Decided to Pobega these w/ Susan this weekend:
1. Carlisle Compagni-Portis SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty WW (13.8%; Planted in 1954; GWT/TrosseauGris/R; 90 cs) 2012: Med.gold color; quite fragrant/perfumed rather floral/carnations bit pineapple/R slight spicy/GWT bit dusty/mineral/stony rather complex lovely nose; rather tart dry/lush quite floral/carnations rather spicy/GWT slight pineapply/R/floral some stony/mineral/bit earthy fairly complex flavor; very long/lingering quite floral/carnations/spicy/GWT bit R/pineapple bit tangy/grapefruity/mineral/stony finish; speaks more of R on the nose but GWT on the palate; quite an interesting very aromatic white that reminds me some of Aaustria R, some of AltoAdige R. Very good value at $30.50
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2. Carlisle Zin DuPrattVnyd/MendocinoRidge (15.4%; Planted in 1920; 230 cs) 2012: Very dark color; very intense/very spicy blackberry/Zin/floral/black cherry cola/peppery very perfumed/aromatic rather dusty/OV/complex light toasty/oak beautiful nose; fairly tart very/very spicy intense blackberry/boysenberry/black cherry cola/Zin rather dusty/OV/bit earthy light toasty/oak flavor w/ some rich/round tannins; very long/lingering structured peppery/blackberry/Zin/black cherry cola very spicy light toasty/oak finish w/ ample round/plush tannins; a terrific Zin marked by a very spicy/peppery character; great structure & balance and needs 3-8 yrs of age; great to have DuPratt back in the ranks of great Zins; very fairly priced at $37.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. C-P: As we were drinking this and Susan was swooning (over the C-P, not me); there was just something that seemed off about this wine that I just couldn't put my finger on. Then it dawned on me...it's the friggin' btl. It's the wrong shape. In a Bdx btl, I was expecting a wine that was much more austere & lean and not nearly as perfumed/aromatic. If Mike had put it up in a R btl...all would have been right w/ the world. Anyway, a wonderful white wine.
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2. DuPratt: I have, of course, followed DuPratt Zins from the very start. JedSteele joined DerekEdmeades wnry up in the AndersonVlly about '75. Up till then, the Edmeades wines were a joke. Jed completly turned that operation around and made some truly monumental Zin from '76 until around '82, when he departed. Zins from DuPratt/Anzilotti/Zeni/Ciapusci vnyds that were as good as any Zins being made in Calif in those days. Monumental Zins, they were.
Jed then went for the $$'s and went to work for JessJackson. They eventually parted ways and Jed headed off to LakeCnty to start SteeleWines. They continued to make DuPrattZin at Edmeades under VanWilliamson's tour of duty, but they were not up to Jed's level. Jed continued to make DuPratt Zin under his label, but, again, they were just pretty Zins and didn't repeat what he did at Edmeades.
So this was the first Zin from my recent stash from Mike. I wanted to try it because of my history w/ that vnyd. I was not disappointed. This was everything that Jed's DuPratt's ever were and probably better...maybe the best DuPratt Zin I've ever had. Glad to see DuPratt back in the ranks of the greats.
Tom