Recent tasting notes

WINE TALK
#1
  • 2007 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines Scherrer Vineyard Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (12/29/2009)
    A ridiculously great wine for the money. My WOTY for 2009. Medium dark ruby red. Expressive cloves and rasberry aromas. On the palate, delicious rasberries, cranberries and some black fruit with a touch of spice. Very well balanced - elegance combined with wonderful upfront fruit. This wine is great now and will remain great for several years. I’ve probably drank around 10 of these and have yet to be disappointed. (94 pts.)
  • 2001 Domaine La Millière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Unique - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/28/2009)
    Popped and poured - decent fruit and nice balance. A very decent CdP for the money. This wine has several years ahead of it. (89 pts.)
  • 2007 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (12/28/2009)
    This wine is all about the prominent red fruit. Medium dark ruby red with an expressive fruit nose. Cherry cola and rasberries on the palate. Well balanced, but without much tannic structure. I think this should develop additional nuance over the next 2-3 years. (89 pts.)
  • 2006 Radio-Coteau Syrah Cherry Camp - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (12/27/2009)
    One of my favorite syrahs, I was a bit disappointed with this bottle. The depth and richness was there, but an initial blast of somewhat harsh tannin masked the usually bright underlying fruit. Perhaps a “dumb” phase - I have a couple of these remaining and will wait at least 6 months or so to drink. (88 pts.)
  • 2003 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Rattlesnake Rock - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (12/25/2009)
    Very rich and well balanced, this wine is just now beginning to pick up secondary flavors. The most well aged Big Basin I’ve enjoyed todate and one of the very best. Has years ahead of it. (93 pts.)
  • 1996 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (12/25/2009)
    This wine reminded me why I like mature traditional Bords. Medium ruby with an expressive cedar nose. Very well balanced. The applicable word here was DEPTH. Great nuance and focus. A very nice wine. (92 pts.)
  • 2000 Château Haut-Batailley - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (12/25/2009)
    Not a bad wine, but somehow I expected more of a middling 00 Bord. Well balanced, but little stuffing or fruit. Not sure if additional age will help this one much. (88 pts.)
  • 2004 Saxum Syrah Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (12/24/2009)
    My third and final 04 Bone Rock - the first two were excellent, but this was the best of the bunch. Opened about 3 hours prior to tasting. Slightly lighter in color than I’d remembered - a medium dark ruby. Expressive rasberries and spice on the nose. Smoke, red and black fruit and some asian spice on the palate with a nicely lingering aftertaste. Rich and well balanced with no hint of spritz. A superior wine that still has several years of life ahead. (93 pts.)
  • 2005 Pax Syrah Lauterbach Hill - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/23/2009)
    Consumed at La Bicyclette in Carmel. Deep garnet red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. Lucious rasberries, cranberries and blackberries on the palate with touches of forest floor and oriental spice. Rich and well balanced. Lingering aftertaste. A treat with rack of lamb. (93 pts.)
  • 2007 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Santa Cruz/Monterey County - USA, California (12/22/2009)
    Nice rich cool climate syrah at an atttractive price. Nice work Bradley! (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

#2

Awesome notes, Mike. That Scherrer sounds superb. I think I have a few bottles kicking around somewhere. Need to look under the hoods of some boxes.

#3

Thanks for the notes Mike. Sounds like the 03 Rattlesnake Rock is ready to go. I’ll have to pop one soon.

#4

Two BDX and one CdP…who kidnapped Dildine?

#5

Gotta find me some of that Scherrer…

#6

Fortunately for me, I have two bottles, on Fred’s recommendation.

Keep in mind that both Mike and I are big fans of Scherrer OMV Zin, so our ‘scores’ might be slightly biased…

(But we’re right, anyway)

#7

Thanks for the notes. Why I didn’t buy cases of instead of bottles of the 07 OMV is beyond me. One of my top 5 buying mistakes over the last 2 years. What was it $18 a bottle on futures. [swearing.gif]

Nice to see some Big Basin love. I think I had to skip the last offer which may have had that SC/Monterey bottling on it. I did love the 06 Sri Red. Did he do that in 07?

Jason

#8

Yeah, I picked up a case of '06 on futures at $18 per, but not the '07. The '06 is nice, but apparently nothing to '07. I still have a mag of the '05 OMV also, which was fantastic.

#9

Don’t take the tasting notes as an endorsement Tex! I’m merely cleaning out the cellar and reporting.

I like Pichon Baron at $30 or $40, but not so much at $70. The second label of Lafite (Carruades) sells for $70 in an off vintage! The non-classifieds I used to buy on recs or reviews (Chasse Spleen is an example) are too often ca-ca.

The Chinese can have 'em! [bow.gif]

#10

Yes, we’re right! The OMVs are consistently good, but the 07 OMV is Fred’s magnum opus! Interesting to see how the 08s will compare when delivered in April.