Cracked last night w/ my tofu farci:
1. Domaine de la Brune AC: Beaumes de Venise (MeBalP; 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre; http://www.VigneronsDeCharactere.com; 15%) Famille Brunel 2007: Very dark color; strong dusty/garrigue floral/Grenache/strawberry some CdP/earthy slight gamey bit alcoholic nose; soft somewhat tannic/hard/gritty some earthy/garrigue/dusty attractive Grenache/strawberry/cherries flavor; med.long dusty/garrigue somewhat tannic/hard rather strawberries/Grenache/garrigue finish; needs a yr or two; a very good Jr CdP at a great price. $17.00
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2. RoccaFamilyVnyds Syrah Yountville/NapaVlly (14.5%) MaryRocca/EricGrigsby 2000: Very dark color w/ little bricking; very strong/intense blackberry/Syrah very perfumed/floral/violets high-toned very spicy complex beautiful nose; rich bit tannic very spicy/blackberry/Syrah/licorice/violets/floral/lilacs very light/toasty/oak flavor; very long very perfumed/floral/violets/lavender strong/spicy/blackberry/Syrah bit tannic finish; needs a few more yrs; a beautiful/floral/violets/spicy Syrah. $34.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Another '07 CdR that's outta the park. The quality of these wines is pretty amazing thus far. Too bad I'm not a big French Grenache fan.
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2. Rocca: Here's a Syrah producer that flys way under the radar. It is one of the few NapaVlly Syrah producers that I think measures up to the Lagier-Meredith Syrahs. Quite similar in style to them w/ maybe a bit more oak.
Tom