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11-07-2001
REDS:
QPR
1998 Kendal Jackson,
Vintners Reserve, California, Pinot Noir
Bricked red, nose shows sweet red cherry/strawberry fruit, tea,
slight mustiness, a bit of earth and spice with forest floor and
mushroom, raisiny, slightly oxidized, palate shows tart dry cherries,
earth, cocoa and charry oak, under fruited, medium light body, fairly
tart acidity with medium tannins, slight astringency in the finish
where it also shows just a little heat. A little old for this wine,
probably should have been consumed as soon as it was released. Not
an ageable wine. Very simple, no complexity. The acid/fruit balance
is way off. $11.
PV
1999 Kendal Jackson,
Vintners Reserve, California, Pinot Noir
Bright, slightly brickish red, slightly muted nose shows a mild
floral character along with raspberry, cola, vanilla and a bit of
earth and mushroom, palate shows red and black cherry, raspberry/strawberry,
cola, earth, simple, clean, medium light body, tart acidity, medium
tannins, much fresher than the 1998, nice concentration of flavors,
tasty wine. $12.
AV
1997 Dominique Laurent,
Nuits-Saint Georges, Cote-d'Or, Grand Vin, Burgundy
Brick red, nose showed sulfury, stinky, charry, toasty oak and red
cherries, palate shows red cherry, raspberry, crabapple. mushroom,
earth and charry oak, some tonic water like bitterness along with
some stemmy flavors, medium boy, slightly tart acidity with medium
tannins, seems a bit under ripe, interesting flavors and texture,
fairly simple. $Mid teens
+
AV
1999 Eric Texier,
Brezeme, Cotes du Rhone, France, Syrah
Dark purple, nose shows meaty gamey bacon with roasted blackberry,
espresso with a hint of mint and a touch of sulfur, palate shows
meaty blackberry fruit, espresso, toast and citrus, under ripe,
fruit peters out after the initial attack, needs food, medium body,
pretty tart acidity with medium full tannins, out of balance, good
value at $16. Has some compelling complexity but is lacking a bit
due to the under ripe character.
-
GV
1999 Domaine de Bosquets,
Gigondas, France, Red Rhone Blend
Dark red, very ripe round nose with aromas of raspberry, blackberry
and chocolate, palate shows a bit of raisiny character with black
cherry, chocolate and herbs, medium to medium full body, low acidity
and fairly full mouth coating tannins, seems a bit plodding to me,
almost flabby, solid Parker wine; no doubt, simple but enjoyable.
$16.
+
GV
1999 Joel Dupont,
Chatenuef du Pape, France, Red Rhone Blend
Medium bricked red, this was a bit of a ringer. Found it for $9.99
at Trader Joe's and wanted to see how it would do. Nose reveals
aromas of red cherry, gun powder and charry oak, ripe flavors of
sweet black cherry, mixed red fruits, cocoa, anise, tar and oak,
medium body, somewhat tart acidity and medium full tannins, nothing
really jumps out of this wine as being exceptional but it is a nice
drinking quaffer that shows much of what you would expect from other
CdP's at two to three times the price. Enjoyable early drinker.
+
GV
REDS:
PREMIUM
1999 Flowers, Sangiacomo,
Pinot Noir
Corked
2000 Seven Lions Winery,
Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir
Bright ruby, foamy around the edges, nose shows ripe creamy
vanilla, raspberry, jammy, palate shows ripe lingonberry, raspberry,
woody oak, cola, mild earth, pie spice and cocoa, medium body, slightly
tart acidity with medium tannins, seems a tad bit disjointed, someone
thought it may have been acidified. Not sure, the flavors are nice,
the gang felt that it was a bit out of balance, too ripe without
a lot of Pinot character. Very pricey
-
PV
1999 Holly's Hill,
Amador, California, Zinfandel
Dark purple red, nose shows very ripe, fairly simple berry
fruits with vanilla, palate shows very jammy over ripe fruit with
briary black raspberry, chocolate, oak and a bit of acetone, medium
full body, moderate to slightly tart acidity and medium full tannins,
slightly out of balance but there is still a pleasant, though rustic,
character to the wine. Made from purchased fruit. These guys have
a nice vineyard up near Sierra Vista Winery. Keep an eye out for
their Syrah. $22
PV
1999 Seven Lions Winery,
Joe & Emily's Vineyard,
Russian River Valley, California, Zinfandel
Dark inky bright purple, fairly aromatic, big and jammy nose with
boysenberry/blackberry, spicy pie crust, chocolate and oak, palate
shows bright briary black raspberry, blackberry, black currant,
vanilla and oak, fruit bomb, seems like a barrel sample, very young
and youthful, moderately full body, with medium slightly tart acidity
and moderately full tannins, smooth, this is a wine that folks are
either going to love or hate. It's Turleyesque. Brad seemed to like
it more than the others due to the quality and brightness of the
fruit, the others felt it was too forward and without complexity.
Nicely balanced though. Very pricey at $60.
+
PV
1998 Black Sheep,
Amador County, Sierra Foothills, Zinfandel
Dark red, nose shows dusty zinberry, boysenberry, chocolate, oak,
mint and tarragon , slight stemminess, palate shows lots of chocolate
with black cherry, blueberry, earthy minerals, spicy, leafy, some
oak, fairly complex aromas and flavors for a zin, slightly rustic,
medium full body, slightly tart acidify and moderately full tannins,
nice balance, excellent value at $20.
-
GV
1999 Edmund St. John,
Durell Vineyard, Sonoma Valley, Syrah
Flawed, this wine is a hard one to talk about, the acidity was
the most shrill, screechy acidity any of us had ever come across,
The flavors are superb but this wine seemed like it was highly over
acidified, bad calculation and we all doubted whether it would ever
come around. In defense of the flavors, it was all their, rich aromas
and flavors of meaty, gamey, funky, blackberry, espresso, full body,
nice tannins. Something went wrong! If you own any, I would pray
they come around and give them lots of time. A few years at least.
1999 Garrestson, Fralich
Vineyard, Paso Robles, Syrah
Medium dark red, aromas of meaty bacon, blackberry, oregano
and marjoram, palate shows meaty blackberry, plum, chocolate and
herbs, medium to full body with fairly tart acidity and moderately
full tannins, nice complexity on palate and nose, a little disjointed,
needs time, seemed a wee bit out of balance.
+
AV
1999 Gregory Graham,
Napa Valley, Syrah
Inky purple, very aromatic nose shows blackberry pie, chocolate,
brown spice and vanilla oak, also a bit stemmy, palate shows a good
deal of intensity with ripe sweet jammy blackberry pie, chocolate,
espresso and some vanilla oak, medium full body, slightly tart acidity
and medium tannins, nicely balanced wine, good texture, still a
bit young though, very enjoyable and fairly easy to drink.
+
AV
1999 Sergio Traverso,
Lontue Valley, Chile, Reserva, Merlot
Medium dark red, nose shows ripe cherry, plum, currant, cloves and
oak, leafy, palate shows cherry, tobacco, leather and charred oak,
has a hole in the mid palate, medium to medium full body, slightly
tart acidity with medium full tannins, note that no one mentioned
chocolate, a little strange for a Merlot,
AV
1999 Sergio Traverso,
Lontue Valley, Chile, Gran Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon
Very dark purple red, the nose is nicely aromatic showing black
cherry, currants, cigar box, a bit of shoe polish, and oaky spice,
palate shows ripe meaty black cherry, cassis, currant, tobacco rich
cigar box, chocolate and oaky brown spice, full body, medium acidity
and moderately strong tannins, elegant
and balanced with compelling complexity. Everyone liked this one!
GV
Tasting held at:
Wine Street, a local wine shop
in Carlsbad, California
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