another great tasting last night - small group, but kick a$$ wines!
my favorites from the group:
1. 2005 shafer One Point Five (my wine) - deep rich nose, complex flavors that mixed dark chocolate with dried currant. The feel through the mouth is cool, long, fresh, lasting well. Gains depth and complexity on the finish. Super stylish. Why we drink CABS - 96pts
2. 2005 Kamen (Sonoma) - Intense, well structured but a bit lighter than I expected. This Sonoma drinks much more like a Napa. I found very traditional red fruits, black currant, black cherry in this wine (maybe even a touch of raspberry?). Super Cab! 95pts
3. 2002 Hartwell - Perfect through the entire pallet with currant fruit flavors intermixed with some spice and a slight port finish. Good acidity and freshness - seamless. 96pts
4. 2003 Chateau Troplong Mondot, St. Emilion - Blackberry nose follow through to a full-bodied palate Perfect tannins and a smooth finish. Interesting to note this is a Merlot sourced wine and I usually don't dig merlots.
great wines!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
delicious pinot noir(s), a petite syrah and another monster ZIN
Alesia is a second label to the Rhys collection. It is sourced from several vineyards, but the Rhys philosophy is clearly evident in this label - small production, concentrated flavors - just what I like in Pinots.
2006 Alesia (Rhys) San Mateo: tight start, opens quickly and is very elegant melding of red fruit and minerality -however, could be thought of as less structured when compared to the Sonoma Coast [see below]. Allow a solid 45 min. to decant (90 pts)
2006 Alesia (Rhys) Sonoma Coast: Much more red fresh fruit than its cousin listed above - strawberry, rasberry, touch of currant balanced with a earthen undertone (much less than OR pinots). (92 pts)
FAILLA
2006 Failla - Sonoma Coast: This wine and winery are AMAZING - if you see this on the shelf or list, wherever you are...buy it. it will not disappoint. Tasting this wine you need some time. at least 45min to open and make sure this wine is at the right temp - just slightly cooler than room (mid 50s). Initially, Red fruit aromas noted cherries with spicy notes of caramel and just a hint of butter (not like yellow butter, but the good creamed baking butter, like what butter smells like when you are making chocolate chip cookies) Superb perfectly balanced tannins give structure, round full mouthfeel. Something about this wine feels like you are drinking a cab-blend - its that structured! (93 pts)
Iris Pinot (OR) - I don't normally care for OR pinots. Its the over-the-top minerality and earthen nature that really turns me off - but this was a surprise. After decanting, this Pinot was quite pleasant with a red fruit nose and slight floral aroma (which hinted at the earthen-mossy side - but did not translate in the palate. great mouth feel - lacked some of the structure I like in good pinots, but i will say dani and i were dining with another couple and ended up polishing off 3 bottles of this wine in no time flat. also - great price point ($20ish, $40 dining out). (89 pts)
OUTPOST
2005 Petite Syrah - "THE OTHER"
Popped this last weekend and remembered why we always buy anything this winery makes. For real, OUTPOST is another label to ALWAYS be looking for...superb.
This is the only straight petite syrah I own, and it may just stay that way. it is dark, overpowering, slightly cedar (tannins) with a dark red fruit (really dark) black currant, black berries - super "jammy" full bodied mouth feel. Awesome quirky wine - its not a pinot, its not a cab or merlot and its sweeter than a zin....very cool. (90 pts)
2005 Zinfandel
This is the flagship wine for Outpost - and you are likely to actually see this wine on lists. We just enjoyed a bottle at N9NE in las vegas. much like "The Other," the zin is very dark in color - but the color is a vibrant purple. it is a red fruit forward wine with a distinct black pepper/mineral finish - absolutely the hallmark of young napa zins. (94 pts)
i will try and post additions as i have them, instead of saving them all up. any questions, feel free to email me.
2006 Alesia (Rhys) San Mateo: tight start, opens quickly and is very elegant melding of red fruit and minerality -however, could be thought of as less structured when compared to the Sonoma Coast [see below]. Allow a solid 45 min. to decant (90 pts)
2006 Alesia (Rhys) Sonoma Coast: Much more red fresh fruit than its cousin listed above - strawberry, rasberry, touch of currant balanced with a earthen undertone (much less than OR pinots). (92 pts)
FAILLA
2006 Failla - Sonoma Coast: This wine and winery are AMAZING - if you see this on the shelf or list, wherever you are...buy it. it will not disappoint. Tasting this wine you need some time. at least 45min to open and make sure this wine is at the right temp - just slightly cooler than room (mid 50s). Initially, Red fruit aromas noted cherries with spicy notes of caramel and just a hint of butter (not like yellow butter, but the good creamed baking butter, like what butter smells like when you are making chocolate chip cookies) Superb perfectly balanced tannins give structure, round full mouthfeel. Something about this wine feels like you are drinking a cab-blend - its that structured! (93 pts)
Iris Pinot (OR) - I don't normally care for OR pinots. Its the over-the-top minerality and earthen nature that really turns me off - but this was a surprise. After decanting, this Pinot was quite pleasant with a red fruit nose and slight floral aroma (which hinted at the earthen-mossy side - but did not translate in the palate. great mouth feel - lacked some of the structure I like in good pinots, but i will say dani and i were dining with another couple and ended up polishing off 3 bottles of this wine in no time flat. also - great price point ($20ish, $40 dining out). (89 pts)
OUTPOST
2005 Petite Syrah - "THE OTHER"
Popped this last weekend and remembered why we always buy anything this winery makes. For real, OUTPOST is another label to ALWAYS be looking for...superb.
This is the only straight petite syrah I own, and it may just stay that way. it is dark, overpowering, slightly cedar (tannins) with a dark red fruit (really dark) black currant, black berries - super "jammy" full bodied mouth feel. Awesome quirky wine - its not a pinot, its not a cab or merlot and its sweeter than a zin....very cool. (90 pts)
2005 Zinfandel
This is the flagship wine for Outpost - and you are likely to actually see this wine on lists. We just enjoyed a bottle at N9NE in las vegas. much like "The Other," the zin is very dark in color - but the color is a vibrant purple. it is a red fruit forward wine with a distinct black pepper/mineral finish - absolutely the hallmark of young napa zins. (94 pts)
i will try and post additions as i have them, instead of saving them all up. any questions, feel free to email me.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
CA Zinfandel
Tasting notes: my top 3 picks from last night
1. 2005 Ridge 'Old School' Zindandel: balanced, cedar-leather finish. concentrated red fruit, melted milk chocolate. 93pts
2. 2006 Williams Selyem, Forchini Vineyard Zinfandel: Subtle buttered blueberry nose and mouth with a perfect white pepper under-current. AWESOME zin. 96 pts
3. 2006 Elyse 'Morisolli Vineyard' Zinfandel: subtle meaty nose. Spicy black pepper notes with a burnt chocolate finish. Well balanced, not overly alcoholic. perfect zin. 94 pts.
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