Tasting Notes From April 2005

Patz and Hall
2003 Chardonnay
Durell Vineyard
Just too damn oaky for me relative to the fruit level. Heavy toasted cereal nose with lots of malic and caramel. Full-bodied with chunky toasted pear fruit. I'm sure this would have fans, but this is not my Chardonnay.

Radio-Coteau
2003 Syrah
Timbervine, Russian River Valley
Lovely aromas of peach blossom and black fruit. The attack is sweet and a little grapey at this point but the complexity is there in my opinion. Medium-bodied on the back end with a sweet silky texture and late tangy orange flavors. Nice. $40;

Meeker
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon
Dry Creek Valley
On the downward slope with dusty red currant and cedar flavors. Medium-bodied and somewhat poorly balanced.

Terlano
2003 Classico
Alto Adige
Blind white 1 - Lemony sweet with a touch of apricots and minerals. Decent length. Crowd pleaser. Mona noted a salty/briney quality. Light- bodied. Good. This bottle showed better than a bottle I opened recently on my own. $17; IGT at Lola

Librandi
2003 Rosato
Sicilia, Lontane
Peppery and earthy with a spritz of carbon dioxide or acidity at the tip of the tongue. This is apparently a blend of Gallipe and Cabernet Franc. Not the best Rose I've tasted lately, but not the worst either. I would prefer a bit less pepper. IGT at Lola

Lamborghini
2001 Campoleone
Umbria
Blind Red 1 - Earth, dark fruit. Chewey red fruit with a touch of leather. The serving temperature of this is a bit too warm. Rich and chewey. Decent. Once this was unveiled, I found myself a little disappointed by this wine - not a strong showing. IGT at Lola

Avignonesi
1997 Vino Nobile di Montelpuciano
Grandi Annate
Blind Red 2 - Perfume on the nose with aromas of cola, Dr. Pepper, and red licorice. Cherry and prune. Nicely balanced and medium-bodied with crispness to the finish. Interesting. I didn't know that Avignonesi even made a higher-end Vino Nobile in good years. IGT at Lola

Villa Carafa
1999 Taurasi
Blind Red 3 - Deeply colored. Lightly funky with an aroma John likened to "wet dog." Pencil lead.. Chunky, chewey. Decent dark fruit with late tannin. Probably upside. I was guessing this was a Tuscan Cabernet of some type. Good. IGT at Lola

Ciacci
2001 Fabius
Toscana
Blind Red 4 - Floral red fruit with crushed flowers and leather. Dark cherry. A little roasted. At one point I wrote down "clearly Sangiovese." Well, I was totally wrong. This is Syrah. Disappointing. This is just okay. IGT at Lola

Ciacia Alpiano
2001 Ruit Hora
Bolgheri
Blind Red 5 - Powdered cherry with a hint of brine. Nicely textured with a slight green been nose? Red fruit. Nice. I can't read the rest of my notes. IGT at Lola

Fontodi
1997 Vigna del Sorbo
Toscana
Blind Red 6 - Cherry and leather on the nose with a Gamay-like fruitiness suggesting carbonic maceration, but I know it wasn't made that way. Powdered sugar. Just okay. Others liked this much more than I. IGT at Lola

Caprai
2000 Sagrantino de Montefalco
Veinte Cinque Anno
Blind Red 7 - New world quality on the nose. Concentrated and inky. Nice dark fruit with late acidity. Interesting. IGT at Lola

Guado al Tasso
1998 Bolgheri
Toscana
Inky with obvious Cabernet characteristics. Velvet textured tannins with a touch of green - perhaps mint - certainly not a green pepper. Red currant and cedar. A touch waxy and tart. Good. IGT at Lola

Dal Forno
1998 Valpolicella
Interest nose with touches of wax and black pepper. Black cherry fruit. Silky textured with nice complexity. IGT at Lola

Antinori
1997 Tignanello
Toscana
Hmmm, this seemed a bit light with black currant flavors. Just okay. IGT at Lola

Avignonesi
1993 Vin Santo
Toscana
Slightly volatile nose reminiscent of Pedro Ximenez. Raisins and butterscotch. Dried fruit, walnuts. Wow! Nice complexity. IGT at Lola

Garretson
2002 Syrah
The Aisling, Paso Robles
16.7% alcohol. A very successful wine from Garretson. This drinks like a bit like a dessert Syrah, but in a good way. Certainly not a wine for the francophile, though. Aromas of black raspberry liqueur. Sweet, concentrated and supple flavors of forest berries. Not much complexity, but boatloads of fruit. The finish reveals a little bit of alcoholic warmth.

Radio-Coteau
2003 Zinfandel
Von Weidlich Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Spicy nose of eucalyptus red berry and red raspberry coulis. Very much like a Mike Officer wine but tending a bit more toward cooler climate and red fruit. Creamy textured with pepper. Nicely balanced given the stated alcohol. Later it reminded me more of a Zinfandel made by a Pinot Noir producer, like Hartford Court.

Carlisle
2002 Syrah
Sonoma County
deeply colored with aromas of roasted coffee beans and dark fruit. Concentrated and probably better in a year.

Caldwell
2001 Proprietary Red
Napa Valley
Red, somewhat earthy nose with tobacco, red currant, raspberry/cassis, and chocolate. Elegant, balanced. Medium-full bodied and softish with light tannins. Pretty good, but don't hold around too long. Carr is in town

Carlisle
2002 Zinfandel
Carlisle Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Like a sweet mouthful of boysenberries. Juicy, lush, concentrated and long. Nuances of toasted seeds and a bit of spice. Wow goodness. $30;

Merry Edwards
2002 Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley
Very competently made, but not hitting on all cylinders for me. Slightly hazy and translucent with a color like cherry- mahogany - deep red with elements of black and brown. Aromas of tin can, Pinot funk, a zippy green quality, and strawberry. Medium-bodied and slightly high-toned. I suppose this is good value for Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. $32;

Carlisle
2000 Syrah
Dry Creek Valley
15.9% alcohol. A big mouthful of sweet blueberry fruit but dry in the finish. Rich, round and concetrated with nuances of vanilla and pepper. Nice. $30;

Behrens and Hitchcock
2001 Petite Sirah
Napa Valley
Inky and initially fruit forward with black raspberry flavors. Chewey and "sweet" with red and black fruit. With air exposure this wine took on a more tannic edge and acquired a quality that reminded me of tree bark. Not bad. $42;

Radio-Coteau
2003 Pinot Noir
Savoy Vineyard, Anderson Valley
Mona really liked this Pinot so we ordered a couple more bottles. Bright red cherry and cranberry fruit. Tangy, concentrated fruit flavors tinged with some spices. A little bit of racy metal character. Nice. $45;

Carlisle
2001 Zinfandel
Riebli Ranch, Russian River Valley
Wow! Nose here. A potent concoction of blueberry and blackberry fruit. Low acid, supple and pure. Beautiful stuff. No sense of the wine's 16% alcohol. Very hedonistic. $30;

Kistler
2001 Chardonnay
Vine Hill
Bit vacant on the nose with light toasted oak and toasted butter. Okay. Tasting at Taverna

Guffens-Heynen
2001 Macon-Piereclos
Le Chavigne
Light minerals, apple, pear, and sweet lemon. Creamy lime sherbet? Nicely made. Tasting at Taverna

JA Ferreil
2000 Pouilly-Fuise
Tete de Cru
Steely nose. Crisp light melon and lemon lime. Pretty good. Tasting at Taverna

Clos de Beujeau
2002 Sancerre
Blind White 1 - Touch of dishwasher detergent, melons. I was definitely thinking Chenin Blanc (Vouvray). Semi-sweet. Pretty good, but a little simple. This was Howard's contribution and I can't beleve this is Sauvignon Blanc. Surprise. Tasting at Taverna

Krug
NV Brut
Toasty, nutty, rising bread dough. Bubbly, semi-intense attack with clean lemon-lime and sweetich midpalate. Apple cider and a touch of oxidation. Not bad at all. Tasting at Taverna

Chateau Cabrieres
1998 Chateauneuf du Pape
Cuvee Prestige
Sweet red berry nose with a touch of bark. Medium-bodied with light pepper and a brown herb edge. Pretty good. Tasting at Taverna

Belle
1999 Croze Hermitage
Les Pierres
Blind Red 1- Nice nose - sweet black fruit with a touch of olive and meat. Deeply colored. Low tannin, sweet attack. The nose says "Rhone Valley" but the suppleness suggests new world. Tasting at Taverna

Pax
2003 Syrah
Walker Vine Hill, Russian River Valley
Blind Red 2 - Deeply colored. Young Syrah? Big, rich, and sweet with a mouthful of black fruit. Has some cool climate lime character at the edges. As it opens, brown sugar. Thick, sweet, and concentrated. Very nice. Tasting at Taverna

Domaine Font de Michelle
1999 Chateauneuf du Pape
Blind Red 3 - Dark colored. Cherry nose with a nuance of olive. Sweet Northern Rhone tapenade. Sweet red berry fruit. Pretty good. The olive quality and color density of this wine had me thinking more Northern Rhone. Tasting at Taverna

Clarendon Hills
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Clarendon
Blind Red Last - Smells aussie with black currant, wax, and eucalyptus framed in a sourish nose - dill pickle barrel. Concentrated but a bit short. Just okay - it needs something. Not crazy about this. Tasting at Taverna

Phillip Togni
1994 Ca Togni
Napa Valley
Fascinating nose - cool climate floral, muscaty, cherry liqueur. Tasting at Taverna

Poliziano
1997 Vino Nobile de Montelpuciano
Ruby center with 1/8" clearing at the edges. Earthy-sweet tart nose. Dry earth. Cherry fruit. Decent.

Melville
2003 Chardonnay
Inox, Santa Ynez Valley
Blind White 1 -Light nose of lemony wax. Viscous and tangy with meyer lemon flavors. I couldn't tell what this might be. New World Pinot Gris? 15% alcohol, but I would not have guessed that. Weird Wines and Momos

Ravenswood
1990 Zinfandel
Cooke Vineyard
Blind Red 1 - Smells older. Slightly volatile. Old Zin? Tar and a touch of sweetness on the palate. Light strawberry flavors. Okay. Bit tired. Weird Wines and Momos

Castello del Terriccio
1998 Lupicaia
Blind Red 2 - Sweet blackberry. A bit volatile. Nose is best asset. Palate is a bit short. With air I started to notice the wood on this wine (that unique Italian oak smell - Hungarian barriques?) and it became somewhat more austere and leathery. Hmmm. This wine was playing tricks on me. Weird Wines and Momos

Poggio Antico
1990 Atero
Toscana
Corked Weird Wines and Momos

Mathews
2000 Red Wine
Yakima Valley
Blind Red 5 - Strange nose of lime on hard minerals. Blueberry. Lowish acid. Leather and pepper. Decent. What is it? Softish tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Pretty good. Weird Wines and Momos

Quilceda Creek
2000 Red Wine
Washington
Blind Red 6 - Deeply colored with a slightly funky nose. Lime zest. Cooler climate. Cocoa. Somewhat one-dimensional. Eh. Disappointing. Weird Wines and Momos

Dehlinger
2001 Syrah
Russian River Valley
Blind Red 8 (7 was a corked Slovenian Merlot) - Licorice, touch of rubber. Bright black fruit. Simultaneously has a cool climate tang and pepperiness by an intensity and maple quality that suggests more warmth. Okay. Weird Wines and Momos

Copain
2002 Syrah
Hawke's Butte, Yorkville Highlands
Blind Red 14 - Intense nose with a touch of dishwasher detergent/irish spring/pine and black licorice. I also heard "juniper." Sandalwood. Rich, tangy finish. Tight? Good. Weird Wines and Momos

Garretson
2003 Marsanne
Rozet Vineyard, Paso Robles
Thick, apple juice like wine. Bit of glue funk and a bit cloying. Marginally successful.

Dalle Valle
1999 Sangiovese
Pietre Rosso, Napa Valley
Disappointing. Boring, soft, vague red cherry fruit. Slight sweetness and a touch of toasty oak. $40;

Cheers!
James

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