Here are some brief notes from an assortment of random wines at a friend’s end of summer gathering on Saturday:
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NV Renardat-Fâche Vin du Bugey-Cerdon - France, Savoie, Vin du Bugey-Cerdon
Sipping this is like biting into a perfectly ripe, chilled magical berry, as there is an initial hit of juicy sweetness, them the pure fruitiness fills your mouth and you feel the acidity and effervescence cleaning away the sweetness, making your mouth water for the next sip after a brief pause to giggle at the crystalline garnet color topped with a head of silly pinkish bubbles.
A bottle of liquid joy that proves that a wine doesn’t have to be “serious” to be great. Sitting on a porch with friends on a cool afternoon as summer turns to fall, I can’t think of any wine I would rather drink.
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2012 Cowan Cellars Pinot Noir Rosé - USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma
Crisp, refreshing, and delicious, with pure fruit and a little minerality. -
2009 Kendric Vineyards Pinot Noir - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Marin County
Translucent ruby color, it is easy to drink with pure fruit and a little spice and earthiness brought out with a bite of Manchego, supported by well-balanced tannin and acidity. A solid wine with none of the candied sweetness or cola flavors that I find off putting in many CA pinots.
The medium weight with nice concentration, balance and purity reminds me a little of Ken Burnap’s SCMV pinots, though with a little less spice than I remember in Ken’s wines.
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2010 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay Cuvée Alyce - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Rich and ripe, but the fruit is fairly pure and there is a nice base of acidity, though the wood sticks out a little on the finish. -
2008 Shirvington Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
It has the ripeness and extraction one would expect, but the vanilla/pickle oak is subdued enough and there is enough savoriness that it was drinkable, though a little ponderous and tiring. -
2004 Dominio Pingus Ribera del Duero Flor de Pingus - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Ripe and modern, but with enough savoriness to keep it from being cloying, though still fairly tannic so I would be inclined to let it rest a few more years.