We tasted last night (8/1/18) Some New Reds:
1. Santomas Refosk V.O. Slovenska Istra (13.5%; www.BlueDanubeWine.com) Glavina 2015: Very dark color; very
strong Refosco/black cherry/blackberry light earthy/loamy bit floral/violets quite aromatic lovely nose;
fairly tart/tangy classic Refosco/black cherry/black cherry cola/blackberry light earthy/loamy/bit rustic
flavor w/ modest bitey tannins; very long rather tart/tangy light earthy/loamy strong black cherry/black
cherry cola/Refosco finish w/ light sharp tannins; quite a good example of Slovenian Refosco if a bit on
the rustic side. $24.95 (BDW)
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2. Samt & Seide Muhr-Van der Niepoort Blaufrankisch Carnuntum (13.0%; www.BlueDanubeWine.com) 2015: Med.dark
color; rather earthy/loamy strong BF/pomengranate/plummy slight volatile quite attractive nose; rather
tart/tangy strong earthy/loamy/bit rustic quite pomengranate/plummy/BF flavor w/ light bitey/tangy tannins;
very long some pomengranate/plummy/BF rather earthy/loamy finish w/ light crunchy tannins; a bit on the
light side but a pretty classic BF. $27.95 (BDW)
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3. LimerickLane Zin RockyKnoll Estate/RRV/SonomaCnty (14.9%; www.LimerickLaneWines.com; 65 cs) Healdsburg
2016
: Med.dark color; strong very spicy/blackberry/Zin light toasty/oak slight volatile quite perfumed/
aromatic nose lightly tart very spicy/blackberry/Zin/bit peppery light toasty/oak bit alcoholic/leaner
flavor w/ light ripe tannins; very long quite spicy/blackberry/Zin/bit boysenberry/slight peppery light
toasty/oak finish w/ light ripe tannins; a bit more interesting of the two, quite spicy, a bit more edgey;
beautiful classic LL Zin. $56.00
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4. Bedrock Zin LimerickLaneVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (14.0%; Plntd: 1910; Tended: Jake & Cruz Bilbro) 2016: Dark color;
more toasty/oak strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin less spicy lovely aromatic nose; softer ripe/blackberry/
boysenberry/Zin bit toasty/oak round/balanced flavor w/ light bitey tannins; very long/lingering ripe/
blackberry/Zin/lightly spicy some toasty/oak finish w/ light brisk tannins; somewhat softer/rounder/lusher
but maybe more structured & ageable; lovely Zin. $39.00
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5. Bedrock Syrah KickRanch/SonomaCnty (14.6%; 5% Viog; Clones 570/383; 6 brls; Drk: 2015-2025: M T-P)
2010
: Very dark color;strong peppery/w-c/Rhonish strong blackberry/Syrah/fairly spicy quite complex nose;
soft rich/lush strong Rhonish/w-c/peppery strong blackberry/Syrah/spicy slight earthy bit complex flavor w/
ripe smooth tannins; very long/lingering strong w-c/roasted/Rhonish very strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah/
fairly spicy very light toasty/oak bit complex finish w/ light gentle tannins; a lovely rather Rhonish Syrah
that should go another 4-6 yrs; great price at $32.00.
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6. Bedrock Syrah KickRanch/SonomaCnty (14.6%; + Viognier; 15% whole cluster) 2011: Very dark color; very slight
w-c/peppery/slight Rhonish/roasted strong blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry/ripe/bit spicy rather lush quite
perfumed nose; bit tarter/leaner/tangy very strong ripe/blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry very light toasty/oak
slight earthy flavor w/ modest ripe/smooth tannins; very long/lingering strong ripe/blackberry/Syrah/
boysenberry/lightly spicy very light w-c/Rhonish finish w/ light smooth tannins; lots more ripe/Syrah fruit
and not quite as interesting as the '10. $33.00
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7. LimerickLane Elie-O RRV/SonomaCnty (85% Syrah/15% Viog; 14.6%) 2016: Verydark color; strong very spicy/
blackberry/Syrah light peppery light toasty/oak lovely quite aromatic nose;lightly tart very spicy/blackberry/
Syrah/slight licorice/pungent light toasty/oak rich/lush/ripe flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long/lingering
very strong/blackberry/Syrah lightly tart slight peppery/pungent very aromatic finish w/ light tannins; needs
several yrs yet; a very lush/ripe/very spicy quite attractive Syrah. $50.00
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8. LimerickLane HailMary Estate/RRV/SonomaCnty (98% Syrah/2% Grenache; 14.7%) 2016: Very dark color; more complex
slight w-c/peppery/pungent/Rhonish bit less spicy very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/ripe slight pungent/
earthy more complex flavor w/ light smooth/ripe tannins; very long/lingering bit spicy intense blackberry/
boysenberry/ripe light toasty/oak slight w-c/Rhonish/pungent finish w/ modest ripe tannins; not quite as spicy/
forward fruit but much more interesting Syrah. $52.00
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9. Once&Future Mataro OakleyRdVnyd/ContraCostaCnty (14.5%; 25% new Fr.oak; 250 cs; bttld July 2017) 2016: Med.dark
color; classic CC/earthy/mushroomy very fragrant/plummy/Mourv some dusty/OV light toasty/oak rather complex nose;
bit soft some ContraCosta/earthy/mushroomy classic plummy/Mourv/blackberry fairly structured light toasty/oak
complex flavor w/ light smooth/ripe tannins; very long strong Mourv/plummy/blackberry some dusty/OV rather CC/
mushroomy/earthy bit rustic fairlt structured complex finish w/ modest ripe tannins; a very attractive expression
of OV CC Mourv w/ more structure than most. $35.00
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10. Bedrock OakvilleFarmhouse Oakville/NapaVlly RW (14.5%; 2 acres plntd in 1930's; Negrette/Mondeuse/
Zin/PS/Carignan/RubyCabernet/MalvasiaBianca/CheninBlanc/Colombard + others; No Cabernet) 2014
: Very dark color;
strong spicy/peppery bit rosemary/thyme/Mondeuse light toasty/oak rather exotic/complex nose; lightly tart/tangy
some peppery/black pepper bit herbal/Mondeuse light toasty/oak quite structured very interesting/complex falvor
w/ modest tangy tannins; very long/lingering strong black pepper/Negrette some herbal/thyme/Mondeuse very
structured lightly tart light toasty/oak complex/exotic finish w/ modest tangy tannins; a very complex almost
exotic red that needs age; reminds some of Carlisle Twackers but w/ more structure; a beautiful exotic red.
$56.50
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11. Bedrock OakvilleFarmhouse Oakville/NapaVlly RW (14.5%; Oldest vines in Oakville) 2015: Very dark/black color;
more toasty/oak less black pepper/Negrette quite spicy slight herbal/Mondeuse/thyme some dusty/OV rather complex
nose; lightly tart some black pepper/Mondeuse fairly herbal/thyme/Mondeuse some toasty/oak slight blackberry/spicy
rather structured complex flavor w/ modest chewey tannins; very long/lingering light black pepper some herbal/
Mondeuse/thyme/pungent fairly dusty/OV structured complex finish w/ some chewey tannins; much like the '14 but a
bit more oak & less black pepper; beautiful complex red. $60.00
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12. Bedrock OakvilleFarmhouse/Oakville/NapaVlly RW (14.5%; Plntd: 1930's; Negrette/PS/Mondeuse/Zin/Carignane/
CheninBlanc; Drk: 2019-2030: MTP) 2016
: Very dark color; less toasty/oak very strong peppery/black pepper some
herbal/thyme bit earthy/dusty/OV more lush fruit/blackberry/spicy some complex nose; lightly tart strong black
pepper/Negrette light herbal/thyme/Mondeuse fairly dusty/OV quite structured light toasty/oak complex flavor
w/ modest chewey tannins; very long/lingering finish; more lush/ripe fruit but quite structured and needs age
badly. $60.50
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More spargloofs from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. LL Zin: I liked both of these quite a lot. The LL was more spicy and more wirey/lithe/bracing than the Bedrock.
The Bedrock not quite as interesting but will probably develop into a more interesting Zin w/ age.
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2. Bedrock KickRanch: I liked both of these Syrahs quite a bit but slightly preferred the '10 because of its greater
interest/complexity. I gather this is a warmer vnyd and it doesn't seem as interesting as the other cold-climate
Syrah vnyds that Morgan uses.
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3. OakvilleFarmhouse: I've not paid much attention to Morgan's OakvilleFarmouse because it's...pffftt..just a NapaVlly
wine. But I was quite taken by these three because of their black pepper & herbal character...almost exotic character.
All three were very much alike and I couldn't choose one over the other.
Tom