2018 Harrington Gamay Noir, San Benito County, Calleri Vineyard. Perfect clarity, any ruby seguing to a darker garnet, fades off at the rims. Dusty, close to sandy nose, parched brown dirt, ash, mild herbaceousness, nothing funky about it, all clean, more lemon zest appears with air, the red berry fruit gossamer if evocative of hard candy. Light-bodied yet possessed of a sappy grip so it doesn’t really go anywhere quickly post sip. That blown sand, stone dust remains a major component. Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry fruit peek through as it can, not consistent. Citrus has more stature. On the whole I would call it dry but not necessarily “drying.” casually speaking feels more tannic than acidic. A little less hyper than when tasted on release August 2019. Remains very satisfying with a compelling mix of textures and flavors. (Composite Cork)
2023 Bedrock Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Beeson Ranch. Darkly glowing violet-ruby, the warm hum of saturation. Well endowed nose of caramel, molasses, crushed berries, and eucalyptus, the scents have depth but curiously the whole thing lacks staying power, poof and gone. Medium-bodied, the sugariness of the fruit makes it stick longer and create an appearance of more body. Clove, tea leaf and all that caramel. Naval orange on the back end. Structure is okay, not particularly tannic. As opposed to the nose, here there’s no lack of aftertaste. But not excessive. This is pretty much Zinfandel trying to be Zinfandel rather than something else. More like the 2021 than the 2022 (which to me was one of the most disappointing Bedrock wines of the vintage).
2019 Bedrock Grenache, Sonoma Valley, Bedrock Vineyard. Sort of washed out violet to rust red, clear enough. Almost woolly nose, leather, salami, underbrush, sort of all over the place, the red fruit scents reminiscent of compote, heavy and close to no lift. Just about full-bodied, albeit it slims down appreciably as it moves across the palate. More staying power in the strawberry, red cherry fruit and not as sweet as the nose suggests. Meadow flowers and scrub, stays to the straight and narrow. Stony, there is a general dryness to it. Tactful finish, more so when considering the potential fruitiness of the variety. Hard to say definitively where it’s at but I am going with drink up.
2017 Harrington Syrah, El Dorado County, Sumu Kaw Vineyard. Just about transparent, reddish plum purple, minimal change at the rims, strikes you as a middle aged wine. Unexpected oak toast and cream blasts through the nose, swerves into pork cracklings, floral paste, sweet tobacco leaf, the generally reddish fruit never settles in, overall uneven. Medium-bodied, light volatility, still the acidity adds more than detracts. Tart cranberry, blueberry, blackberry flavors. Stony and minerally, seems sort of in an early stage or at least not a whole lot of development going on. The oak or whatever it is quieter here (I am sure there’s wasn’t a lot of oak involved and it was neutral). The finish snakes and coils for some time. Really not sure what a final assessment would be. Hmmm. (Composite Cork)
2010 Marcassin Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast, Marcassin Vineyard. I wouldn’t call it bricking but the purple core taking on a reddish cast, more or less extends into the rims, average shine at best, mild gauziness. Pregnant cloud nose of concentrating cherry, blackberry scents, baking spices, sort of roasted edge, meats, after awhile the heaviness starts to wear you down even though I wouldn’t say it smells past peak. Full-bodied, trails off towards the finish. No acidity nor tannin, just has a lot of heft. Ginger and cinnamon, spicy oak residue, no creaminess although the mouthfeel is soft. Plush strawberry, blackberry fruit. Lemon drop. It’s easy to be a holier-than-thou hater but there’s nothing here to suggest benchmark domestic Pinot Noir. Bottle sound, perfect cork and documented provenance.
2018 Château de Cérons Bordeaux, Graves. Transparent reddish purple core, more brick to sunset reds further out, very good surface shine. Nose of tobacco, tea leaf, minerally earth and clove, mixed fruit, more blackish, jolly plumpness. Medium-bodied plus, round with a clear sensation of pushing outward. Tannin rightsized for immediate enjoyment. The fruit is ripe and juicy while overall it does maintain that “Graves” profile. Doesn’t lose any weight start to finish and ends with clean punctuation. The oak tends to flow towards gaps and add softness. Again, correct and solid buy at $20. Not as good per se, but sort of like the value La Louvière used to offer. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot.
2023 Desvignes Gamay Noir, Beaujolais, Morgon, Château Gaillard. Dark enough that the purple core loses glow in favor of opacity, the rims dense garnet, barely changes from the core, buffed up surface shine. The nose has sufficient fullness that you can’t register movement, black fruits, cinnamon stick, orange pekoe tea, menthol, merest suggestion of forest underbrush, no flaws, primary. Full-bodied, the spice hits you first, someone crammed your mouth full of gingerbread. The black to blue fruits juicy enough whereas the mouthfeel remains dry. Sorta tannic. Getting more menthol but maybe just more of that spiciness. Just feels like a former athlete whose belly has slowly gone soft, you feel the muscle but it’s not at the surface. Where this goes is anyone’s guess. Tastes good.
2023 Desvignes Gamay Noir, Beaujolais, Morgon, Montpelain. Cranberry purple-red coloration, well stuffed rims, nothing unusual stands out visually. Mild smokiness, lavender and garrigues, clove, sinewy rhubarb to blueberry fruit scents, moments of salinity, opens nicely with air time. Medium-bodied plus, more tannic spine than expected. Acidity more prevalent at the finish then after. More stony and minerally than spicy. The fruit is flavorful without seeming overly juicy, like the tartness. Heavy florality. Wouldn’t call it graceful but it pulls it together at the right time. Wouldn’t go deep on it to age but maybe a bottle or two might turn interesting.
2022 Eric Texier Syrah, Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Brézème. Deep purple with a little glow, heavy ruby rims, nothing stands out visually. Quite focused nose of olive tapenade, charred grill fat, minerals, and black cherry, blackberry fruit, mild reduction, zips through your nostrils. Medium-bodied, wiry and close to chiseled, the acidity compresses every element while tannin tends to clip the finish. So, yes, it’s dry. Enough so that has moments of seeming underfruited. Conversely, there’s a fetching florality. As well as olive pit, leather and gristle to round things out. Progression across the palate is smooth until that finish. I am going with painfully young here.
2022 Damiani Wine Cellars Riesling, New York, Finger Lakes, Davis Vineyard, “Dry.” Average depth to the golden color, nothing stands out, rims lose grip, good shine, not a hair out of place. The nose brings out a pleasing rubber note, dollop of whipped cream and honey, not smoky, taut apple, pear, melon scents, mixed citrus that’s hard to place, more solid than lifting. Medium-bodied, skeleton sets itself and doesn’t move. Dry and proud of it, grapefruit and sour orange citrus makes a big leap forward. Acidity shapes more than carves away. Honeyed during some sips. Clay mixed with slate. The kind of wine that says it’s neutral but really isn’t. Finish is on the short side. Like the willingness to show power. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2023 Damiani Wine Cellars Cabernet Franc, New York, Finger Lakes. Runs cleanly from the purple core to the more garnet rims, well-hued without saturated glow. Telltale bell pepper in the nose, sufficient cherry, Italian plum fruit scents, clay and brown dirt, tobacco, achieves a nice level of neutrality. Light-bodied without being weak, has enough tannin to keep it chugging along. Fruit and herbaceousness in better balance here. Smooth without feeling manipulated into being so. Oak element nothing of note. Pleasingly tangy finish. This is right where it should be, honest wine with typicity. As always, the price could be a little lower but it’s not like you got hosed for $28. (Composite Cork: Qork)
2021 Dr. Konstantin Frank Saperavi, New York, Finger Lakes. Garnet throughout with slight darkening at the core, moderate glow, clean. Although this is said to see only 20% new oak the nose shows a good amount of cream and butter notes, the fruit kind of angular, cranberry, rhubarb, leather and some loamy earth, outside of what I am perceiving as oak it’s neutral. Light-bodied, has a welcome sour bite. Same red fruit, maybe some boysenberry too. Solid acidity. Moves well even though the sourness may make you clench. More like concrete or dried clay here. At times you get a lavender, violets floral breeze. Not the Saperavi expert, it’s nice and I am going with varietally correct. $30 is pushing it. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2023 Red Tail Ridge Riesling, New York, Finger Lakes, RTR Estate Vineyard, “Dry.” Light white to yellow hay coloration, high degree of shine adds oomph in face of the transparency, bouncy. Nose displays an interesting bubblegum, cotton candy aspect, a floral mist and pear, apricot, peach fruit mix in, more stream water and pebbles than outright stony, few choice words spoken. Light to medium-bodied, super firm and not dense per se more muscular. It is dry and the acidity puts a charge into it but nowhere close to withering nor puckering. Same orchard fruit, more snap than juice. Brush of orange to lemon citrus. Again with the stream pebbles, no resonant sense of terroir. But “transparency” ain’t a bad thing. In my estimation this an absolute food wine, too unyielding for casual sipping.
2022 Klein Amoskuil Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa, Swartland, “The Amos Block.” Light yellow straw hue buoyed by a brilliant shine, cleanly transparent, weaker rims. The nose in boisterously herbaceous including green pepper notes, bare hint of jalapeño as well, more moderate cat pee, the fruit is anyone’s guess, no surprise it has plenty of penetration power. Medium-bodied, wiry with no wasted movements. Shoots into and out of the mouth. Herbaceousness remains Optimus Prime but the white citrus throws weight around too. Minerally, here tangy pineapple, guava flavors speak clearly. Acidity at a plus level, not withering. Energetic for sure, no doubt the herbaceousness will turn some off but for fans of the style this will be main line addictive. (Composite Cork)
2023 Javier Sanz Verdejo, Spain, Rueda, Sobre Lías [lees aging]. Nondescript light gold colore, very nice shine, trim, sometimes I wonder why I even note the wine’s color when it’s young (or not natty). Gentle lemon citrus and bread notes introduce the nose, would not call it yeasty, apple to peach scents with a cellar aged character, something akin to bubblegum, nicely relaxed and welcoming. Close to full-bodied, tangy yet not necessarily coming from acidic cut. Spotlight on the white grapefruit and lemon citrus. The dough element steps back with textural elements in play. Softer apricot, peach, pear fruit, sort of nods towards pineapple now and then. I suspect the aging method adds body and maybe in some way helps to reduce any inherent sweetness. Squarish finish. Not blowing me away but as far as these things go a worthwhile experimental take on the variety. (Composite Cork: NEO)
1999 Bodegas R. de Ayala Lete e Hijos Tempranillo, Rioja, Viña Santurnia, “Reserva.” Murky blackish purple coloration, thin dark brick red rims, yellowish. Vanilla cream, spice and orange zest comprise most of the nose but it’s pretty clear that most of the oak has knit in, roasted cherry, plum fruit, potpourri, definitely flattening out as it passes peak. Full-bodied, here too it is a bit plodding and flat-footed. Oak crisper and adds the expected dill notes. The fruit is still there, no complaints. Some of it is like the bag of spices you bought four years ago that ended up in the back of the cupboard and you figure, screw it, I might s well use it. Stepping back, it’s probably tasted like this for a good long while. The good thing about decent Rioja is that it rarely fully dies, it hovers in purgatory. 95% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo.