Mendocino; Napa; Sonoma Wine

• November 2009

  Sapphire Hill in Sonoma makes "the Harlot". Great name and it's the blend you want. Limmerick Lane, one of my favorite little producers, makes something called "1023" which is their address. Same blend. I think zin has been around in CA for longer than syrah, or at least there's... Read moreSapphire Hill in Sonoma makes "the Harlot". Great name and it's the blend you want. Limmerick Lane, one of my favorite little producers, makes something called "1023" which is their address. Same blend. I think zin has been around in CA for longer than syrah, or at least there's been a lot more of it planted over the years. There's not a lot of old vine syrah in the state. But syrah is quite trendy these days and plantings are increasing, so maybe there will be some in the future. Anyhow, a while ago the growers in Mendocino formed a consortium to promote their area. They figured cab was identified with Napa, pinot noir with Carneros and Russian River, and even chardonnay with Sonoma. But they have plenty of zin. So they came up with the name "Coro" that is supposed to make people think of Mendocino and zinfandel, just like they came up with the name "Meritage" to make people think of Bordeaux blends of cab, merlot, cab franc, etc. Never heard of Coro? That's the problem isn't it? "Meritage" at least has the virtue of naming something that already exists to a large extent. It's become a shorthand for the blend but originally it was supposed to designate a quality level as well. And that's why I think it failed. It's silly to try imposing the European concepts like D.O.C. etc, onto California. Those came about because of protectionist thinking on the part of special interests wielding political power. However, I don't think it's silly for producers themselves to identify certain strengths or to try to build brands. The plan of the Mendocino winegrowers is, or was, to make a blend that is quickly identified in the mind of the shopper. It's an uphill battle, but an interesting idea. The blends must include 40 - 70 percent zin and the rest can be something else that they're growing up there. And they're growing a lot, including Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, Grenache, Dolcetto, Charbono, and Barbera. So look for producers out of Mendocino.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Zin/Syrah blends? by GregT

  
  

• October 2009

  Some more cool (or not) names for wineries. Marketing is a bizarre menagerie of a science that seems to blur borders between flora and fauna. Also seems like frogs are one of the more popular critters, so maybe I'm in the minority in not wanting clammy, oozy, secreting wines....... Read moreSome more cool (or not) names for wineries. Marketing is a bizarre menagerie of a science that seems to blur borders between flora and fauna. Also seems like frogs are one of the more popular critters, so maybe I'm in the minority in not wanting clammy, oozy, secreting wines.... --Frog's Piss French Red Wine (also an own label by a Calais booze cruise store, so maybe we should call this British) --True Frogs Lily Pad Red (Calaveras County, CA) --Stumpy Gulley Winery (Oz) --Kings of Kangaroo Ground (Oz) --Tall Poppy Wines (Oz, maybe even the movie version--wonder if you nod off after drinking) --Megalomaniac Wine (Ontario, with offerings like Narcissist Riesling, My Way Chardonnay, Pink Slip Pinot Noir Rose, Bravado Cabernet Sauvignon, SonOfaBitch and Doggone SonOfaBitch Pinot Noir, Vainglorious Cabernet Merlot, Bigmouth Merlot, and Coldhearted Cabernet Franc Icewine) --Stompytoe from Senile Farms Winery (Arkansas) --Vino El Pavo Substandard American Grape Wine (Florida ; pavo is 'turkey' in Spanish; 'certified color added, 16% alcohol by volume') --Big Ass RED Tablewine (Hopland, CA) --Moral Compass (Napa; kinda like this one ;-) ) --Oops ('cheeky little red, lost grape of Bordeaux discovered in Chile masquerading as a Merlot') --Recall Red (Mendocino; came out shortly after Schwartzenegger became governor) --Harper Hill White Trash White (chardonnay from Bakersfield...) --Redneck Red (also Bakersfield) --Hair of the Dingo (semillon/chardonnay from Oz) --Flying Pig (Sicily; 'We think you stand more chance of seeing a flying pig than a better wine at this price') --'YN' (CA) --Sonoma Beach Zinfandel (Stu Pedasso Cellars) --Coat Roti (South Africa, with a picture of a leaping goat on the label) OK, enough frivolous use of time for me for now. Plenty more out there, though. Maybe some from the Western Cape of South Africa, next time I post... For any critter in a name or otherwise on a wine label, from Aardvark to Zebra, check out http://www.critterwines.com/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Best and worst names for... by dmcker

  
  

• September 2009

  If you don't go on a busy day like Friday, you can find an intimate setting in many places. And if you don't go to the tourist attractions like Mondavi, Coppola, BV, etc., you're better off. Go to Steltzner in Stags Leap - great wines, little-known, good. Or Monticello at the end... Read moreIf you don't go on a busy day like Friday, you can find an intimate setting in many places. And if you don't go to the tourist attractions like Mondavi, Coppola, BV, etc., you're better off. Go to Steltzner in Stags Leap - great wines, little-known, good. Or Monticello at the end of the road - they're friendly, you often find someone from the family pouring, and the wines are very nice. Smaller places are usually more "intimate" by definition. Foppiano, Limerick Lane and a few like that. Fife up in Mendocino. All nice places with nice people. These are all open to the public so you don't have to plan and schedule, which I hate. If you don't mind that, you can call ahead and make appointments. If you choose Sonoma over Napa, remember that the wineries are farther apart and you spend a lot more time driving. In Napa they're lined up like a strip mall, one after another. That's also another reason Napa is more crowded.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Looking for Intimate Wine... by GregT

  
  

• September 2009

  There are numerous options up and down California. Napa and Sonoma, of course, but Mendocino/Lake County a little bit to the north, Amador a ways to the east, Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey a little bit south, Paso Robles further south, Santa Maria/Santa Ynez/Santa Barbara/Ojai... Read moreThere are numerous options up and down California. Napa and Sonoma, of course, but Mendocino/Lake County a little bit to the north, Amador a ways to the east, Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey a little bit south, Paso Robles further south, Santa Maria/Santa Ynez/Santa Barbara/Ojai yet further south and Temecula, etc. much further south near San Diego. A huge area to cover, and even one of them such as Napa or Sonoma has much more than you can digest in one or two trips. So the first choice is which area you want to focus on. First time out, Napa or Sonoma seems like a logical starting point. Napa a little more polished and upscale, Sonoma a little more laid back and granola-y, though these are large generalizations and each winery is a little different. LOTS of great wine in both areas. If you want an intimate tasting, Swanson in Napa is one option. You might also look through two older threads on the Snooth Forum, one called 'Going to Napa' and the other 'Going to Sonoma'.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Looking for Intimate Wine... by dmcker

  
  

• August 2009

  Hard to envision Italian bankers as market leaders, but it looks like Wall St. has some more targets to securitize once it gets out from under the currently close government scrutiny ;-) : http://www.decanter.com/news/news.php?id=288158 And I wonder if private individuals with huge... Read moreHard to envision Italian bankers as market leaders, but it looks like Wall St. has some more targets to securitize once it gets out from under the currently close government scrutiny ;-) : http://www.decanter.com/news/news.php?id=288158 And I wonder if private individuals with huge cellars can collateralize bank loans in the same way? On the US front it looks like we can expect lower prices for 2009 vintage wines, unless the market suddenly heats up before they come to market: http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20090821/LIFESTYLE/908210333/Her-VineNess--Oversupply-driving-down-prices-of-some-wines Tough times for grape growers these days. I assume the higher-than-the-norm anomaly for Sonoma pinot noir is for grapes from The True, which would make growers there the only ones happy these days. And I wonder if the up-to-25% allowed in California for non-CA grapes, while retaining a made-in-CA labeling, means that some from the glut of sauvignon blanc grapes in New Zealand will find their way into Mendocino or Napa or Sonoma SB bottles??? Although its larger producers may be importing grapes these days, California as a whole is a huge, huge, huge producer. Until I read this press release about one of Schwarzenneger's attempts to help promote CA's wine business in the current economy (and thus, of course, generate more tax money for his bankrupt government), I hadn't realized that the state produces 90% of all wine in the US, and is the fourth largest wine producer in the world (after, I'm guessing, Italy, France and Australia): http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090824005247&newsLang=en    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Tales from the Recession:... by dmcker

  
  

• July 2009

  I'm Chad Carns, author of The Gourmet Bachelor - Global Flavor, Local Ingredients cookbook. I've been studying food and wine for years but I'm not a wine expert or a chef. I try to bring global food and expert wine knowledge to the home cook in a simple way. Enjoy my tasting... Read moreI'm Chad Carns, author of The Gourmet Bachelor - Global Flavor, Local Ingredients cookbook. I've been studying food and wine for years but I'm not a wine expert or a chef. I try to bring global food and expert wine knowledge to the home cook in a simple way. Enjoy my tasting notes from Aureole Wine Weekend Las Vegas..... The Gourmet Bachelor Wine Review Tasting Notes by Chad Carns 1 - 10 Rating Scale 8 - 10 Special 5 - 7 Recommend 1 - 4 Pass Special: Wines exhibit several layers of flavor, something unique, perfect balance or a long finish. Recommend: Wines exhibit depth, interest or amazing value. Pass: Wines taste extracted, plastic, flat or just bad. Descriptive words refer to the initial aromas released from the bouquet, flavors that roll around your mouth while tasting the wine or with great wine, flavors that linger 10, 20 and occasionally 60 seconds after you consume the wine. ___________ Aureole, Las Vegas Wine Weekend, June 12 - 14, 2009 Tasting Notes by Chad Carns, author of The Gourmet Bachelor - Global Flavor, Local Ingredients Cookbook ___________ Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc 7 Sancerre, Domaine Vacheron, Les Romains 2006 Honey Suckle, Mineral, Saffron 6 Pouilly Fume, Didier Dagueneau, Silex 2002 Grape Fruit, Lavender 7 Savennieres, Coulee de Serrant, Nicolas Joly 2004 Hibiscus, Chai Tea, 6 Savennieres, Coulee de Serrant, Nicolas Joly 2004 Dandelion, Citrus, Light Ash 8 Savennieres, Baumard 1988 Cream Corn, Black Pepper 7 Vouvray, Huet, "Clos du Bourg," Demi-Sec 1962 7 Vouvray, Huet, "Clos du Bourg," Moelleux 1995 Baked Apricot, Chai Tea, Coriander ___________ Northern Rhone, France White: Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier 7 Hermitage Blanc, Bette & Scholl 2001 Subtle bouquet, Red Pepper Flakes, long finish 7 Hermitage Blanc, Chapoutier, Cuvee de L'Oree" 1991 7 Chateau Grillet, Neyret-Gachet 2001 Exotic Fruit, White Cherry, Floral 8 Condrieu, Guigal, "La Doriane" 1996 Expressive Bouquet, Bacon 7 Condrieu, Gangloff 2002 Slightly Oxidized, Mineral 7 Condrieu, Guigal 2006 Balanced ___________ Northern Rhone, France Red: Syrah 7 Cornas, Auguste Clape 2004 Dirt, Stem, Raspberry, Sea Mist 7 Cornas, Alain Voge, "Cuvee Vieilles Fontaines" 1999 7 Cornas, Thierry Allemand "Reynardt" 2004 Elegant 7 Cornas, Noel Verset 1995 ___________ 7 Cote Rotie, Chapoutier, La Mordoree" 1996 Strawberry 8 Cote Rotie, Jamet 1997 Granit, Black Pepper, Special 7 Cote Rotie, Jean-Michel "Les Grandes Places" 2001 8 Cote Rotie, Rostaing, "La Landonne" 2004 Special ___________ 7 Cote Rotie, Delas Freres "Maugiron" 2004 7 Cote Rotie, Cuilleron, "Bassenon" 2005 Sea Mist 8 Cote Rotie, Pierre Gaillard, Rose Pourpe" 2001 Rustic, Cinnamon, 7 Cote Rotie, Gangloff 2002 ___________ 7 Hermitage, Chapoutier, La Sizeranne 1997 8 Hermitage, JL Chave 2001 8 Hermitage, Jaboulet, "La Chapelle" 1990 (100 pt Parker) Cassis, Espresso 8 Hermitage, Chapoutier, "La Pavillon" 1994 ___________ 7 Hermitage, Delas Freres, "Les Bessards" 2003 Classic 7 Hermitage, Guigal, "Ex Voto" 2001 Driftwood, Sage 8 Hermitage, Betts & Scholl 2004 7 Hermitage, Guigal 1998 ___________ Aromatic White Wines of the World 7 Weissburgunder, Heidle Schenkenbichl, "Maximum," Kamptal, Austria 200 Cantaloupe, Honey Suckle, Fresh Basil 8 Riesling, Breuer, "Montosa Charta" Rhiengau, Germany 1997 Spice, Chalk, Full-bodied, Crisp, Special 7 Albarino, Iberian Remix, Edna Valley 2008 Tarragon 7 Chablis, Francois Raveneau, "Montee de Tonnerre," France 2004 Lime, Chalk, Crisp 6 Gruner Veltliner, Huber, "Berg," Traisental, Austria 2004 Lychee 7 Chardonnay, ISC, Arroyo Grande 2007 Cucumber, Citrus ___________ California Syrah 7 Syrah, Arnot-Roberts, Griffins Lair," Marin 2005 Spearmint, Cranberry, Pomegranate, Old-World style 7 Syrah, Copain, "Hawks Butte," Mendocino 2004 Big Mouth Feel 7 Syrah, Miner Family, "La Diligence," Napa 2005 Old-World style ___________ Washington Syrah 8 Syrah, Columbia, "Red Willow," Columbia Valley 1998 Cinnamon, Currant, Eucalyptus, Floral 8 Syrah, Mathews, "Hedges Vineyards," Columbia Valley 2002 Deep Black Tar, Venison 7 Syrah, McCrea, "Amerique," Columbia Valley 2000 Cherry, Sea Breeze ___________ California Cabernet 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Seavey, Napa 2003 Cassis, Violet, Sea Breeze 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Martin Estates, Reserve, Napa 2001 Italian Sausage, Fennel, Green Peppers, Onions 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Laurel Glen, Sonoma Mountains, 2002 Violet, Vanilla 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Abreu, "Madronna Ranch," Napa 2002 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vineyard 29, "Grace Family," Napa 1994 Lavender, Raspberry, Pine 8 R.T.W. Colgin, "Cariad," 2001 Napa Quince, Unique 8 Cabernet Sauvignon, Joseph Phelps, "Eisele," Napa 1984 8 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beaulieu Vineyards, "Georges de Latour" 1976 Old World, Special 8 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mayacamas, Napa 1970 Special ___________ Washington Cabernets 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau St Michele, Columbia Dried Rose Pedals 7 R.T.W. Woodward Canyon, "Charbonneau," Columbia 1987 Black Tea, Molasses 7 R.T.W.Hedges, "Red Mountain Reserve," Columbia 1988    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic 1990 Hermitage, 1976 Cabernet... by The Gourmet Bachelor

  
  

• April 2009

  “Lots of Interest” Morrell Wine Auctions Live Internet Auction http://auction.morrellwineauctions.com/248/index.jsp?auctionId=248 Wednesday, April 22nd 2009 Auction starts at 11:00 a.m. (EST) ~~~ Editor’s note: First off I humbly apologize for any (and all) grammatical... Read more “Lots of Interest” Morrell Wine Auctions Live Internet Auction http://auction.morrellwineauctions.com/248/index.jsp?auctionId=248 Wednesday, April 22nd 2009 Auction starts at 11:00 a.m. (EST) ~~~ Editor’s note: First off I humbly apologize for any (and all) grammatical and/or spelling errors- had to bang this one out in quick-time and whilst drinking copious amounts of Folgers (of the de-decaffeinated kind). Don't let my sloppy writing style disuade you in any way from heading over to Morrell's website to check out the catalog for yourself. There’s some interesting stuff in this sale, the second of the year from Morrell, including some lowered prices for some of the typically higher (and thereby “out of my reach”) end items from Bordeaux, California, and Italy. Bit of white Burgundy too at the end there that has me thinking summer. So head over if any of these sound interesting to you, and browse around. As Wall Street begins to recover, the prices for wine are at a buying point as I type. Go get something to share & imbibe, and have fun with it. That's where I'm headed. Sincerely, Christopher ~~~ Lot 15 10 bottles, early & mid-80’s Cali cabs... Burgess Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage Selection - Vintage 1981 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle Diamond Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Rock Terrace - Vintage 1982 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle Diamond Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Volcanic Hill - Vintage 1984 Napa Valley, Level is neck-shoulder. 1 Bottle "The 1984s appear to be the last of the big, bold, full-bodied, super-concentrated Diamond Creek. The wines produced after 1984 have been more polite and oenologically correct. What a shame! The enormous 1984 displays no signs of age in its dark, saturated ruby/purple color. The nose exhibits some evolution, with cedar, leather, and jammy fruit scents beginning to emerge. Still frightfully tannic, full-bodied, and highly extracted, this backward, chewy wine is one of the slowest evolving 1984s." 94 points, RMP. Fisher Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coach Insignia - Vintage 1985 Sonoma County, Two levels are neck-shoulder. Labels: one is wet stained, one is bin soiled. 2 Bottles Navarro Correas, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coleccion Privada - Vintage 1985 Mendoza, Level is high shoulder. 1 Bottle Quivira, Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley - Vintage 1990 Dry Creek Valley, Two levels are high-mid shoulder. 2 Bottles Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 1985 Napa Valley, Level is neck-shoulder. 1 Bottle Sterling Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve - Vintage 1983 Napa Valley, Level is neck-shoulder. Capsule is corroded. 1 Bottle Above 10 bottles $320 - 500 Opening at $260 Lot #18 Château Chasse-Spleen - Vintage 1989 Moulis-en-Médoc, Six levels are neck-shoulder or better. 6 Bottles "Make no mistake about it, the 1989 Chasse-Spleen is the finest wine this property has produced since their great 1949. This is a spectacularly rich, powerful, authoritative example of the vintage that can compete with and even surpass many of the most famous names. Layer upon layer of concentrated, sweet, expansive, blackcurrant fruit is wrapped in a frame of toasty new oak and decent acidity. An awesome wine!" 91 points, RMP. Above 6 bottles Opening at $240 Lot #39 Château Léoville-Barton - Vintage 1989 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Excellent Appearance. (*92 pts, Wine Spectator) 6 Bottles $380 - $700 Lot #117 Far Niente, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 1990 Napa Valley, Two capsules are slightly corroded. 2 Magnums $160 - $300 Lot # 160 Silver Oak Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander - Vintage 1992 Alexander Valley, Two labels are scuffed. 5 Bottles "It possesses that tell-tale Silver Oak, lavishly oaky, Provencal herb, sweet, smoky, jammy black-cherry and cassis-scented nose. Full-bodied, opulent, and succulent..." 92 points, RMP. Above 5 Bottles $200 - $400 Lot # 200 Chassagne-Montrachet, L. Latour - Vintage 1989 Côte de Beaune, Seven levels are 1" below cork or better. Five labels are lightly bin soiled. 7 Bottles $110 - $220 Lot # 221 Behrens & Hitchcock, Syrah, Homage to Ed Oliveira, Alder Springs Vineyard - Vintage 2002 Mendocino County, Excellent Appearance. 5 Bottles Behrens & Hitchcock, Syrah, Homage to Ed Olivera, Alder Springs Vineyard - Vintage 2003 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 3 Bottles Above 8 bottles $190 - $300 Lot # 268 Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Insignia - Vintage 2005 Napa Valley, (92 points, WS, even higher from Parker) Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles $180 - $280 Lot # 388 Château Meyney - Vintage 1979 St.-Estèphe, Level is high shoulder. Label is lightly bin soiled. 1 Magnum Dominus Estate - Vintage 1989 Napa Valley, Label is badly torn, wet stained, bin soiled. Capsule is slightly corroded. 1 Magnum Above 2 magnums $120 - $240 Lot # 478 Hourglass, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 2003 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 6 Bottles $220 - $400 Lot # 562 Château Léoville-Barton - Vintage 1996 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle "This impressive wine is a classic. Although backward, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to abundant black currant fruit intertwined with spicy oak and truffle-like scents. The wine is brilliantly made, full-bodied, and tightly-structured with plenty of muscle and outstanding concentration and purity." 92 points, RMP. Château Léoville-Poyferré - Vintage 1995 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Two labels are lightly bin soiled. 2 Bottles Clos du Marquis - Vintage 1990 St.-Julien, Three levels are very high shoulder or better. Three labels are bin soiled. 3 Bottles Above 6 bottles $280 - $520 Lot # 567 Bonny Doon Vineyard, Le Cigare Volant - Vintage 1999 Santa Cruz, Label is bin soiled. 1 Bottle Miner, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 1998 Napa Valley, One capsule is nicked. 3 Bottles Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Vineyard Reserve, Proprietary Red - Vintage 1999 Napa Valley, Four labels are scuffed. 4 Bottles Steele Wines, Syrah, Stymie - Vintage 2000 Lake County, Excellent Appearance. 4 Bottles Above 12 bottles $160 - $320 Lot # 610 Château St. Jean, Cinq Cépages - Vintage 1994 Sonoma County, Three labels are lightly bin soiled. 7 Bottles Paradigm, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 2000 Napa Valley, Label is lightly bin soiled. 1 Bottle Above 8 bottles $260 - $500 Lot # 618 Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2001 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 4 Bottles Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2002 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2003 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2004 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Above 10 bottles $220 - $420 Lot # 655 J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 1996 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 1997 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 2000 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 2001 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 2002 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 3 Bottles (89, Steven Tanzer: As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 114, May/June 2004 ($41) Dark, bright red. Very ripe but sappy aromas of strawberry, raspberry and tangy baking spices. Dense but juicy and firm-edged, with refreshing flavors of red berries, cherry pit, chocolate, spices and earth complicated by a note of underbrush. Not especially pliant, but nuanced, persistent and firmly built.) Above 8 bottles $260 - $450 Lot # 669 Lokoya, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain - Vintage 1999 Napa Valley, One label is nicked. 3 Bottles Lokoya, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain - Vintage 2000 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Above 5 bottles $280 - $480 Lot # 730 Carillon de l'Angélus - Vintage 2000 St.-Emilion, Excellent Appearance. (***Editor’s note: This is the second label of Chateau Angelus- which received a whopping 96 point rating (RMP) for their first label, 2000 Chateau Angelus. Think about it.) Above 10 Bottles $160 - $300 Lot # 737 Château Gruaud-Larose - Vintage 1986 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Level is neck-shoulder. Label is lightly bin soiled. Capsule is slightly corroded, has evidence of slight past seepage. 1 Bottle "From the first time I tasted this wine in cask, I have thought it to be among the blockbusters of the vintage. It has a black/purple color, mammoth structure, a fabulous wealth of fruit, and a finish that seems to last several minutes. This is indeed first-growth quality, but then, when, in the last decade, has a Gruaud-Larose not matched the quality of the first-growths?" 94 points, RMP. Château Talbot - Vintage 1985 St.-Julien, Quatrième Cru Classé Two levels are neck-shoulder. Two labels are lightly bin soiled. 2 Bottles Château Talbot - Vintage 1986 St.-Julien, Quatrième Cru Classé Level is high-mid shoulder. Label is lightly bin soiled. Capsule is slightly corroded, has evidence of slight past seepage. 1 Bottle "It's my gut feeling that the 1986 is, along with the 1982, the finest Talbot made at this estate since the legendary 1945. The fact that there are 40,000 cases of this wine is good news for the consumer, as there will be plenty to go around. The wine, which has been so special since the first taste from cask, is classically structured, with a penetrating fragrance of peppery, spicy, weedy black currants and tar, an enormous concentration of flavor on the palate, and staggering length." 96 points, RMP. La Croix du Casse - Vintage 1995 Pomerol, Excellent Appearance. 4 Bottles Above 8 bottles $280 - $520 Lot # 772 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Clos des Papes - Vintage 2000 Rhône, Excellent Appearance, owc. 12 Bottles $380 - $700 Lot # 828 Bahans-Haut-Brion - Vintage 2000 Pessac-Léognan, (Ed. Note: Second label of Chateau Haut-Brion, which received a 96 pt. review from Tanzer for the 2000 vintage. Food for thought). Excellent Appearance, owc. 12 Bottles $480 - $850 Lot # 864 Puligny-Montrachet, L. Latour - Vintage 2005 Côte de Beaune, Excellent Appearance. 12 Bottles $190 - $350 And those are just a few Lots of Interest. ~~~ Disclaimer: “Lots of Interest” should only be used as an introduction, or guide to buying wine at auction. I would encourage anyone interested in purchasing wine at auction - ANY AUCTION- to fully read the rules and regulations posed by each auction house respectively.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic "Lots of Interest", Morrell... by ChipDWood

  
  

• March 2009

  There isn't much Zinfandel grown in Anderson Valley...in fact, I can't think of any? Most of the wineries of Anderson Valley that make Zin get their grapes from Dry Creek Valley, Mendocino, or Russian River Valley. That being said, Anderson Valley is by FAR my favorite Pinot Noir... Read moreThere isn't much Zinfandel grown in Anderson Valley...in fact, I can't think of any? Most of the wineries of Anderson Valley that make Zin get their grapes from Dry Creek Valley, Mendocino, or Russian River Valley. That being said, Anderson Valley is by FAR my favorite Pinot Noir appellation. Also some very delicious Pinot coming from Sonoma Coast. Russian River Valley isn't my favorite for Pinot, as I've found many to be fruit-bombs, and I like a more refined "Burgundian" style. I'm not a huge Cab drinker, so I don't actively seek it out much. However, everything I've had has come from Napa or Alexander. Another couple of Zin appellations to look for are Paso Robles and Redwood Valley.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Best Regions? by cookypuss1

  
  

• February 2009

  We had a great tasting last night and it focused on one of my favorite grapes, Sangiovese. While not generally well disposed towards producing the flashy style of wine that quickly gets people's attention, the brisk acidity and slightly austere tannins of Sangiovese make it the... Read moreWe had a great tasting last night and it focused on one of my favorite grapes, Sangiovese. While not generally well disposed towards producing the flashy style of wine that quickly gets people's attention, the brisk acidity and slightly austere tannins of Sangiovese make it the most flexible food wine on my table. While we focused on California Sangiovese to a great extent, we started out with a few Italian examples that set the stage for what was to follow. Of course Sangiovese is the grape, in various clonal incarnations, that is responsible for Chianti, Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and myriad Rossos from across Italy. While each clone has something different to offer and each terroir produces different results there are some characteristics that can be considered trademarks of the grape. Aromas of herbs, leather, bitter almond and violets generally accompany the wild berry to dark cherry fruit of Sangiovese. That's not to say that Sangiovese is either simple or terribly consistent, it's not. It is prone to overproduction and many aromas can get easily washed away. It is also a fairly subtle wine. The fact that Sangiovese tends to be subtle seems to have been lost on a generation of Italian winemakers, and now Californians, who seem to think that there is something wrong with the grape, or rather that it is lacking in one department or another. Historically, Chianti was a blend, having favorable additions of Mammolo for perfume and body, Colorino, well for color and Canaiolo that can add a bit of soft flesh and overt fruitiness to the blend.  Other, lesser grapes were historically added but more to maintain consistency or quantity year over year than to actually improve the final wine. And then in the not too distant past came Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot. Now Merlot is a fairly innocuous grape when added in moderation to Sangiovese it functions much as Canaiolo did and can certain add a voluptuousness to a blend without severely impacting the Sangioveseness of the blend. Just as an aside, Canaiolo is not particularly easy to grow and seems to not enjoy being grafted on to the American rootstocks that all producers now use so there is this practical implication as well spurring along the use of Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon on the other hand, well it is not a subtle grape, it is an obvious grape. Far too many producers had the brilliant idea of adding Cabernet to their Sangiovese in the crazily explosive Super Tuscan years of the 1980's and 1990's. The thing is, even 5% of Cabernet can over-power the aromatics of Sangiovese.  Now I'm not saying these wines were bad, they certainly found an audience. What I am saying however is that that audience was not Sangiovese's natural audience. These are the same people who, along with a few particular "professional" critics, created the market conditions that allowed the  who created the recently revealed crisis in Brunello to arise. Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy's flagship wines. They can be brilliant wines but being made from 100% sangiovese, in particular a clone called Brunello, they tend to have strong acids, astringent tannins, and less body than many other prestigious wines of the same importance. Well a producer or two decided, contrary to the law, that perhaps it would be a good idea to add some Merlot or Syrah to their Brunallo to add some flesh to the wine and round off some of the sharp edges. It seemed to be a very effective course of action.  In  this point obsessed world we live in these doctored wines began to receive scores that placed them among the very best Brunello reviewed each year, which of course evolve into the most expensive. Of course they weren't Brunello and a "professional" critic might be expected to question how a producer can "adjust" a wine in just one vintage with such startling results. But then again the wines were good, better to complain about the shrillness of the other wines than investigate the new fleshiness of these great wines. Right? Well, maybe not.  The truth is, due to space considerations and the necessity of including all the samples that were submitted for these tastings I only was able to sneak in a smattering of Chianti. No Vino Nobile, Brunello, or Rossos, they will have to wait for the next round.  But even from the carefully chosen selection of Chianti producers I assembled there are glimpses of the tendency to think bigger is better, certainly not necessarily the case. At least for me. I may not be the ideal candidate to judge these wines. I come to the table with preconceived notions and expectations. I expect Sangiovese to be richly fruited but earthy, slightly bitter, with mineral and herb components to its fairly complex taste. The acidity should be vivid, the tannins moderate but with a bit of an austere bite. I don’t think this is asking for too much. Is it? Well in many cases it would appear so. Ok perhaps that is a reach. I am predisposed to enjoy the Chianti in these line-ups; for the most part I selected them.  Perhaps I am railing against an apparition from the past, a memory or echo of painful experiences suffered at the hands of international “flying winemakers” or carefully crafted marketing measures cannily packaged in fancy bottles. Whatever it is or was I did not and do not like it. One refreshing thing I learned from trying these 25 wines, a horribly corked bottle of the otherwise brilliant and eminently satisfying 2005 Selvapiana Chinati RufinaRiserva Bucerchiale was the extra bottle which incidentally is my favorite Chianti year in and year out, is that where California has followed the model that less is more in the case of Sangiovese they have succeeded far beyond my expectations. It must be even more difficult to practice this model in California where the high acid and naturally transparent character of the grape is so temptingly “improved” by the concentration afforded by (super)ripeness! Well when the grape is harvested at reasonable ripeness and produced with minimal interference the grape fairly screams in success. I would have to say the jury is still out on some of the more ambitious attempts with the grape in this country and there are winemakers who would be better off working with a grape that naturally produces the results they are trying to achieve. Super-ripeness tends to obscure, not enhance varietal character so producing this style with Sangiovese only has the advantage of retaining decent natural acidity but all the unique character, and appeal, of the grape is lost in the wave of sweet, silky fruit that results. The results below are from two distinct tastings. Due to a technical glitch the photos and images from the first tasting have been lost but the results speak for themselves. Sangiovese is alive in and well, and splitting its time between Italy and the US. If you can remember the 1989 Atlas Peak Sangiovese, I certainly can, you might find that statement shocking but the proof is in the pudding, or in this case the Speiglau. Sangiovese Panel Tasting Program - Session 1 1-    Me 2-     Cheryl - Wine Enthusiast 3-    Paul - Wine Professional 4-    Eddie - Eddie Professional 5-    Eva - Wine Enthusiast 6-    Evan - Wine Enthusiast 7-    Toni - Wine Enthusiast Flight 1 Chianti 1-    2006 Borgianni  Chianti 12.5% - $12 Groups #10 my #10 This is a simple, highly acidic and lean wine that met with minimal approval from Toni who said, “ This gave me nothing. I kept waiting for something to show up, I gave up. It’s a nothing wine” a sentiment shared by Cheryl who added “ I thought there would be sweet fruit after the artificial cherry nose but it was green on the midpalate and OK at best.”  Paul found the wine to be “ simple and young…seems like a correct, basic Tuesday night Pizza wine.”  That seems about right, very basic. 2-    2005 Volpaia Chianti Classico 13% $20 Groups #7 my #7 With this wine we moved up a level in the Chianti hierarchy and found more to like.  Eddie enjoyed the “ smoky fruit, mouth puckering mid-palate and mellow finish”  and while Paul also noted the “ black cherry and leather” qualities of the wine he also felt it was ‘ too tannic for today and pretty darn short.”  Both Cheryl and Eva found the wine’s “green” element and tannins to be off-putting with Eva adding “ the finish was short and there was not much to balance out the rough tannins.” A bit of a tough wine, even for me, and in need of some food but still  fairly typical. 3-    2003 Castel’in Villa Chianti Classico 13.5%  $20 Groups #5 my #6 This wine was a little more divisive with Cheryl finding more negatives than positives with the “acetone on the nose, alcohol in the mouth and not enough sweet fruit” while Paul went even further adding “ it’s poorly balanced, astringent and bitter.” Eva on the other hand found this to be “ fragrant and delicious smelling with a smooth mouthfeel and nice red strawberry fruits.” Toni felt that “ the longer this sat in the glass the better it was and while it’s not a bad wine it’s felt like a $10 wine.” I though this was pretty good with an attractive flavor profile but it lacked freshness and energy in the mouth. Flight 2 - Other styles of 2006 Sangiovese 4-    2006 Nespoli Sangiovese di Romagna 13% Groups # 6 my #4 Here we are playing in a different league with Eddie noting “ for the first time I can use the term fruity with these wines!” Evan felt that while good, “ there was not a lot of forward fruit, a little bit of cherry but well balanced.” Cheryl was also a bit lukewarm noting “ candied fruit on the nose, lots of acidity, good cherry fruit, it was OK” Eva also was less complimentary finding the wine “ sharp, tart, high acid, and astringent.” And just to be perfectly clear added “Yuck. I didn’t like this.” I really enjoyed the pure fruit here and found this to very varietally correct and delicious. 5-    2006 Perrucci Santa Cruz Mtn Sangiovese “Family Selection” 13.5% $28 Groups # 2 my # 3 Our first domestic example elicited results ranging from Cheryl’s “ I love it. It’s fantastic. A little bit dirty on the nose, it gives me the idea of France but with sweet fruit!”  Paul just may have been agreeing when he added, “It’s the epitome of modern wine, it could come from anywhere.” But added that he did “enjoy its herbs on the nose, woodsy, rosemary kind of herb with black cherry, cedar and chocolate on the palate.”  For Toni this was simply too much of a good thing as she felt this had “strawberry to the point of it smelling like a dessert wines, extremely fruity, too much fluff, too many berries.”  While not my style this had a lot going on. There was a touch of brett that helped break up the masses of sweet fruit and while a bit of this is fun to drink a bottle would quickly grow tiring for me. 6-     2006 Moris Farms Morellino di Scansano  14% $18 Groups # 9 my # 9 This usually dependable wine was a bit of a let down as Paul characterized by saying “ there was nothing there, it lacked concentration, aromas and didn’t have enough flavor.”  Eva “liked the way this smells, dark fruit and a little hint of floral but it’s flat in the mouth, no fruitiness, overall it’s ok.” Evan also “really liked the nose with it’s dark, smoky, candied fruit” but felt “ the flavors didn’t match the nose, it’s very subtle but overall I liked it.” I was not impressed by this vintage, it was certainly correct but really felt like a minor wine or as Toni put it “ this brought me back to my basement when my father drank this wine. Very 1960’s-70’s old world stuff. Flight 3 - California’s Sangiovese terroir? 7-     2005 Pietra Santa Cienega Valley 15.1% $18 Groups # 8 my # 5 Cheryl started us off with a rather exclamatory “ This is the worst wine in the world!” Which she followed up with “ It tastes better than it smells, nice with dark sweet chocolate notes but the nose turned me off.” Paul on the other hand found the nose to be “ pretty complex for such a ripe wine with lots of briar, pipe tobacco and lots of spice.” He felt it was a very powerful modern wine but it feels like the old world trying to be modern.” Eva caught “ herbs really sage bushy” on the nose and added ‘ I really like this a lot, it’s really interesting.” This is an interesting wine to say the least. Incredibly rich and dense yet packed with fine green herbal notes as well. It really rides a knife’s edge and while intense an in a very specific idiom it is intriguing and evolves in the glass. Worth following. Tasted several times with consistent results. 8-    2005 Martin & Weyrich Il Palio - Paso Robles  14.3% $15 Groups # 1 my #1 Toni enjoyed her” initial reaction was tobacco, earth and herbs. This is a bold wine that felt subtle at first with smooth fruit, then acidity hit me, and hit me, and hit me.” Evan also found fault with this wine noting it’s “subtle on the nose, it felt flat in the mouth and tasted of pear on the aftertaste. It’s not my style.” Eddie found “ sweet, dark fruit and a little tobacco on the nose..” and felt this was “ very well balanced, fresh and classic in a straight forward and honest way.” Cheryl agreed noting, “ this is smooth with a lovely mouthfeel. I really enjoy this, with or without food, I love how it tastes.” I couldn’t agree more. A simply delightful, pure, vivacious bottle of Sangiovese at a value price. An eye-opening surprise. 9-    2004 Deerfield Sonoma County  14.6% $25 Groups #11 my #11 Eddie was this wine biggest proponent finding it “ unique and funky with salt and red licorice on both the nose and palate. Toni was ambivalent finding “ a bit of vanilla at first then I felt something was off. It tastes smooth and subtle but it wanted to be something but it missed the target.” Evan “didn’t enjoy this at all, its rasiny and has a sherry nose.” Paul was right to he point “ this is flawed and undrinkable, I didn’t want to smell it after the first whiff.” Cheryl then bid up a unit by adding “ this is the Mollydooker or Kosta Brown of Sangiovese. It’s too sweet even for me!” This bottle was a mess, no doubt. Another bottle described below showed better but be prepared for heat, sweetness, and innocuous dark fruit. Flight 4 - Modern Sangiovese 10-    2005 Stolpman Santa Ynez - 14.9% $28 Groups # 4 my # 8 Toni found this to be “ very ripe, with rich fruit and rich spice on the nose but it suddenly disappeared. The taste is very light, very cherry like and very smooth. While this is very drinkable I can’t see it with food but I like it a lot.” Eva also noted the “very subtle nose” and enjoyed the balance of “ minerality, sharp and astringent against the sweet fruit.” Paul found this to be “ kind of over-ripe with roasted black cherry on the nose. It’s very sweet in the mouth, it needs acidity to cut down the over-powering sweetness.” While very modern and woody this did have fine Sangiovese character in a rich, soft package that has broad appeal. 11-    2004 Marleo Salustri Montecucco Rosso 13.5% $24 Groups #12 my #12 This bottle sucked. I’m not completely convinced that it was atypical; another bottle was about as bad. Cheryl “bad” Paul “I liked it less and less” Eddie weak” Eva “ dried fig and raisin” Evan “off nose off flavors” Toni “hated it.” Yup yup. 12-    2006 Miner Gibson Ranch Mendocino 14.1% $24 Groups # 3 my #2 Evan found “rich blackberry and spices on the nose with leathery dark fruits. I liked the acidity and astringency of this wine>’ Eddie thought this offered “ sweet/tart fruit with much new oak adding a lot of tannins finishing firm and dry with Indian spices.” Paul noted that this was “ really powerful with a lot going on, spicy dark fruit, well balanced, this wine gets an A.” Cheryl felt that “ageing this might be the right thing to do, it’s short and flat in the mouth with drying tannins, while fine it’s not my favorite.” This was certainly the densest, most structured wine of the night and should benefit from cellaring and while a fine bottle it lacks some Sangiovese typicity. The following week we sat down with another group to taste another lineup of Sangiovese 1- Me 2 -  Allen - Wine Enthusiast 3 -  Eddie - Wine Professional 4 -  Justin - Wine Professional 5 -  Stu - Wine Professional 6 - Eric - Wine Enthusiast 7 -  Dave - Wine Enthusiast Flight 1 1 -2005 Cosentino Il Chiaretto California 14.8% $18 87pts 2 - 2006 Ruffino Santedame Chianti Classico 13.5% $18 3 - 2007 Flora Springs Napa Valley 14.2% $15 Flight 2 4 - 2004 Podere il Palazzino La Pieve Chianti Classico 14% $20 5 - 2005 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Tan label 14% $22 6 - 2006 Pope Valley Winery Napa Valley 14% $18 Flight 3 7 - 2004 Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 14% $20 8 - 2004 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva 13.5% $30 9 - 2004 Castellare Chianti Classico Riserva 13.5% $35 Flight 4 10 - 2005 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley 14.8% $20 11 - 2004 Deerfield Sonoma 14,6% $25 12 - 2006 The Midlife Crisis Winery Paso Robles  16.6% $20 Flight 1 1 -2005 Cosentino Il Chiaretto California 14.8% $18 Group’s 7th, my 8th We started off with a solid wine that Eddie found to be “pleasant on the nose with cherry fruit and a touch of spice and red licorice” on the palate. Both Dave and Stu felt this showed a little Merlot like character with Stu commenting on the wine’s “cocoa powder, leather and spice notes”. Justin found the wine to be “ soft with sour cherry fruit, sandalwood and allspice…light and pleasant.” I tend to agree though the alcohol was a bit much here and gave the wine a disjointed feel. 2 - 2006 Ruffino Santedame Chianti Classico 13.5% $18 Group’s 8th, my 7th Eric felt this “smelled very tightly wound and herby with some cherry notes very nice acids with raspberry fruit” but he also commented on the “little bitter on the long finish.” Justin found this to be “ a touch tannic… with black cherry and earth notes but it’s trying to do more than what was there, nice acidity though.”  Stu was more complementary noting the wine’s “ vivid and dense” feel and  “rich chocolate” notes but felt the “good amount of oak and drying tannins left a lingering bitterness on finish” All in all this was a solid showing for a solid wine that could use a bit more finesse 3 - 2007 Flora Springs Napa Valley 14.2% $15 Group’s 1st, my 4th Justin -found “ a woodsy note like fresh cut grass” on the nose here and noted the wine had  “ good depth and concentration to the strawberry fruit. It’s a little tannic on the finish. Dave found the nose to be “cranberry, candy” with Notes of “ cologne, manure and cedar” and noted the wines “earthy minerality” on the palate. Eddie, on the other hand, found “cherries with a touch of oak” on the nose and felt the wine was “ medium bodied, tannic with decent fruit and a dry tart finish.” I loved this wine. It’s a bowl of unwashed freshly foraged wild strawberries and while fruit driven is just a joy to drink. Flight 2 4 - 2004 Podere il Palazzino La Pieve Chianti Classico 14% $20 Group’s 5th, my 5th Eric commented on this wine’s “ cheese rind, moldy” noted which was a consensus feature of this wine but found nice “ cherries and mineral, notes with some plum on the finish” Stu felt the funk was more “ barnyard and  wet forest,” and felt this was “ Burgundian styled” with a “smooth, silky mouthfeel, pretty sweet and ripe, but hot on the finish.”  Dave felt the funk was more like “manure and rubber” but found  “black berries and smoke” on the palate whish had  “big pucker factor” I found this to be a simple if solid bottle that would be a safe bet on a restaurant list. 5 - 2005 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Tan label 14% $22 Group’s 9th, my 9th Sometimes a blind tasting reveals the truth about a wine, like in this case. This very popular wine had a “seductive and alluring nose” according to Eddie with  “dark cherries on the palate” but he also found the wine to be “ soft and short finish” Justin felt the flavors were a bit blurred with cherry cola notes… with a nice round mouthfeel, but no mid-palate or finish” Stu also enjoyed the “rich licorice, cherry coke, cola” but felt the wine’s “finish had a greenness that popped up then dropped away leaving this heavy and rough in the mouth.” For me this was a decent wine but it felt as though it could have been better. It had a little of everything it needed but enough on nothing. 6 - 2006 Pope Valley Winery Napa Valley 14% $18 Group’s 2nd, my 3rd Justin found a “dust and old furniture” quality on the nose and “earthiness on the palate” that was appealing and felt this finished with  “ good acidity with wild berry and sour cherry fruits.  Stu also found “ berry sour cherry, candied, bright fruit” in this wine and felt that while this exhibited a  “liberal use of wood and vanilla “ he enjoyed the “pretty soft yet dense” feel of this wine. Interestingly Eric thought this resembled a  “modern style Dolcetto” with its “toasty blackberry, cedar, sour cherry vanilla” profile.  I thought this was just a great wine that spoke a little bit about Sangiovese, perhaps more about California but was so well made I really didn’t care. Flight 3 7 - 2004 Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 14% $20 Group’s 3rd, my 1st Allen enjoyed this wine’s  “earthy quality with an interesting bit of wood and licorice” and felt the wine had a “long finish that lingers quite a bit.” Eddie enjoyed the wine’s “soft and smoky fruit with peppered meats” and found it to be well balanced with subtle fruit” Dave also commented on the “smoked meats” on the nose along with “barnyard, violets and ripe fruits” and enjoyed the “nice balance of acid and tannin” on the palate.  This traditional Chianti was coy, earthy, complex and totally compelling. A brilliant wine and a great value! 8 - 2004 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva 13.5% $30 Group’s 10th, my 10th I don’t know what the deal is with this wine. All 3 bottles I’ve had have been tainted and this was noticed by everyone and well described by Justin, as “chemical, rotten vegetable” Nonetheless there’s a lot to like here though in a rather modern idiom with almost everyone picking up notes of cola and root beer. Another popular descriptor mentioned by Eddie, Stu and Eric was cherry or red licorice. So far not a particularly typical set of descriptors for Sangiovese that really should not be an issue but along with the funk this sweet candied character did not a great Chianti experience make. 9 - 2004 Castellare Chianti Classico Riserva 13.5% $35 Group’s 4th, my 2nd Stu found a touch of “ farm and blackberry” on the nose but enjoyed this wines  “very ripe fruits and pretty deep flavors” though he did note it was “lacking acidity.” Justin on the other hand found this to have “good weight and intensity with fine grained tannins” and while it may be “a bit monolithic” it was still “pretty good” Eric found a lot on the nose here picking up “ oak, green veggies, wet fur, black berries and raw beef” and enjoyed the notes of “ black berry, green pepper and orange rind” on the palate. A solid showing and good reception for a slightly abrasive, slightly closed yet fine Chinati. Flight 4 10 - 2005 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley 14.8% $20 Group’s 6th, my 6th Eddie noted “ripe sweet fruit with salty olives and oak” on the nose of this Sangiovese/Cabernet blend. Eric also found “olive leaf” along with “sweet blackberry licorice, dry flower and tobacco.” He found the wine to be “very mouth filling with jammy black currant fruit.” Allen enjoyed the wines “long finish with a hint of licorice” but also commented that the wine was “a little dry if well balanced.” Dave probably enjoyed this most finding it to have a “plush nose of super ripe cherry, vanilla and barnyard with intensely ripe fruit flavors.” A big bruiser of a wine, this certainly had it’s merits and was a wine that I could see improving. 11 - 2004 Deerfield Sonoma 14,6% $25 Group’s 11th, my 12th Dave thought this smelled of “ cough syrup with a really funky nose with a vinegar edge” and like many added that it  “tastes fortified.” Allen called it “syrupy and a little alcoholic” Eddie also felt this had a “funky nose” with “sweet oxidized fruit and coconut.” Justin thought this was “velvety polished, very smooth” but as Eric added “it has a long but tiring finish.” Stu concurred finding a “fortified quality” to the wine making it  “feel like a port, with sour cherry, medicinal cough syrup flavors” and a  “really sweet finish.”  A strange bird indeed. Not sure what the intent was with this wine but the results speak for themselves. 12 - 2006 The Midlife Crisis Winery Paso Robles  16.6% $20 Group’s 12th, my 11th Justin called this simple “fruitcake” and noted that it was “very full bodied and a bit low in acid.” Eddie agreed calling it a “low acid fruit bomb with high residual sugar and zinfandel like boysenberry fruit.” Allen felt it was more “blackberry” toned but also noted the wine’s ‘sweet finish.” Eric chimed in agreeing that the finish was “a little cloying” and noted that this smelled “ like a dessert wine with honeysuckle, almond, clove, brown sugar and mulling spice.”  Another well made wine that really didn’t speak much of grape or origin. And the exceptionally high alcohol was noted by every taster, and not in a good way. And that is that. Two weeks of blind tasting’s focusing on Sangiovese. We had one corked bottle. Gregory Dal Piaz is the Community Manager at Snooth, an avid Wine Geek with a passion for things Italian, and a long suffering Mets fan.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Sangiovese GTi by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• January 2009

  I think you'd get alot of argument with your list. general for Cabernet Napa Valley is considered the holy grail and the Dry Creek Valley for Zins. Russian River for Pinot is a good choice though Santa Barbara County may be a more popular region today. Of course there are many... Read moreI think you'd get alot of argument with your list. general for Cabernet Napa Valley is considered the holy grail and the Dry Creek Valley for Zins. Russian River for Pinot is a good choice though Santa Barbara County may be a more popular region today. Of course there are many dissenting opinions and there is no reason why your choices can't be valid. For me, especially with Zinfandel, i would say that there have been too many great wines over the years for me to say that I prefer one over the other. Sonoma county has been responsible for the majority of my great experiences with the grape but I have had stellar examples from Napa, Mendocino, Amador, Shenandoah valley... The list goes on. It will be interesting to see what others can add here.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Best Regions? by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

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