Spice monster

• September 2009

  Are there in fact any from Bordeaux any more? I can't think of any. From Cahors, Lagrezette is always on everyone's list, maybe because it's imported. I'm not a fan for the most part. But as it happens, I just noticed my notes from a Malbec tasting last spring, so here are those... Read moreAre there in fact any from Bordeaux any more? I can't think of any. From Cahors, Lagrezette is always on everyone's list, maybe because it's imported. I'm not a fan for the most part. But as it happens, I just noticed my notes from a Malbec tasting last spring, so here are those that I liked. Some are imported into the US, most aren't. There were over a hundred wines and I'm not about to put up all of my notes, but here are those that stood out. 2007 Chateau Haute Borie - lots of tobacco on the nose, quite dry finish, ripe fruit 2005 Haute Serre (10% merlot, 5% tannat) - great nose of spice and pepper that makes me predisposed to love the wine. It's actually got great ripe fruit and wonderful follow up too, so it's one of my faves. 2007 Rigal - Les Terasses (has 30% merlot) - again tobacco, forest floor/humus, very earthy, dark fruits 2005 Domaine Clos Siguier - cuvee - a big monster of a wine, plums and dark cherries but with an underlying acidity reminiscent of pomegranates or something similar. Quite good. 2005 Chateau les Hauts d'Aglan - smoky, tarry, tasty, balanced. Might be my favorite of the tasting. 2006 Chateau la Reyne - kind of a funky, leathery nose, on the palate notes of tar and dark fruit and a little of the same leathery quality. One of the best of the day. 2005 Chateau Eugenie (10% tannat) - complex, deep, very ripe fruit but not sweet, something seems to be hidden in the wine, maybe it needs decanting or time, but it's very promising. 2005 Chateau Rouffiac - oaky as hell, smells like butterscotch and toffee and pretty discernable oak on the palate but great fruit to support it. Very different from some of the Spanish wines with this nose, not as soft and it has bigger but rounder tannins. This would be something to hold on to for a couple of years. Nice. 2005 Chateau le Chambert - lots of vanilla, really ripe fruit, but also tannic as hell and very drying on the finish. Another that should be good in a few years.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Cahors & Bordeaux Malbec... by GregT

  
  

• July 2009

  California’s Sierra foothills appellation spans across some of the least heralded great wine producing regions of the state. Unlike Napa and Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon did not serve as a historic touchstone here, though the history of wine production is almost as long. In contrast... Read moreCalifornia’s Sierra foothills appellation spans across some of the least heralded great wine producing regions of the state. Unlike Napa and Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon did not serve as a historic touchstone here, though the history of wine production is almost as long. In contrast to the hype and glitter of “newer” regions propelled to fame by faddish whims, the Sierra Foothills continue to stake their claim to fame on old vine Zinfandel, as they did during the gold rush, as well as newer plantings of grapes from across Europe that adapt well to the favorable climate of the region. photo courtesy of: El Dorado Winery Association The fact that these counties, eight in total, three in particular, from north to south El Dorado, Amador and Calaveras counties, are leading the way in planting exciting, new to the state, varieties, captures the pioneer spirit that continues to infuse not only the people of these beautiful hills but also the wine they produce. For example, as opposed to competing with the so much of the state, not to mention the world, by planting Cabernet Sauvignon (not that Cabernet doesn’t have it’s spots in this ranging AVA) one finds Rhone style blends based on Grenache and Syrah, Vermentino, Sangiovese, and even Tempranillo!  This “prospecting for riches” carries over a long tradition, going back to Sutter’s mill and the original 49er’s, that’s 1849, who braved the variable climate of this rugged region in search of gold. Today’s gold comes more frequently in a bottle, and some is even of the golden persuasion. All the wines of the region share a certain character that expresses the unique terroir of this interesting AVA that admittedly crosses many county borders as it travels from meso-climate to meso-climate.  One reason for such an extensive AVA is that the rolling foothills here are the key to providing welcome relief from the heat of California’s central valley. This slice of the foothills, where vines thrive in the moderate climate between 1400 and 3000 feet of elevation, is double blessed. Not only do the warm days and cool night preserve the acidity in the grapes but these conditions also extend the growing season by slowing down the ripening during the final days of the growing season. This is especially beneficial with Zinfandel since the grape clusters on many Zinfandel vines tend to have berries of varying ripeness as harvest approaches. These hillsides are also blessed with a variety of soil types that give the wines produced here a distinctive character.  Around the 2000-foot level many patches of decomposed granite are to be found. These poor soils offer great drainage forcing the vines to struggle a bit for their survival, yielding fruit that, when mature, gives rich, rugged flavors and balanced structure to the wines they produce. At higher elevations several regions have soils of volcanic origin that can add a spicy tone to the wines and a crispness to the tannins that makes them distinct and unique additions to the pantheon of California wine. Situated as they are between the heavily populated coastal areas of northern California and the rich beauty of the Sierra Nevada range, the foothill wineries are ideally located to be part of a true California adventure. Escaping from the herd mentality that drive tourists to Napa, Sonoma and San Francisco provides that savvy wine tripper not only a chance to taste great wines at a pace more akin to that of 1950 but serves as a gateway to some of the most impressive natural beauty one is able to find in the vast land of ours. So next time you’re thinking of a California vacation consider adding the Sierra Foothills and visits to Yosemite to your plans.  I know I will. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amador Foothill Winery -  Leading the way with innovative wines! With plantings that range from Aglianico to Zinfandel, it should come as no surprise that Amador Foothill Winery is leading the way with innovative wines from the Sierra Foothills. From Rose to Rhone Blend, and never forgetting the Zinfandel, this is a winery that delivers. Amador Foothill 2008 Rosato of Sangiovese Amador  13.5%  Soil, oil, dusty earth, pollen, wild raspberry, lovely subtle spice ad herb tones,  a tuch of leather, a bit of Swedish fish, wild cherry+,  A touch sweet up front then the wash of acid cuts through the weight leaving very pure wild berry fruit tones, great interplay of acid/fruit on the palte, really zippy style with duge refreshing acids that lead to a brick finish full or wild raspberry tones with hints of earth and spice.  A lighter style in the mouth and a great rose that may lack a touch of complexity but more than makes up for it with it’s extremely pretty pure fruit and texture that makes you want to drink more. A great rose 92pts ~ ~~ ~ Amador Foothill  Winery 2006 Katies Cote Shenandoah Valley  14.4% Lots of cigar box and sweet vanilla laced tones on the nose dominate the blackberry and black plum note though intriguing notes of violet, black pepper and thyme slowly emerge from the glass.  Slinky entry is immediately delicious with crisp herb inflected black fruits that have great intensity yet are not clumsy or thick. The wood adds a bit too much sweetness here yet the ample spice tones with hints of cinnamon, black pepper and juniper add a nice contrast on the back end. This finishes with a touch too much wood induced sweetness again but the tannins are lovely and crisp so this should take another year or two of age well, allowing the wood tones to soften and integrate. Very aromatic and cedary in the mouth at times, this is a rich, gutsy wine with good promise. 51% Syrah/49% Grenache 88pts ~ Bantam Cellars - A new winery making Shenandoah wine scene. With only 3 vintages under their belt bantam Cellars are the new kids on the block. Following in the path blazed before them they are offering an array of Mediterranean varieties yet continue the great tradition that Zinfandel has developed in the region. Bantam cellars 2008 Vermentino  Amador County12.5% Quite intense mineral, almond, pear and light spiced white peach fruit on the nose. This is lovely and balanced on the nose. Good acids, a touch grapey fruit, quite grapey fruity in fact but with lemon shaded juicy Asian pear notes that are rich and satisfying.  Finishes with a touch of raspy mineral, a hint of gooseberry and surprising length. A delicious wine perfect for casual sipping and light fair. 88pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ C. G. di Arie - From the creator of Cap’n Crunch, no kidding! Set to celebrate their first decade in business C.G di Arie makes the most of their estate fruit. With the major red varieties planted here at 1700 feet the focus here is on getting a consistent expression from these vines while relying on partner grower sto provide top-quality fruit for their non-estate wines. G D di Arie 2008 Sauvignon Banc Shenandoah valley 13.8% Starts out with sweetish notes of powdered sugar a sage that are joined by tropical fruit notes.  Soft and broad in the mouth with a velvety texture and juicy orchard fruit tones. A simple wine in an easy to drink style 85pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ G D Di Arie 2008 Rose Di Arie  Sierra Foothills 13.7% Earthy sweet raspberries and fleshy black grape tones right off the bat are joined by a touch of herbs, black pepper and peach fruit.  A rich, soft style with tones of sweet red currant and plum fruit tones that are a touch spicy and hold a nice earthy center. Rich and fruity with a touch of RS yet also a nice hint of tannin to add some contrast to the texture. A touch sticky on the finish but with lingering jammy blackberry tones. If you love a fruity rose this is for you.  50% Syrah/40% Tempranillo/10% Zinfandel 86pts  ~ ~~ ~ Cooper Vineyards - Offering a complete array of wines Cooper Vineyards produces and impressive line-up of wines encompassing 17 varieties. From Pinot Grigio and Roussanne to Cabernet and Zinfandel, naturally, there is a wine for every palate. And in that inclusive spirit one can also find a pair of dessert wines, one white, and one red to tempt your taste buds. Cooper vineyards 2008 Pinot Grigio Amador 14.9% Rather intense citrus zest and ripe herb notes with lovely floral top notes some alcohol shows but surprising well-balanced nose.  Lots of sweet fruit up front, green berries and green plum combine with a rich, plush mouthfeel to produce a rather unusual wine. One that feels over-ripe yet maintains surprisingly good freshness of flavor; inner mouth perfume is very sweet with notes of green tea and jasmine. The wine lacks some freshening acidity but is bursting with apricot and almost guava tones. The alcohol is more apparent in the mouth but this still manages to pull it off. The finish is a touch short but this is quite an interesting wine, though certainly not for everyone. 88pts ~ Deaver Vineyards -  Four generations and 150 years later still going strong! If any name should be associated with the wines of the Sierra Foothills it should be Deaver. With a proud lineage extending back to the first years of wine production in the region it’s no surprise that Deaver continues to be at the forefront with great new Italian and Rhone varietals as well as the classics. Deaver Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Amador 13.3% Light kiwi and grassy notes on the nose, fresh almost earthy clumps of sod tones that are less herbal than manner SB. Bright zesty and fresh on entry with a very lively and refreshing mouthfeel. Classic medium bodied Sauvignon Blanc feel with modestly fruity flavors and a nice hint of lemon pith and sweet grapefruit that leads to a medium length finish. Actually has good persistence to the modest flavors but the appeal here is drinkability. 86pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Deaver Vineyards 2007 Sierra Foothills Chardonnay with an ATTITUDE 14.5% Smells lemony and floral like some Muscat or Viognier made it into the blend.  The fruit is citrussy and the nose quite high pitched with salty undertones and a touch of honey, toasted spices and green anise seed.  Rich yet lively in the mouth with an impression of sweetness accentuating the deep fruit yellow fruit tones. A mouthfilling wine but well balanced with interesting layers of citrus and peach fruit.. Very clean and crisp on the finish with a touch of lingering almost coffee like toasted spice 88pts ~ ~~ ~ Deaver Viognier 2007 Amador County 14% Smells sweet with a leather fruit tone that recalls dried apricot, a hint of lanolin and a touch of water chestnut add some complexity. This gains a nice pale honey note with hints of pollen and light tobacco. Very light with an attractive airy quality even though the wine is noticeably viscous with obvious RS., but it is well balanced by the integrated acidity. Lovely honied flavors of quince, candied lime and peach round out thee mouth. The finish is a bit gentle but with nice feathery complexity and a very friendly disposition. The sweetness is a bit much for a table wine but this finishes fairly read more...dryly so it can work but is better suited as a very light dessert wine particularly well structured for a cheese course. 90pts   Deaver Vineyards NV Orange Muscat Amador 12.5% Gorgeously fragrant nose full of black tea, orange blossom, light passion fruit and pink grapefruit tones. Really intense and fresh and gently frizzante with a honied tone to the warm citrus fruit tones and  an easy appeal. Some tea notes add a bit of depth but this is a rather sweet and slightly rich style of Moscato with long honied flavors yet not much detail. 85pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Ironestone Vineyards - A pioneer growing premium grapes in the Foothills. Ironstone Vineyards is one of the Sierra Foothill’s premium producers of Bordeaux blends. By intelligently adding small amounts of blending grapes and allowing the wines time to age in barrel in the deep, cool caverns under the winery, Ironstone has created nuanced wines in a satisfyingly smooth style. Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Franc Reserve Sierra Foothills 14.5% Dark, toasty, grilled fruit notes with spicy herbs lurking, and something very meaty about this wine, Nicely gamy smells like grilling lamb over eucalyptus. Lush in the mouth with lots of rich fruit, plums, cassis, black cherry with hints of dried tomato, herb, mint, and oak,. Very nicely balanced both texturally and favor wise with there is a touch of barbq sauciness on the backend but the bright cherry tones and light vanilla note power through and dominate the long finish. A big velvety richly fruited yet fresh wine with a touch of earth at its core, and just a hint of mint chocolate shavings helping read more...to frame the fruit. Certainly is ripe Cab France 89pts ~ Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Sierra Foothills 14.5% Reticent and minty with an interesting mineral edge to the nose, smells granitic.  A touch leaner and more transparent than the CF with a redder fruit profile. Bright acids and nicely measured tannin yield a firmly medium plus bodied wine with a touch of cola/root beer spice helping to frame the astringent red fruits. The wood is really well integrated here and while this is neither super complex or super rich (a good thing) it is very well behaved in the mouth. Not particularly varietal either but rich, polished and fruity. A well-made and enjoyably drinkable wine that finishes a touch short with a Mexican cocoa note.87pts. ~ ~~ ~ Morse Wines -  A leader in Rhone varieties from the Sierra Foothills Morse Wines is a new label being utilized by the Il Gioiello Winery to differential their Rhone Varietals from their Italian bottlings. Determined to make a name for both schools in the Foothills, Morse offer carefully crafted small lots of wines that offer a new interpretation of French Classics. Morse 2007 Ensemble Blanc 55% Viognier/45% Roussanne Sierra Foothills 15.1% A bit slow to open with soft floral tones married to deep, almost honied, quite smoky baked banana peel, and preserved lemon tones, Gains a big acacia tone with air. Rich with good acidity and a nice mineral edge to the deep orchard fruit tones. Real snap to the flavors and fine balance with rather restrained kwi and goosebbery notes that gain the upper hand on the back end with an interesting candied floral top note and lingering sweet/mineral tension on the moderate finish. Excellent complexity and balance in this very solid wine. 90pts  ~ ~~ ~ Shenandoah Vineyards- A pioneering winery in California’s Shenandoah Valley With a broad array of small lot reserve wines, Shenandoah Vineyards offers a complimentary line-up to the Sobon family’s eponymous winery. Actually the first of the 2 brands Shenandoah Vineyards continues as a leading producer of wines that represent a classic style that can only be associated with California’s Shenandoah Valley. Shenandoah Vineyards 2007 Special Reserve Zinfandel Amador 14.4% Subtle and soft blackberries, peach and black plum skins contrast with a hint of baking spice and coconutty oak tones on the nose.   Very sweetly fruited entry, nice balance with good acidity and very soft tannins give the moderately spicy but very fruity style with a soft, friendly feel.  Full of sweet, vanilla toned black plum and blackberry fruit, on the short finish. Classic Amador Zin though. 86 pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Sobon - a family affair dedicated to sustainable farming, and great wine! The Sierra Foothill’s forte has always been their deep, flavorful old vine Zinfandel. Many of these hillside vineyards were originally planted to supply the 49ers and now are gloriously mature. Sobon has consistently captured the wonderful fruit of these vines, allowing them to express themselves in classic style. Sobon Estate 2008 Roussanne Amador 14.1% Great nose, lots of boiled chestnuts and toasted chestnut shells, intense with a noticeable yet integrated oak backdrop. Lilacs, white pepper and very light mangosteen fruit.  Decidedly soft in the mouth with a rich, viscous feel and initial honied fruit note that yields to an almost strawberry tinged mid-palate with rich orange tones and a touch of butter cream.  The finish returns to a more citrussy vein with a nicely floral inner mouth perfume of almost tropical orange blossoms. Big rich balanced and different this is a winner 90pts ~ ~~ ~ Sobon Estate ReZerve 2008 Rose Amador 13.6% Mineral, strawberry, herb and roast pork with a hint of rosemary and a hint of flowers on the nose give this a succulent and savory appeal.  Dry and crisp with good focus in the mouth. This is a touch tight even with a subtle richness and lovely, slightly tannic red berry and sweet pomegranate tones with a touch of papaya and papaya seed spice. Wonderful fruit and subtle spice tones linger on the moderately long finish. Great balance and freshness here make this really lovely. Grenache/Syrah/Carignan 90pts ~ ~~ Sobon Estate 2007 Old Vines Zinfandel Amador 14.9% A touch of fudge and moist earth with lovely brambly notes of sapwood, herb and wild black raspberry fruit edged with a touch of pipe tobacco. Pure black raspberry fruit on entry, very good acids, lots of sweet fruit here, nice top notes of briar and bramble. Nice purity of well-expressed yet uncomplicated fruit. A wine for drinking, not for thinking about. Finishes with a slightly jammier tone and more wood spice but still nicely balanced and fresh 87pts ~ ~~ ~ Story Winery - A lovely white surprise from a great Zin producer. Story Winery has made a name for themselves producing small lots of old-vine Zinfandel from great vineyard sites in Amador county.  In true pioneer spirit they have also explored several white wines enjoying the fruit from these unusual head-pruned and dry farmed vineyards. Story Winery 2007 Chenin Blanc Shenandoah  15% A touch funky right out of the bottle with notes of caramel, butterscotch and quince paste over a funky chalky earth, seashell and herb base. Deceptively light bodied with gentle flavors of apple, apple butter and pressed flowers slowly building in the glass. Holds its 15% amazing well. The subtle flavors power through on the medium length finish adding notes or biter orange marmalade and a light cashew brittle tone. Before gaining a nice mouth grabbing chalky tone again. A very subtle wine that will rise to the occasion pairing well with a wide variety of foods. 87pts ~ ~~ Story Winery 2006 Picnic Hill Old Vines Zinfandel Shenandoah  Valley 16% Light vanilla tones are backed by lots of astringent red fruits, red currant and pomegranate, with a hint of herb and roast meatiness.  Enters with sweet red fruits, slightly exotic berries fruits, fruit di bosco, nice freshness and good balance that help to hide it’s 16% Very candied but in a fresh way, sugared raspberries with a peppery cinnamon edge for balance, Nice crisp tannins and a lovely stemmy tone add length to the finish.  88pts ~ ~~ ~ Story Winery 2006 Creekside Vineyard Old Vines Zinfandel 16% Really briary aromas in the glass are joined by smoky earth tones and reduced wild raspberry notes with hints of lightly spiced cranberry and orange rind.  Rich and velvety, this has power and depth with a slightly sweet character that accentuates the rich wild cherry and astringent, spicy red fruit tones. A mouthfilling wine that is a touch minty and medicinal on the finish with a nice tannic bite that helps balance the RS. This is a monster wine; serve it with cheese or instead of dessert. Really spicy notes gain prominence on the midpalate.  Finishes with a really intense red hots tone. A divisive wine for sure but it’s pretty cool. 90pts ~ ~~ ~ Story Winery 2006 Alitia Vineyard Zinfandel Shenandoah Valley 16% Smells like leather and ass and not in a bad way. Slow to open, with slightly buttery licorice tinged tight black fruit. Tight concentrated and velvety with a deep savory core folded up with black currant and dry, not terrible sweet mulberry fruit. This is reticent yet with excellent balance that gives it an elegance that their other wines lack. Shares a touch of that peppery cinnamon with lovely dried herb notes and lots of potential but this needs another year to express itself. 88pts ~ ~~ Vino Noceto - This Tuscan styled estate is a relative newcomer to the region. Recognizing that the climate of Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley was Mediterranean in nature, family owned Vino Noceto took a brave and unique path, choosing to focus on premium Sangiovese based wine as opposed to sticking to the Zinfandel roots of the region. Noceto 2008 Pinot Grigio Clarksburg/Amador 13% Light rainwater, clay and floral tones on the nose give this an airy note before they are joined by fragrant pear fruit with a hint of dried pineapple.  Round and soft but not flabby, in fact nicely balanced on a rich if medium bodied frame that supports soft, juicy fruit flavors with grace notes of mint and almond and herb that lead to a slightly sweet finish that hints at baked apple with a nice almond tone. 86 ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Noceto 2006 Sangiovese Shenandoah Valley 14% Very intense sweet cherry, vanilla and soft toast notes greet the nose.  There is a slight medicinal note that combines with the black cherry fruit to give this a slight cough lozenge note. A nice hint of herb adds complexity.  Big, rich sweet cherry fruit with just a hint of oak is well supported by tannins are a touch astringent, as they should be, and good acidity giving this a refreshing feel. Very medium bodied and with lightness that keeps this centered in the mouth despite the intensity of the rather simple yet pure cherry fruit. On the backend it turns a bit spice with a nice flourish of strawberry and herb adding to the long finish.  Very solid wine and great for the bar-b-q this summer. 90pts   Noceto 2008 Frivolo Moscato Bianco California 7.1% Delicious smelling with note of lemon, lime leaf, powder sugar and hints of angelica root and white tea, with a gently biscuit note. Just ever so softly frizzante with good acidity balancing the rather light, fresh citrus driven flavors. Plenty sweet but with a touch of lightness on the palate, really attractive flavors of subtle ginger inflected candied citrus fruits, with good length, lovely and freaking delicious 88pts  ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Strike it rich in the Sierra... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• May 8

  New image uploaded to this page.

  Page modification by solomania9

  
  
• 

  May 2009

  St Amant Winery 'The Road Less Travelled' Tempranillo Amador 2006

  Snoothrank:

  This wine is a one/two punch. The first sensation is sweet and mellow, then as ... it blossoms into a spice monster. Lots of interesting things going on here. Love it

  Wine review by solomania9

  
  

• November 2008

  1990 Bordeaux: Mouton Poured from magnum, this wine was a complete tease, all ‘show’ and no ‘go.’ The aromas were absolutely lovely, as an elegant bouquet of fresh cedar, graphite, black olive and crushed flowers weaved in and out from the glass like an easy breeze. I... Read more1990 Bordeaux: Mouton Poured from magnum, this wine was a complete tease, all ‘show’ and no ‘go.’ The aromas were absolutely lovely, as an elegant bouquet of fresh cedar, graphite, black olive and crushed flowers weaved in and out from the glass like an easy breeze. I should have stopped at the nose because she let me down in the palate, turning medium to light bodied, yet fresh and driven, propelled by nice palate cleansing acidity that rippled through the spicy red currant fruit. While she’s a classy claret, the fact that this is a first growth in the 1990 vintage leaves its performance entirely underwhelming, 89 points. L’Evangile This was the only wine that we caught during an awkward phase, as its nose of menthol, fresh berry fruit and sweet tobacco scents were smack dab in the middle of primary and evolutionary phases. The mouth-feel was disjointed, pumping out smoky, leafy flavors that struggled to gel w/ the obviously ripe fruit, leaving the large-scaled, tannic frame fully in command. While she’s got spine, she definitely needs another 5 years to grow into it, 92+ points. La Mission Haut Brion To me, this was an archetypal Graves and performed just like the Bordeaux literature suggests, pumping out smoky scents of dusty cassis, black currant, lead pencil and high class cigar tobacco that were so potent enough to smell all day. The palate presence reveals that this is a real powerhouse vintage for La Mission, turning savory, full-bodied and tannic, combining great structure and sweetness of fruit to keep everything in perfect symmetry, 95 points. Angelus The ’89 and ’90 vintages from my favorite Chateau never fail to impress and will continue to stir countless arguments amongst geeks as to which one’s better. Well, on this night- the ’90 wins by process of elimination (considering the ’89 didn’t show up), and brought some full-fledged poetry to the bouquet, as dazzling notes of plum sauce, sautéed mushrooms, cocoa powder and spice box dance from the glass. This is a real showpiece in the palate, as a spicy attack unveils a savory, expansive body that turns sweet and full on the gorgeous, persistent finish. Imagining the ’05 at this juncture of its evolution is almost a frightening proposition, 96 points. Montrose Perhaps Laurence Feraud consulted on this vintage because it smelled and tasted like a Chateauneuf du Pape inspired St. Estephe! The explosive, almost savage nose of grilled steak, hay, lilacs, spicy black currants and pepper really expanded on the monstrous, mouth-filling attack which brings new definition to the term ‘opulent Bordeaux.’ This is simply crammed to the gills w/ huge levels of glycerin, alcohol and tannin, showing very little signs of age. The lasting impression on the palate is not only that this boy is frankly muscular, but that there may be 50 more years of potential longevity in the cards. Not typical and not for everyone, but that’s the beauty of Montrose…monster vintages like the ’90 and ’03 (which is the finest young Bordeaux I’ve sampled) are certain to divide the room a bit, but there’s always the ’89 for almost everyone to agree on, 98 points. The other side of Bordeaux, Laville Haut Brion Blanc, 1994 Every time I have a great white Bordeaux (which isn’t often) I ask myself why I don’t drink more of the stuff. Well it’s kind of a niche and kind of expensive, but when they hit their stride w/ some bottle age they can truly dazzle the senses. The ‘94 Laville shows a wonderful sense of finesse, reeking of refinement and sophistication w/ its waxy nose of lanolin, white flowers, quince, ginger and bee pollen notes that whisper from the glass. The attack opens up to a honeyed profile that puts on a chameleon-like, almost ethereal display in the mouth, lengthening up on a finish that leaves a stone-drenched-in-salt bath impression on the palate. This particular vintage doesn’t strike me as a powerful one, but it dazzles like a Chablis-meets Savennieres in a truly unique fashion that really struck a chord w/ me. Wine can’t have any more grace than this, 94 points. Pichon Lalande 1994 Moving onwards and upwards w/ ’94 Bordeaux took us to a rouge from Pichon Lalande. Like most ‘94s I’ve tried from Bordeaux and the Southern Rhone, this is wine is currently as good as its going to get, sporting an earthy, mature nose of black truffles, cigar humidor, licorice snap and blackberry fruit that prime the palate for something friendly and inviting. The ’94 Pichon Lalande is just that, friendly and inviting, revealing good concentration and a solid core of silky, easy to understand fruit that’s dashed w/ just a bit of cocoa on the finish. Perhaps a bit short, but I liked her all the same, 89 points. Janasse Chaupin, 2000 Guess who brought this one? Well, it was not only a Rhone wine, but it was the youngest we consumed all night…so yikes, I just sold myself out. Nevertheless, this was a classic representation of Janasse’s pure Grenache cuvee that was its typically heady-self, yet surprisingly structured for the vintage. Focused flavors of espresso roast, kirsch liqueur, melted licorice, spice box and buckwheat honey picked up a sappy texture, yet were shaped by some sturdy tannins that really enveloped the palate from start to finish. Super-ripe and beautifully proportioned, this young Chaupin may actually benefit from a couple more years in the cellar, 94+ points.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Tasting notes on some top... by Brad Coelho

  
  

• November 2008

  Wine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 – Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky... Read moreWine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 - Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard Flight 3 - 100 years and what do you get? 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 year old - Amador County 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma valley 2006 Sausal Century Vines- Alexander Valley Flight 4 - The big, the bold and the beautiful 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Snooth's Panel Tasting Program met this past Sunday night, just in time for Thanksgiving, to do a blind tasting of that all-American wonder-grape, Zinfandel. We had a solid panel, which I lead and included: Karl - Professional chef and blogger Stephanie - Sales manager for Astor Wines & Spirits Greg - A representative for Frontier Wine Imports Natali - A wine enthusiast Clayton - A wine enthusiast Elizabeth - A wine salesperson with Astor Wines & Spirits Julie - A wine writer and blogger While technically not American, it is after all the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski,  Zinfandel has certainly risen to fame on the merits of the wines produced in Northern California. A true chameleon of a grape, Zinfandel has been used to produce everything from the ubiquitous White Zinfandel, to  everything from nouveau styles through some of the biggest, meanest, monster fruit bombs ever to emerge from the west coast. Most Zinfandel however could historically have been characterized as falling within two categories: the restrained elegant Bordelaise style or the rich, jammy fruit driven style that is probably the most typical and representative expression of Zinfandel. A bit of a quirky grape, Zinfandel require a long, slow growing season due to it’s unusual ripening, prone to having both raisins and green berries on the same bunch. While producing what undoubtedly seem like warm climate wines, Zinfandel actually prefers a bit of a cooler zone in order to limit this problem and promote more uniform ripening. In general regions where Zinfandel has enjoyed success have been viewed as areas less conducive to the production of more prestigious wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The Dry Creek Valley region of Sonoma county has long been one of the hot beds of Zinfandel production and is a source of some of the greatest old-vine vineyards in the state. The more northern areas such as Lake County and Mendocino County in addition to Amador County and some of the other areas of “gold rush” country have also proven to be ideal regions for the production of Zin. Napa valley in general is too viewed as too warm though some exceptional wines have come from the valley, in particular the cooler, mountain regions such as Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak. At its best Zinfandel is a richly fruited wine full of black berries and spice with subtle soil tones and finely integrated structure. These are not shy wines with alcohol rarely below 14%, and more frequently close to, if not above, 15%. They are wines that can be flamboyant, though many producers have pushed the limits of what this grape can do and produced wines that were terribly alcoholic, jammy and packed with so much oak that while impressive to taste, were virtually undrinkable. In an effort to discover wines suitable for the Thanksgiving Day feast I selected a dozen wines that I felt would range within the classic style of Zinfandel though give expression to the full scope that this range is capable of. All of the wines were opened around 2pm and tasted by me at that time. The Panel Tasting went from 6-8pm and thus the wines saw between 4 and 6 hours of air during that time. The wines performed well and while there were some absolute stars all the wines had their virtues.  Each flight had a theme and tasters were asked to contribute their opinions for each wine and then choose their favorites.  The following begins with the least favorite and ends with the wine crowned ‘Best of the Night”. 12th place - 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 13.5%            $30 This was a controversial wine and the lean style and slight volatility provoked pretty visceral reactions from Karl’s “vinegar and pine-sol” to Greg’s “acetic and latex” and Clayton’s characterization of the wine as smelling like a “cheap hotel room”. No one was a particular fan of this wine though I would have to say that it was much better when I did my initial tastings. My ninth place wine. 11th place - 2006 Sausal Vineyard Century Vines - Alexander Valley 14.7%    $30 This wine didn’t illicit much emotion with Clayton feeling it was “good for the mass market” and Julie considered it “ nice, easy and accessible” On the flip side Elizabeth noted that it’s “not excessively aromatic” nnd Julie commented on it “easy, soft finish”. That pretty much summed this wine up for me. The mouthfeel was very appealing but there was much there there. My twelfth place wine. 10th place - 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard - Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley 15.0%        $24-26 There was a marked difference of opinion with this wine. Natali liked the “strong berry and pepper notes” on the nose while Karl felt it was “intense, and not in a good way”. Greg disliked this wine feeling that it was "grassy and earthy and totally out of balance with alcoholic heat and bitter tannins”. Elizabeth also felt the wine showed it’s alcohol but enjoyed the” jellied rather than jammy fruit and Christmas pudding spices”.  I think this was an intense wine that was a bit heavy and dark and that may have been off-putting to some. My sixth place wine. 9th place - 2005 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.9%        $15-20 While also provoking controversy this wine at least was fairly consistently viewed. The dark character of the wine was characterized by Stephanie as “ full of Christmas spice, coffee, and chocolate and even a little farty” Karl also found the fruit “dark and pruny” and Natali took the characterization one step further by noting the “nose lacked freshness”. Clayton enjoyed the “dark, oaky flavors” as did Greg who found the wine “a little funky but very cherried". A solid middle of the road performance. My eleventh place wine. 8th place - 2006 Terra d’Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old - Amador 15.5%    $25 With this wine we move from wines that were mostly criticized to wines that garner more praise than complaints. While Greg felt this smelled “weird, like a coffee soufflé” Julie liked the “ bright puckery Jolly Rancher fruits” on the nose and Natali was also enthusiastic proclaiming this to be “quintessential Zin” though she did add it tasted “acidic almost to the point of saltiness” Both Elizabeth and Clayton noted the rather intense spiciness of the wine, Clayton even commented that he felt Like “ a big steak to pair with the spicy flavors” but went on to fault the wine for a short finish.   My seventh place wine. 7th place - 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 15.1%            $40-42 There were many points of agreement on this wine with both Greg and Julie finding a caramel element and Stephanie and Clayton both commented on the vanilla notes. The oak was noticeable to all and Julie saw it more through it’s expression as star anise and spice. Beyond the sweet oakiness of this wine everyone was unanimous in noting the spicy, fruity though somewhat anonymous character of the wine though Karl felt this would be an ideal match for “Peking duck which would tame the wines acid and tannin”.  My eight place wine. 6th place - 2006 J. Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.4%   $12-15       This was a bit of a surprise being our value leader, it was an impressive showing.  People were all over the board in commenting on the nose from Stephanie’s “soft violets and plums” to Natali’s “ dark chocolate and light fruits” and Julie’s “peppery black fruit”. The theme of black spice was echoed by Greg who felt the wine had “ a strong licorice bitterness and spiciness but it’s finishing too short” a sentiment shared by Stephanie. None-the-less everyone found this to be perfectly decent if not distinguished. My tenth place wine. BEST BUY 5th place - 2006 Holdredge Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 15.3%             $20 With this wine we really moved up a notch to wines that had more universal appeal though both Karl and Stephanie enjoyed the nose more than the palate with Stephanie commenting on the wines “great notes of earth, tar and smoke” which Greg characterized as “ the most complex of the flight, spicy, earthy, with pencil shavings and a bit of herbalness”. Clayton preferred the palate to the nose commenting on the “bitter cherry fruit”.  My fourth place wine. 4th place - 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve - Florence Vineyard - Rockpile Dry Creek Valley 14.8%         $30-35 This wine elicited some unusual descriptor though both Stephanie and Greg found black tea aromatics with everybody commenting on the “sharp”,” Acidic” or “citrussy” component of the nose. Natali enjoyed it and felt “ it was great but blunt, over quickly” While Julie liked it’s “ funky, blackberry and pepper” qualities. Everyone also commented on the tannins with Stephanie summing it up as a “super-tannic Zin” My second place wine. 3rd place - 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Rsrv - Sonoma Valley 14.9%   $30                                                                                                                                                                                 Many felt this wine showed some obvious alcohol but everyone commented on the nose with Julie commenting on it’s “interesting” nose and Elizabeth finding "jammy and menthol tones” while Stephanie noticed the “dried chile and dried blackberry fruit” qualities. Clayton also found the “aromas are strong and the wine has real staying power”. Natali liked the “creamy, low alcohol feel and vanilla and cinnamon flavors” while Greg felt the toasted marshmallow and sweet cherry fruit on the nose delivered more than the palate. My first place wine. 2nd place - 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard - Dry Creek Valley 14.5% $30-35 While several tasters felt the nose here was a bit hot many had very positive things to say about it from Julie's comment that’ it smells like apple pie baked by Grandma Rose” to Natali’s comment on it’s dry, dark chocolate, almost like a mole” notes and Stephanie’s comment on the “waxy kind of blackberry fruit”.  On the palate it was liked though Karl felt I was “not a deep wine but jammy in a good way” Elizabeth found it “friendly and approachable, very jammy with obvious sweetness”.  Both Greg and Stephanie commented on its vanilla laced jammy fruit. My third place wine. 1st place - 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 15.6%        $35-40 This was our winner by a fairly wide margin.  Everyone had something positive to say about the nose from Karl’s “ Leathery and strong, this smells delicious” to Julie’s “smells like complex, dark fruit cake”. Stephanie found “bark and soil tones” while Natali noticed a “smoky, cinnamon thing going on”.  In the mouth Clayton found this to be “ accessible with nice spice and earth, well balanced” while Greg commented on the “core of deep red cherry fruit” and Julie capped off the discussion with the succinct comment “ this warms you up!”.  My fifth place wine. And that was all we had to say. We brought the remainders with us to dinner and they went very well with our fine Cuban meal. Another successful, enlightening and, dare I say it, warm evening spent with the fine people that makes Snooth Possible. As we look forward to the Holiday season and beyong keep an eye out for our coming Panel tasting featuring California Syrah, Chianti Classico Riserva, and Wines from South Africa and Australia! If you are interested in participating in the next Snooth Panel Tasting please shoot me an email or check out the Events page on the Snooth forum. Until next time! 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 Snooth Panel Tasting Program... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• November 2008

  Snooth Panel Tasting Program explores Zinfandel Wine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 – Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek... Read moreSnooth Panel Tasting Program explores Zinfandel Wine flights for this blind tasting. Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 2005 Quivira 2006 Holdredge Flight 2 - Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard Flight 3 - 100 years and what do you get? 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 year old - Amador County 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma valley 2006 Sausal Century Vines- Alexander Valley Flight 4 - The big, the bold and the beautiful 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Snooth's Panel Tasting Program met this past Sunday night, just in time for Thanksgiving, to do a blind tasting of that all-American wonder-grape, Zinfandel. We had a solid panel, which I lead and included: Karl - Professional chef and blogger Stephanie - Sales manager for Astor Wines & Spirits Greg - A representative for Frontier Wine Imports Natali - A wine enthusiast Clayton - A wine enthusiast Elizabeth - A wine salesperson with Astor Wines & Spirits Julie - A wine writer and blogger While technically not American, it is after all the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski,  Zinfandel has certainly risen to fame on the merits of the wines produced in Northern California. A true chameleon of a grape, Zinfandel has been used to produce everything from the ubiquitous White Zinfandel, to  everything from nouveau styles through some of the biggest, meanest, monster fruit bombs ever to emerge from the west coast. Most Zinfandel however could historically have been characterized as falling within two categories: the restrained elegant Bordelaise style or the rich, jammy fruit driven style that is probably the most typical and representative expression of Zinfandel. A bit of a quirky grape, Zinfandel require a long, slow growing season due to it's unusual ripening, prone to having both raisins and green berries on the same bunch. While producing what undoubtedly seem like warm climate wines, Zinfandel actually prefers a bit of a cooler zone in order to limit this problem and promote more uniform ripening. In general regions where Zinfandel has enjoyed success have been viewed as areas less conducive to the production of more prestigious wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The Dry Creek Valley region of Sonoma county has long been one of the hot beds of Zinfandel production and is a source of some of the greatest old-vine vineyards in the state. The more northern areas such as Lake County and Mendocino County in addition to Amador County and some of the other areas of “gold rush” country have also proven to be ideal regions for the production of Zin. Napa valley in general is too viewed as too warm though some exceptional wines have come from the valley, in particular the cooler, mountain regions such as Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak. At its best Zinfandel is a richly fruited wine full of black berries and spice with subtle soil tones and finely integrated structure. These are not shy wines with alcohol rarely below 14%, and more frequently close to, if not above, 15%. They are wines that can be flamboyant, though many producers have pushed the limits of what this grape can do and produced wines that were terribly alcoholic, jammy and packed with so much oak that while impressive to taste, were virtually undrinkable. In an effort to discover wines suitable for the Thanksgiving Day feast I selected a dozen wines that I felt would range within the classic style of Zinfandel though give expression to the full scope that this range is capable of. All of the wines were opened around 2pm and tasted by me at that time. The Panel Tasting went from 6-8pm and thus the wines saw between 4 and 6 hours of air during that time. The wines performed well and while there were some absolute stars all the wines had their virtues.  Each flight had a theme and tasters were asked to contribute their opinions for each wine and then choose their favorites.  The following begins with the least favorite and ends with the wine crowned ‘Best of the Night”. 12th place - 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 13.5%            $30 This was a controversial wine and the lean style and slight volatility provoked pretty visceral reactions from Karl's “vinegar and pine-sol” to Greg's “acetic and latex” and Clayton's characterization of the wine as smelling like a “cheap hotel room”. No one was a particular fan of this wine though I would have to say that it was much better when I did my initial tastings. My ninth place wine. 11th place - 2006 Sausal Vineyard Century Vines - Alexander Valley 14.7%    $30 This wine didn't illicit much emotion with Clayton feeling it was “good for the mass market” and Julie considered it “ nice, easy and accessible” On the flip side Elizabeth noted that it's “not excessively aromatic” nnd Julie commented on it “easy, soft finish”. That pretty much summed this wine up for me. The mouthfeel was very appealing but there was much there there. My twelfth place wine. 10th place - 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard - Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley 15.0%        $24-26 There was a marked difference of opinion with this wine. Natali liked the “strong berry and pepper notes” on the nose while Karl felt it was “intense, and not in a good way”. Greg disliked this wine feeling that it was “grassy and earthy and totally out of balance with alcoholic heat and bitter tannins”. Elizabeth also felt the wine showed it's alcohol but enjoyed the” jellied rather than jammy fruit and Christmas pudding spices”.  I think this was an intense wine that was a bit heavy and dark and that may have been off-putting to some. My sixth place wine. 9th place - 2005 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.9%        $15-20 While also provoking controversy this wine at least was fairly consistently viewed. The dark character of the wine was characterized by Stephanie as “ full of Christmas spice, coffee, and chocolate and even a little farty” Karl also found the fruit “dark and pruny” and Natali took the characterization one step further by noting the “nose lacked freshness”. Clayton enjoyed the “dark, oaky flavors” as did Greg who found the wine “a little funky but very cherried”. A solid middle of the road performance. My eleventh place wine. 8th place - 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old - Amador 15.5%    $25 With this wine we move from wines that were mostly criticized to wines that garner more praise than complaints. While Greg felt this smelled “weird, like a coffee soufflé” Julie liked the “ bright puckery Jolly Rancher fruits” on the nose and Natali was also enthusiastic proclaiming this to be “quintessential Zin” though she did add it tasted “acidic almost to the point of saltiness” Both Elizabeth and Clayton noted the rather intense spiciness of the wine, Clayton even commented that he felt Like “ a big steak to pair with the spicy flavors” but went on to fault the wine for a short finish.   My seventh place wine. 7th place - 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 15.1%            $40-42 There were many points of agreement on this wine with both Greg and Julie finding a caramel element and Stephanie and Clayton both commented on the vanilla notes. The oak was noticeable to all and Julie saw it more through it's expression as star anise and spice. Beyond the sweet oakiness of this wine everyone was unanimous in noting the spicy, fruity though somewhat anonymous character of the wine though Karl felt this would be an ideal match for “Peking duck which would tame the wines acid and tannin”.  My eight place wine. 6th place - 2006 J. Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.4%   $12-15       This was a bit of a surprise being our value leader, it was an impressive showing.  People were all over the board in commenting on the nose from Stephanie's “soft violets and plums” to Natali's “ dark chocolate and light fruits” and Julie's “peppery black fruit”. The theme of black spice was echoed by Greg who felt the wine had “ a strong licorice bitterness and spiciness but it's finishing too short” a sentiment shared by Stephanie. None-the-less everyone found this to be perfectly decent if not distinguished. My tenth place wine. BEST BUY 5th place - 2006 Holdredge Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 15.3%             $20 With this wine we really moved up a notch to wines that had more universal appeal though both Karl and Stephanie enjoyed the nose more than the palate with Stephanie commenting on the wines “great notes of earth, tar and smoke” which Greg characterized as “ the most complex of the flight, spicy, earthy, with pencil shavings and a bit of herbalness”. Clayton preferred the palate to the nose commenting on the “bitter cherry fruit”.  My fourth place wine. 4th place - 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve - Florence Vineyard - Rockpile Dry Creek Valley 14.8%         $30-35 This wine elicited some unusual descriptor though both Stephanie and Greg found black tea aromatics with everybody commenting on the “sharp”,” Acidic” or “citrussy” component of the nose. Natali enjoyed it and felt “ it was great but blunt, over quickly” While Julie liked it's “ funky, blackberry and pepper” qualities. Everyone also commented on the tannins with Stephanie summing it up as a “super-tannic Zin” My second place wine. 3rd place - 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Rsrv - Sonoma Valley 14.9%   $30                                                                                                                                                                                 Many felt this wine showed some obvious alcohol but everyone commented on the nose with Julie commenting on it's “interesting” nose and Elizabeth finding “jammy and menthol tones” while Stephanie noticed the “dried chile and dried blackberry fruit” qualities. Clayton also found the “aromas are strong and the wine has real staying power”. Natali liked the “creamy, low alcohol feel and vanilla and cinnamon flavors” while Greg felt the toasted marshmallow and sweet cherry fruit on the nose delivered more than the palate. My first place wine. 2nd place - 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard - Dry Creek Valley 14.5% $30-35 While several tasters felt the nose here was a bit hot many had very positive things to say about it from Julie's comment that' it smells like apple pie baked by Grandma Rose” to Natali's comment on it's dry, dark chocolate, almost like a mole” notes and Stephanie's comment on the “waxy kind of blackberry fruit”.  On the palate it was liked though Karl felt I was “not a deep wine but jammy in a good way” Elizabeth found it “friendly and approachable, very jammy with obvious sweetness”.  Both Greg and Stephanie commented on its vanilla laced jammy fruit. My third place wine. 1st place - 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 15.6%        $35-40 This was our winner by a fairly wide margin.  Everyone had something positive to say about the nose from Karl's “ Leathery and strong, this smells delicious” to Julie's “smells like complex, dark fruit cake”. Stephanie found “bark and soil tones” while Natali noticed a “smoky, cinnamon thing going on”.  In the mouth Clayton found this to be “ accessible with nice spice and earth, well balanced” while Greg commented on the “core of deep red cherry fruit” and Julie capped off the discussion with the succinct comment “ this warms you up!”.  My fifth place wine. And that was all we had to say. We brought the remainders with us to dinner and they went very well with our fine Cuban meal. Another successful, enlightening and, dare I say it, warm evening spent with the fine people that makes Snooth Possible. As we look forward to the Holiday season and beyong keep an eye out for our coming Panel tasting featuring California Syrah, Chianti Classico Riserva, and Wines from South Africa and Australia! If you are interested in participating in the next Snooth Panel Tasting please shoot me an email or check out the Events page on the Snooth forum. Until next time! 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)

  From the article Snooth Panel Tasting Program explores Zinfandel

  
  

• November 2008

  Wines tasted in this report Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 86pts 2005 Quivira 85pts 2006 Holdredge 93pts Flight 2 – Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 93pts 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 89pts 2005... Read moreWines tasted in this report Flight 1- Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006 Pedroncelli Mother Clone 86pts 2005 Quivira 85pts 2006 Holdredge 93pts Flight 2 - Dry Creek Valley Single Vineyards 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard 93pts 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Somers Ranch 89pts 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Florence Vineyard 94pts Flight 3 - 100 years and what do you get? 2006 Terra d'Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 year old - Amador County 88pts 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma valley 94pts 2006 Sausal Century Vines- Alexander Valley 85pts Flight 4 - the big, the bold and the beautiful 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 92pts 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 87pts 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 87pts At the recent Snooth Zinfandel Panel Tasting I was happy to have the opportunity to run through a great line-up of Zins from some of my favorite regions and producers. I have never been partial to the monster style Zins and always looked for wines that retained some of the innate complexity that is the trademark of these fine wines. Too often in the recent past winemakers have amped up alcohol, extract and toasty oak to the point where the wines were caricatures of themselves, grotesque mutations unfit for table or glass but awe inspiring to taste. Much like unset jello shots. Zinfandel has a long and storied history in both California and the entire country. Originally brought to the East Coast for planting as a table grape Zinfandel’s rise to prominence was spurred along by the great gold rush of 1849. The influx of workers that accompanied the search for riches brought along a thirst for wine that Zinfandel helped to quench. Some of the earliest plantings in the State of California were located in the Gold Rush counties of the Sierra Foothills. To this day Amador County in particular, and to a lesser extent Calaveras and El Dorado counties continue to be a source for fine Zins. These vineyards tend to be at moderately high elevations, benefitting from the cooler climes these meso-climates provide and are stressed by the poor soils here. The combination of long hang time brought about by the cool autumn temperatures at these altitudes and the struggle for nutrients gives these wines a powerful personality with a spicy, minerally character that recalls sassafras and licorice with leathery over-tones. Full rich and fruity they are classic Zinfandels. Many regions offer similar growing conditions to these foothills. Most of the Napa valley floor and bench land Zinfandel vineyards have been replaced by more profitable, better suited grapes but significant plantings remains in the mountain areas that provide a meso-climate similar to that found in the Sierra foothills. Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak and Mt. Veeder all are capable of producing powerfully rich wines with classic citrussy acidity and dark briary fruit. These are frequently among the most age worthy Zins produced in California. Sonoma is, of course, home to arguably the best Zinfandel vineyards in the state, and certainly the greatest concentration of old-vine vineyards in the country. These ancient vines thrive in particular spots and have survived wars, prohibition, and countless fads simply because they produce some of the finest wines in the country. The Dry Creek Valley is the heartland of Zinfandel country, with many vineyards dating back into the 19th century. These vines produce classic wines, brimming with deep blackberry fruit and touched with black pepper and baking spice notes. These are the quintessential Zinfandels. Big and wooly yet balanced and fine with elegance to their power. They go well with a broad range of foods due to their bright acids and fine balance and these qualities allow them to age well, developing earthy, tobacco and cedar nuances as the fruit fades. While Zinfandel is grown throughout the state these are the historic hot spots for the variety. Paso Robles, farther south, is a great source for fine Zin but I will have to wait for the next tasting to include some in the line-up. It seems to me that Zinfandel rarely gets the respect it deserves, though that is clearly changing. As these fantastic old-vine vineyards begin to get more recognition, and as winemakers return to a more balanced, natural style of winemaking people are beginning to understand what treasures these wines are. While the grape is not truly an indigenous American grape, having come from Croatia almost 2 centuries ago, nowhere else on earth has the vine found a spot that allows it to produce such rich, flamboyant and compelling wines. An argument can be made that Zinfandel is the USA’s greatest wine. It has no peer group for comparison. Simply put there are no better wines made on earth from this fickle grape. While it is generally made in style that is rich and decidedly new worldy, it is an adaptable grape and has been made in styles that have ranged from light, easy and fresh to powerful and completely over the top. While the best examples lay in the middle of this stylistic spectrum the simple fact that this variety is so adaptable speak volumes. Being a decidedly American wine, Zinfandel is frequently promoted as the ideal wine for that decidedly American holiday, Thanksgiving. I suppose one should argue that the other decidedly American holiday, July 4th, should be the perfect time for white Zinfandel but I will leave that discussion for another day. I am a wholehearted fan of drinking Zinfandel on Thanksgiving. Perhaps I am biased since I do love these wines but it’s big, bold fruit, impression of sweetness and generally vibrant acidity makes it a fine match for the sweeter flavors found on that holiday’s table. The following dozen wines represent a great selection of what is in the marketplace today. While 2005 is a decidedly stronger vintage, a great vintage for Zinfandel, the early release 2006’s that I have tried have proven that the possibility to make great wines was there in 2006 as well. I encourage you to try some of these wines; they are unique, affordable and delicious and represent something special in the history of American Viticulture! 2006 J. Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.4% $12-15 This value priced bottling has a low key nose that is very true to type with a fine blend of earth, cocoa, and mixed red and black raspberry fruit that has just a touch of smoky, toasty, vanilla scented oak influence. In the mouth this offers a restrained, easy drinking style with bright acidity and soft tannins. There is a lovely touch of funky earth right up front followed by fresh and friendly slightly spicy red berry fruit. This finishes with decent length with a touch of tar and spice and while I would like to see a bit more intensity both on the nose and the palate this is recognizable, typical Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. 86pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/pedroncelli-winery-and-vineyards-mother-clone-dry-creek-valley-zinfandel-2006/ 2005 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 14.9% $15-20 This has a sweet, brambly/herbal nose that shows its alcohol a bit too much. The heat accentuates a minty, chalky character but there are nice notes of lingonberry jam. Sweet on entry with pure raspberry fruit that is backed up with grace notes of tree bark, orange peel, and backing spices. The texture is a bit thick and slick with integrated acidity and soft, ripe tannins. Clean and brisk on the finish with a core of woodsiness and raspberry jam that leads to a final touch of spicy heat. Simple but big. 85pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/quivira-zinfandel-dry-creek-2005/ 2006 Holdredge Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 15.3% $20 This offers up a decidedly dark fruit profile on the nose with hints of sour plum, earth and deep brambly fruit. Very spicy and complex with notes of leather, gunflint, tar and spice all adding complexity. Rich and polished in the mouth with a fine, elegant feel. There is a real vibrancy to the deep, plush blackberry fruit that has great briar, earth, and black spice accents. Really fine intensity and balance though the tannins gain prominence on the finish. This retains admirable purity considering the weight and the power. 93pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/holdredge---zinfandel-dry-creek-valley-2006/ 2005 Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve - Florence Vineyard - Rockpile Dry Creek Valley 14.8% $30-35 Big and fruit bomb nose with intense orange peel and stewy raspberry fruit that is quite complex with tones of vanilla and game accenting the fruit. Gains in the glass adding toasted hazelnut, bitter cocoa and earth, clove tinged baked plum fruits. Surprisingly lean on entry with an intense attack of very spicy fruits and fine herbal top notes. The mid-palate reveals a core of sweet, earthy fruit rich with strawberry and raspberry tones. In a lighter style with lots of polished tannins and while it is a bit lean it really speaks with excellent soil tones. Lacks the chewy weight of many Zins but makes up for it with a fine, elegant feel and remarkably transparent red fruits. 94pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/carol-shelton-zinfandel-rocky-reserve-rockpile-vineyard-2005-3/ 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard - Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley 15.0% $24-26 Effusively aromatic with baked earth and fruit tones baked plum, tobacco and smoky oak with a tarry edge. A bit heavy on the nose. Big and rick with a sleek sweetness to the wine. There is a distinct dried fruit tone to the intense cherry/cranberry fruit here and fine pepperiness and briar accentuates the mid-palate. The tannins a fairly substantial but ripe and well balanced. Good length and typicity 89pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/dry-creek-vineyards-somers-ranch-zinfandel-2006/ 2006 Dashe Cellars Florence Vineyard - Dry Creek Valley 14.5% $30-35 Smoky and with a hint of obvious oak on the nose this has a touch of obvious alcohol as well. The black raspberry fruit if incredibly intense with a jammy edge and layers of toast, butter, and allspice/cinnamon spice that makes this smell like breakfast. Richly fruited in the mouth with that same pure, jammy black raspberry/ black berry fruit that is accented with notes of honey, vanilla, and baking spices. Big and plush with a flannelly soft feel this is engaging and made in a style that should appeal to most palates. 93pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/dashe-cellars-zinfandel-florence-vineyard-rouge-2006/ 2006 Sausal Vineyard Century Vines - Alexander Valley 14.7% $30 Very slow to open with subtle vanilla and herb tinged dark, marmaladey fruits that recall date and fig. Fairly caramelly with faded baking spice tones. Big and plush on entry then turning more focused and elegant on the mid-palate. The boysenberry fruits in the mouth are orange tinged with the citrussy acids and the tannins offer a creamy mouthfeel but the wine feels diffuse and while there is a nice candied/medicinal edge to the finish it’s a bit to short. Appealing mouthfeel but lacking in intensity. 85pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/sausal-winery-zinfandel-century-vines-2006/ 2006 Terra d’Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old - Amador 15.5% $25 Soft and quite spicy on the nose with cracked pepper, dry baked earth, hot chalk and stone notes adding depth to the vanilla tinged red plum and sour cherry pie. A lurking floral tone gains in the glass. The sweetly fruited attack yields to a gentle mid-palate that features good yet unobtrusive structure for the very spicy red fruits in the strawberry/cranberry end of the spectrum. This is quite fresh with a touch of melon on the back end and there is a subtle custardy, vanilla vein that leads out to the very cherried finish with a touch of spicy red hots and spiced cranberry sauce on the final. Perhaps a touch too easy but with broad based appeal. 88pts. http://www.snooth.com/wine/montevina-vineyards-montevina-terra-doro-deaver-100-year-old-vine-zinfandel-2005/ 2005 Kunde Century Vines Shaw Vineyard Reserve - Sonoma Valley 14.9% $30 Very earthy on the nose with great briar tones, woodsy and even a touch feral with a whiff of mushroom adding complexity to the melon rind and pomegranate fruits. There is a lovely campfire note complete with toasted marshmallow. This is so rich in the mouth yet retains elegance due to the fine acidity and superb, ripe and polished tannins. This has the subtle power of old vines and while the red cherry fruit with it’s hint of watermelon may not have the spice or power of many other Zins the depth and jewel-like quality to the fruit is absolutely compelling. The finish offers up a bit spicier and allows the density of the tannins to build but this is just a fabulous bottle of Zinfandel. 94pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/kunde-estate-winery-and-vineyards-reserve-century-vines-zinfandel-rouge-2005/ 2005 Cakebread Red Hills Lake County 15.1% $40-42 Brambly on the nose with powder sugar and meaty, slightly gamy, leather tones that highlight the very ripe fruit. Bright appley acidity on the nose contrasts with the dark, figgy fruit tones. In the mouth this is fairly precise feeling with soft tannins that are well managed and a bit of bitter spice tones that recall licorice and star anise building on the back end. The relatively high acidity supports the cranberry and pomegranate fruits and while this if soft and plush on the mid-palate it turns earthy and crisp with drying tannins on the finish. A wine filled with contradictions and perhaps in need of some bottle age to sort itself out. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/cakebread-zinfandel-2005/ 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Beatty Vineyard Napa Valley 15.6% $35-40 Intensely dark fruited aromatics greet the nose with a very powerful backdrop of earth, mineral, brambly, and oak tones. Really evolves in the glass revealing notes of dried herb, dried flowers and rocky, shale notes to the pomegranate and grenadine fruit. Shows surprising restraint in the mouth with excellent focus and precision. The acid is bright and the tannins are fine-grained allowing the deep core of dark yet fresh plummy fruit to come to the fore. There is a lurking touch of peach nectar and vanilla but the fruit is accented by expressive spice and soil tones. A well behaved monster of a Zin with the structure and balance to reward cellaring Finishes with good length if a touch clumsy due to the youthful tannins. A bit of buttery wood lingers on the finale. 92pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/howell-mountain-vineyards-zinfandel-beatty-ranch-2005/ 2005 Sky Vineyards Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 13.5% $30 Sweet and herbal on the nose with a pronounced mintiness and autumnal notes of cocoa and balsamic forest floor. There is a touch of peppery watercress and suggestions of candied red fruits. A touch of volatility mars the nose. Elegant and pure in the mouth with sappy berry fruit and classic notes of bramble that are more vegetal that usual. Soft tannins and juicy acidity support the bright red candied fruits with grace notes of blackberry leaves and dirt adding depth and complexity. A touch astringent and decidedly tart this is cleansing and refreshing in the mouth in an easy drinking style but suffers in the mouth from a touch of volatility as well. 87pts http://www.snooth.com/wine/sky-vineyards-zinfandel-mt-veeder-2005/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic With Thanksgiving coming it's... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

prev 1 next