TN: Two Cal-Itals @ Dinner....(short/boring)

WINE TALK
1

Had these two Sun night at DinDin:

  1. OnWard MalvasiaBianca Capp-Inn Ranch/SuisunVlly (12.8%; Skin-frmtd/hand punch downs; www.OnWardWines.com) FaithArmstrongFoster/Sonoma 2015: Med.gold/burnished bronze color; some Malvasia/floral/bit muscatty some ViniMacerati/skin-contact/phenolic/resiny light honeycomb/honeyed/honey graham rather complex/exotic very perfumed nose; fairly tart slight metallic/tangy light floral/Malvasia/muscatty modest VM/phenolic/resiny some honeycomb/honey graham slight earthy quite complex flavor; very long/lingering fairly tart/bit metallic/tangy some floral/Malvasia/gardenias/muscatty some phenolic/VM/resiny/skin-contact lightly tart/tangy/metallic some honeycomb/honey grahams quite complex finish w/ slight tannic bite; a really nice balance between VM and floral Malvasia character; developing quite nicely and should go another 5-10 yrs; reminds a lot of the HisaStekar Malvasia d’Istriana in GoriskaBrda or the Edi Simcic but not as minerally.
  1. Ryme Aglianico LunaMattaVnyd/PasoRobles (13.1%; www.RymeCellars.com) Forestville 2010: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; very strong ripe/boysenberry/blackberry/licorice/Aglianico some floral/violets slight earthy/rustic light pencilly/oak rather complex nose; bit soft some tangy/metallic strong ripe/boysenberry/blackberry/licorice rather hard/tannic/rustic bit earthy/loamy quite structured rather rugged flavor w/ ample hard/chewey tannins; very long soft slight metallic/tannic very strong Aglianico/rough/rustic intense boysenberry/licorice/blackberry light pencilly/oak/toasty rather rugged/structured finish w/ ample hard/chewey tannins; speaks strongly of Aglianico but pretty rough/rugged/bit coarse/rustic on the palate and aging at a glacial pace; needs much more age but may be a wine that will never soften & get it together.

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. OnWard: This is the primary label of FaithArmstrongFoster from single vnyd sources. She also makes blends under the Farmstrong label. I was first attracted to her wines because of the skin-contact Malvasia. She emphasizes her relationship with the growers she sources from and regards them as part of the terroir. Not sure if she’s in the “natural” camp or not but Faith does focus on low-intervention winemaking. I find her wines, across the board, pretty interesting & well-made.
    Tom