Pannotia with Doug Frost

Pannotia takes it name from Pangea the original land mass that eventually separated to form the continents we know today. The wines are from all corners of the wine world. Doug helps in putting the final assembly together.

Verdejo Rueda Spain 2006 crisp start but the vintage age is showing at the back with some oxidation...

Torrontes Mendoza 2008...bright crazy floral aromas that make you think the finish will be crazy sweet but it dries out just enough to be a great food wine

Riesling Rheinhessen 2007 germany, a riesling that isnt too dry and too sweet...which makes people who like either to be not fans of the wine...

Garnacha Rueda 2006 again showing a little age on the nose, almost sherry, maderized...still juicy and a soft finish

Malbec Mendoza 2008 best of the bunch some intense dark color and flavors..coffee almost like a syrah that intense...i really liked it for the money...

Zinfandel Mendocino 2005 pretty fruity to start...bing cherry comes to mind...and a quick finish

Fineline wines from Glazer's

A new brand introduced through and made for Glazers.. Fineline is featuring more central coast fruits.. interesting labeling with a woman on a wire with the chardonnay and man on a wire with the red wines....no perpetuating myths here

Chardonnay monterey fruit..typical cali fruit..a little flabby and soft

Merlot...nice fruity nose, soft body...the best of the bunch

Cabernet sweet nose,nice finish...good intro to california cab.

Opus one lunch at JJ's on the Plaza

One of the perks of this job is my annual lunch or presentation from gina voci with opus one...tasted a henriot nv brut champagne to start..very elegant and light...

Opus One 2006...the aromas immediately put me to mind of entering Hall's or Bloomingdale's. A wonderful mixture of perfume, wax, talcum, pencil lead...the body of the wine still youthful was showing great fruit...and long lush finish..

Opus One 2005....definitely more cabernet in the nose, lead pencil and cassis fruit... not as lush as the 2006...probably from the aging.

For lunch we had Filet and it was soft and tender and very nice...

todd mathis with martine wines

Gonet Medeville Brut Tradition NV ...nice way to start a morning with this wine unfortunately my allergies hit this morning so I wasnt able to enjoy it as much as possible...yeasty nose, and nice green apple fruit..seemingly more chardonnay than pinot... couldnt tell the mousse from squirrel with my runny nose though

Feraud-Brunel Cotes du Rhone Village 2007...great press and probably great wine but all I could get from it was acidic dark fruit and lots of it... again I will want to retaste when the clariton had kicked in

Niepoort Colheita 1995 always thought this winery sounded more south african than Portugese. toffee colored from the aging and still nice fruit and some almond came through on the finish.

Ch Gillet Les Justices Sauternes 2003 lush mouthfeel, honey nose, apricots..nice but not an easy sell for one and full bottles of sauternes seems like a lot of wine since its so rich

Fess Parker with Manou Chahmirzadi

Fess Parker one of the early pioneers (pun intended) in the Santa Barbara area...finding a nice blend between rhone wines and burgundy

Ashley's Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 sweet fruit, round flavors...a little too california style for me..the 07 is just around the corner...to see what that does.

Ashleys Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 mushroomy nose, fruit with lots of layers...claims to be burgundian but just too much fruit up front to buy that

Epiphany Gypsy Red 2004.. a little old...grenache syrah blend...some nice fruit behind it but I would never be able to see it for $25

Epiphany Petit Sirah 2005 Inky...lots of coffee and rich flavors. that are more syrah in style..somewhat quick finish for such a rich upfront flavor. in the store

slow first week of september

Not a lot of wine to taste this last week. We did get some exciting deliveries though

The first vintage of Lewis Alec's Blend in 3 years. Also Lewis Syrah, both 2007 vintages... both not rated but given the excellence of their brands and the vintage I imagine they will be in the lower to mid 90 point range...

Villa Pozzi Pinot Grigio 2008 soft, easy drinking, another italian pg

Villa Pozzi Nero d'avola..all the bench marks for italian red wine..a little earthy, leathery, nice fruit on the back though...

Castello di Monastero 2005 Chianti Classico lightly rusty color, typical nose and acidity is fine..medium bodied finish...ok

ColdiSole Brunello 2003...drinksfine but I know people are looking for the 2004 vintages of brunello...and this one wasnt exciting enough to get behind.

Ethos by Chateau St Michelle

Ethos Merlot Washington 2006 this is what used to be the reserve... big and tannic...lots of oak...not much fruit...very disappointing

Ethos Cabernet Washington ...not as much of an oak bomb but still very tannic and oaky...thought i would enjoy these more...