TN's from Long Beach Pizza Co. Offline (NWR ... lame TN's)

WINE TALK
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2002 Seghesio Family Vineyards Sangiovese Chianti Station - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (5/10/2009)
– tasted non-blind on Day 3 –

NOSE: oak, and a bit oxidated (but that’s due to the Day 3 TN); bright red fruits with hints of spice; not complex.

BODY: clear with a bit of sediment present at bottom of bottle; rustic garnet color of medium depth – slight browning at edges; medium bodied.

TASTE: cedary with a hint of red apple skins on the long finish (approx. 1 min. in length); a bit “bigger” than what I expect from a Chianti Sangio, and a bit more alcoholic, too (this one clocks in at 14.4%); a tad on the tannic side of well-balanced. I think this still has a little room to improve in the cellar – maybe over the next 2-3 years.

B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 7 = 89 (89 pts.)


1991 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California (5/8/2009)
Very enjoyable, but still very young for its age. There are some tertiary aspects to the bouquet, but there’s still a lot of youthful dark fruit hanging on. Same general experience on the palate, although the tannins are well-integrated. I still think this will improve with additional cellaring. This will easily go another 10 years laying down.


1996 Argyle Brut - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (5/8/2009)
A bit woodsy and tad moldy on the moderately expressive nose (mildly corked?); medium light bodied with a tan-golden hue. Flavors of yellow apples and lees on the palate; excellent length; drink now. NR (flawed)


1999 Ridge Carignane Buchignani Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County (5/8/2009)
I absolutely loved this wine, and was my WOTN amongst 18 others on the table. Bouquet that smelled of carmelized sugar … then, on the palate, explossive strawberry jam flavor – but without coming across as jammy. Drinking fabulously right now. No score, but my gut impression tells me somewhere around “92”


2001 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Villages Tres Vieilles Vignes Reserve - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages (5/8/2009)
Bright red fruits on the bouquet; garnet color, graduating to light brown at the edges; good acid/tannin balance, but not harmonious — this has started to fall apart; lots of raspberry, and a hint of leather. Drink up if you got 'em.


2005 Beltrame Friuli Aquileia Refosco - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Aquileia (5/8/2009)
Hazy ruby color; medium-light bodied. Boysenberry aroma with a slight hint of funk. Acidic on the palate, with nice bright red fruits and spice; short finish. An excellent pizza/pasta wine.


2006 Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc Lyon Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (5/8/2009)
Bright, acidic bouquet of green apples and fades of oak. White-yellow color; medium bodied; Mostly flavors of lanolin and oak on the full palate – an interesting spiciness is present, as well; 14.6% alc. comes through a bit. Not as good as their regular Fume Blanc that you can find for $9 - $10.


2006 Terre del Vulcano da Vesevo Fiano di Avellino Lava - Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino (5/8/2009)
Expressive bouquet of spearmint and lots of fresh celery; golden yellow color; medium-light bodied; Light minerality on the palate and very well-balanced. I really enjoyed this wine … wasn’t as dry or mineraly as most Italian whites I’ve had.
There were many other wines on the table … I cannot even come close to remembering them all … some of them were:
2002 El Puntido … big, oaky, spicy … needs more time … typical Jorge Ordonez

2004 Linne Calodo -“Rising Tides” … ripe, juicy, fruity, alcoholic … typical Linne…starting to fall apart.

2003 Carlisle - Dry Creek Valley Zin … oaky on the nose and palate … tannic palate with spicy oak flavors and lots of raspberry … ho-hum, for me.

2006 Denner - Mourvedre … I’ve posted on this wine a couple other times already … this bottle was the same as previous bottles … big, spicy, meaty, gobs of fruit…well-balanced with a long finish. Fantastic wine.

2006 Boislauzon - CdP… TN posted separately

There was also a 2006 Barbera d’Alba that was awfully tasty, but I cannot remember the name.

Also, a 2005 Passopisciaro was excellent with the pizza, but I’m not remembering details.

I found the 2006 Achaval Ferrer - Malbec to be much better than most malbecs I’ve had … I don’t normally like Malbec, but this one I did.

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Ohhhh, I liked the Linne Calodo. Ripe and juicy and still yummy the next day IMHO [cheers.gif] Twasn’t on the down side of the bell curve for me. Happy you posted the notes! Thank you!