Tasting Notes - June 2005

Tasting Notes From June 2005

Pride Mountain
1999 Merlot
Napa Valley
This wine seems to have dropped whatever youthful exuberance it may have had. The nose is red berry fruit, cedar and mocha. The palate continues those flavors with a slight dryness. Decent, but not very exciting. $48; Black and White

Paloma
2002 Merlot
Napa Valley
Tasted next to the Pride 1999, this was much more fruit forward and crowd pleasing, but with similar red berry and mocha flavors. More plush and "sweet" overall with slightly less complexity. $45; Black and White

Craggy Range
2003 Sauvignon Blanc
New Zealand
Slightly more flinty and mineral-driven than many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Tangy gooseberry. Nice. Black and White

Loring
2002 Pinot Noir
Rancho Ontiveros
Has some horse hair and pinot funk on the nose. Tangy black cherry fruit in a fruit driven, concentrated style. $42;

Carlisle
2003 Zinfandel
Fava Ranch, Russian River Valley
Mike scores again. Gorgeous nose of spices and eucalyptus. Sweet red berry fruit on the palate.

Carlisle
2003 Petite Sirah
Sonoma County
crushed boysenberry seeds. Thick, chewey, satisfying. Toasted bread? Mona thought it reminded her of a pretty woman in a dress, only she had on a jacket at first and you couldn't really tell that she was pretty until she took it off.

Peby-Faugeres
2001 St. Emilion
Dense, well made wine with mocha and black fruit flavors. Turns tight and slightly tannic in the finish. Pretty good. $70; James and Mona's Second Annivesary

Pride
2003 Viognier
Sonoma County
Just okay,once again, with light apricot and lemon flavors. Seems a little vague. Not obviously woody, but there seems to be some exposure suggested by the muted fruit flavors. $40;

Vitiano
2003 Rose
Umbria
Tasty little Rose with a nice balance between dry and sweet. Rose petals, cranberry, and cherry fruit. $10;

Garretson
2002 Syrah
Rozet Vineyard
A good example of a wine pushed too far to the edge. Overripe, reductive, and not very appealling, but it certainly is full-throttle at 16% alcohol.

Hug Cellars
2003 Syrah
Bassetti Vineyard, San Luis Obispo County
Initially this dark wine has a smoky, meaty nose with nuances of leather. It turns to sweet black berry fruit on the palate. Minerals. Juicy with decent acidity. $36;

Cheers!
James

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