Mars Grape

• June 2009

  So naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using techniques that make the wine a shadow... Read moreSo naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using techniques that make the wine a shadow of it's self, has propelled this particular wine to the tops of recognition, if the bottom of appreciation. Beaujolais is now a wine to drink from Thanksgiving until perhaps Christmas, as a novelty, the first wine of the year, and without thought, since this particular interpretation of the wine offers very little stimulative value in that realm. So what then am I talking about? I am talking about the Beaujolais that seems at times to have more in similar with the great Burgundies that grow just to the north than other wines based on the Gamay grape. Wines that have a wonderful purity of floral scents, violets and roses, that compliment their slightly herbal stemmy notes and crisp, direct fruits. Wines that speak with a fine transparency, allowing the grape, terroir and winemaker each to have their say yet have no voice obscuring another. OK, that last line could be used to describe any great wine. Hey did you see that point I made right there?  Yes I called Beaujolais a GREAT WINE, it ain't all Nouveau you see. So we spent 2 weeks here at Snooth tasting through a dozen wines in an effort to share with our members the wines that together make Beaujolais a region worth exploring. Our tastings included simple Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages and the crus so that, together, we could learn just what the labels on the bottles mean. Our second weeks tasting was more casual in nature as a group of us tasted the wines and exchanged thoughts in a freewheeling round table. In such a setting it was more difficult to get a real handle on each persons thoughts but there was a consensus that emerged. Now this is a bit of a different take, on basically the same wines, since we had the wines with some light food, wonderful cheeses, olive scented crackers and mixed nuts. In this setting the best wines continued to shine, The consensus top wines were no surprise. Roughly in order they were: 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour    2007 Georges Trichard Chenas     What was a bit of a surprise was that all the other wines found fans from the simple Pizay to the ethereal and gently fruited Lapierre, each wine made someone happy, though the wood on the  Jadot was still off-putting. About that Jadot, in fact the second go-round had a 2006 in place of the 2007. The wine was all together more appealing even if the wood remained obvious. Perhaps the vintage's character, perhaps a sign of the benefit one can derive from ageing Beaujolais a bit. In the coming days I will dip into my cellar and take a look how a few bottles of Beaujolais are ageing, 2 from 2003,  and one each from 2002 and 1996. Beaujolais is full of surprises yet one thing that will not surprise me is if these wines are wonderful and bear and even more striking resemblance with Burgundy! On that old canard, while Beaujolais may, or may not, really resemble Burgundy one thing is for sure. For $20 one can certainly drink a whole lot better in Beaujolais! And without further ado allow me to relate what it was we discovered. I've included my notes below and an impression from each of the tasters that participated in our first weeks blind tasting. Beaujolais Blind Tasting Flight 1 2007 Chateau du Pizay Beaujolais A bit stemmy-spicy on the nose with hints of earth, roses and a marshmallow edge. Soft pure raspberry fruit and nice zesty acidity make this a nice basic Beaujolais and a light red perfect for serving with a chill this summer. 85pts Philip - strawberry, good structure Lance - strawberry, mild spice Baratunde - butter and smooth Dave - flat, lost me at the end Sophie - quite fruit forward, almost sweet, Evan - indistinct, herbaceous on the palate 2007 Chateau du Chatelard Beaujolais Villages Coming from gentle hills with a bit of rocky terrain this smoky, tobacco scented Beaujolais Villages is a step up from simple Beaujolais. This is a bit mineral toned on the palate with a bit of forced, extracted tannin that adds a touch of bitterness to the otherwise dried herbal, strawberry flavors. I bit too inky and blocky for my palate. 83pts Philip - gamier, tobacco Lance - not very complex, didn’t hold my interest Baratunde - sharp and mildy spicy Dave - chalky, strawberry, Sophie - mineral, younger vines Evan - fuller and actually sweet 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly Brouilly is the largest Cru in Beaujolais. Chermette produces natural wines and this is a beauty! A bouquet full of violets, crystallized black raspberry, rich forest soil, and aromatic candle wax leads to a gorgeous palate full of sweet fruit. This is wonderfully precise with great balance and a tense crisp, tannic note that frames the wonderfully transparent fruit. On the long finish a hint of medicinal herbs adds depth to the fruit and finale return of violets. Beaujolais doesn't get much better than this. 92pts Philip - lot of fruit, floral violet, topnotes Lance - mild sweet fruit, liked the finish Baratunde - sharper, dryer, Dave -cherry candy, violets Sophie - softer fuller approachable style Evan - rich nose, , earthiness that I liked Flight 2 2007 Domaine des Terres Dorees Jean-Paul Brun Cotes de Brouilly     The Cotes de Brouilly is located within Brouilly, on old volcanic slopes and generally produces deep, dark fruit. This is decidedly herbal and stemmy on the nose with medicinal floral tones and hints of green peppercorn and juniper. Rich and well balanced in the mouth with noticeable fruit tannin balanced by a nice acid spine. Some woodsy notes recall the nose and are joined by black berry and black currant fruit. This finishes with a touch of Ricola and is bit shorter than I would like but is complex and complete. 88pts Philip - simple fruity, a little iron on the finish Lance - a bit spicy on the nose, nice finish Baratunde - medicinal, hot Dave - strawberry, bitter cola Sophie - strange milk chocolate lactic Cadbury nutbar, firm and enjoyable tannins Evan - tea tannins, earth, raspberry 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie Regnie is the youngest Cru of Beaujolais, dating from 1988 but is part of the historic home of Beaujolais. This has superb aromatics with balsamic, candle wax tones almost verging on eucalyptus with a roast meaty edge and layers of intense and complex violet pastille and wild berry fruits. This smells like old vines. This has big weight but is not weighty do to the incredible balance and precision that makes for lovely depth of fruit with a raspberry, slight roasted strawberry tone yet crystal clear transparency. I love the quality of the tannins here, they are soft and like flannel, mouth filling. A nice mineral wash cleanses the palate and leads to a long finish that ends with a wild strawberry flourish. This is simply great Beaujolais! 94pts Philip - mushroom, black cherry, blood Lance - , tea flavor, good Baratunde - woody, toopia Dave - violets, white pepper ripe cherry Sophie - rich fruit on the palate, savory, thyme Evan - more herbaceous, raspberry in the back of the mouth 2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Morgon produces rich, earthy wine that can easily be mistaken for Burgundy. Lapierre is a great biodynamic producer. This offers up notes of beet roots, dusty earth, anise and aggressive herb and medicinal notes. With a very light, natural and elegant in the mouth this is refreshing but quite herbal and almost vegetal on the palate with a decided green streak and some granitic minerality but not much fruit. 84pts Philip - vegetal, mineral, earthy dry finish Lance - smoky nose, mild but complex Baratunde - fruity Dave - raw meats, white pepper, raspberry Sophie - soft light fruit on the palate, lots of Gamay character Evan - candy cherry nose, very flat, almost watery Flight 3 2006 Christophe Pacalet Chiroubles Chiroubles comes from vines at higher elevation that produce delicate wines and Pacalet's minimalist style of winemaking preserves this ethereal quality. A touch funky on the nose with a gamy edge to the wooly, wet cotton, rainwater tones that feature an intriguing touch of dried thyme. This is a bit more structured in the mouth with lots of sweet yet indistinct fruit that is slightly pruny. It is very aromatic in the mouth but a bit short on the finish. 86pts Philip - - mushroomy nose, tobacco, plums Lance - lemony nose, nice balance and fruit, Baratunde - soft and gentle feel on the nose, gummi bears Dave - really perfumed with sweet resinous flowers, gamy and attractive Sophie - high toned floral nose, savory finish is cool and sleek Evan - nose hit me, leather, cherry, hint of tar in the background 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Fleurie is always one of my favorite Crus, full of plush, deep fruit that takes a couple of years in the cellar to peak. Once one gets past the noticeable hit of sulfur this is dark and slightly resinous on the nose with bark and fruit tones in a masculine, cologne-scented register that includes a touch of campfire and very lovely subtle vegetal tones and medicinal herbs. In the mouth this feels a touch closed at first but with mouthwatering acid and hints of bright red fruits and red currants with a nice iron edge. The youthful tannins are a touch stiff and pop on the finish with a touch of almond nuttiness that offers contrast to the nice dark fruit return with it's touch of fig and darker cherry fruit. A bigger style of wine but complete if a touch blocky at the moment. 89pts Philip - smooth and supply, cherry notes Lance - dusty nose, good forward fruit Baratunde - did not like, chemical maybe sulfur Dave - sour ripe cherries, black currant, medicinal Sophie - odd nose pencil lead/shaving, fairly Gamay, Evan - black tea spice, berries, soft tannins 2007 Jadot Chateau des Jacques Moulin a Vent  Moulin a Vent produces low yielding vines and powerful wines from rocky soil in the north of Beaujolais. This is sweet smelling with predominantly woodsy tones of white mushroom and gardenia. There's lots of fruit on the palate, which is a bit sweet though an herbal edge offers a bit of relief from the onslaught of prominent black gapey fruit. This ends with a bit of an extracted matte feel and some wood tannin that mars the finish and adds a bit of bitterness. 84pts Philip - a lot of butter and oak on the nose Lance - grassy, rosemary, chalky finish Baratunde - acid, maybe lactic Dave - black currants long finish Sophie - not as expressive, nice but ambivalent Evan - burnt cherry, hint of toasted wood Flight 4 2007 Duboeuf Chateau des Capitans Julienas Julienas produces elegant and spicy wines from a region that gets its name from Julius Caesar! This is dusty and mineral with a big bay leaf tone and a touch of seared beef but it lacks some liveliness. On entry this is fiercely acidic for this ripeness yet very simple with big black fruits. This finishes with some chemical notes and I can't say that there's much here for me to like. 80pts Philip - Bovril, tight at first, leather but now it’s plain cherries Lance -- tobacco nose, black currant cinnamon, Baratunde - very strong overpowering cherry Dave - very ripe cherry, vanilla, black olive Sophie - sweet black cherry and licorice excessively candied viscous Evan - not much, hints of candy, soft tannin 2007 Georges Trichard Chenas Chenas is the smallest of the crus, many of the vineyards that formed the appellation are now part of the Moulin au Vent appellation. With waxy red fruits, dried apricot, blond tobacco, spicy, wild red berry fruits, a touch of tea and a hint of dried cranberry on the nose this is compelling to smell. The mouth feel is suave and smooth with lovely tannins nicely balanced with bright acids. There are strong cranberry tones on the palate with a touch of tea that is nice and measured and leads to a finish that has good length and offers a hint of cherry pit bitterness that adds cut, This is not super complex but a style I really like to drink. 91pts Philip - nice nose pine needles and foresty, riverbed, Lance - spicy, a bit woody, tannic on the finish Baratunde - very spicy a lot of pepper Dave - lush fruit, toasted nuttiness, and diluted texture Sophie - lighter nose a touch vegetal, more tannin not completely well integrated Evan - - gaminess, toast, sweet mixed berry 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour St. Amour combines great fruit, spice, structure from the northern border of the region. A romantic choice! This starts out reticent on the nose with an underlying natural sweetness of dried raspberry fruit and just a hint of earth and spice with a touch of grassiness. Fairly fleshy and round in the mouth with lovely depth. This is fairly powerful yet transparent and really bright with wonderfully precise fruits that lean to the black cherry, black currant end of the spectrum. The finish is really long and fruit driven but refreshing with a lovely final of almost gamy wild fruits. This read more...might be a touch dilute but the appeal is undeniable. 91pts Philip - very plummy, fruity throughout Lance - floral nose, seemed young, didn’t open up much Baratunde - deep dark plum Dave - gamy raspberry, prune, and cherry Sophie - feels muted and dilute, hard to taste, at this Evan - hint of cherry with toast, earth tobacco Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Beaujolais it ain't all Nouveau by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• June 2009

  Beaujolais it ain't all Nouveau So naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using... Read moreBeaujolais it ain't all Nouveau So naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using techniques that make the wine a shadow of it's self, has propelled this particular wine to the tops of recognition, if the bottom of appreciation. Beaujolais is now a wine to drink from Thanksgiving until perhaps Christmas, as a novelty, the first wine of the year, and without thought, since this particular interpretation of the wine offers very little stimulative value in that realm. So what then am I talking about? I am talking about the Beaujolais that seems at times to have more in similar with the great Burgundies that grow just to the north than other wines based on the Gamay grape. Wines that have a wonderful purity of floral scents, violets and roses, that compliment their slightly herbal stemmy notes and crisp, direct fruits. Wines that speak with a fine transparency, allowing the grape, terroir and winemaker each to have their say yet have no voice obscuring another. OK, that last line could be used to describe any great wine. Hey did you see that point I made right there?  Yes I called Beaujolais a GREAT WINE, it ain't all Nouveau you see. So we spent 2 weeks here at Snooth tasting through a dozen wines in an effort to share with our members the wines that together make Beaujolais a region worth exploring. Our tastings included simple Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages and the crus so that, together, we could learn just what the labels on the bottles mean. Our second weeks tasting was more casual in nature as a group of us tasted the wines and exchanged thoughts in a freewheeling round table. In such a setting it was more difficult to get a real handle on each persons thoughts but there was a consensus that emerged. Now this is a bit of a different take, on basically the same wines, since we had the wines with some light food, wonderful cheeses, olive scented crackers and mixed nuts. In this setting the best wines continued to shine, The consensus top wines were no surprise. Roughly in order they were: 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour    2007 Georges Trichard Chenas     What was a bit of a surprise was that all the other wines found fans from the simple Pizay to the ethereal and gently fruited Lapierre, each wine made someone happy, though the wood on the  Jadot was still off-putting. About that Jadot, in fact the second go-round had a 2006 in place of the 2007. The wine was all together more appealing even if the wood remained obvious. Perhaps the vintage's character, perhaps a sign of the benefit one can derive from ageing Beaujolais a bit. In the coming days I will dip into my cellar and take a look how a few bottles of Beaujolais are ageing, 2 from 2003,  and one each from 2002 and 1996. Beaujolais is full of surprises yet one thing that will not surprise me is if these wines are wonderful and bear and even more striking resemblance with Burgundy! On that old canard, while Beaujolais may, or may not, really resemble Burgundy one thing is for sure. For $20 one can certainly drink a whole lot better in Beaujolais! And without further ado allow me to relate what it was we discovered. I've included my notes below and an impression from each of the tasters that participated in our first weeks blind tasting. Beaujolais Blind Tasting Flight 1 2007 Chateau du Pizay Beaujolais A bit stemmy-spicy on the nose with hints of earth, roses and a marshmallow edge. Soft pure raspberry fruit and nice zesty acidity make this a nice basic Beaujolais and a light red perfect for serving with a chill this summer. 85pts Philip - strawberry, good structure Lance - strawberry, mild spice Baratunde - butter and smooth Dave - flat, lost me at the end Sophie - quite fruit forward, almost sweet, Evan - indistinct, herbaceous on the palate 2007 Chateau du Chatelard Beaujolais Villages Coming from gentle hills with a bit of rocky terrain this smoky, tobacco scented Beaujolais Villages is a step up from simple Beaujolais. This is a bit mineral toned on the palate with a bit of forced, extracted tannin that adds a touch of bitterness to the otherwise dried herbal, strawberry flavors. I bit too inky and blocky for my palate. 83pts Philip - gamier, tobacco Lance - not very complex, didn't hold my interest Baratunde - sharp and mildy spicy Dave - chalky, strawberry, Sophie - mineral, younger vines Evan - fuller and actually sweet 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly Brouilly is the largest Cru in Beaujolais. Chermette produces natural wines and this is a beauty! A bouquet full of violets, crystallized black raspberry, rich forest soil, and aromatic candle wax leads to a gorgeous palate full of sweet fruit. This is wonderfully precise with great balance and a tense crisp, tannic note that frames the wonderfully transparent fruit. On the long finish a hint of medicinal herbs adds depth to the fruit and finale return of violets. Beaujolais doesn't get much better than this. 92pts Philip - lot of fruit, floral violet, topnotes Lance - mild sweet fruit, liked the finish Baratunde - sharper, dryer, Dave -cherry candy, violets Sophie - softer fuller approachable style Evan - rich nose, , earthiness that I liked Flight 2 2007 Domaine des Terres Dorees Jean-Paul Brun Cotes de Brouilly     The Cotes de Brouilly is located within Brouilly, on old volcanic slopes and generally produces deep, dark fruit. This is decidedly herbal and stemmy on the nose with medicinal floral tones and hints of green peppercorn and juniper. Rich and well balanced in the mouth with noticeable fruit tannin balanced by a nice acid spine. Some woodsy notes recall the nose and are joined by black berry and black currant fruit. This finishes with a touch of Ricola and is bit shorter than I would like but is complex and complete. 88pts Philip - simple fruity, a little iron on the finish Lance - a bit spicy on the nose, nice finish Baratunde - medicinal, hot Dave - strawberry, bitter cola Sophie - strange milk chocolate lactic Cadbury nutbar, firm and enjoyable tannins Evan - tea tannins, earth, raspberry 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie Regnie is the youngest Cru of Beaujolais, dating from 1988 but is part of the historic home of Beaujolais. This has superb aromatics with balsamic, candle wax tones almost verging on eucalyptus with a roast meaty edge and layers of intense and complex violet pastille and wild berry fruits. This smells like old vines. This has big weight but is not weighty do to the incredible balance and precision that makes for lovely depth of fruit with a raspberry, slight roasted strawberry tone yet crystal clear transparency. I love the quality of the tannins here, they are soft and like flannel, mouth filling. A nice mineral wash cleanses the palate and leads to a long finish that ends with a wild strawberry flourish. This is simply great Beaujolais! 94pts Philip - mushroom, black cherry, blood Lance - , tea flavor, good Baratunde - woody, toopia Dave - violets, white pepper ripe cherry Sophie - rich fruit on the palate, savory, thyme Evan - more herbaceous, raspberry in the back of the mouth 2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Morgon produces rich, earthy wine that can easily be mistaken for Burgundy. Lapierre is a great biodynamic producer. This offers up notes of beet roots, dusty earth, anise and aggressive herb and medicinal notes. With a very light, natural and elegant in the mouth this is refreshing but quite herbal and almost vegetal on the palate with a decided green streak and some granitic minerality but not much fruit. 84pts Philip - vegetal, mineral, earthy dry finish Lance - smoky nose, mild but complex Baratunde - fruity Dave - raw meats, white pepper, raspberry Sophie - soft light fruit on the palate, lots of Gamay character Evan - candy cherry nose, very flat, almost watery Flight 3 2006 Christophe Pacalet Chiroubles Chiroubles comes from vines at higher elevation that produce delicate wines and Pacalet's minimalist style of winemaking preserves this ethereal quality. A touch funky on the nose with a gamy edge to the wooly, wet cotton, rainwater tones that feature an intriguing touch of dried thyme. This is a bit more structured in the mouth with lots of sweet yet indistinct fruit that is slightly pruny. It is very aromatic in the mouth but a bit short on the finish. 86pts Philip - - mushroomy nose, tobacco, plums Lance - lemony nose, nice balance and fruit, Baratunde - soft and gentle feel on the nose, gummi bears Dave - really perfumed with sweet resinous flowers, gamy and attractive Sophie - high toned floral nose, savory finish is cool and sleek Evan - nose hit me, leather, cherry, hint of tar in the background 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Fleurie is always one of my favorite Crus, full of plush, deep fruit that takes a couple of years in the cellar to peak. Once one gets past the noticeable hit of sulfur this is dark and slightly resinous on the nose with bark and fruit tones in a masculine, cologne-scented register that includes a touch of campfire and very lovely subtle vegetal tones and medicinal herbs. In the mouth this feels a touch closed at first but with mouthwatering acid and hints of bright red fruits and red currants with a nice iron edge. The youthful tannins are a touch stiff and pop on the finish with a touch of almond nuttiness that offers contrast to the nice dark fruit return with it's touch of fig and darker cherry fruit. A bigger style of wine but complete if a touch blocky at the moment. 89pts Philip - smooth and supply, cherry notes Lance - dusty nose, good forward fruit Baratunde - did not like, chemical maybe sulfur Dave - sour ripe cherries, black currant, medicinal Sophie - odd nose pencil lead/shaving, fairly Gamay, Evan - black tea spice, berries, soft tannins 2007 Jadot Chateau des Jacques Moulin a Vent  Moulin a Vent produces low yielding vines and powerful wines from rocky soil in the north of Beaujolais. This is sweet smelling with predominantly woodsy tones of white mushroom and gardenia. There's lots of fruit on the palate, which is a bit sweet though an herbal edge offers a bit of relief from the onslaught of prominent black gapey fruit. This ends with a bit of an extracted matte feel and some wood tannin that mars the finish and adds a bit of bitterness. 84pts Philip - a lot of butter and oak on the nose Lance - grassy, rosemary, chalky finish Baratunde - acid, maybe lactic Dave - black currants long finish Sophie - not as expressive, nice but ambivalent Evan - burnt cherry, hint of toasted wood Flight 4 2007 Duboeuf Chateau des Capitans Julienas Julienas produces elegant and spicy wines from a region that gets its name from Julius Caesar! This is dusty and mineral with a big bay leaf tone and a touch of seared beef but it lacks some liveliness. On entry this is fiercely acidic for this ripeness yet very simple with big black fruits. This finishes with some chemical notes and I can't say that there's much here for me to like. 80pts Philip - Bovril, tight at first, leather but now it's plain cherries Lance -- tobacco nose, black currant cinnamon, Baratunde - very strong overpowering cherry Dave - very ripe cherry, vanilla, black olive Sophie - sweet black cherry and licorice excessively candied viscous Evan - not much, hints of candy, soft tannin 2007 Georges Trichard Chenas Chenas is the smallest of the crus, many of the vineyards that formed the appellation are now part of the Moulin au Vent appellation. With waxy red fruits, dried apricot, blond tobacco, spicy, wild red berry fruits, a touch of tea and a hint of dried cranberry on the nose this is compelling to smell. The mouth feel is suave and smooth with lovely tannins nicely balanced with bright acids. There are strong cranberry tones on the palate with a touch of tea that is nice and measured and leads to a finish that has good length and offers a hint of cherry pit bitterness that adds cut, This is not super complex but a style I really like to drink. 91pts Philip - nice nose pine needles and foresty, riverbed, Lance - spicy, a bit woody, tannic on the finish Baratunde - very spicy a lot of pepper Dave - lush fruit, toasted nuttiness, and diluted texture Sophie - lighter nose a touch vegetal, more tannin not completely well integrated Evan - - gaminess, toast, sweet mixed berry 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour St. Amour combines great fruit, spice, structure from the northern border of the region. A romantic choice! This starts out reticent on the nose with an underlying natural sweetness of dried raspberry fruit and just a hint of earth and spice with a touch of grassiness. Fairly fleshy and round in the mouth with lovely depth. This is fairly powerful yet transparent and really bright with wonderfully precise fruits that lean to the black cherry, black currant end of the spectrum. The finish is really long and fruit driven but refreshing with a lovely final of almost gamy wild fruits. This read more…might be a touch dilute but the appeal is undeniable. 91pts Philip - very plummy, fruity throughout Lance - floral nose, seemed young, didn't open up much Baratunde - deep dark plum Dave - gamy raspberry, prune, and cherry Sophie - feels muted and dilute, hard to taste, at this Evan - hint of cherry with toast, earth tobacco Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

  From the article Beaujolais it ain't all Nouveau

  
  

• 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)

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