Tried over the weekend:
1. OjaiVnyd Chard BienNacidoVnyd/SantaMariaVlly (14.0%) 2007: Med.gold color; light toasty/oak/toasted coconut/ZagNut bar spicy/nutmeg/melony/celery/cold-climate/Chard pure fruit aromatic/perfumed nose; very tart/austere/lean/tight melony/Chard spicy/nutmeg slight stoney/minerally structured flavor; tart/lean light toasty/oak very structured/tight some melony/nutmeg/Chard slight minerally finish; needs 2-6 yrs; plenty of ripe/lush Chard fruit but lean & structured for the long haul. $28.00
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2. Failla Syrah PhoenixRanch/NapaVlly (14.5%) 2003: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; beautiful blackberry/Syrah toasty/charred/oak rather roasted/Rhonish/smokey/spicy complex nose; med.tart rather roasted/Rhonish/smokey/pungent strong blackberry/Syrah/blueberry spicy/toasty/oak some hard/tannic/dried-out flavor; very long roasted/Rhonish/charred/toasty/oak strong blackberry/Syrah finish w/ ample tannins; loads of Rhonish character but starting to dry out a bit; probably won't develop a lot. $42.00
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3. StCosme AC: CdR (14%; 100% Syrah; http://www.Vintage59.com) 2008: Very dark/near black color; some blackberry/Syrah/garrigue slight licorice/earthy light smokey/oak nose; tart rather hard/tannic/tight/austere bit earthy/garrigue some blackberry/Syrah light oak flavor; med.long hard/tannic earthy/garrigue slight blackberry/Syrah light oak finish w/ ample tannins; not a lot of Syrah character and quite hard & tannic. $17.00
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4. Tempus III DO: Utiel-Requena Superior Bobal (13%; 2 mo. in oak barrel) Villa Inigo 2005: Dark color; slight herbal/licorice/floral/berry earthy/mushroomy nose; soft bit hard/tannic/lean some grapey/earthy/floral rather bitey/austere flavor; med.short light cherry/floral/earthy/grapey hard/tannic/bitey finish w/ ample tannins; no idea where this wine will go. $16.00
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Ojai: This & the SolomonHills Chard were from the latest Spring Ojai release. The SolomonHills was much more ripe & lush & drinkable..much more in the style of previous Ojai Chards. This BienNacido was much more structured and rather different from his previous efforts.
Adam is known mostly for his Syrahs...and rightfully so. But he has been quietly making some of the best Chards and SauvBlancs for a fair number of yrs.
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2. Failla: I've not been particularly excited by Ehren's PhoenixRanch Syrahs when I first try them. I much prefer his Estate/extreme SonomaCoast Syrahs. There's not a lot of up-valley NapaVlly Syrahs that impress me. When I first tried this wine, I was pretty underwhelmed by it. So I was quite surprised how well it had evolved and the roasted/Rhonish character it had developed.
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3. StCosme: The '07 version of this wine was a stunner...probably the best of the '07 CdR I've yet had. This new '08 version simply did not seem to be in the same league. Very hard & tannic, it might be better in another 6 months or so.
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4. Bobal: I was interesting in trying this wine after I'd read on a wine board last week a post characterizing Bobal as one of Spain's great grape varieties. Based on this data point of one, I just don't see that claim.
Tom