TNs lots of holiday wines

  • 2002 Robert Foley Claret - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/2/2012)
    Powerful kirsch on the nose with some cinnamon and brown sugar. Hints of orange peel as well. Very sweet nose for a cab. The palate carries some of that sweetness with more cinnamon some cocoa and nice ripe purple fruit. The tannins are almost resolved and the finish is long with a nice lift of acid. Unusual but I really enjoyed it.

  • 1997 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvée L - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/31/2011)
    oaky and soy sauce laden nose. some eucalyptus as well. the palate is wood dominated with some over the hill fruit. cedar and dried berries. interesting

  • 2008 Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sigaro - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (12/31/2011)
    beef baking spices olives on the beguiling nose. the palate is smooth soft and delicious with blackberries cocoa and sweet tannins. delicious

  • 2008 Torrin Akasha - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (12/31/2011)
    horribly corked :frowning:

  • 2009 Roar Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (12/31/2011)
    huge black cherry nose. still young w primary fruit and heavy tannins. a monster

  • 2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/30/2011)
    Nice blackberry and white pepper on the nose. Some black licorice as well. The palate is medium bodied with brighter raspberries nice acid and just a hint of a green streak. A little hollow in the finish. Good wine, not in love ith it.

  • 2007 Booker Vineyard Vertigo 28 months - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (12/25/2011)
    The nose is chuck full of beef, tea, baking spices and lots of berries. The palate is full and smooth with bright, sweet berries, cinnamon, and some toasty oak. Smooth, finish. Delicious wine.

  • 2010 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (12/25/2011)
    Odd nose, first a whiff of corn that blows off then some women’s perfume and a little beef. Odd. The palate, however is awesome. Creamy and smooth, with the perfume turning into flowery, bright fruit. Hints of citrus complete the picture. I like this a lot. Some tannins rear up in the end.

  • 2006 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (12/24/2011)
    Very primary with a huge nose of black cherries, baking spices and some dark flowers. Medium to full bodied with more ripe cherries, some candied lemon peel and a little clove. Great acidity on this. A little gritty on the finish, which needs to fill out. Great Pinot.

  • 2009 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (12/24/2011)
    Sensational nose of cherries, Lemon peel and perfume. Te palate is smooth and creamy with intense fruit that doesn’t feel heavy at all. Citrusy acid dances around the creamy texture. Interesting to just swish around. Clipped on the finish but that’s clearly a product of its youth. Very compelling.

  • 2009 Bevan Cellars Ontogeny - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (12/23/2011)
    Loads of dark fruit, vanilla and spices on the nose. The palate is tight but it shows some nice dark berry favors, roasted vegetables and some oak. A baby but a very nice baby. Give this some time and you will be rewarded. Delicious.

  • 2009 Morlet Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Joli Coeur - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (12/23/2011)
    bigpinot nose. a little boozy. cherries and beef. huge palate of ripe cherries and raspberries. nice acid. tons of gritty tannin. needs lots of time

  • 2009 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (12/23/2011)
    grilled beef some grilled veggies and smoke on the nose. the palate is smooth and delicious w ripe dark berries and already soft tannins. the readiest in the lineup. delicious

  • 2009 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (12/23/2011)
    orange peel and a little smoke on the nose. bright cherry palate w some citrus notes. bright wine. like it

  • 2006 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (12/21/2011)
    great nose of grilled meats, baking spices dominated by cinnamon, dark flowers, vanilla and dark fruit. on day two white pepper became pretty prominent and stayed for three days. the palate didnt budge for four days. pretty intense fruit in the attack with dark berries, vanilla and beefy flavors. still tightly wound making the midpalate the lowpoint of each sip. the finish is a little chalky. needs time but a great drink nonetheless

  • 2009 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/21/2011)
    i usually wait till day three to write tns but this is one of the best noses on a wine ive smelled all year. pop and pour. i had this wine with will at outpost not two months ago and it was very good but outshined by the panek. this nose is now insanely good. perfectly ripe blackberries a little kirsch a hint of vanilla and some cocoa powder. the palate is still tight but throws hints of the same clipping off at the end. this will be an awesome wine.

  • 2007 Alpha Omega Proprietary Red - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/18/2011)
    boy jean isnt kidding about letting these rest. its day four and this is finally loose enough to drink. nose is gorgeous with kirsch purple flowers and dark berries. the palate is still tight. medium bodied w some slight coffee and lots of bright red berries. great acid and a little grit on the pronounced tannins. begs for steak. needs years…

  • 2007 Vineyard 29 Cabernet Sauvignon Cru - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (12/16/2011)
    Great nose of dark and red berries. The palate is medium to full, with loads of berries and baking spices. Tannins are there but sweet and sensuous. A great drink with just a bit of chalkiness in the finish.

  • 2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County (12/16/2011)
    I didn’t really get it before but I do now. The nose has some cherry elements but what is appealing about it to me is the strong earth and savory herbs component. The palate has some nice Bright cherry as well but again there is an earthy, mushroom note that while not intrusive, gives the wine tremendous character. Nice vanilla note as well. Tight and young but my favorite Rhys so far…yummy stuff.

Posted from CellarTracker

Holy crap! What a line-up!

What Jim said

Have you been drinking from my cellar? Thanks for a look at many of my wines.

That was pver xmas and new years nit in one sitting :slight_smile:
Rich…we do have similar tastes. All but the cuvee l and the mortlet came from my cellar :slight_smile:

Hell of a lineup…am I beginning to see the first stages of a palate shift?

Great lineup and notes Berto, but you made it through an entire holiday week without a Nido or Clio? What gives?

Well call it expansion :wink: still loving the sea smoke marcassin and kb of the world but I really do like Kutch and Rhys. I think I’m still ways away from loving burgundy but I have been quietly buying some to see :wink:
I have to say the Fairchild is not my usual style but it’s hard to not love that wine. Should’ve brought a Maybach to remind myself I have a beard :wink:

I’m Puerto Rican, holidays are not over till after January 6th, three kings day :wink:. Funny I had an el Nido in my hands twice and put it back in the rack. Headed to NYC next week for a conference I’ll bring an El Nido w me Jim :wink:

I know a palate shift when I see one. [snort.gif] Welcome to the dark side. [cheers.gif] [drinkers.gif] [highfive.gif]

Awesome lineup! I just opened an 09 RM Corona Cab and decanted it a while. Was just superb. I’ve also been lucky enough to get the 09 Rhys Family Farm PN… so looking forward to that one. You really did it up right! Great notes…

We shall see Russ :wink:
Thanks, Harris. I had all three of the RMs at Outpost a few months ago. I felt then that the Panek was the readiest of the bunch and I loved the regular RM. I felt that the Corona needed a lot of time still. Ive had the regular RM a few times since and the nose at least has caught up to the Panek. I havent dared touch a Corona :wink:

Great notes and wines.