My buddy Rick M, had a few friends with him and some open bottles at the very wine friendly Duck House in East L.A. While studying with the girlfriend, I dropped by to say hi and grab a taste of what was popped&poured. (And I ate some leftovers! I love this place!) Rick popped a few bottles in memory of Jim. Bottles were open for a few hours before I arrived.
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1995 Marcassin Chardonnay Gauer Upper Barn - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (6/7/2009)
A nose of buttery nuts, butterscotch, vanilla, and toasted oak with a melon like lingering waif. The palate is really big and dense, filled with citrus and green apple with spitzy minerals at front and center. The wine has okay acidity but still has an alcohol presence after 14 years. Drink now! the wine is staring down from it’s peak!
Posted from CellarTracker -
2007 Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Doree - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (6/7/2009)
THe first thing that hits you on the nose is the alcohol, but it’s quickly followed up by bushels of peaches mixed in with vanilla and citrus notes. The first thing you notice on the palate is the soft thick lushness of the wine. Glycerine like wine that just coats your whole mouth. There’s that every present oak on the wine, but about 4-5 hours in it gives way to just a hoard of really sweet fresh red apple , Bartlett pear, pineapple, and nice acidity. (91 pts.) -
2001 Paloma Syrah - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District (6/7/2009)
Got to the wine about 4 hours in after being popped. A nose of light toasted oak with ripe strawberries scattered with dark chocolate flakes with a linger level of heat. The palate is a 180 from the nose, the nose being pretty new world the palate wasn’t “quite” as new world. You get a light metallic meat taste on the forefront with spiced earth and stems on the back end with dry tannins but not much fruit to match it. The finish has surprisingly nice acidity with a long dry cherry ending. The fruit is starting to give up a bit but the finish is nice on this wine. (90 pts.) -
2004 Pride Mountain Vineyards Sangiovese - USA, California, Sonoma County (6/7/2009)
Big ol booming in yo face , smack you like you owe it money type of Ripe dark berry nose. A touch of alcohol is mixed in with caramelized brown sugar to go with the berry nose. Typical pride body. You get a little bit of tannin/acid/ripe sweet cherries that remind you of it actually being a Sangiovese but it gets mixed in with oak tannins (is that even a term?). A bit of olive juice and vegetation lingering which I felt was a bit out of place, but everything else was on its way to getting integrated. If you like the style it’s pretty centered on it and it’s not shaby at all. (90 pts.) -
2000 Paloma Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District (6/7/2009)
Meaty dark red cherries with some tartish red berries on the nose. When the wine first hits, it’s a soft cherry and vanilla but it quickly yields to HUGE roof coating tannins. The tannins are a bit overwhelming, I don’t get much else from the wine and there’s virtually no finish. (87 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker