Tasting Notes - May 2002

Tasting Notes From November 2002

Berger 2001 Gruner Veltliner
11.5% alcohol, 1.0 liter bottle that looks like it should have a Tanqueray Gin label. Light and subtle with intially quite tangy acidity. Minerals, wax…a bit like the pith of a broken cactus leaf. Better with some air time. Fairly priced, but not all that exciting. $10

Peter Lehman 2001 Riesling Barossa
Waxy wet stones and pears on the nose - a hint of flint and candied lemon. Light bodied with adequate concentration, but overall on the simple side. Not expensive though. $7

Fox Creek 2000 JSM McLaren Vale
Fantastic nose of cream, vanilla, blueberry, licorice, chocolate, and Mona suggested roses. Oaky-mon. but lots of fun. Creamy texture. Lush, low acid. 70% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Not for the oak intolerant, but a fun wine at a fair price. $21

Abadia Retuerta 1999 Rivola Castillo Y Leon
Unusual nose - smells like sour black cherries, wood glue, and licorice. Medium to full bodied with tangy cherry fruit. Decent, not great. Surprised to find it more integrated after spending the night in the fridge. $11

Pesquera 1999 El Vinculo La Mancha
Deep garnet red with a brown-orange cast in places. Balsa wood, smoke, tough of weed on the nose. Medium to full bodied. Limited complexity. Seems a bit tart and angular. Like the Abadia Retuerta from the previous night, I find this a bit more integrated after a night in the fridge. $12

Donnhoff 2001 Riesling Kabinett
Suspect bottle, as there was evidence of seepage and mold growing on the cork. Subdued nose of peaches and minerals. Excellent balance on the palate between the sugars and acids. Just slightly sweet - almost like some Chardonnays, but with a well integrated presence. Didn't get much complexity. $15

Carlisle 2000 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
16% alcohol. Just screams MOLASSES MOLASSES MOLASSES. Yummy chewey brown sugar coated red berry fruit. Nice. $24

Marquis Phillips 2001 Sarah's Blend South East Australia
Yum nose of violets and chocolate covered fruit with an underlying toasted bread quality. Supple, sweet red and black fruits. Good length. Finishes with a candy and coffee caramel note. $15

Borsao 2001 Garnacha Tres Picos
Sappy - lots of red fruit. Baby got verve. Red liqueur. Medium to full bodied, lightly tangy. Nicely balanced flavored. Decent length that turns lemony in the end. Silky texture. Powdery quality in the nose - makeup like. $13

Folie a Deux 1999 Syrah Lani's Vineyard Amador County
15% alcohol. The nose on this wine suggests the wine might be past its prime. Slightly hot with a tea and licorice nose. Full bodied with a short finish. Modest fruit on the palate.

Ponzi 1996 Pinot Noir Reserve
Cola, rich fruit. Nice balance, but didn't have a prayer with the spicy pickled vegetables that were being passed. $42

Domaine Drouhin 1999 Pinot Noir Oregon
Cola herb dry dusty, green streak. Medium dry with strawberry fruit. Better fruit on the palate than the nose would suggest. Mona really liked this one, I'm less enamored. $50

Argiano 1997 Brunello di Montalcino
Sweet minty vanilla and burnt sugar, dough, rich and plush. Sweet expansive fruit for Brunello. Red hard candy. Great concentration. Bit of mint in the finish. Likin' this. $50

Lamborghini 2000 Campoleone
50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot. Sweet creamy liqueur. Lots of toasty oak, that at times reminded me of American oak, incongruosly. Lingering note of dust. Full body. Integrated but oaky with creamy cherries and a hint of cinnamon. $45

San Felice di Calcinaia 1999 Cerviola Toscana
Potent Sangiovese nose with mint, white pepper, tea, dust, oak. Sweet attack with rich red cherry. Second taste shows strong coffee flavors on the nose. Nice length. Mona suggested some seaweed.

Araujo 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Eisele Vineyard
Subdued and elegant with cinnamon, brown sugar and butterscotch. Expecting more oomph. $160

Tablas Creek 1999 Reserve Cuvee Rouge Paso Robles
Restrained animal mineralilty. Stone fruit. Sweet palate with rich red fruits. Good length. Nose shows more animal fur-bitter-wax. 40% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre and others. Chateau St. Michelle 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Mocha, cedar, black currant nose. Medium to full bodied. Bit medicinal, but supple and fairly well integrated. Coffee-espresso finish. Hard to get excited. $13

Brochelle 2000 Zinfandel Paso Robles
15+ alcohol. All about cherries with a spicy zinberry and maple sugar front end. Nice richness, balance and concentriation. Low on the acid side. Nice, bit pricey. $33

Martinelli 2000 Pinot Noir 3 Colts Russian River Valley
Rootbeer and cola on the nose initially. Secondary flavors of green pepper, zest, metal. Lots of perfumey black cherry fruit. Not bad. $30

Flying Goat Cellars 2000 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Hills?
Very interesting wine: Starts with a meaty liquer nose. The initial attack is sweet cherries and berries. As the wine proceeds along the palate it takes on a cranberry and orange juice flavor that lingers for a long time. Not bad, not typical. $30

Carlisle 2000 Zinfandel Tom Feeney Russian River Valley
16% Alcohol. Quickly taking on some strong tea flavors (earl grey?) along with some asian spice. Dry on the palate. Okay. Not the Gum Tree. $25

Chelahem 2001 Pinot Gris Oregon
At first sniff this gave off aromas suggesting smoky white fruits with a little mineral and resin. On the palate it has fantastic texture - full bodied with ripe fruit - the fruit is a bit undiscernible - outstanding length. A bit on the sweet side but not obviously so. Very nice. $18

Cheers!
James

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