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We tried last night (6/12/17) Some Lodi/ContraCosta/RRV Zins: 1. Bedrock Zin SchmiedtRd/Lodi (78% KirschmannVnyd/22% Katusha'sVnyd; Own rooted plntd in 1915; 14.5%) 2015 : Med.some bricking color; fairly fragrant spicy/Zin bit volatile some kow-key Lodi/mushroomy/earthy/loamy quite pleasant nose; bi...

Stumbled onto this last night in my tasting wines stash: 1. WindGap Chard Gap'sCrown Vnyd/SonomaCoast (240 cs; 13.7%; www.WindGapWines.com) PaxMahle/Forestvile 2009 : Med.light gold color; strong melony/Chard/lemony/celery seed some pencilly/toasty/oak rather fragrant very attractive nose; fairly ta...

Jay Miller wrote: ↑
June 19th, 2019, 6:34 am
Edmunds St. John
Rhys
Aracadian
Scherrer

I would have said Qupe and Copain but with both winemakers gone...

Well, Jay....you can instead say Lindquist Family Vintners...though nobody's had one yet.
Tom

No love for Qupe?? Just drank a 2005 Bien Nacido...up there with the best of France. Where is Tom Hill when you need him?? Good call. Predates most of those listed. Always a go-to and the Central Coast was for years one of the best buys out there. Haven't had them since the winery changed hands a f...

Tried this wine last night: 1. TheOjaiVnyd Viognier RollRanchVnyd/VenturaCnty (13.5%) 2013 : Pale gold color; fairly strong pear/peach/Viog slight smoked hot dog bit herbal some stony/mineral/bit Condrieu-like slight bacon fat some complex quite interesting nose; rather tart/tangy pencilly/oak rathe...

Yup, Nate...I would agree with her take on the Lodi whites. They are, by&large, varietally correct. Maybe not necessarily profound, but for an area that gets no respect, they’re pretty good. Though I’v not found any Chards that I’ve really liked. The grapes with strong/distinctive aromatics seem to ...

Tried this last week: 1. Bedrock Lorenzo's Heritage DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty RW (14.6%; Plntd: 1900-1955; John&Caterina Teldeschi; Aged: 18 mo. in Fr.oak; 46% Zin/14% Carignan/35% PetiteSirah + AlicanteBouschet/Cinsault/Peloursin + Vaccarese) 2017 : Dark color; very strong classic DCVlly/raspberry/bl...

Got my new Jaffurs futures offer, so dug back into: 1. Jaffurs Syrah ThompsonVnyd/SBCnty (15.3%) 2005 : Dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah bit Thompson/peppery strong smokey/toasty/Fr.oak rather complex SBC Syrah nose; lightly tart strong SBCSyrah/blackberry/boysenberry/spicy/peppe...

Taking one for the team, I tried this last night: 1. Elouan PinotNoir OR (13.8%; www.ElouanWines.com) Elouan/CopperCane/Acampo 2017 : Med.color; strong grapey some PN/black cherry bit toasty/vanilla/oak rather simple grapey nose; rather sweet (1%+ r.s.?) soft/underacid confected simple/grapey slight...

Adam sez that these three were all freezer ice wines. No botrytis whatsoever. Not in Ojai. Shows what I know!! So...I've long contended that freezer ice wines just stay sweet and don't ever show any evolution or development of complexity. These three prove just how wrong I am. Jeez...us old folks ha...

Tried these two Ojais this weekend: 1. TheOjaiVnyd Viognier RollRanch/Calif (9.0%; 6 brls made) 2007 : Deep golden/bronze/some browning almost redish color; very intense peachy/apricotty/grapey rather passito slight earthy bit herbal quite complex nose; quite sweet very tart/tangy/bit acidic some bo...

Tried these last week in KansasCity: 1. Illahe Viognier WillametteVlly/OR (13%) Dallas/OR 2018 : Light yellow color; low-key pear/Viog some stony/mineral rather quiet pleasant nose; fairly tart/tangy light pear/Viog light stony/chalky flavor; very long pleasant pear/Viog bit mineral/stony fairly tar...

Gee...we haven't heard from Zucc in quite some time. I always kinda of liked John.
He always had his links: ClickOnMe
Tom

Markus S wrote: ↑
June 14th, 2019, 8:41 am
Clearly it should be planted up and down the coasts of America and into Mexico and Canada and soybeans and corn should be ripped out in favor of this regal grape!

Yup, Markus...preachin' to the choir here!! Maybe even taking at some Merlot as well.
Tom

We tried these two dessert wines last night at BacchusBadBoys: 1. TheOjaiVnyd Viognier RollRanch/Calif (6 brls made; 10%) 2005 : Dark brown/bronze/almost red color; beautiful complex some botrytis/apricotty/peachy some cedary/pencilly/oaky very complex nose; quite sweet strong botrytis/peachy/aprico...

Thank you so much for coming Tom, the whole afternoon was a delight, nerding out on wine and science with you! The leftover Misteri and Byrrh were big hits with my step dad the next day. I agree, I'd love to see a Cali Saperavi, I think there is huge potential there. Already looking forward to the ...

I tried my first Mondeuse this year, and while I found it to be quite pleasurable and engaging I can't see a wine with the characteristics of Mondeuse becoming the "next big thing". Some wine writers tend to label the "next big thing" as whatever there is a buzz among the hip Somms. First it was "n...

I actually had a bottle of '04 Carlisle Mondeuse Noir that I drank in 2017. I enjoyed the bottle but it is something you rarely see. Yup....that was a year that Mike was able to make a barrel of Mondeuse off of TwoAcres. I thought it spoke more of Mike's winemaking and only quietly of Mondeuse vari...

Tried these two w/ Ryan last week up in Atchison: 1. Strohmeier Rot#6 Trauben,Liebe und Zeit (25% Blauer Wildbacher/75% Zweigelt; 12.0%; www.JennyAndFrancois.com; a MonikaCaha Slctn) WestSteirmark/Austria NV : Very dark color; slightly funky that clears strong boysenberry/blackberry/Zweigelt some ea...

A very interesting article in GrapeCollective, as linked by WineTerroirist: Rotgipfler/Zierfandler on the resurging interest in the ThermenRegion in Rotgipfler & Zierfandler. It focuses on the Stadlmann family, one of the best producers in the region. When I was first getting interested in Austrian ...

Interesting article in 750Daily, as linked by WineTerroirist, that Mondeuse is becoming the next big thing with all the hip somms (at least for this week): 750Daily:Mondeuse It, of course, credits Carole & Steve for planting Mondeuse on MtVeeder and leading the revival in Calif, as credited by Jaimi...

Ryan, Your TN’s are pretty consistent with my take on the wines. Will post two of mine when I get home. It was a great outing for me. Visited Ryan’s observatory and talked astronomy for almost two hrs. Gotta say I learned quite a lot about modern astronomy. Amazing what a small observatory can accom...

Wow, off the beaten path indeed! I have no clue what the last two are, particularly the 'Byrrh' - how did you even FIND this stuff? Todd, The Byrrh is an aromatized wine made in the Catalan region of France. Alcoholic and fairly sweet. Flavored with Quinine and aromatic mountain herbs. Not nearly a...

I hope he did not show your kids his codpiece. They would need intensive psychiatric intervention. My first sight of Tom was at a Templeton B&B at HdR 2001 and he was playing basketball with the host's son whom I want to recall as "Connor" or "Spencer" but I am sure I am wrong. Tom was wearing shor...

Robert M yers wrote: ↑
June 9th, 2019, 7:09 am
I don’t think they are collectible really, except as curiosities. If you had a yard sale or something you might get a few bucks for the interesting ones is what I’d guess. I doubt the WS hold any value.

Yup...even last weeks new WS holds no value!!
Tom

Tried these new releases from DCV over the weekend: !. DryCreekVnyds SauvBlanc DryCreekVlly (14.1%; Hrvstd: 8/31-9/25; Frmtd: 84% SS/16% brls; SaH: 23.7 Brix; TA: 0.66%) 2018 : Med.light gold color w/ tiny bubbles; fairly strong SB/melony/herbal light pencilly/oak rather fragrant nose; fairly tart/t...

Tried this new wine last night: 1. St.Clair Kiva Special Reserve NM Dessert Wine (19%; RS: 16.4%; TA: 4.3%; pH: 3.65; Matured in Fr.oak under the NM sun; Grape Wine w/ Natural Flavor & Caramel color) Deming/NM NV : Med.dark/amber color; very strong grapey/passito/oloroso-like some complex rather alc...

David, one of the best wine writers around, has a terrific artcle in the latest Wines&Spirits magazine, untangling the complicated Teldeschi family and giving a lot of historical background. Cleared up a lot of the confusion on this family in my mind. Unfortunately, not yet on their W&S WebPage, so ...

Tom, Great notes on that Roussanne - and you and I both know that time does wonders for that variety. I find most young roussannes to be a bit 'quiet' until day 2 or 3 - and simply not showing the texture the variety possesses. Did you save any for Day 2? Curious to see how it develops . . . Cheers...

Tom, Great notes on that Roussanne - and you and I both know that time does wonders for that variety. I find most young roussannes to be a bit 'quiet' until day 2 or 3 - and simply not showing the texture the variety possesses. Did you save any for Day 2? Curious to see how it develops . . . Cheers...

Great to see Black Mesa called out. Jerry and I spent a lot of time together at the same little Willamette Valley winery when I was in college. He officiated our marriage before moving down to New Mexico. We paid him in wine :). Lots of good memories evoked with this boring post. Cheers, fred Yeah,...

Had these two a dinner last night: 1. Jaffurs Roussanne StolpmanVnyd/BallardCnyn (13.5%; www.JaffursWine.com) 2017 : Med.dark gold color; very strong beautiful floral/honeysuckle/honeyed/Rouss almost Viog-like/spicy very light toasty/Fr.oak/nutmeg quite fragrant nose; lightly tart/tangy rather spicy...

Thanks for the tasting notes, Tom!!! This is from the Carlisle website: " 2016 Sonoma County 'The Derivative' White Wine "60% Russian River Valley Muscadelle, Colombard, and Palomino, Mancini Ranch 21% Sonoma Valley Semillon, Rossi Ranch 19% Sonoma Valley Muscadelle, Pagani Ranch" Thanks, Drew. Did...

Had these w/ Susan over the weekend: 1. Carlisle The Derivative f'(x) SonomaCnty WW (13.8%; 40% Muscadelle/38% Colombard/21% Semillon/1% Palomino; 150 cs) 2016 : Med.yellow color; very fragrant floral/pineapple/spicy bit Semillon/figgy slight graham cracker lovely perfumed nose; lightly tart/tangy f...

Dipping into my last F-H order, I tried: 1. Forlorn-Hope O.D.B. Trousseau Noir RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (107 cs; 10.72%; "Old Dirty Bastardo") 2017 : Very light red/dark rose color; strong very fragrant rose petal/floral bit smokey/smoked hot dog bit pencilly/oak quite earthy/dusty/loamy slight game...

Tried the last of my new MarthStoumen wines: 1. Martha Stoumen Nero d'Avola MendoCnty (13%; www.MarthaStoumen.com) Napa 2017 : Dark color; strong earthy/bit loamy some grapey/Nero/plummy/black cherry/black cherry cola/bit licorice light pencilly/oak bit rustic quite interesting nose; bit soft slight...

Buzz, My 15 was about 12.0%. My 16, my current release, is listed on the label at 11.5% but is actually 10.8% (just didn't think anyone would believe me if I put that on the label!!!). That said, since it's 100% whole cluster, it is definitely not thin - such a fun wine to expose folks to (along wi...

Some big changes afoot in the NM wine scene. No....my posts are not agonna come short/interesting or long/interesting. They'll always be boring. Goes w/ the poster. NoisyWater Wnry, based in Ruidoso, NM (up in the Eastern Mtns of NM) has recently purchased the Gruet vnyds over in the high-desert of ...

Greg Gardner wrote: ↑
May 24th, 2019, 9:54 am
Some also have a pope's hat for the embossed area, I think.

Could be, Greg, what I thought was a new chateau is actually a Pope's bonnet.
Tom

Tom, I was in CdP last month and tasted at Pegau. I asked that same question to Laurence. Her explanation was something along the lines that the older domains i.e Beaucastel, VT, ... use the original design. A newer design was introduced when the domain numbers increased substantially in the 80/90s...

We were tasting thru a bunch of CdP's at BacchusBadBoys last night. Sorry...no long/boring TN's. I was noticing the CdP embossed btls w/ their logo on the shoulder. Some of them had the standard CdP logo with which I'm most familiar. But some of them had that standard logo surrounded by a bldg-like ...

Martha Stouman has a deep understanding of winemaking--she certainly falls in the "natural" camp, but the wines are always clean. Had the 2018 Post Flirtation Red (building on a backbone of old vine zin and carignan IIRC) recently and it was the perfect summer red wine. Yup, Kyle...totally agree. S...

Well...I still have this cuneiform tablet from Pliny the Elder announcing the release of his
latest Falernian wine!!

The StonyHill mailing list was the first one I recall hearing of. Probably dating back
to the 1960's. Well before Joseph Swan or DougNalle.
Tom

Maybe the right thing to say is that SCM Chardonnay is a good place to look if you dig Chablis and are open to trying new world whites. And that Chablis is a good place to look if you dig SCM Chardonnay and are open to trying French whites. I think Chris pretty much nailed it here w/ this comment. ...

We tried last night (5/8/19) Mostly Cabs: 1. Ryme CabFranc AlegriaVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (12.5%) 2016 : Med.dark color; rather blackcurranty/Cab/light herbal slight earthy/loamy light toasty/oak fairly spicy/herbal/thyme aromatic/floral very attractive nose; rather tart/tangy/bit lean strong blackcurra...

Tried this last night: 1. Martha Stoumen post flirtation CCCnty/Calif WW (10%; 70% Marsanne/18% MuscatBlanc/12% Roussanne) MarthaStoumen/Richmond 2017 : Light gold color; somewhat appley/Marsanne some floral/slight muscat very aromatic slight Rhonish/stony beautiful nose; quite tart/tangy bit metall...

Dan Kravitz wrote: ↑
May 21st, 2019, 4:34 pm
You're surprised that Austria hasn't complained? For 52 cases??? Probably are totally unaware of its existence.

Dan Kravitz

Yup, Dan....that’d be my guess as well.
Tom

I think it has gone too far, but hopefully time and the consumer will have a net postive influence. Burgundy has had centuries for those vineyards to develop a track record/reputation/history. California's situation is single-vineyard=more $$$, so just invent vineyards and block names as you go alo...

Drew Goin wrote: ↑
May 21st, 2019, 11:22 am
Thanks for the tasting note, Tom!!

IS this the last of this bottling from Forlorn Hope???

Yup, Drew...Matt said in his offer newsletter that this was the last Vintage for this wine.
Tom

Tried last night w/ my avocado toasts: 1. Forlorn-Hope Gemischter Satz MokelumneGlenVnyd/Lodi (13.39%; 52 cs; 35 different varieties; Growers: Koth Family; last vintage) 2016 : Med.yellow color; rather fragrant/floral/carnations/apple blossom slight earthy/herbal/new mown hay quite attractive nose; ...

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