Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel 2005
Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, Esprit de Beaucastel 2005 The brett is dominating the nose and while it works for this style of wine, it will put off some looking for a cleaner approach in the New World. The gaminess carries through in the...
Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Viognier 2007
Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2007 This wine is peaches on steroids all the way through with a rich, very viscous mouthfeel that emphasizes fruit rather than oak or butter, as is seen in some of the heavier-handed...
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Andre Brunel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Les Cailloux 2005 The nose sports smoke and a healthy but appropriate dose of brett for this wine, accentuating a meatiness. The earthiness repeats in the mouth with an explosion of red fruits. The structure...
Domaine Olivier Guyot, Marsannay, La Montagne 2003
Give this wine some time to blow off the stink. Then you can see the cherries, cola and earthy forest floor notes in the nose. There are gamey flavors in the mouth, with the acidity you'd expect and a rather light-body and light to moderate...
Wines of France
Verget, Macon Villages, "Grand Elevage" 2006 There's a mix of minerality and doughy notes in the nose while the mouth is steely with a bit of slipperiness coating the tongue, adding richness to the austerity. From Jean-Marie Guffen, whose...
Port o’ Missouri
Stone Hill, Missouri, Port 2004 The prunes and sweet Linzer torte stand out in the nose. In the mouth there is the alcohol and tannic edge of vintage Port from the Duoro as well as chocolate and vanilla. This was a big hit with chocolate covered...
Rosy Anderson
Lazy Creek, Anderson Valley, Rose of Pinot Noir 2007 This wine has the zippy acidity and vibrance of the rose from County Line with a depth of flavor, a density that fills out the wine on the palate - great in October '08. But in January '09 the...
A find in the hills
Kanzler, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2007 This is a barrel sample from the family's vineyard out in what is called the Sebastopol Hills, about 3 miles west of town. While dense, the wine is very polished with a slather of new oak that will integrate...
Petite
Small Vines, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2006 Like the Russian River bottling, this Pinot is packed with flavor. There's a backbone of acidity to keep this wine going a long time in your mouth and a long time in your cellar - excellent.The source of...
Carpenter envy
James David, Paso Robles, Penman Springs Vineyard, Muscat Blanc 2007 There's a great variety of floral notes, from the sweet ones like honesuckle to roses and spicey numbers. The mouth is light-bodied and citrusy with a real sense of eating those...