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2-28-2002
WHITES
2000 Seven Lion's Winery,
Blakeman Vineyard
Anderson
Valley, California, Chardonnay
Golden yellow, slightly funky aromas with sulfur and tealeaf, mild
white fruit, sea air and buttery oak, palate shows fairly bright
apples and lemons along with woody vanilla oak, brown spice, oak
is a bit out of balance right now, needs a little time to calm down,
oak is pulling it down right now but will likely improve, also a
little closed at present but it is obvious that this wine has a
full body with a crisp acidity that should hold it nicely while
the oak integrates.
 +
Poor Value
2000 Seven Lion's Winery,
Buena Tierra Vineyards
Russian
River Valley, California, Chardonnay
Golden yellow, nose shows a floral character along with bright fruits
comprised of crisp apple, citrus, pineapple, and tropical fruits
along with wet stone, vanilla, butterscotch and spicy oak, palate
shows lemon, apple, pear, and pineapple with a nicely balanced buttery
vanilla oak character that blends nicely with the fruit, medium
full body, slightly crisp acidity, medium length and nicely balanced.
Tasty stuff and our favorite white of the tasting.
-
Average Value
1999
Deerfield Ranch, Labbe Vineyard, Sonoma Valley,
California, Chardonnay
Golden yellow, aromas of buttery vanilla oak, apple and pear with
some lemony overtones as well, brown spice, butterscotch, palate
follows with ripe pear, apple, and more rich buttery vanilla oak,
toasty, medium bodied with some slightly coarse oak tannins and
moderate acidity, medium length finish, decent wine with moderate
intensity and somewhat direct flavor profile.
Average Value
2000 Deerfield Ranch,
Peterson Vineyard, Sonoma Valley,
California
Sauvignon Blanc
Light yellowish straw, very nice aromas with cat's pee/boxwood,
lemony lime, grapefruit, pineapple, green peas, and minerals, palate
shows grapefruit, lemon rich gooseberry and slatey minerals, medium
light body, mellow
round attack with a tart mid-palate Decent balance. Nice wine.
+
Good Value
REDS
2000 Seven Lion's Winery,
Hansen Vineyard
Russian River Valley, California, Pinot Noir
Ruby red, nose shows bright briary raspberry, strawberry and
red cherry fruits along with some mild forest floor, cola and tobacco,
very clean, creamy, slightly candied, a bit simple but nice, briary
flavors of sweet ripe black cherry, strawberry, cola, cocoa, mild
vanilla oak, slightly stemmy, nice mouth-feel, medium to full body,
medium acidity and medium low tannins, decent balanced, very pleasing,
a bit forward, very new world.
-
Average Value
2000
Seven Lion's Winery, Russian River Valley, California, Pinot Noir
Very bricked red in color, aromas seem very oxidized with musty
ripe strawberry and raspberry fruit along with hints of gunpowder,
tea and spice, palate is very ripe yet light showing a slight raisin
like character along with bright cherry, strawberry. cocoa and oak,
very long on the finish, light to medium body, crisp acidity and
moderate tannins. There are some interesting things here but overall
it comes off as a bit of an off bottle that has been subjected to
an irregular amount of oxidation.
+
Poor Value
2000 Seven Lion's Winery,
Buena Tierra Vineyard, Helio Doro Block
Russian River Valley, California, Pinot Noir
Dark ruby red, nose shows raspberry, strawberry fruit with clove
and creamy vanilla oak, palate shows rich creamy vanilla raspberry,
strawberry, cola, cocoa, and a nice spicy oak, very nice wine, really
fun to drink, the rich creamy Pinot fruit gives way to a nice spicy
finish, all of us really liked this one, medium body, moderate to
low acidity and moderate tannins, good length and nice balance.
Tasty wine.
Average Value
2000
Seven Lion's Winery, Wes Cameron Vineyard, Butch and David's Knoll
Russian River Valley, California, Pinot Noir
Dark ruby red, strong bright aromas of sweet raspberry, cherry,
cola, cocoa and mixed brown spices, palate shows sweet raspberry,
cocoa, cola, pepper and a hint of forest floor, medium body, crisp
acidity and moderate to full tannins, there seemed to be a bit of
a division on this one with two folks feeling it was simple and
direct while the other two felt that it had really nice fruit with
nice balance and good length. Very new world in style as the fruit
is very forward,
+
Average Value
1998 Raptor Ridge,
Murto Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir
Dark red, intense aromas of bright dark black raspberry, cola, mushroom,
spice and some toasty oak, palate shows black cherry, cola, cocoa,
mushroom, a bit of tar and fairly strong toasty oak, medium full
body, zingy moderately crisp acidity with moderate tannins, nice
balance but the oak is a bit much, not sure if it will come around
but it is still drinking very nicely if the oak doesn't bother you,
good price at $26 retail.
Good Value
2000 Deerfield Ranch,
Ladi's Vineyard, Sonoma County, California, Syrah
Dark purple, nose shows blackberry, dark plum, cassis, chocolate,
coffee and oak with a hint of meaty gaminess, palate shows blackberry,
plum, licorice, meaty game, cocoa, tea leaf, and tobacco, full body
with moderate tannins and strong tannins, nice balance and good
length, this wine held up well for a couple of days before starting
to show oxidation effects. Needs a little time to show its best
but this is a very nice Syrah. I particularly liked the tobacco
tea leaf character that I only rarely find in CA Syrahs.
Good Value
1999 Shafer, Napa,
California, Syrah/Petite Sirah
Dark inky purple, nose started out very closed and muted with
ripe black stone fruit, cocoa, espresso and vanilla oak, palate
is also very tight with ripe jammy blackberry, blueberry, cocoa,
espresso, dark herbs, anise, and spicy oak, a bit blocky on the
palate and extremely monolithic at present, this is a huge massive
and chewy wine that needs years to really show it's stuff, very
full bodied, low acidity and massive mouth coating tannins, the
Petite Sirah which comprises 19% of the blend is really dominating
the character of this wine. This wine also got better and better
over the next few days, drinking it's best on day five!! I have
to say that this is really a great wine that will likely be a four
star plus wine when it is ready to drink. Can be found at retail
for between $40 and $50.
-
Average Value
1999 Novy, Page-Nord
Vineyard, Napa Valley, California, Syrah
Dark purple, high toned aromas of blackberry, plum, oriental spices,
licorice, tar, gunpowder and espresso, slightly gamey, very intense
forward flavors show ripe blackberry, blueberry, plum, coffee, cocoa
and vanilla, full bodied with slightly crisp acidity and moderate
strong tannins, nicely balanced, the fruit is very intense but it
does not come off as being over blown, compelling complexity on
top of the intensity, another winner for Novy. This did equally
well among all the Panel members. Great value at about $32. Continued
to improve for about three days before showing unwanted levels of
oxidation.
-
Good Value
1999 Paloma, Napa
Valley, California, Syrah
Dark slightly bricked purple, complex gamey barnyardy aromas of
blackberry, cocoa, espresso, chalky minerals, menthol, and roasted
herbs, flavors of gamey ripe blackberry, espresso, cocoa, anise
and herbs de Provence, forest floor, full body, slightly crisp acidity
and medium strong tannins, nicely balanced with a medium length
finish and also fairly complex, drank well for three days until
I drained the bottle. The most complex of this group of Syrahs,
showed it's complexity more over the next couple of days. Fairly
priced at around $35.
-
Average Value
1999
Hug, Alban Vineyard, Edna Valley, California, Grenache
Dark purple, nose is very nice with loads of intensity showing aromas
of blackberry, boysenberry, game, sulfury gunpowder and topsoil,
a little funky, palate has flavors of bright briary, boysenberry,
blackberry, gamey meat, cocoa and chalky minerals, medium to full
bodied with elevated tart acidity and moderately strong tannins.
This will likely be a love it or hate it wine for many folks. Very
forward with bright huge fruit. Average value at $40+.
Average Value
1999
Copain, Eaglepoint Ranch, Mendocino County, California, Syrah
Dark purplish red, nose shows blackberry, raspberry and candied
pomegranate fruit with a hint of lavender rich herbs and mild creamy
vanilla oak, palate shows a rich creamy character with flavors of
blackberry, dark mocha and licorice, medium full body, low to medium
acidity and moderate tannins, very nice wine.
Average Value
1999
Deerfield Ranch, Bushignani Vineyard
Dry Creek Valley, California, Zinfandel
Medium red, nose is nice but very ripe, showing swampy raisiny dried
fruit aromas along with plum, red zinberry fruit and earth, palate
has flavors of red zinberry, raisin and cocoa with some volatile
acidity that came across as hints of pickle. Perhaps a bit out of
balance, very much a late harvest style Zinfandel at 16.5% alcohol,
needs a hearty meal of something such as venison.
-
Average Value
1999
Deerfield Ranch, Russian River Valley, California, Merlot
Dark red, somewhat muted nose showing plum and cherry fruit along
with stewed tomato, mocha and some slight vegetal character, flavors
show, red cherry, cassis, plum, mocha, spice, lemon and a bit more
of that stewed vegetal character, slightly over ripe, medium body,
slightly crisp acidity and moderate tannins.
+
Average Value
1999
Deerfield Ranch, Roumiguiente Vineyard
Lake County, California, Sangiovese
Light red, nose shows creamy red cherry, honey baked ham, and prunes
with mocha and tealeaf, palate flavors show red cherry, cocoa, spice
and tealeaf. Medium light body, slightly crisp acidity and moderate
fine tannins. Not terribly complex but an it is an easy drinking,
people pleaser.
Average Value
Tasting
held at:
Wine Street, a local wine shop
in Carlsbad, California
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