2014 Sojourn Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Oakville ($79.00, 14.5%). Impenetrable purple core, the deep, abyss look, rims turning to the hue of dried blood, only visual sign of age. The nose hits all the basic food groups, blueberry, cherry to currant fruit, oak influences of toffee and cream (noted that this is knitting in), lighter cigar box and cedar, some menthol, the fruit suggests that it is still in need of bottle time but I don’t really think so, pleasing fullness if you are looking for that. That fullness continues into the palate, to me it’s just full not heavy and there is pacing. Oak toastier here which helps perk up the fruit. Much sweeter through the mouth entry than at the end. Tannin is negligible. More potpourri and ginger cookies than cedar. Well made, in full keeping with its idiom.
2018 Harrington Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, Liebeler Vineyard ($35.00, 13.1%). Dark gold, short of amber, blockish as well as glowing, looks older. Quiet nose, intent to fold in on itself, Genoa salami, oil slick smoke, shale, the oak has finally knit in and just a thread in the cloth, dried apricot, pineapple fruit, tiny bit of blood orange, one tough cookie. Full-bodied, comes off more tannic than acidic, chewy. Does have good definition, contours. Lot more sour citrus here. The fruit runs tropical and loses steam past the mid-palate. Vanilla pudding, whipped cream accents. Air helps, a wine that arguably should be decanted. Weight pushes into an extended finish. First had November 2019 and needed time. Then had October 2022 and needed time. This experience is the best of the three. I don’t think more time would mean much.
2018 Sandlands Zinfandel, Central Valley, Mokelumne River, Kirschenmann Vineyard ($32.00, 14.4%). Wishy-washy purple left in the core, mainly a brickish red, this isn’t too different from release, clarity is fine. Heavy menthol and eucalyptus in the nose, very ripe blueberry, boysenberry scents, touch of grill smoke and molasses, some sage, has a relaxed demeanor. Medium-bodied, wiry and close to coiled. The tannin is above average but not really “over” structuring it. Fuller mix of blue and red fruits here. Eucalyptus strongly woven into the whole. More citrus presence. Bit of clench on the finish. Again, this experience closely dovetails with my notes from release in summer 2021. Very good wine and, given the producer, not a fruit bomb.
2015 Bedrock Syrah, Sonoma Valley, Weill a Way Vineyard ($48.00, 14.8%). Clarity is evident , can easily see through in while taking into account the fullness of the “fading” purple core, the rims no longer glowing and bricking hard. The nose has an offputting rubber to plastic element, beyond that it’s molasses and mesquite notes, orange peel and dried flowers, the mixed berry fruit muted, heavy, no flaws simply not all that compelling. Full-bodied, drying mouth feel, tannin ground into a wet powder across the tongue. More fresh cream, toffee, caramel, the oak hasn’t yet found balance. Blueberry, raspberry, cranberry fruit pugnaciously holding on in spite of that dryness. Nutmeg, clove and something close to curry spices it up. More citrusy through the finish. I was on the fence about this in early 2019 and saw some upside. Not sure that came to fruition, pretty similar to initial impression.
2019 Sandlands Carignan, Contra Costa County ($28.00, 12.9%). Semi-transparent, the violet to ruby on the dark side and still glowing as in its youth. Crisp, bouncy nose of rhubarb, strawberry, green apple fruit, orange peel, fading flowers, sand and crushed stone, quite openly knit. Light-bodied, a lot more mouth presence due to the aggressive tannin, age has not softened this. Has a distinct savoriness, particularly as the blueberry, raspberry, strawberry fruit much more tart than sweet. The “terroir” aspect lends itself to dryness. The bones more visible now. Thinking back, and factoring in the structure, it was better in its youth. Still, no hesitation that it is a nice drop.
2018 Sandlands Mataro, San Benito County, Lime Kiln Valley, Enz Vineyard ($35.00, 13.0%). The violet-magenta coloration has barely changed since release, dark and spotless. The nose is lean unto angular, too fast paced to get much out of it, weirdly it smells much more oaky now, tangy red fruits predominate, medicinal, some violets, dusty earth, might as well smack yourself into a brick wall. Medium-bodied, tannic and acidic to the point I am going with “stern.” Lavender, violets, orange peel there. Same for the rhubarb, blueberry, boysenberry fruit. It doesn’t matter, swallowed by the structure. Dryness stunts the finish. Like, ouchy. Zero has changed since mid 2021 and at this point I find it hard to believe anything different is coming down the pike.
2021 Scherrer Zinfandel, Alexander Valley, “Old and Mature Vines” ($44.00, 14.8%). Sort of cloudy purple core turning to brighter ruby and garnet at the rims, not much saturation, shine nice. The nose is texturally soft if not forthcoming, moderate buttered brings lift to the berry scents, strong menthol and pine infused lift, after that not a lot to say. Medium-bodied, spreads well across the palate in a thin coating. Tannin about plus level. Pure with stone, sand aspects. Blackberry, cherry to blueberry fruit focused on forward progression. Citrus comes along well. Conversely, the menthol about disappears. For its weight has a certain chewiness. Probably best with food but nothing that powerful.
2018 Left Bend Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains, Muns Vineyard ($40.00, 14.4%). Gauzy brick red color with more coppery hued rims, I’d say it looks older than it is. The nose features coconut oil, buttered toast, and just toast toast, darker plum, cassis fruit scents, some mint or eucalyptus, that’s all folks. Medium-bodied, most of the weight thrown around during the entry. Oak dominates but that menthol stuff really accelerates. Roasted edge to the fruit. Tomato skin notes. Moderately tannic. I can’t say much more because the oak is too distracting.
2019 Ramiiisol Vineyards Cabernet Franc, Virginia Monticello (12.5%). Fine clarity, has a rust inflected violet core which gently melds into a more straightforward brick red, doesn’t look to be of any particular age. The nose mostly marked by crisp oak, plenty toasty, minimal bell pepper accents, does have a certain damp herbaceousness, at first wanted to say it had a floral streak but it’s more medicinal. In the mouth it’s medium-bodied, fluid and consistent start to finish. Here that oak gets 50/50 toasty and creamy with a noticeable coconut custard flavor. The fruit plays around in the area of tart cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, more alto than baritone, has no problem getting across the finish line. Any tannin from the wood, acidity is average for the grape. More textural reverb at the end than any flavor. I’d need a few guesses to get to Cabernet Franc, probably due to the oak. Hat tip to LB.
2023 Cardinal Point Tannat, Virginia, Monticello ($35.00, 12.4%). Dusky looking, dark red mixed into the purple core, dark garnet rims as well. The nose evokes shoe polish, peanut shells, and camphor so something is going on under the hood, blasts of cranberry, blueberry, boysenberry fruit, oak cream steadily becomes more noticeable, charcoal and wood smoke, air does reduce the volatility some. Light-bodied, withering acidity, enough you come close to missing the strong tannin. The fruit more generous, if not round, here with sufficient sweetness so it’s not sour 100% of the time. Same basic percentage of oak to the whole. It’s not pour it down the drain but I have a soft spot hoping Tannat will succeed somewhere in the USA. (Screwcap)