Hi everyone,
BerserkerDay is coming, and so it’s time to post some Six Cloves wine reviews! Sonoe will be offering her wines again, and over the years, I’ve become a big fan. Here are reviews of a few 2024s.
Linda Lista Chardonnay
Definite Chablis vibes. Even just on the nose, the minerals and chalkiness really jump out of the glass There’s lovely lemon drop fruit here as well, but to me, the minerals are the star of the show. The more I sniff, I detect an underlying spearmint aroma in the background that compliments the chalk nicely.
A bit fuller in the mouth than expected from the nose alone. It’s light in body but has just enough creaminess to make it approachable. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still lean, it’s just not quite the teeth-melter that Chablis can sometimes be. There’s plenty of lemon, mixed citrus zest, a little spice, even some creme fraiche type flavors- and they all work well together. But the star for me here is the texture. Very young, approachable now, will improve for a while yet. Lovely.
Alder Springs Pinot
Pale garnet in the glass. You can tell just by looking how delicately the fruit has been handled. The word that comes to mind when smelling this wine is “pretty”. But pretty doesn’t mean weak! It’s very aromatic, a little bit spicy, full of just-ripened raspberries and red cherries. There are also intriguing herbal aromas, a little bit of Campari (!), that come with air. What a nose!
Whoa- surprisingly savory in the mouth! There are the red fruits, nice florals, the pinch of spice that you expect from Pinot made with a light touch. But this is no easy-going Pinot from sunny California chock full of sweet fruit. Instead, this is a cool damp forest. I know this comes from California, but the flavors remind me of hiking in the temperate rain forests of the Oregon coast. This is altogether different than that typical California Pinot- it’s quieter, more serious. It takes, and rewards, attention. Already beautiful with plenty of runway to grow into something even greater. My favorite of the three.
Storn Barn Cabernet Sauvignon
I didn’t know 12.5ABV Cabernet was still possible in California! I’m kidding, but seriously, this level of restraint is becoming increasingly rare.
Super young looking in the glass; opaque deep purple with a magenta rim. Fruits dominate the nose; dark ripe cherries, Concord grapes*, cassis, violets, a little lavender. A very primary, but really gorgeous, bouquet. A rambunctious youth in the mouth; light in body, medium high in acidity, such a lively character full of fruit that is unapologetically delicious. Nonetheless, under the fruit, there is some structure, the bones of tannins, that make me think this wine could age for at least a little while and be the better for it.
I had the opportunity to correspond with winemaker, Sonoe, and she described this wine as “honest”. I didn’t know what she meant until I popped the cork. Now I get it; there is no makeup here; no oaky flavors or fancy cellar tricks. I can’t quite put my finger on quite how, but this feels like pure fruit transmitting a great terroir into the glass. Nothing more nothing less. This is designed to be impressive, or even super serious, but honest. Low intervention in the best sense of the word. Excited to see what this develops into.
*Concord grapes get a bad wrap in wine circles because they make crappy wine. But they are absolutely delicious fresh and I look forward to Concord grape season every fall when I eat them by the carton-full.
Happy BerserkerDay!
Noah
