Tasting Notes From October 2001

1838

Mas de Bressades
2000 Syrah-Grenache Costieres de Nimes

Mostly ripe nose with pepper, new leather, and leaf notes adding interest. One dimensional on the palate. $10.00

1839

Steele
1997 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Barbara County

Mineraled smoky apple juice nose. Ripe, slightly sweet, full bodied, missing concentration mid palate. Pretty nice. Tastes like really ripe grapes, popped into nice new oak, then not quite fermented dry. $28.00

1840

Fox Creek
1999 JSM Mclaren Vale

68% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon Ripe, supple, full bodied, low acid. Chocolatey fruit. Nice. Had lots of competition from the Patz and Hall Chardonnay though. $35.00

1841

Patz and Hall
1997 Chardonnay Napa Valley

Similar flavors to the Steele, with mineral oak smoke and fruit, but the wine is less sweet and has better concentration overall. Less apple and more pear fruit. Nice wine. $33.00

1842

Shuetz Oles
1998 Vesuvium

Ripe blue fruit, chocolate, earth. Fruity, big, hedonistic. Pleasant. $40.00

1843

Franus
1999 Zinfandel Contra Costa Planchon Vineyard

Ripe, briary and spicy nose. Long, rich, moderate acidity. Delicious juice. $20.00

1844

Capacanes
1996 Valley de Calas Tarragona Zona Falset

Nose of leather and liqueur but rather reserved. Fruity, somewhat acidic. Pleasantly paired with smoky black beans. Better with food than on its own but not very interesting. $11.00

1845

Everett Ridge
1998 Syrah Nun's Canyon

Ripe, sweet, full bodied, smoky Syrah fruit. Pleasant. $20.00

1846

Cloudy Bay
1999 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand

Great concentrated grassy mineral fruit. Great with Ibores goat cheese. Enjoyed this wine more than I had the last couple bottles tasted. Turned out it was the vintage. I think the 1999 has better concentration and expression than the 2000. $22.00

1847

Cantina Monrubio
1997 Palaia Umbria IGT

Balsa wood, dry earth, and cherries on the nose. Medium bodied, supple, moderate concentration. Pleasant wine. Slightly hard perhaps. $20.00

1848

Unti
1999 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Ripe complex nose of fruit along with some leather, dust, pepper notes that combine to suggest Brettomyces. Ripe fruity palate, moderate acidity, decent concentration. Mostly dry. Decent. 84% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, 3% Sangiovese; 14.1 alc.1480 cases. $20.00

1849

Neyer's
1997 Chardonnay Napa Valley

Deep golden color. Nose of minerals, smoky oak, and pear fruit. Has a slight bitter, off ending. This bottle is not up to the quality that I have experienced with the wine before, but I can't say whether it is an off bottle or the results of aging. Still drinkable, but fading is my best assessment. $22.00

1850

Carchelo
1999 Jumilla

50% Monastrell (Mouvedre), 30% Tempranillo, 20% Merlot Peppery herbal nose, ripe fruit, medium bodied, decent ripeness. Pleasant for the money. $6.00

1851

Cape Indaba
1999 Sauvignon Blanc South Africa

Somewhat watery and underconcentrated but has nice herbal varietal character. $8.00

1852

Panther Creek
1998 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Reserve

Dense style of Pinot with complex flavors dominated by black cherry fruit. Could be mistaken for some other varietal save for a slight herb/tomatoe/Pinot fruit quality. Nice wine, better than I would have guessed. 535 Cases. $30.00

1853

Blackstone
1999 Merlot Napa Valley

Slight greeness to the nose? A bit Syrah-like? Medium-bodied, ripe, but underconcentrated and not very supple. A little bretty along with some powdery flavors. American oak. Not much balance. A bit minty perhaps. $14.00

1854

Whitehaven
2000 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough

Great nose of overripe ruby grapefruit and peaches…sweet ripe palate of superripe grapefruit juice. Nice and quite fun! $14.00

1855

Peter Michael
1997 Chardonnay Belle Cote Sonoma County

Ripe appley nose,minerals, smoke. Restrained. Good, not extraordinary. Slight balance problems in the finish? $42.00

1856

Pride Mountain
1998 Chardonnay Napa

Ripe sweet, complex. Lots of concentration in the midpalate. Tasted next to the Peter Michael it stood head and shoulders above. Consensus favorite. Strangely, the other Pride Chardonnays I have tasted recently were rather uninspiring. $24.00

1857

Luce
1995 Luce IGT Toscana

100% Merlot? Joint venture between Frescobaldi and Mondavi. Smells like Bordeaux with pencil lead and some meaty aromas. Moderate complexity, decent palate. Obviously a well-made wine but really not awe inspiring, particulary when price is considered. $60.00

1859

Jewel
2000 Viognier California

Slightly overripe with a floral apricot nose. Slightly cloying perhaps. Medium-full bodied average concentration. Decent value in Viognier. $10.00

1860

Beringer
1996 Alluvium Knight's Valley

Fabulous rich nose that I recall as being chocolatey but at this sitting tasted variously of vanilla and toasted coconut. Rich, full bodied, sweet, good length. Delicious! $30.00

1861

Alvaro Palacios
1998 Les Terrases Priorat?

Nose of peppery dried herbs, old wood, and earth over red fruit. Medium bodied, ripe, but not exceptional. Might benefit from some cellar time. $18.00

1862

Lalande
2000 Sauvignon Blanc France

Light, lime, citrus and herbs. Somewhat watery, but it is light enough in body for the package to work. $9.00

1863

Benziger
2000 Fume Blanc Sonoma County

Better than expected. Clearly and cleverly oaked. Shows a smoky, creamy nose with nice ripeness. Medium-full bodied. $12.00

1864

Chateau St. Michelle
1999 Chardonnay Columbia Valley

Strange caramel finish. Medium bodied with some buttery oak that is fairly subtle. $10.00

1865

Belvedere
1999 Chardonnay Sonoma County

Riper and more blowsy than the CSM. Pleasant, somewhat hollow mid-palate. $10.00

1866

Cousino Macul
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reserva Maipo

Light with minty cedar flavors over the fruit. Pleasant. $11.00

1868

Georges Duboeuf
2000 Moulin-a-Vent Domaine La Tour du Bief

Lots better than expected. Ripe nose that is as one grapey, minerally and earthy. Medium-full bodied, ripe, sweet, slightly abbreviated finish. Impressive concentration and depth. $8.00

1869

Guilliams
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Not memorable, but manages to carry its cigar box and tobacco flavors in a ripe format. Cedary oak, ripe, full bodied. Overpriced. $35.00

1870

Rancho Zabaco
1999 Zinfandel Heritage Vines

Ripe, light bodied, fruity. Some additional spices. Just a simple little food wine. No Complaints. $10.00

1871

Steele
1997 Chardonnay Late Harvests Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Barbara

Apple juice like. Sweet, ripe, full bodied, lush, long. Not intensley sweet, but obviously a dessert wine. Fun. Like Sauternes but with less structure and acidity and without the botrytis nuances. $15.00

1872

Steele
1998 Pinot Blanc Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Barbara County

Creamy melon flavors. Lots of flavor and concentration for a Pinot Blanc. I am gaining new respect for this varietal. Maybe some leftover sweetness in this wine or some muscat blended in to give it some sweetness and body. Low acid. Tasty. $15.00

1873

Chateau de Beaucastel
1998 Chateaneuf du Pape Rouge

I opened this accidentally thinking it was the Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone….What a pleasant surprise. Deliciously complex with meaty, peppery, earthy animal nuances all wrapped in great raspberry red fruits. Minerals in the finish. Medium-full bodied. Not noticeably tannic, but there is some room for the tail end of the taste to fill out and gain weight. Delicious juice. $60.00

1874

Abadia Retuerta
1996 Sardon de Duero

Intoxicating nose of kirsch liqueur along with some dry herbs or earth and ink. Full bodied, ripe, long. Fairly tannic and dense. Really delicious stuff. Blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. $18.00

1875

Campo de Borja
1999 Borsao Spain

Dry herb, dust, and cherry flavors. Powdery dust and a touch of cinnamon spice. Slightly reminds me of an inexpensive Chianti. Pleasant, medium-bodied, ripe, medium concentration. Decent wine for $7. $7.00

1876

Argiolas
1996 Peppera Isola dei Nuraghi Sardegna IGT

Nice nose, like the Colosi 1999 of herbs, Mona suggested roses, peppery. Ripe. Maybe some burnt sugar. Browning in the glass slightly. Fine for a cheap wine. Nose is a real asset. $7.00

1877

Coppo
1998 Barbera d'asti L'Avvocata

Smoky, oxidized, pencil lead nose with some dried berry fruit. Medium bodied, tart, $11.00

1878

D'Arenberg
1999 Grenache Shiraz The Stump Jump Mclaren Vale

85% Grenache. Raspberry jam nose with bramble accents. Pleasant fruity moderately rich wine. $10.00

1879

Morgante
1998 Nero D'Avola Sicilia IGT

herby, dusty, interesting nose very similar to the Colosi also from Sicilia (1999). Not quite as ripe and fleshy as the Colosi, but still a very nice wine for the money. Fully ripe, average concentration, adequate acidity. Nice. $10.00

1880

Castello della Panaretta
1995 Chianti Classico Riserva

Light bodied and dry with balsa wood, cherries, and dust. Finishes with tangerines and their requisite tartness. Good presence and length. Old school Chianti for sure. Not quite rich and lush enough to satisfy my palate though. $25.00

1881

Lake Chalice
2000 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand

Orange Grapefruit along with rich tropical elements. Full bodied, rich, sweet and ripe. Nice wine; shows some creamy and unique fruits. Very light colored. $15.00

Cheers!
James

Send Email to James

Back to James' Tasting Notes Page

© 2002, James Vineyard