The citrus character here only obvious on day 3. I assume some Garnacha is responsible. Other regions are getting monster press, but the complexity of many Riojas, based, I assume, on blending Tempranillo with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano,
continues to impress me.
$25
Chateau Les Hauts de Pontet Pauillac 1996
Deep red.
Wonderful, expressive, deep Bordeaux nose of black fruit (currants?), medicinal herbs, sl game.
Round entry, with an iron note, flavors otherwise mirror nose. Light-middle weight loses some flavor energy in the finish. Still this is a very attractive bottle from a great vintage.
$25
2nd label of Pontet Canet
Wonderful, expressive, deep Bordeaux nose of black fruit (currants?), medicinal herbs, sl game.
Round entry, with an iron note, flavors otherwise mirror nose. Light-middle weight loses some flavor energy in the finish. Still this is a very attractive bottle from a great vintage.
$25
2nd label of Pontet Canet
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Linne Calodo Problem Child 2005 (Paso Robles)
Red/purple.
Smoke, grilled meat, celery seed, black cherry jam aromas. Aeration brings fruit to the forefront.
LC typical sweet textural impression, with an intriguing sawdust character. This is quite spiky with alcohol and what I assume is acid/VA synergy. Flavor completely bound up in the finish. This an impression I often get from young Priorat too. Intense, but, currently, abrasive.
We'll see what a couple of days of air time does.
Day 2 - Much broader, easier (integrated) aroma spectrum. Much better give in the mouth, too. Old-vine textural sweetness
(may not be from old vines, though). Acid is still the dominant structural element, but now fruit rides through mid-palate. My earlier comment about VA now seems off the mark.
Very good action. No day 3, as the bottle is empty.
71% Zinfandel, 17% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre
$35
Smoke, grilled meat, celery seed, black cherry jam aromas. Aeration brings fruit to the forefront.
LC typical sweet textural impression, with an intriguing sawdust character. This is quite spiky with alcohol and what I assume is acid/VA synergy. Flavor completely bound up in the finish. This an impression I often get from young Priorat too. Intense, but, currently, abrasive.
We'll see what a couple of days of air time does.
Day 2 - Much broader, easier (integrated) aroma spectrum. Much better give in the mouth, too. Old-vine textural sweetness
(may not be from old vines, though). Acid is still the dominant structural element, but now fruit rides through mid-palate. My earlier comment about VA now seems off the mark.
Very good action. No day 3, as the bottle is empty.
71% Zinfandel, 17% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre
$35
L'Aventure Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2004 (Paso Robles)
Very deep purple/red.
Packed nose - creamy, grilled oak with black fruit pooled underneath. Suggestion of Chambord and a slight tidal character I associate with reduction (needs air). Black pepper too.
Quite sweet palate-impression that is immediately tempered by a massive dose of grainy tannin, which is not abrasive. Alcohol does intrude a bit (15.9%), but I think it will integrate well with several more years in the bottle. Very long chewy finish is a bit spiky, but, again, I see this integrating nicely over time.
Huge, concentrated Cabernet. Just unlikely to have any real complexity.
$70?
Packed nose - creamy, grilled oak with black fruit pooled underneath. Suggestion of Chambord and a slight tidal character I associate with reduction (needs air). Black pepper too.
Quite sweet palate-impression that is immediately tempered by a massive dose of grainy tannin, which is not abrasive. Alcohol does intrude a bit (15.9%), but I think it will integrate well with several more years in the bottle. Very long chewy finish is a bit spiky, but, again, I see this integrating nicely over time.
Huge, concentrated Cabernet. Just unlikely to have any real complexity.
$70?
Calera Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard 2003 (Mt. Harlan)
Very light rose color.
Restrained aromatics - strawberry/cherry and earth/spice/underbrush, hazelnut.
This was completely unimpressive 2 hours ago, but is gaining aromatic complexity with air time.
Decent breadth in the mouth, but there is an acid (or is it a stem contribution?) that keeps the flavors bound up. A slight green note suggests considerable stem inclusion here. This may be far better than it is currently showing. Or not.
Day 2 - This sucks.
$40
Restrained aromatics - strawberry/cherry and earth/spice/underbrush, hazelnut.
This was completely unimpressive 2 hours ago, but is gaining aromatic complexity with air time.
Decent breadth in the mouth, but there is an acid (or is it a stem contribution?) that keeps the flavors bound up. A slight green note suggests considerable stem inclusion here. This may be far better than it is currently showing. Or not.
Day 2 - This sucks.
$40
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