TN: Three Calif Italians....(short/boring)

[TomHill]

We tried these three last week:
1. Broc Amore Bianco TocaiFriulano MendoCnty (12%) BrocCllrs/Berkeley 2019: Med.gold quite hazy/murky color; quite cidery/some volatile bit phenolic/ViniMacerati somewhat natty light floral/carnations quite strange nose; soft quite cidery light VM/phenolic rather natty/earthy very light floral/TF/carnations slight bitter flavor; med.long quite cidery fairly natty light VM/phenolic very light TF/floral/carnations slightly bitter slight mousey/hantavirus finish; a strange Bianco & pretty cidery/natty and not at all very attractive. Rather overpriced for a strange wine. $27.50 (KK)
____________
2. Idlewild Flora&Fauna WW MendoCnty (FoxHillVnyd/LostHillsRanch; 40% Arneis/40% MuscatCanelli/10% Cortese/10% Erbaluce/10% Favorita; 11.4%; www.IdlewildWines.com) Geyserville 2020: Med.gold color; very attractive floral/gardenias/spicy mostly Arneis/floral some muscatty beautiful aromatic nose; fairly tart very strong floral/Arneis/spicy/some muscatty slight chalky/mineral lovely flavor; very long floral/gardenias/Arneis bit muscatty finish; speaks mostly of floral/Arneis w/ the muscat giving it an aromatic lift; a really lovely aromatic white at a great price; reminds some of a Vietti Arneis but w/o the chalky/mineral element. $25.00
____________
3. Idlewild Flora&Fauna RW MendoCnty (48% Barbera/48% Dolcetto/4% Nebbiolo; FoxHillsVnyd/LostHillsRanch) 2020: Med.dark color; strong very Barbera/spicy/dried Italian herbs light earthy/dusty light toasty/oak slight Dolcetto/grapey/plummy nose; lightly tartstrong Barbera/spicy/pizza spices some plummy/Dolcetto light toasty/oak slight earthy/dusty flavor w/ light grippy tannins; very long very spicy/Barbera/Italian sausage bit plummy/grapey/Dolcetto light toasty/oak finish w/ modest hard tannins; speaks strongly of Piemonte Barbera but not as hard & the Dolcetto rounds it out on the palate quite a lot; will benefit from several yrs of age; very well priced at $25.00
_______________________
A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Two more really terrific Flora&Faunas from Sam Bilbro. One of my favorite go-to good-drinking wines.
Tom

[Drew Goin]

Thanks for the tasting notes, Tom.

I had to look up "Lost Hills Ranch", as I was unfamiliar with this vineyard.


SF Chronicle
"California Winemakers Bet on Mendocino County for Alpine-Style Wines"
by Esther Mobley
July 13, 2020

375x250.jpg

"...Sam Bilbro (of Idlewild Wines) and Evan Lewandowski (of Ruth Lewandowski Wines) are reviving a property, now known as Lost Hills Ranch, as a site for grapes that thrive in Italy’s Alps or Alps-adjacent regions. They’re making a similar play at Fox Hill Vineyard near Ukiah.

"According to Bilbro, Lewandowski and Lucia, some of these grape varieties — such as Cole Ranch’s Jacquere and Lost Hills’ Timorasso — have never before been planted in California. For wine geeks who have fallen for the European versions of these wines, the prospect of these Mendocino Alpine plantings is deeply exciting...".


Mike Lucia of Rootdown apparently has been reworking some of his sort-of-newly purchased "Cole Ranch". I had forgotten he bought the site. I believe I learned about it from the Bedrock Wine podcast.

[Jim Stewart]

Tom, Your "stream-of-impressions" on the red Idlewild Flora&Fauna wine used the word "pizza" and that jogged a memory. Is this the one that is aka "The Bird"? I tried that wine a couple of years ago (2017 Vintage) with pizza on the recommendation of Tom DeBiase in another thread as his go-to for all sorts pizza.
You two are freakin' wine empaths.
Cheers -Jim

[John Morris]

____________
2. Idlewild Flora&Fauna WW MendoCnty (FoxHillVnyd/LostHillsRanch; 40% Arneis/40% MuscatCanelli/10% Cortese/10% Erbaluce/10% Favorita; 11.4%; www.IdlewildWines.com) Geyserville 2020: Med.gold color; very attractive floral/gardenias/spicy mostly Arneis/floral some muscatty beautiful aromatic nose; fairly tart very strong floral/Arneis/spicy/some muscatty slight chalky/mineral lovely flavor; very long floral/gardenias/Arneis bit muscatty finish; speaks mostly of floral/Arneis w/ the muscat giving it an aromatic lift; a really lovely aromatic white at a great price; reminds some of a Vietti Arneis but w/o the chalky/mineral element. $25.00

With 40% muscat canelli, I'm really surprised you detected arneis character. It's hard to find the arneis character in a lot of 100% arneis wines! (This isn't to diss the grape. I like it when the varietal character shows itself.)

[Tom DeBiase]

____________
2. Idlewild Flora&Fauna WW MendoCnty (FoxHillVnyd/LostHillsRanch; 40% Arneis/40% MuscatCanelli/10% Cortese/10% Erbaluce/10% Favorita; 11.4%; www.IdlewildWines.com) Geyserville 2020: Med.gold color; very attractive floral/gardenias/spicy mostly Arneis/floral some muscatty beautiful aromatic nose; fairly tart very strong floral/Arneis/spicy/some muscatty slight chalky/mineral lovely flavor; very long floral/gardenias/Arneis bit muscatty finish; speaks mostly of floral/Arneis w/ the muscat giving it an aromatic lift; a really lovely aromatic white at a great price; reminds some of a Vietti Arneis but w/o the chalky/mineral element. $25.00

With 40% muscat canelli, I'm really surprised you detected arneis character. It's hard to find the arneis character in a lot of 100% arneis wines! (This isn't to diss the grape. I like it when the varietal character shows itself.)

John, for sure I don't want to speak for Tom H, but also tasted and posted on this wine (and the other Spring releases) last week. The amount of muscat canelli was lower than previous vintages, around 30% according to Sam Bilbro instead of around 50-50 muscat arneis blend. 30% muscat is still a large amount but the NEW additions of erbaluce, favorita and cortese together give a more fruity "arneis" like aroma to the wine.

The blend is wildly aromatic and nicely layered in flavor. It's quite a mouthful of wine, 11.4% ABV and a very good value in California wine.

Hope this helps

Tom

[Tom DeBiase]

Tom, Your "stream-of-impressions" on the red Idlewild Flora&Fauna wine used the word "pizza" and that jogged a memory. Is this the one that is aka "The Bird"? I tried that wine a couple of years ago (2017 Vintage) with pizza on the recommendation of Tom DeBiase in another thread as his go-to for all sorts pizza.
You two are freakin' wine empaths.
Cheers -Jim

Hi Jim, I think it was me. The Idlewild Flora & Fauna red wine blend was previously called "The Bird". It is a favorite in our house for pizza and red sauce dishes.

BTW, if it wasn't me it would likely be David Bueker who is also very fond of the wine

Tom

[Sean S y d n e y]

Gotta say that a "hantavirus finish" made me cackle aloud.

[D@vid Bu3ker]

Tom, Your "stream-of-impressions" on the red Idlewild Flora&Fauna wine used the word "pizza" and that jogged a memory. Is this the one that is aka "The Bird"? I tried that wine a couple of years ago (2017 Vintage) with pizza on the recommendation of Tom DeBiase in another thread as his go-to for all sorts pizza.
You two are freakin' wine empaths.
Cheers -Jim

The Bird, now known as Flora & Fauna Red, is my go to wine for pizza (or other red sauce food), and has been for about 6 years. I drink more of that wine than any other bottling by any producer, worldwide.