Yeah. Put it back.
I went for the double as well…
2004 Lillian Winery Syrah - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (5/3/2014)
Pop & pour. Nose remains extremely youthful, with loads of dark fruit. Some herbal notes starting to show through, although it has lost some of the floral notes. Some development showing on the creamy palate as well, but this is still quite youthful, with lots of dark fruit. Finish is quite nice, but suffers from a little heat. Opened up further with some air. Still has time. (92 pts.)
Thanks for keeping them coming. I will be opening a Melville Estate Syrah on Tuesday.
Keever, by Celia Welch. This has always been a notch behind Corra for me, but still has been generally strong and this was no exception. The current list price for Keever is ambitious (to put it nicely), but the back vintages show up at auction cheaply (I think I paid ~$30 per), and are a deal.
2005 Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown - USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville (5/4/2014)
In a really nice place right now. nose shows lots of licorice, spicebox, and dark fruits. palate is still quite fruit-focused with integrated tannins. (93 pts.)
Took these two beauties to dinner with us last night….both were perfect with our dishes!
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2011 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines - USA, California (5/5/2014)
Another classic Turley OV……oozing with raspberry, blackberry, briery strawberry….killer white pepper spice, liqueur berry florals, licorice, tobacco leaf.…nice tart skin, minerality…well balanced showing no heat at all. A really great wine to sip on throughout a meal. (92 pts.) -
2013 Tercero Mourvedre Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (5/5/2014)
Very delicate pinkie here….super balance with zero heat and good dryness reminding me of a liquid sunshine Provençal rose’. Tasty flavors of subtle strawberry, white peach, melon, red delicious apple….fresh squeeze citrus acidity…mineral crunch…dried cherry and orange……would have liked something that screams “Mourvedre” like some pine forest or underbrush….but all in all this is a tasty little Summer sipper, that went very well with a number of dishes. (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Buzz, you get credit for the Tercero (which sounds quite enjoyable) but the Turley Zinfandel is most likely from the hands of a male winemaker.
Sorry…this better…
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2012 Tercero Roussanne Camp 4 Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (5/5/2014)
I’m use to Alban Roussannes……no match strike reduction here….so this is a nice change of pace! Creamy and bright, not in your face style….perfectly ripe orchard fruit, with just a touch of tropicalness to it. Fresh citrus acidity dances with the cream…subtle complexities of white flowers, honeysuckle jam, honey butter, lite toasted marshmallow, candied lemon rind……refreshingly Rhone! Better at cellar temp to bring out more pronounced flavors and florals……nice one! (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Dude - you’re KILLING me!!!
Glad to hear this one is still holding steady - you are going to dig the 2013!!!
Cheers!
Buzz,
Thanks for coming into my tasting room - sooooo bummed I missed you guys!!!
Note that that Rose was only bottled two weeks ago. If last year’s rendition is any indication, that ‘mourvedre funk’ will begin to show its stuff in a few more weeks . . .
Cheers!
Buzz,
LOVE the pics - and thanks for the note.
Just an FYI - I only like to pour this wine at cellar or even room temp so show off the texture and aroma of the wine. I have fallen madly in love with the variety and went from making just two barrels of the 2012 to having 9 barrels of the 2013 to play around with - and now from two different Santa Barbara County vineyards! Can’t wait to get the next one into barrel later this summer and share it with you as well!!!
Cheers!
2006 MELVILLE SYRAH, ESTATE, VERNA’S, Santa Barbara County, CA. 15.3% abv. Dark purple color, dense and opaque. Dark berries and spice on the nose. On its own before dinner this is slightly “hot” and overpowering. With my dinner of broiled lamb chop and baked beans, it mellows a bit to bring out the best in the lamb. Long and peppery finish. Still drinking like a youthful wine. 86 or 87 points?
Jane wants to donate more money! She’s offered to extend the VTS for another week.
Thanks for your generosity, Jane.
Jane, I will try to open something for this over the weekend. Appreciate the prompt to examine what I have in my collection that’s by female winemakers. Recently had some Evening Land and some Sylvie Esmonin, and need to reload on LdH… Have a feeling some of my Burgs are made by females but will have to look.
I have had a horrible cold for the entire week so I could not participate, BUT with the extension, I think we will get to play along.
Chris Seiber- Great call on A Tribute to Grace. Amazing wines. Her rose has to be one of my favorite I’ve tasted this year.
2012 Peay Vineyards Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (5/9/2014)
Sort of a maturing gold color and open nose of vanila and citrus aromas. This is sort like drinking a $70 Kistler Chardonnay for $42. Highly concentrated and I mean packed with lip smacking citrus, orchard fruit and a sense of minerality. Not as much acid as I’d prefer but enough to keep this fresh and very identifiably, CA Chardonnay. I had just finished a glass of Roederer Mendicino Brut just prior to my first sip of the Peay and it came off a tad oaky at first compared to the likely almost unoaked Roederer Brut. After about 10 minutes of sipping I no longer noticed the oak in any measurable way. All in all, worth it but, I was hoping for a wine that is a little more light on it’s feet from Peay and the Sonoma coast. 13.4% Alc was good. For my palate and wallet I’m going back for the more sevelte, more complex $23 2012 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Chardonnay I had earlier this week. (92 pts.#
2012 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Barbara County - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County #5/7/2014#
After about a year on Rochioli’s SV list I reallized I liked the chards more than the vaulted Rochioli SV PNs. Then I reallized that as much as I liked the SV Chards they were almost as overpriced as the PNs so I dropped off the list completely after waiting six years to make it. NO regrets. Rochioli makes some nice wines. Nice $40 wines that sell for $70 plus. Anyway, this Chard very much reminds me of a Rochioli SV Chard except, I only paid $22 for it. This is CA Chardonnay not white Burgundy but, it has terrific balance, focus,complexity and verb. 13.5% Alc, fascinating tropical fruit combined with refined citrus flavors makes this very satisfying. Nothing flabby or overtly oaky about this. #93 pts.)
Hit for the cycle, a double and a single. The sea smoke was the double as it was made by kris curran.
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2008 Foxen Syrah Toasted Rope - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (5/10/2014)
Surprised how light colored and weight with this wine. It’s not a bad thing but not what you’d expect from SBC. Dark garnet but decent clarity. Cedar and sweet dark fruit aromas. Medium plus weight with a sweet cherry core. Cedar on the finish with red licorice. -
2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (5/10/2014)
Slightly reductive funky Pinot nose which doesn’t blow off, thankfully. Pushing the darker side of Pinot. Nose leads you to believe it might be older. Good earth notes. Palate is driven by a mild sweet cherry and pine notes with very fine tannins. Slightly aggressive oak or stem finish. Tough not to enjoy this wine.
Posted from CellarTracker
**Chambolle-Musigny 2010
“Les Feusselottes”
1er Cru
Cécile Tremblay
Yum! Took a few minutes to open fully, but very very nice. Interesting, good structure, great balance.
Good on you Craig. I was forgetting about Vanessa Wong at Peay. I have a bottle of Peay Chardonnay somewhere but won’t get to it this week. Same with Katy Wilson’s wines from LaRue Wines. I’m finishing my contributions with a Babcock Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County.
2010 BABCOCK PINOT NOIR SLICE OF HEAVEN, RITA’S CROWN VINEYARD, STA. RITA HILLS, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CA. 13.7% alcohol by volume. Rita’s Crown Vineyard is one of the highest elevation plantings in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.
The wine is darkly colored and nearly opaque. The nose suggests a handful of mixed dark berries including mulberries and blueberries. On the palate some cardamom provides accents for the dark fruit flavors. I think I’m picking up some oak notes too.
The overall impression I had was of something rich, robust and rewarding. This is not a dainty Pinot but it is pleasurable.