TN: Two Older Calif Rhones..(short/boring)

After 6 old Zins went down the drain, I finally scored:

  1. Domaine de la TerreRouge Calif RTW (“sophisticated blend of southern RhoneVlly varietals”) Plymouth 1989: Med.light color w/ some bricking; some cedary/pencilly/oldRed slight oxidized light blackberry/strawberry some smokey/Rhonish/roasted/rustic slight briary bit alcoholic fairly complex nose; soft slight tangy/grapefruity/metallic light strawberry/Grenache bit Rhonish/smokey flavor w/ light/bitey tannins; med.long light Rhonish/smokey/toasty/oak slight strawberry/Grenache/briary bit metallic/tangy finish w/ light/bitey/astringent tannins; starting to show its age but still a pleasure to drink; speaks mostly of aged Grenache.

  1. Qupe Syrah CentralCoast (12.5%) 1990: Med.light color w/ little bricking; beautiful smokey/pungent/Rhonish/roasted/espresso/pencilly strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah/spicy complex old Calif Syrah lovely nose; fairly tart/tangy/grapefruity quite smokey/cedary/pungent/toasty/roasted/Rhonish/pencilly/cedary some blackberry/blueberry/Syrah complex flavor w/ light/angular tannins; quite long some blackberry/blueberry/Syrah strong cedary/pencilly/smokey/pungent/bit Rhonish/coffee finish w/ light/sharp tannins; still has plenty of fruit left and has developed that classic Lindquist smokey/Rhonish complexity they tend to show w/ age.
    $11.00 (Kellys)

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. The Qupe is BobLindquist’s basic Syrah. At one time it carried a Calif appellation when he was using a bit of old-vine Lodi Carignane…but he did that for only a few yrs. This CC Syrah is a blend of PasoRobles and SBC Syrah. I find his basic (now) SBC Syrah ages amazing well.

  1. The TR had this gawd-awful ugly red label that Bill used only that one time. 2/3’rd’s Grenache + Syrah/Mourvedre.
    Tom

Wow! Talk about some old bones, man. Very cool. That Qupe sounds wonderful. Thanks, Tom. [cheers.gif]

The '88 BienNacido on tap tonight.
Tom