TNs: Big weekend of steak, burgers, and reds

WINE TALK
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  • 2002 Holdredge Pinot Noir - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/1/2009)
    14.1% alcohol. Not showing any age in its color. Touch of funk on the nose, along with red and black cherry, along with attractive floral and spice notes. In the mouth, focused and pure, with a great sense of elegance. Fruit all the way initially on the palate, which shows a touch of dried cherry, along with excellent complexity. Bright acidity. Long finish . Excellent. A-
  • 2003 Foppiano Petite Sirah Estate Bottled - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/1/2009)
    14.5% alcohol. Initially tight and rather one-dimensional. With some air, this really opened up into a terrific, tasty wine. Fragrant, with black and blue fruit on the nose, a touch of oak, and a floral spiciness. A touch rustic and brawny in the mouth, but there is tons of fruit. Delightful to drink, really. Serious and interesting. B+/A-
  • 2003 Porter Creek Pinot Noir Hillside Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/1/2009)
    13.4% alcohol. Opened two hours before drinking but not decanted. Superb Pinot here. Light red color. No signs of age. On the nose, gorgeously aromatic; a definite Old World sensibility about the wine. Red cherry, earth, spice, and minerals jump from the glass. In the mouth, a laser beam of cherry fruit, which picks up spice, wet earth, minerals, and a floral note. Strong acidity. Long finish that still shows some tannic flex. Outstanding and youthful still. A-/A
  • 2004 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel Mancini Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/1/2009)
    15.7% alcohol. Bright and dusty Zin profile here. A big, jammy, ripe showing on this night, with plenty of spice and acidity brightening things up. Solid finish. No hint of heat, but there is a ripeness quality about it. A-
  • 2006 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (8/1/2009)
    14.5% alcohol. This is showing beautifully right now. Not huge on the grapefruit-like note of Rosella’s, but this is a pure, more red-fruited version of this wine than I remember. Aromatic bouquet, with plenty of red and black cherry, along with spice and flowers. In the mouth, beautifully delineated, with lots of fruit and a great kick of acidity. Solid finish. A-
  • 2006 Novy Family Wines Grenache Judge Family Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley (8/1/2009)
    14.5% alcohol. Luscious, red-fruited profile to this wine. Beautifully lively and zesty, with plenty of aromatic pleasure. Strikingly linear in profile, but it’s got generous fruit that cuts across the palate. Very tasty. A-
  • 2007 Sandler Wine Company Zinfandel Buck Hill Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County (8/1/2009)
    15.7% alcohol. What a rocking Zinfandel this is. So endearing and ready to go. A plush, ripe, pure expression of briary Zin fruit. In the mouth, just an explosion of fruit and spice that coats the palate. A perk of acidity and long finish. This is a wine that simply disappears. A-
  • 2007 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (8/1/2009)
    14.3% alcohol. Just drinking beautifully right now. Black cherry color. Fragrant nose of black cherry, blackberry, spice, and earth. Plush yet focused in the mouth, with gobs of fruit, a more subtle note of earth and spice, good acidity, and a strong finish. A-
  • 2004 Siduri Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (7/31/2009)
    14.5% alcohol. A strong showing for this wine. Black cherry color. It has really integrated over the past couple years in bottle. Reams of black cherry and blackberry fruit jump out of the glass, along with damp soil, spice, and floral notes. In the mouth, racy and balanced. Great purity of fruit that just keeps coming at you in waves, with different notes of complexity at each turn. No heat on the long finish. The best of the Siduri 2004s, I think, and still has upside. A-
  • 2005 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Collins Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (7/31/2009)
    14.5% alcohol. Bright, ripe nose of jammy black fruit and spice. In the mouth, racy and exploding with layers of fruit. A dusty cherry notes comes in. Bright acidity. Solid finish. B+
  • 2006 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (7/31/2009)
    14.3% alcohol. Initially a bit tight, but it opened up to reveal a pretty, elegant Garys’. Black cherry color. On the nose, red and black cherry, with a touch of spice and flowers. In the mouth, cuts a sharp swath across the palate. Delicious cherry fruit profile, with plenty of earthy complexity. Strong acidity. Long finish. A-

Posted from CellarTracker

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Don’t encourage him.