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3-28-2002
WHITES
2000 Jaffurs, Matilija
Rose, Santa Barbara County, California
Rose of Grenache and Viognier
Light pink in color, some crystalline sediment, a really excellent
nose showing light strawberry fruit, a strong floral rose petal
component along with exotic spices that include cardamom, the palate
is very lively with cherry, strawberry, green apple and vanilla
oak along with a toasty, grainy, nutty character, medium body and
crisp acidity with a long finish. Somewhat fleshy. Very nicely balanced.
A real joy to drink. I think the price here was under $12.
 +
Good Value
1999 Ojai Vineyards,
California, Vin Gris, Rose
of Syrah
Corked
2000
La Crema, Sonoma Coast, California, Chardonnay
Light yellow in color, nose shows fairly typical aromas of pear,
slightly sweet pineapple, citrus, vanilla, caramel, butter and spicy
oak, palate shows pear, pineapple, toasty vanilla oak and a slight
hint of minerals, Eric thought it had some Riesling like character.
Light medium body with moderate acidity. This wine use to be produced
in a more lean minerally style that reminded me more of white Burgundy
than CA Chardonnay. The last couple of vintages seem to me to be
more in the CA Chardonnay style though it still does not come off
as exceptionally ripe and the balance is decent. Just not as steely
as the ones from a few years ago. Still a good wine at a fair price
of just under $20 locally.
Average Value
REDS
2000 Rochioli, Estate,
Russian River Valley, California, Pinot Noir
Medium dark ruby, ripe raspberry fruit with vanilla, some forest
floor and a hint of mushroom, creamy, clean, palate followed with
rich black raspberry, spicy strawberry, cola, brown spice, anise,
forest floor and cocoa, good intensity, nice balance with compelling
complexity, full body with moderate to slightly crisp acidity and
medium full tannins, good length, nice thick mouth-feel, this wine
got better and better over a two to three day period after opening.
I liked it significantly more on the second day and believe this
wine will continue to improve with bottle age. Good value at $32.
+
Good Value
2000
La Crema, Sonoma Coast, California, Pinot Noir
Medium ruby, slightly closed nose showing cherry, raspberry,
brown spice, forest floor, cola and some stemminess, palate shows
cherry, raspberry, cocoa, spice and oak, medium full body, somewhat
tart acidity and medium strength tannins, good length, leaner than
the Rochioli and Melville but nice flavors and balance, correct
well made wine that is a very good value, as always.
Good Value
2000 Melville, Estate,
Santa Ynez Valley, California, Pinot Noir
Medium ruby, cloudy, nose shows red cherry, raspberry, cocoa,
forest floor, some floral character and the is a hint of some kind
of odd chemical aroma that is perhaps connected to a slight reduced
character, still very nice though, palate shows bright slightly
ripe flavors of cherry, raspberry, citrus, cola, spice, vanilla
oak, forest floor and cocoa. Fleshy, easy drinking, medium full
body with crisp acidity and moderate tannins, good length, sort
of simple but very tasty stuff. Great value at $16!
Good Value
1998
Emilio Moro, Unfiltered, Ribero Del Duero, Spain, Tempranillo
Medium dark red, aromas of sweet black cherry, cassis, plum,
coffee, chocolate and oak, palate follows with black cherry, cassis,
chocolate, black olive, peppery spice and oak, slightly high toned,
forward, very new world in style, reminded both of us of a CA cab
franc, full body with slightly crisp acidity and medium full tannins,
long finish, good balance, chewy. A very good value at about $20
local retail.
+
Good Value
1998 Condado de Haza,
Ribero Del Duero, Spain, Tempranillo
Dark red, aromas seemed a bit swampy, brackish, stinky at first
but that blew off after awhile to reveal red and black cherry, raspberry,
spice, chocolate, coffee and oak, palate shows black cherry, coffee,
cocoa, brown spice, tar, black pepper and oak, fairly good intensity
yet it seemed a bit closed down as well, full body, moderate acidity
and medium strong mouth coating tannins, dense and chewy, there
is kind of a strange pungency to it that when added on top of the
off putting aromas acted to lower the score on this wine. I suspect
that it will improve with age for at least a few more years. Still
an excellent value at about $18.
Good Value
1999 Kathryn Kennedy,
Small Lot Cab, Santa Cruz Mountains,
California, Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark red, this wine did not show real well upon opening but
by day two really opened up to reveal a compelling wine. In fact
of all the wines here, this is the one I drank until the bottle
was empty! On opening the aromas were a bit stemmy and funky/swampy,
with black cherry, cassis, pomegranate, rhubarb, citrus, caramel
and mild vanilla oak, the palate showed slightly sweet fresh black
cherries, cassis and mixed herbs, creamy and fresh lively sweet
fruit, full body, moderate acidity which kicks in more on the finish,
medium strong tannins, moderate length, nice balance. The off putting
aromas truly disappeared by day two and what was left was a creamy
rich wine that had nice fruit. Not a terribly complex wine but really
nice drinking none the less.
Value Unknown
2000 Domaine Clape,
Cotes du Rhone, France, Red Rhone Blend
Dark purple, aromas of gamey meat, blackberry, cocoa, herbs
de Provence, gunpowder and some charred oak, palate shows blackberry,
chocolate, anise, herbs, pepper, earthy minerals and oak, Eric felt
there were some stemmy qualities that I did not recognize, seemed
more a complexity of herbs to me, full body, moderate acidity and
medium strength tannins, good length, decent complexity. Seems to
be dominated by syrah and mourvedre, good intensity of flavors as
well, over all this is a very nice wine. I know $23 seems like a
lot for a CdR but this one has the goods and IMHO represents very
good value.
+
Good Value
1999 Chateau des Tours,
Vacqueyras, France, Red Rhone Blend
Medium dark brick
red, nose seems grenache dominated with aromas of strawberry, raspberry,
game, herbs, floral and smoke, palate flavors show cherry, strawberry,
herbs, anise, lavender, gamey meat, smoke and cocoa, very savory,
fleshy mouth-feel, medium body, slightly crisp acidity and moderate
tannins, very nicely balanced with good complexity. This wine is
drinking beautifully right now. Great value at $18.
+
Good Value
1998 Coudoulet de
Beaucastel, Cotes du Rhone, France, Red Rhone Blend
Brick red, aromas
are a bit funky and slightly reduced but show black cherry, spicy
strawberry, gamey meat, smoke, touch of leather, lavender rich herbs
de Provence, chocolate and oak, palate shows cherry, strawberry,
meat, lavender, anise, cocoa, seemed a little candied to me though
Eric felt it was lacking in fruit, it had a strong herbal component
and I suspect that is what accounted for the differences in our
perceptions, medium full body, moderate acid and tannin structure,
fair complexity, balance and length. Nice enough wine but it just
wasn't up to the par of some of these other Rhone blends today and
at $20+ makes it only an average value.
Average Value
1999
Domaine du Grapillon D'or, Gigondas, France, Red Rhone Blend
Medium dark red,
nice intensity of aromas with cherry, strawberry, anise rich herbs
de Provence, gamey and floral, palate shows cherry, strawberry,
cocoa, herbs de Provence and toasty oak, fleshy, medium full body
with moderate acidity and medium strong mouth coating tannins, good
complexity and very nice balance, always love these and they seem
a fair value at around $22.
+
Average Value
1999
Domaine du Pesquier, Gigondas, France, Red Rhone Blend
Brick red, good
intensity of aromas with sweet red cherry, strawberry, floral, white
pepper, herbs de Provence and a hint of oak, flavors are grenache
dominated with spicy strawberry, coffee, some oak and herbs de Provence,
medium to full body, slightly crisp acidity, moderate tannins, very
nicely balanced, a bit leaner and less fleshy than the Grapillon
above but still a very nice wine at a good price of around $18.
+
Good Value
I
guess it was flu week, as both Dave and George were dealing with
the flu in their families and could not make the tasting. So these
notes are Eric's and mine only. Just too many scheduling conflicts.
Tasting held at:
Vintage Wines, a local
wine shop in San Diego, California
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