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Ohhhhh my aching stomach (WTN: Mendocino Wine Event in San Fran)

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Brian K Miller

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Ohhhhh my aching stomach (WTN: Mendocino Wine Event in San Fran)

by Brian K Miller » Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:50 pm

My generous sister bought us tickets to attend the Mendocino Comes to the Bay event (or some name like that) in which an array of Mendocino wineries invaded the Embarcadero Hyatt Regency lobby Saturday afternoon. We had a nice time, BUT BUT BUT....I ignored the two cardinal rules of big tastings...drink a ton of water and SPIT SPIT SPIT. The tastes are just little pours of wine, but they add up quick. I almost had to get off the BART train at one point. :cry: When will I learn?

Anyway...more wineries than one could ever try. A lot of ordinary stuff, as one would expect, and I didn't make written note. So these are a few of the many highlights (I enjoyed other wines, too, but these really stood out):

Eaglepoint: Located in the hotter Ukiah area inland, they specialized in Rhone varietals and a Zin blend. The Grenache was light and pleasnat, with strawberry and herbs 3*. The Syrah was even more interesting. Pitch purple, roasted meat, savory herbs, and black pepper. Outstandingly complex wine. The second good American Syrah this week! 4* The Coro Mendocino is an interesting new project in which a range of wineries are making a specified blend of grapes, then bottling them under one common label theme. This was about 60% Zin, some petit sirah, syrah, and Carriagne. It was very impressive...not as much of a sweet fruit bomb as The Prisoner. Many nice savory notes, but the zinberry reminds you what the base is! Very good 4*+

Mendocino Farms A biodynamic estate near hot Ukiah, they were pouring a very interesting cab out of the decanter. Already (2004) exhibiting plenty of rich secondary flavors, with leather, tobacco, cassis fruit. Only a touch of vanilla, and this was noticeable only once (I tried three samples)

Harmonique The tasting card is downstairs, but they were pouring two Pinots this afternoon. The first one, with a French name, was beautiful and one of the best wines of the day! Nice Pinot fruit, but not a fruit bomb. Sounding like a broken record, this had lovely mushroom and earth notes that gave the wine the savory touch I prefer. 4*+ Pricey at $55, but....maybe worth it.

Meyer family-the Scion of the Silver Oak family, given a good write up in the Chronicle a couple of weeks ago. Not to my palette at all. I'll simply say their Pinot tastes exactly like what one would expect from someone with deep roots in Silver Oak. Bleh 1* Maybe I'm just being prejudiced, and maybe the oak will integrate, but why should I have to wait?

Chiarito Vineyards was pouring a Negroamare! What a fascinatingly unique grape joice! And, you know, it was totally true to the grape, with rich black color and plenty of earthy leather and tobacco notes. Outstanding! 4* The Zin, while less memorable, was still a very nice solid Zin. Very balanaced, with good acidity and some savory notes to balance the berry fruit and spiciness. 3*

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