| Mayo 2005 Russian River Valley Unfiltered Petite Syrah "Sodini Ranch" |
[May. 2nd, 2008|09:13 pm] |
This one is bizarre and beautiful. Dark and intense atop chunky sediment. The promised blackberry-cobbler notes come through on the nose, but the real magic is on the palate. It is, I swear to god, like drinking a cocktail made of three parts Petite Syrah and one part eau de toilette of pure aldehydic Gilded Age violets. This is not hyperbole. I've been stunned by this time-travelling ladies' perfume thing on three consecutive visits to Mayo and finally bought two bottles to ensure my Sonoma-soaked mind and palate weren't playing tricks on me at the tasting room. They weren't.
The exhale after a sip is soprano, soaring, powdery-solid like a scented talc, and vanishes after about five seconds back into the wine. The aldehydes are so intense that it's tough to tell whether one likes this as a conventional wine. I actually think it's more of a fantasy, a window into strange places. 3.9 for pure mystery and fascination. |
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| Chateau d'Arche Sauternes 2003 |
[Apr. 26th, 2008|10:08 pm] |
Light sweet hay aroma. Vivid golden color. Flavors are concentrated and tightly focused with a nice spine of acidity: honey mead, stone, muscatel, creamy peach. 14% alcohol is very much present; finish is liqueur-like. Would meld well with an unsweet French buttery pastry, perhaps something with nuts, cream, apricots. Very much enjoyed it with a montblanc pastry. |
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| St. Francis Sonoma County 2003 Merlot |
[Dec. 14th, 2007|08:07 pm] |
Lovely nose of violets and sliced fresh piquillo peppers. Yes, it was that exact. Big tannins and acidity. Tart blackberry feel and flavor in the mouth; stops well short of lushness. Modern; a bit overdone, but interesting and engaging. It's like the anti-Merlot. |
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| St. Francis 2005 Sonoma County Old Vines Zinfandel |
[Nov. 30th, 2007|07:47 pm] |
A little loose in the glass, bright young color. Rich, sharp cherry aroma, with sweet florals and a musky dark chocolate note as it opens up. Lots of acidity up front and in your face. Young; juicy mouthfeel. Cherries again at the peak, some heat, nice lingering tannins. Cool black-fruit finish. Needs soft, rich cheese or meat with a good amount of fat. Not a sitting-and-sipping wine. Probably needs another year in bottle. |
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| Podere Boccaccio 2003 Sangiovese |
[Jan. 27th, 2006|10:27 pm] |
Loose appearance in the glass, not intensely saturated. It's the brickish color of so many Sangioveses. Good scents of tannins and plum skins accompanied by some strange dusky ethers. Nice acidity. Short finish; lean fruits, tinny and thin-bodied in the mouth. 1.7. |
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| Taylor Fladgate Tawny 10-year port |
[Jan. 17th, 2006|08:45 pm] |
Translucent red-gold in the glass, bright cherries and honey on the nose. Acidity starts off slightly harsh, but quickly becomes pleasant. Plenty of tannic structure to back up the mouth-filling flavors of fruit compote and grilled pineapple. Walnuts and dark caramels only unfold deep into the half-minute finish. A little simple compared to what one wants in a tawny. Notable also for bizarre fresh-cut nutty raw pumpkin note on the inside of the glass after swirling. Should probably check that out next time. 2.6. |
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| Jonesy Old Tawny Port: Nice try |
[Dec. 16th, 2005|10:26 am] |
It's just so... raisiny. And not like a sherry, where you would expect it. It does have a beautiful baked sour cherry thing going on, but the raisins just really get me. I don't like raisins. Especially the golden ones, the sultanas, which is what Jonesy smells like. It smells exactly like a trifle made with cherries, sultanas, pound cake, candied walnuts, and sherry. Like a dessert made by a fat, careless, and essentially unthinking maiden aunt: old, dull, heavy-handed, gluttonous.
Sweet, extremely dark, insufficient acidity. Not lively. No thanks. 1.4. |
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| D. Loxarel brut rosato cava "999" |
[Dec. 16th, 2005|10:18 am] |
I don't know what they're trying to say with the numbers there.
Tasty, very dry, strawberryish. Very nice. Lovely rose color, quite extracted for a rosato. Would like more fruit, but eh. Great acidity and tons of bubbles. 2.5. |
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| Warre Otima 10-year Tawny Port |
[Dec. 16th, 2005|09:55 am] |
Niiice. A rococo masterpiece: opulent honeys, a mouthful of fragrant fruits in compote, a little toffee, very faint sweet almond and a whisper of oak. A nice little zing of acidity to back it all up. Not sticky or cloying, but right on that perfect edge of dessert-sweetness. Comforting. Graceful. Ripe and lovely. 3.2. |
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| Rumball Sparkling Shiraz Special Cuvee NV |
[Dec. 14th, 2005|09:04 pm] |
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Cherry, vanilla, and smooth oak aroma, lively froth on the palate, feels frizzante rather than full-on spumante, sweet enough to be a demi-sec, off-dry. Very dark opaque red in the glass. Rich flavors of black cherry, mint. Nice aromas fall flat in the mouth. Not quite acidic enough, out of balance. |
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