I honestly can’t recall when I received Fred’s annual shipment to me since it’s a ‘futures’ purchase. Sometime this year! AnywayI cracked a ‘23 Scherrer Shale Terrace tonight as I was eager to try his take on the 2023 vintage.
I always describe the ShaleTerrace as a ‘feminine’ Zinfandel, not sure why but that’s how it strikes me. Maybe a little bit lighter and less tannic than some I drink. Anyway, I love this wine! Bright red fruits, ample acidity and no overbearing tannins. Terrific now but will likely get even better w a few years of age. I’m a sucker for young and bright fruit and this delivers!
2024 Six Cloves Cabernet Sauvignon Storn Barn Vineyard, Sonoma Valley
Pre-release sample. Pop n pour, the color matches the label, deep magenta with a neon purple rim. Color really pops! Nose is loaded with cassis and black currant. First sip is a surprisingly lifted black cherry, black raspberry, just a wonderfully fresh fruit profile reminiscent of Sonoe’s other reds. Juicy, fresh, invigorating, lively, enter adjective here, yet not heavy in any way. Neutral oak is letting the fruit take center stage. Dusty tannins quickly overtake that lovely fruit. Need to give this a lot more air. More notes in a day or two.
2023 Royer Chardonnay Estate Vineyard
Was a Vindependence Day buy this July and delivered in October.
Laser beam freshness. Clean citrus sits on top of some deeper pear and crisp apple. Good depth of body and acidity. Could drink this all day long. I envision this as an optimum summer wine.
For this week’s virtual tasting of fall wines, we pulled a 2023 Deauratus Zinfandel, Tsabaco Rancho Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley. $40, 14.7% alcohol, 330 cases produced. Aromas of blackberry and cherry; tasting of berry and chocolate with a bit of savoriness and a long, spicy finish. Pleasant tannins, present but mellow in this young wine. We had it with smoky beef tacos and it was a perfect fit.
The winemakers for this new project are partners Eric Baugher and Shun Ishikubo, who originally worked together at Ridge, which for sure means they know how to make zinfandel. You may remember @B.Eric contributing his thoughts in the thread about the 2020 Monte Bello. In addition to appreciation for his taking the time to teach us, a couple of other things hit me: First, I lived in Aptos CA during the 2020 fires and hold vivid memories of orange skies and raining ash. Second, he didn’t take the opportunity to promote his wine; I had to dig up a local Monterey County interview to find it.
So, on his behalf, here are Eric and Shun of Deauratus:
I’ve been on the Arnot-Roberts list for years. For a while I was a multiple orders a year buyer, but lately it’s more when I run out of something I really like. My most recent shipment this year was some Trousseau. For the thread I thought I would dig deep in the archives and open my last bottle of 2010 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Griffin’s Lair (Sonoma Coast). The only reason I still had a bottle was because I had put it in the wrong rack, and it got buried behind a grand cru Burgundy. Doing a little reorganization, and I put it where I could find it!
What a great time to drink this! Still lots of dark red fruit, very meaty, and just enough tannin to hold things together. Probably good for another 2-3 years, but I am happy to be drinking it tonight. Should be great with the black bean tacos!
Cam X Chardonnay Lot 4 Sonoma Cost
This wine combines a creamy citrus with just enough new wood to create a seamless integration of the two with a finish that goes on and on. This is an upper echelon wine.
Ordered it in June, received in October. Glad to have latched on to this one.
