Slightly dull, saturated, purple/red.
Vinturi - deep, saucy nose - black and green olive/fig/pepper/licorice/5 spice powder/grilled meat/shoe polish/grilled herbs/pepper steak (slightly redundant) ... This is absolutely FK.
Low-toned, packed and grainy in the mouth, without the complexity shown on the nose. Still there's plenty to like here, with a fragrant sawn wood note that is not from oak, licorice and grilled herb flavors too. Stem inclusion very much in evidence, as the stiff, chewy, tannin takes over the mouth from the mid-palate on. Nowhere near maturity. I gave a bottle of this as a gift to somebody. Want it back, whoever you are. Mind-blowing, individual, Syrah from CA.
$70. 14.8% listed alcohol. 100% whole cluster fermented Syrah from several vineyards. Aged in essentially neutral 500 liter barrels (I think all of this is correct...)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Three Rivers, Syrah, Boushey Vyds, Yakima Valley 2004
Purple/red.
Vinturi - vibrant nose shows nice purity - blackberry liqueur, fig, earth/oak spice. Reminds me of (really good) Australian Shiraz. Late note of cigar ash.
Mouth-filling, but not heavy. Middle-weight, with nice concentration/depth. Fairly strong acidity keeps this bright and linear through the finish. Nice stuff.
$? Gift. Probably $30-35
Vinturi - vibrant nose shows nice purity - blackberry liqueur, fig, earth/oak spice. Reminds me of (really good) Australian Shiraz. Late note of cigar ash.
Mouth-filling, but not heavy. Middle-weight, with nice concentration/depth. Fairly strong acidity keeps this bright and linear through the finish. Nice stuff.
$? Gift. Probably $30-35
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Domaine du Mas Blanc "Clos du Moulin" Collioure 2007
Saturated purple.
Vinturi - total freak show of a nose - salt water taffy, blackberry, fig, wood spices, earth, meat reduction ....
Round, deep and low-toned with a distinct, powerful flavor of cinnamon stick that reminds me immediately of the central element in recently tasted bottles of Marcassin Pinot. Disulfide action - but that's geek stuff. Interesting, though, as it is reductive winemaking and/or reductive varieties that I've seen this in - Riesling, Pinot and now Mourvedre. Also, interestingly, this feature tends to obliterate other, more subtle, flavors. But this still ends up showing additional flavors of blackberry, brine and earth.
Singular wine that will make many folks shoot a nasty biscuit. Definitely worth buying and cellaring for 8-10 years (at least).
$25. Mostly Mourvedre from an area just north of the Spanish border, on the Mediterranean.
Vinturi - total freak show of a nose - salt water taffy, blackberry, fig, wood spices, earth, meat reduction ....
Round, deep and low-toned with a distinct, powerful flavor of cinnamon stick that reminds me immediately of the central element in recently tasted bottles of Marcassin Pinot. Disulfide action - but that's geek stuff. Interesting, though, as it is reductive winemaking and/or reductive varieties that I've seen this in - Riesling, Pinot and now Mourvedre. Also, interestingly, this feature tends to obliterate other, more subtle, flavors. But this still ends up showing additional flavors of blackberry, brine and earth.
Singular wine that will make many folks shoot a nasty biscuit. Definitely worth buying and cellaring for 8-10 years (at least).
$25. Mostly Mourvedre from an area just north of the Spanish border, on the Mediterranean.
Tablas Creek, Mourvedre, Paso Robles 2007
Purple/red.
Vinturi - nose of blackberry coulis, seared meat, pepper and a deep, very attractive, earth note. Smells plush.
Round and plush - even manages an almost Grenache-like sweetness in the mouth. Packed with black fruit and spice flavors, with just a moderate, fine, load of tannin. Powerful, but pretty gentle for Mourvedre. Tannin builds, but never shuts down the action. Not wildly complex, but this is almost certain to add some stuff with additional cellar time. PFG.
$30. 14.5% listed alcohol.
Vinturi - nose of blackberry coulis, seared meat, pepper and a deep, very attractive, earth note. Smells plush.
Round and plush - even manages an almost Grenache-like sweetness in the mouth. Packed with black fruit and spice flavors, with just a moderate, fine, load of tannin. Powerful, but pretty gentle for Mourvedre. Tannin builds, but never shuts down the action. Not wildly complex, but this is almost certain to add some stuff with additional cellar time. PFG.
$30. 14.5% listed alcohol.
Olivares "Altos de la Hoya" Monastrell, Jumilla 2007
Red/purple.
Vinturi - understated nose of raspberry/cherry, gravy, earth and spice.
Linear in the mouth, with fairly strong acid/tannin synergy working against little flesh. Reasonably concentrated, but finishes short and lean (for the moment at least). This may flesh out with a day in the open bottle, but I doubt it.
$15. Synthetic cork - drink over the next year or two.
Vinturi - understated nose of raspberry/cherry, gravy, earth and spice.
Linear in the mouth, with fairly strong acid/tannin synergy working against little flesh. Reasonably concentrated, but finishes short and lean (for the moment at least). This may flesh out with a day in the open bottle, but I doubt it.
$15. Synthetic cork - drink over the next year or two.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Umani Ronchi "Jorio" Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2005
Saturated purple/red.
Vinturi - deep, slightly saucy nose - blackberry, spicy fig, salami, earth, savory nut.
Much lighter than expected in the mouth, light/middle-weight. Still packs good flavor punch, though, with fairly strong acid/tannin synergy. Feels like Bordeaux (sans new oak). Nice stuff.
$18. 100% Montepulciano.
Vinturi - deep, slightly saucy nose - blackberry, spicy fig, salami, earth, savory nut.
Much lighter than expected in the mouth, light/middle-weight. Still packs good flavor punch, though, with fairly strong acid/tannin synergy. Feels like Bordeaux (sans new oak). Nice stuff.
$18. 100% Montepulciano.
Pegau "Cuvee Reservee" Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1999
Red, evolved rim.
Vinturi - expressive, complex nose - grilled herbs, woodsmoke, earth/toasted nut, soy sauce, cherry liqueur and iron. Orange, spicy ketchup and grilled meat as it airs.
Round and mouth-filling, but not "thick". Nice textural sweetness is well-buffered by moderate acidity and an iron "edge". No heat whatsoever. This is still a bit bound up, flavor-wise, but additional airtime should take care of that problem. PFG.
$45. 13.5% listed alcohol.
Vinturi - expressive, complex nose - grilled herbs, woodsmoke, earth/toasted nut, soy sauce, cherry liqueur and iron. Orange, spicy ketchup and grilled meat as it airs.
Round and mouth-filling, but not "thick". Nice textural sweetness is well-buffered by moderate acidity and an iron "edge". No heat whatsoever. This is still a bit bound up, flavor-wise, but additional airtime should take care of that problem. PFG.
$45. 13.5% listed alcohol.
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