Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Bespoke collection/ blackbird

Recuerdo Torrontes argentina 2012  more mineral and stony not as floral... nice enough acidity

Recuerdo Malbec argentina  2011a touch green on the get go.. bright cherry fruit on the palate... not the jammy shiraz like version

Blackbird Arriviste Rose 2012.. strawberry and rhubarb  lots of up front acidity.. cab, merlot and franc

Blackbird Arise Red  cedar and vanilla, a touch green or vegetal on the nose, could use time...

Blackbird Illustrations Red 2009  showing vegetal also.. but juicy tannin.. dark chocolate, cherry on the finish.. a little hot with alcohol.

banville wine merchants/ mo bev

Dipinti Pinot Grigio 2013  mineral.. slightly sweet... another pinot grigio

Terlano Classico 2012 mostly pinot bianco (blanc) an almost gewurz nose, round..

Donna Laura Alteo  2011 coffee mocha nose, cherry on the quick finish

Remo Farina Ripasso Valpolicella cinnamon and earth on the nose, a little porty taste on the palate.. dirty plummy finish

Pala Cannonau di Sardegna love the smell.. good grip.. one of my favorite types of sardinian wines.. grenache

Tolaini Al Passo 2009  tight nose, sangiovese based. with merlot.. good tannins with a slight brett finish

Tolaini Valdi Santi pretty floral nose, bright fruit and also on the palate... would not have thought this a tuscan wine... cabernet based.

a to z / rex hill. steve rubsam/ bommarito

A to Z wine works.Pinot Gris 2013  lemony and crisp with a quick finish

a to z chardonnay 2012... no ml and stainless and showing really well. lots of clean crisp fruit with
no oak to overpower

a to z pinot noir 2012   earthy mushroom and subdued... definitely oregon

rex hill seven hills chardonnay 2012  a malo and oaky surprise.. rounder than expected with a toasted coconut, caramel finish

rex hill pinot noir Willamette Valley 2011  a more fruit showing of pinot with ripe fruit... good tannins

van potts/ vintegrity

Ca'Furian Prosecco NV xtra dry version. doesnt have the slight burnt flavor on the finish. more complex on the palate. nice

Jacquart Blanc de Blancs 2006  great price for a vintage blanc de blanc.. toasty on the palate.. slight mocha and cocoa notes on the finish.. delicate

Jacquart Brut Mosaique NV chard/ pinot noir/pinot meunier blend.. earthy yeasty nose, a little bland on the palate

Jacquart Rose NV mostly pinot noir. a waxy crayola aroma on the nose.. not showing much as much weight as I thought it would.

Baaz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2011... the declassified Barlow for the vintage. sawdust on the nose, very juicy... black plum... as I notice through all of these wines there seems to be a hiaragher level of fruit extraction

Barlow Merlot Napa 2009  ripe nose, coffee and tar on the tobacco.. juicy

Barlow Barrouge Napa 2009  a blend with mostly cab, not overly tannic and lush

Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 a little more rustic on the palate.. following the high fruit profile... maybe a little clunkier than the others.. could use some time to smooth out the rough edges

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

kobrand/ major brands/ keith payton

Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc Napa 2013  rounder style could be a boring style... with good enough acidity to keep it from being too boring
..
Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fuisse Tete de Cru les perries  juicy and smoky, nice minerality

Louis Jadot Meursault 2009  golden yellow in style. beautiful toasty oaky nose, which moves to the palate long silky finish

Masi Campofiorin Rosso 2010  juicy and full bodied..

Chateau des jacques Moulin a vent 2011.. no carbonic maceration here.. everything tastes smoky today but fresh on the palate..

Jadot Gevrey Chambertin 2010  was not in love with this although it was lost in the lineup... pinot noir that wasnt too seductive or overbearing

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

grgich glazer

Grgich winery founded in 77 has a long history in Napa Valley

Fume Blanc 2011... the story goes that Grgich working along side Robert Mondavi came up with the name Fume Blanc to honor the Sauvignon grapes Loire roots, where it is known as Pouilly Fume. and this wine would blind taste more Loire like.. mineral and crisp.. not at all grapefruit

Chardonnay Napa Valley 2011.. showing  a little disjointed, nose of oak and steely acidity but not a lot of fruit showing through.

Zinfandel Napa 2009.. definitely zin on the nose and not californian on the palate.. lean

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2010  cedar and cassis and everything nice on the nose, tight on the palate.. again a leaner style that seems to be the Grgich way.

They also have a winery in Croatia where zinfandel is said to have originated.

Nicolas Coullenot Maison Albert Bichot/ Pinnacle

2012 Bichot Macon Village  Blanc soft and slight mineral. good for the summer and light fish

2012 Bichot Bourgogne Vielles Vignes Pinot Noir .. light in style not a lot of there there.. some dried fruit and earth but very boring

Merryvale/ Starmont/ John Kraushaar/ Major Brands

Merryvale was the first winery established after Prohibition . Starmont was the label for their second but now has its own label and recognition.
Starmont Sauvignon Blanc 2013  grassy and soft
Starmont ChardonnayNapa typical california nose, buttery creamy and nice enough acidity.
Starmont Pinot Noir Carneros 2012 soft dried fruit on the nose, drid fruit and earth on the palate.. pretty if boring
Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2009  tannin is good.. dark fruit.. vanilla and oak are obvious

Merryvale Cabernet Napa 2010  pretty pencil box nose, mouthfilling juice, nice balance of tannin and fruit.. long finish

Merryvale Profile Napa 2010  Cab and petite verdot. very dense. inky color.. needs age.. lots of tannin on the finish.