2016 Arnot-Roberts Syrah, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast, Que Syrah Vineyard. Certain flatness to the purple to scarlet hues, easily opaque while showing good clarity. With the nose this could be a dead ringer for Loire Cabernet Franc, it’s green pepper 24/7, this very slowly recedes to allow black olives, meat gristle, kindling smoke and violets to appear, the mixed berry fruit has to come off as taut and lean due to that green pepper. Light to medium-bodied, acidity is strong and favors the former. Stripped own leather and tar join the extravagant herbaceousness to add to the overall speed. Same thing here, the fruit falls victim to the raciness and seems tart. The smokiness probably holding any citrus notes at bay. This is a lean mean fighting machine that does resemble its Rhône brethren. Given where the fruit is now, can’t imagine pushing it much further, it’s about as developed as it should get.
2023 Bedrock Russian River Valley, Dolinsek Ranch Heritage. Heavily saturated violet to ruby-magenta, looks like it could stain coal, fine clarity. Smells like a shower of blueberry, raspberry, strawberry fruit, mentholated edge, lavender, it’s sort of “webby” in the nostrils, lifts but not in an airy fashion. Medium-bodied unto lighter, surprised by the tannic bite. While the general texture is dry that cavalcade of berry fruit sloshes around amiably. More lavender, orange blossom and other pretty shit. More leathery through the finish. Shows less of an oak presence than I usually get from this on the palate after release. As a result it seems to have a tighter weave. Enjoyable right now, maybe a mild decant, should be good for medium term aging plus. Predominantly Zinfandel, remainder Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Barbera, Syrah, Black Muscat, Palomino, etc.
2023 Bedrock Zinfandel, California Regional Blend, “Old Vine”. Plump purple core, faint glow and borderline opaque, clear if dark magenta rims, doesn’t look like it would glow in the dark. Medium level stiffness in the nose focuses the mixed berry, cherry fruit, no “fruit bomb,” eucalyptus and grill smoke, demure oak presence yet smokier as the wine opens. Medium-bodied, acidity and a little tannin tightens it up, minimal girth to the belly. Menthol, gardens herbs and naval orange notes throw jabs. In keeping with the bottling’s lineage this isn’t a “soak in the fruit” wine while not underfruited. In some ways a Zinfandel for people who don’t drink Zinfandel. I appreciate it but when I pull a Zinfandel out of the quiver I’m usually looking for more layered fruit. Approximately 50% sourced from Sodini Ranch, Bedrock Vineyard, Teldeschi Ranch, Evangelho Vineyard, remainder small lots from multiple vineyards. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2018 Harrington El Dorado County, Sumu Kaw Vineyard, “Eros III Cep”. Visually maturing some but it lacked freshness on release, red bricked purple core, washed out red clay rims. There is an animality to the nose which only partially resolves, punctured by candied strawberry, raspberry scents, filled out with garden herbs, tea leaf and orange peel, heavy enough nostril presence to hover more than lift. Medium-bodied, after letting it sit for about five years I have to go with it’s volatile not just young. Uneven, scratchy mouth feel but not in a real tannic way. The red berry fruit deep with enough sweetness, has a hard time maintaining consistent presence. The citrus and black tea leaf gain territory. The animal fur less overt. Air time nudges it a tiny bit towards balance. Just about everything life is an experiment. 49% Mourvèdre, 26% Syrah, 25% Grenache. (Composite Cork)
2023 Barnstormer Vineyards Blaufränkisch, New York, Finger Lakes, Nutt Road Vineyard. Bright and lively violet to ruby, coquettish. Floral and citrusy nose, openly knit, zippy raspberry to cranberry scents, some leather or stone but overall quite neutral in a gracious fashion. Light-bodied, an initial vanilla cream and caramel swipe folds back in with additional sips and time. Tannic as in a gentle dragging of fingernails across the tongue. Fruit here blue to red with good juiciness instead of sweetness. Stone and some lighter clay aspects. Again, its neutral demeanor is to me a plus. In my estimation it is varietally correct, maybe lighter than I’d prefer. A very good food wine for lighter dishes or even some fish. (Composite Cork: Diam3)
2022 Damiani Wine Cellars Blaufränkisch, New York, Finger Lakes. Clear violet to magenta coloration of good depth, completely full rims, well hued. Nose has a clenched feel to it, the blueberry, blackberry to cherry fruit bound up, rawhide and the kind of bone a dog chews on fills in some blanks, black tea leaf, not much going on but what is there does achieve some lift. Light-bodied, tannin arguably more than the body can balance out. Plenty of tar, asphalt notes. The mixed berry fruit attenuated. Mild white citrus tones. If you sit with it for awhile there is pretty decent typicity. Sour finish. I liked it at the winery in October 2024 to buy it but it’s not all that impressive today. Do appreciate the lack of adornment. (Composite Cork: Qork)
2023 Domaine des Sables Verts Cabernet Franc, Loire, Saumur-Champigny. Well hued purple core, thin bright magenta rims, pleasing surface reflectivity. The nose is on the blunt side, some horse manure mixed into the large scaled bell pepper, after that cherry to plum fruit and a quiet spice percolate up but basically it’s the bell pepper and barnyard stuff. Medium-bodied, smooth and moves effortlessly across the palate. Tannin present in a polished state, average dryness. The black fruits show better with blueberry on top. Finds better balance with air. Bell pepper still present to lesser degree, same for leather and earth. In the $20 to $25 range this is probably what you get these days, competence and that’s it.
2013 Fattoria di Rignana Sangiovese, Tuscany, Chianti Classico, “Riserva”. Blackish purple core of full opacity, thin if any brick red to yellow, the latter indicates some age. The nose has concentrated berry, cherry scents and a decent amount of creamy oak yet, meadow scrub and herbs, leather, quite heavy with zero lift, comes across as matured and not long until tired. Full-bodied with the same heaviness, any tannin resolved and not getting any acidity to help freshen it up. Leans to lavender, meadow scrub and a touch of tea and orange peel, not especially graceful. No lack of power, willing to break china. Still, it has character and offers decent enough tertiary development to pass the test. 90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Franc.
2022 Monteraponi Sangiovese, Tuscany, Chianti Classico. The purple core rich enough to be opaque, heavy scarlet to brick red rims, impassively blockish in the glass. Plenty of poop and barnyard to the nose, peanut shells, coal tar, this certainly could have used a solid decant, eventually the linear, red cherry fruit beams through, nothing I am getting in terms of florality or citrus, I guess one could call this “rugged” but maybe this is a very traditional style that isn’t my vibe. In the mouth it’s medium-bodied and super, super dry. Tannin out the wazoo. Seems a little “cleaner,” that’s probably because my mouth can’t feel anything. Cherry fruit splashes in during the attack and then goes into a witness protection program. Dried garden herbs, minerally earth, closing in on herbaceous. I’m sure it has an audience. 95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo.
2018 Vigneti a Prua Rossese, Liguria, Riviera Ligure di Ponente. Almost metallic looking red orange hue, cursory glance at violet at the core, clean enough to make it hard to visually assess age. Tar, asphalt, tire rubber, charcoal chips register first in the nose, maraschino cherry unto liqueur, strong medicinal streak, not shy about throwing it all at you, rises brawnily, “lifts” not the right word. Medium-bodied, has the texture of rubber or Stickum, the so-so acidity nudges it forward when it can. Even the sweetness of the fruit can only forestall the wine’s volatility so long. Cannot say if this is a product of age or inherent. Kept trying to focus on the fruit but eventually threw in the towel. (Composite Cork)
2022 Alinea Carignan, South Africa, Western Cape, Breedekloof. Scarlet red seeps into an otherwise purplish core, perfectly clear and not close to opacity, full rims. Whipped cream, toffee and mint welcome you to the nose, the fruit crisp cranberry, raspberry scents, no “blue” fruit, lesser leather and meadow scrub notes. Light-bodied, the tannic framing anchors it well and makes it persist more than the body might without such. Tangy fruit, still mostly red but does mix in the usual blueberry. The tar, mineral aspect seems to speak more of terroir than the grape variety. Tea leaf, orange spice. Very dry yet manages to stride forward without a hitch. The oak less present (producer website says old French casks). Nice pinch at the end. I’d say it needs a good bit of air before consumption. To me seems more for focused appreciation than fun slurping. (Composite Cork: Diam)
2021 Magna Carta Wine Syrah, South Africa, Swartland, “Mphumi”. Gauzy rust water appearance, dull and washed out, empty rims. The nose knocks me back a pace, tomato skin, iron flecks, plastic, all kinds of volatile, stewed plum to blackberry scents, whoa Nellie. After sniffing it left it alone in the glass for a good bit. Medium-bodied, the raspberry, strawberry cherry fruit enunciate better, little density nor staying power if sweet upfront. Much more acidic than tannic. More stewed tomatoes and ferrous accents. Maybe something close to volcanic ash. Mousey? It does have good flow. Nothing to suggest a damaged bottle, I am going with this is what it is supposed to be. (Composite Cork)