Browse Month

September 2007

Matthew, Mark, Luke…

[steve & grapes]Edmunds St. John 1995 Syrah Durell (Sonoma Valley) – Very primary and mostly monolithic, despite some hints of darkly brooding earth and slowly-developing roasted fruit. There’s still a load of tannin as well, and while the quality of this wine is obvious, it’s nowhere near being ready to drink, much less anything even vaguely approximating maturity. Do it (and yourself) a favor and put it back to bed before it hurts somebody. (8/07)

Flaviens Flav

[logo]Kreydenweiss 2001 Vin de Pays des Coteaux Flaviens “Ansata” (Rhône) – Here I pay the price for a lack of confidence, figuring that an Alsatian winemaker won’t necessarily know how to make an ageable Rhône without a lot of practice. Oh, me of little hope. While this is definitely showing some signs of positive development, there’s no hurry to open it. The fruit has smoothed to a Southern Rhônish sheen of herbed strawberry, underbrush, slick leather and hints of bubblegum, but there’s a moderate amount of structure still to resolve (and the acid-averse will probably find more than they’d like here; I think it’s a terrific element that’s too often missing in these wines), and the finish is long and only hints and teases at full tertiary complexity. A fine effort, and a lot of fun at blind tastings (“it’s a red from Marc Kreydenweiss, and it’s not pinot noir…”). (8/07)

Sur le pont

Terres d’Avignon (Kermit Lynch) 2005 Côtes-du-Rhône (Rhône) – Bigger, but not denser, than the 2004, with more structure (no surprise) and a darker, dirtier turn to the fruit. It’s kinda rough going right now, but I suspect a few years’ aging will sort things out in a positive direction. (8/07)

Grist for the mill

[label]Bradford Mountain 2002 Syrah Grist (Dry Creek Valley) – 15.5%. Unmistakably syrah, and just as unmistakably Californian, with thick blueberry dominating a breath of leather and velvety tannin. If there’s oak here (and there probably is), the fruit’s soaked it all up, but the alcohol does remain a bit prickly. A lush, full-bodied but structured wine with aging potential…though watch that heat. (8/07)

There once was a wine from Nantucket

[bottle]Limerick Lane 2002 Zinfandel Collins (Russian River Valley) – 14.6%. On the bigger, hotter side of zin, but by no means unduly hot in context. Wild boysenberry and raspberry dominate, with soda notes in the mix, and a peppery, zingy finish that shows strapping acidity. A good wine, but it needs strong-willed food to tame its more aggressive notions. (7/07)

Karly sign, mon

Karly 2003 Zinfandel “Buck’s Ten Point” (Amador Country) – 14.5%. Tight, dried-berry Amador wildness; call it blackened zin without the Cajun spicing. Fruit tends towards blackberry and other less common, tiny and slightly bitter berries, with a slight whiskey burn that somehow doesn’t offend. It lacks ambition, but it’s tasty enough. (8/07)

Nalle for one

Nalle 2003 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley) – 13.8%. Elegant and supple (two words rarely used to describe a zin), with gently rolling berries and a grapey interior, plus some soft, earthy layers underneath. Very pretty. (8/07)

This Oro that

Montevina “Terra d’Oro” Zinfandel “Port” (Amador County) – The usual late-harvest zin problem with overwhelming volatile acidity has been mostly tamed here, though there is a remnant. Perhaps the zin wasn’t all that late-harvest to begin with; certainly it has softer, lusher, more red-berried aromas than one would expect from Amador. Somewhat lugubrious, but pleasant enough. (8/07)

Delos, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?

[bottle]Pierre Moncuit Champagne à Le Mesnil sur Oger “Grand Cru” Brut Blanc de Blancs “Cuvée Pierre Moncuit-Delos” (Champagne) – Brilliant bubbly with fine poise, creamy texture, and complexity to spare. Brioche and hazelnut are in the mix, as well as preserved lemon, old wood shavings, and a delicate aroma of faded yellow flowers. Just beautiful. (8/07)