TN: '06 Cabot Aria's and a very strange Gamay

M_M_c_C_a_l_l · April 16, 2009, 1:38am

2006 Cabot Vineyards Syrah Aria’s (USA, California, North Coast, Humboldt County)

I decanted this last night; we drank half with carne asada, and poured the other half back in the bottle for tonight. Very dark purple, almost black, but less viscous than the Kimberly’s we opened last week. Effusively floral, with violets, white flowers, brambleberries, smoke, nutmeg, and dusty pepper. Medium bodied and nicely acidic, with flavors that echo the nose but take a backseat to very drying tannins in the middle. Definitely needs some time in the bottle, but I think this will be delicious once the tannins resolve a bit. I am a self-confessed wuss when it comes to ~15% alcohol wines, but I love the floral aromas the Cabots coax from their grapes, and I appreciate their light touch with oak. Of course, it would take me most of a bottle of Riesling to get the kind of buzz I got off of one glass of Aria’s. (Thanks for that, John!)

2007 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Touraine Gamay (France, Loire Valley, Touraine)
Steve handed me a glass of this without any explanation, and I thought it was Bourgueil. The first sniff was so stemmy, so green, that I recoiled. With a little air, the green note morphed from something nasty into something pleasant. Still green, but not bad green. Freshly cut summer green beans, fruit cocktail from a can, and roses. Lots of roses. I don’t think I’d ever be able to identify this as Gamay in a blind tasting. Easily slurpable, with very little structure on the palate beyond mild fruit (that fruit cocktail thing again) and gentle acidity. I’m scratching my head because I know that my description sounds bad, but we both sort of like it. It’s a picnic wine.

Cris_Whetstone · April 16, 2009, 4:03am

Love the aromatics on the Aria’s.

Thanks for taking one for the team on the other. Somehow Touraine and Gamay together on the same label would never make me purchase. You need to talk with Kriss Reed more.

Kriss_Reed · April 16, 2009, 4:48am

Trust in the Loire and ye shall be provided, grasshopper. [d_sunny.gif]

Cris_Whetstone · April 16, 2009, 5:02am

OK. You get the Sancerre Rouge and the Touraine Gamay and I get Saumur Champigny and Bourgeil. [ok.gif]

Kriss_Reed · April 16, 2009, 5:20am

I…I thought we were friends

John_Cabot · April 17, 2009, 3:31pm

Melissa M c C a l l:

2006 Cabot Vineyards Syrah Aria’s (USA, California, North Coast, Humboldt County)

I decanted this last night; we drank half with carne asada, and poured the other half back in the bottle for tonight. Very dark purple, almost black, but less viscous than the Kimberly’s we opened last week. Effusively floral, with violets, white flowers, brambleberries, smoke, nutmeg, and dusty pepper. Medium bodied and nicely acidic, with flavors that echo the nose but take a backseat to very drying tannins in the middle. Definitely needs some time in the bottle, but I think this will be delicious once the tannins resolve a bit. I am a self-confessed wuss when it comes to ~15% alcohol wines, but I love the floral aromas the Cabots coax from their grapes, and I appreciate their light touch with oak. Of course, it would take me most of a bottle of Riesling to get the kind of buzz I got off of one glass of Aria’s. (Thanks for that, John!)

I thought Kimberly was going to comment on this one.

The Aria’s was fermented with 50% stem inclusion and 5% Viognier(whole cluster). This accounts for the complex floral aromatics. The fruit is from our 11 year old vineyard, grown on it’s own roots(Phelps Noir clone/selection), and dry farmed.
We aged this in all neutral french barrels with some newer Hungarian. Wouldn’t want much oak getting in the way of the other complexities.

BTW, Aria is the one on the left in my avitar, with her best buddy Martina.

M_M_c_C_a_l_l · April 17, 2009, 3:43pm

I thought Kimberly was going to comment on this one. > >

Kimberly and I had a thread about this going on Facebook. She mentioned the 5% Viognier, which definitely helped me to make sense of what I smelled in the glass.

Just one question, John. Are you the slapper or the slappee? I like to think that’s Kimberly in the lipstick

Kriss_Reed · April 17, 2009, 3:51pm

John, this is your ace in the hole. When she turns 16 and begs you for a new car, you can always fall back on, “Hey, I named a wine for you. That’s so much more meaningful than a car.”

John_Cabot · April 17, 2009, 3:57pm

Better yet, she has her own vineyard. WAAAY better than a car.

M_M_c_C_a_l_l · April 17, 2009, 4:00pm

She has a vineyard, adorable button eyes, and rosy cheeks. What a doll!

John_Cabot · April 17, 2009, 4:00pm

The stem inclusion has a huge impact aromatically, and is the cause of the drying tannins, yet will age nicely.

and yes, I’m always the one getting slapped around.

Cris_Whetstone · April 17, 2009, 5:21pm

Well, you married an older woman after all.

Kimberly_Cabot · April 17, 2009, 8:02pm

Oh Wetrock, you just could not resist! I have been sitting back enjoying the show long enough, [1974_eating_popcorn.gif] you just had to draw me out. And, you know from experience that i like to share the love , plenty to go around. Now go enjoy your 3 day weekend [1928_middle_finger.gif]

John_Cabot · April 18, 2009, 1:21am

Now you see what I’ve got to deal with! [blackeye.gif]

Cris_Whetstone · April 18, 2009, 3:20am

Welcome to the party Kim!

Jason_Hagen · April 18, 2009, 5:11pm

Thanks for the notes. Once I get a break in my travels I am going to dig into my Cabots.

J