TN: Two From Radio-Coteau...(short/boring)

WINE TALK
1

Tried these over the last two days:

  1. Radio-Coteau Riesling PlattVnyd/SonomaCoast (U; 12.6%; http://www.RadioCoteau.com) 2013: Med.yellow/gold color; rather stony/chalky/mineral/bit earthy light floral/mango/spicy/R fairly perfumed/aromatic lovely nose; quite tart/acid/mineral/chalky bit metallic/steely light floral/mango/R totally dry flavor w/o seeming underripe/screechy/eviscerated and packs plenty of flavor; very long tart/acid rather stony/mineral/chalky light floral/mango/R/spicy finish; a lovely brisk/clean acidity w/o being screechy; reminds a lot of a very good Wachau R or a bit of a MargaretRiver R; should easily go out 20 yrs. $30.00
  1. Radio-Coteau PinotNoir LaNeblina/SonomaCoast (1968 cs; U/U; 13.4%) 2012: Med.color; some toasty/oak very strong black cherry/PN/cherry smokey/very spicy lovely complex nose; fairly tart very strong black cherry/cherry/PN/spicy/smokey some toasty/oak quite structured flavor w/ some hard/angular tannins; very long/lingering spicy/black cherry/PN some toasty/smokey/oak quite structured finish w/ some hard tannins; needs 3-7 yrs yet. $45.00

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. I have, of course, followed R-C from the very start when EricSussman left Dehlinger. My early interest was drawn by Eric’s Zin from vonWeidlich vnyd in Occidental…the origin of the legendary Ridge Occidental Zins of the '70’s. When they lost access to vonWeidlich, my interest in wines other than the Syrah sorta waned. Now, vonWeidlich is back, and goes under the Robert’sBlock name. Eric now farms that vnyd and it is labeled as “Estate”. So I’m now back to buying R-C.
    Eric’s Pinots, understandably, have always been top-notch. His Syrahs are genuine cold-climate Syrahs. This Riesling is Eric’s first stab at that variety. I was quite impressed by the wine. Not your usual tutti-fruitti Calif Riesling. It’s a wine I see no reason won’t go out 20 yrs.
    Tom
2

Had a glass of the '13 Platt Riesling at Willi’s Seafood in Healdsburg a couple weekends ago and thought it was really good - went to order a couple bottles and found that R-C has killed my allocations since I haven’t been buying…

3

Thank you for the notes Tom, as a newcomer to R-C I am looking forward to the pick up next weekend to try some of the wines for the first time.

4

I too am back on the RC train with the return of the Zin.

However, the 2011 Robert’s Block Zin I’m drinking tonight after receiving it this weekend is pretty weak sauce. Peppery bullion but thin, picking up a little weight with air but lacking personality or depth. Tastes like a poorly made cool climate syrah. I expect much better things from the 2012.

5

I purchased from Radio Coteau for a few years and may again in the future, but I began to find that the alcohol levels and ripeness (particularly on the Syrahs) was too much for me and that the pinots lacked distinctiveness. Both Cherry Camp and Timbervine were often over 15%. Hard to characterize syrahs with those alcohol levels as “cold-climate.”