WTN:05 Foley, 00 VT CdP, 06 Cristom Chard, 05 Cristom Syrah

Time to catch up on some old notes.

2005 Robert Foley Charbono - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/24/2008)
I thought this was great. Plenty of complexity from the nose to the palate. Lush and rich, showing a nice oak along with leather and cedar. Thick dark fruits make it enjoyable from the get go. Not something I would want everyday but a nice change of pace at a decent price. (91 pts.)

2000 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/16/2008)
On the nose I notice ripe salted plums. I just noticed another taster had noted that. This is drinking well although slightly clunky. The ripeness level is a little high for me but there is still plenty of tannin going right across the palate. I hope the fruit does not go pruney. (89 pts.)

2006 Cristom Chardonnay Germaine Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (4/11/2008)
Really nothing on the aromatics. Nothing to stand up and take notice of. Not a Chardonnay that is working for me. I decide to decant and leave for a while. Very rich. Fruit covered with cream. Too buttery. The acid is there trying to get through but it is getting squashed. I have another bottle that I am going to leave for 18-24 months. See where it goes. My first thought is this is sub par for Oregon Chard. (85 pts.)

2005 Cristom Syrah Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (4/6/2008)
This is a weak note but I want to get me brief impression down before I taste my next bottle. The nose is odd. I cant peg it. It seems like an extremely cool climate syrah that didn't get quite ripe. There is a green element that I can't tell if it is from the oak or stems. I must say I enjoyed the wine and found it unique but I doubt it would be for everyone. I probably would have thought it was northern rhone from a very cool year. (87 pts.)

Jason

Charbono, not a grape variety we get too many notes on. Le Crau ...is that the higher end CdP from VT?

Jason, thanks for the notes. We had the 2006 Cristom Estate Viognier tonight, and it also took a while to show anything on the nose, though the wine as a whole was considerably better than the Chardonnay you report on.

Michael

P.S. I think "La Crau" is always shown on the label of VT CdP?

Charbono, not a grape variety we get too many notes on. Le Crau ...is that the higher end CdP from VT?

Bob, La Crau is a highly regarded vineyard, a galet-covered plateau, in CdP. VT is sourced from there, so the name appears on the label. AFAIK, VT produces but a single cuvée, eschewing the luxury cuvée paradigm that has swept the region.

Mark Lipton

Jason, thanks for the notes. We had the 2006 Cristom Estate Viognier tonight, and it also took a while to show anything on the nose, though the wine as a whole was considerably better than the Chardonnay you report on.

Yes, I enjoyed the Viognier more than the Chardonnay.

J

Bob, La Crau is a highly regarded vineyard, a galet-covered plateau, in CdP. VT is sourced from there, so the name appears on the label. AFAIK, VT produces but a single cuvée, eschewing the luxury cuvée paradigm that has swept the region.

Mark Lipton

That is how I have always understood it.

J