Donkey&Goat Fall Release (8/21/09)
JerodBrandt was showing his Fall release at Brian's Wines On Piedmont shop (a very interesting/
well-selected wine shop on upper PiedmontAve in Oakland), so I hustled down from Napa to try them
before heading up Piedmont to Adesso for some salamis, having already ordered a case & half. I tried:
1. D&G FenaughtyVnyd/ElDorado Syrah 2007: Very dark color; strong blackberry/Syrah pungent/roasted/
smokey/Rhonish lovely nose; tart pungent/smokey some roasted/Rhonish very strong blackberry/Syrah
bit tannic flavor; very long pungent/smokey/Rhonish strong blackberry/Syrah tart structured slight
earthy finish w/ fair tannins; needs 2-6 yrs; maybe their best Fenaughty Syrah yet. $35.00
_________________
2. D&G Recluse Syrah BrokenLegVnyd/AndersonVlly 2007: Dark color; slightly reduced/pungent nose that
blew off; strong very spicy/floral/violets very blackberry/Syrah slight peppery/pungent complex nose;
tart/structured some tannic strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah light pungent/peppery some floral/violets
more restrained/elegant flavor; very long structured/tannic light floral/violets strong blueberry/
Syrah light peppery finish; needs 2-5 yrs; more elegant & balanced of these Syrahs. $35.00
_________________
3. D&G Syrah PerliVnyd/PotatoPatchBlock/MendocinoRidge 2007: Dark color; strong blueberry/Syrah/blackberry
bit pungent/licorice very spicy/perfumed nose; tart rich/spicy/licorice/pungent strong blueberry/Syrah
some tannic flavor; very long strong blueberry/Syrah light pungent/licorice/smokey bit Rhonish finish
w/ fair tannins; needs 2-6 yrs; a bit more restrained on the fruit; loads of spicy character. $35.00
_________________
4. D&G Mendocino Syrah (McDowell+Perli vnyds) 2007: Fairly dark color; very attractive blackberry/Syrah
slight toasty/oak/pungent 4-square Syrah nose; soft/lush fairly strong blackberry/Syrah light toasty/
pungent flavor; med.long strong blackberry/Syrah light toasty finish w/ light tannins; a good/solid
very attractive 4-square Syrah at a great price. $20.00
_____________________________________________________________
A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Last Spring, I had a btl of the D&G Tamarindo Roussanne '07 that seemed very overripe/cloudy/over-the-
top...not their usual standards. When I sent Tracey & Jerod my TN's, they immediately pulled a btl and
tried it and found it not at all like I described. They felt that I'd happened upon a bad btl. Brian
had given Jerod a head's up that I might be in to try his wines. So what'd he do....he brought a btl
of Tamarindo along to replace my previous btl. Customer service way above & beyond.
__________________
2. They make a number of Syrahs from areas that are relatively unknown (Syrah-wise) or don't get no
respect. Their McDowell Syrah (UkiahVlly/McDowellVlly) is probably the best rendition of Syrah from
those grapes around. There's not much Syrah from up in the AndersonVlly/MendocinoRidge, but their's is
one of the best expressions of those grapes around. And there are some spectacular Syrahs coming out
of ElDoradoCnty, but it just doesn't get the respect it deserves. ElDorado reds have a certain earthy/
mushroomy character to them that, when they get the fruit right, makes a wine rather Rhonish in style.
D&G Fenaughty, SteveEdmund's Wylie-Fenaughty are two such outstanding Syrahs. Some of the SierraVista
Syrahs, over the yrs, have been excellent. And, of course, the Cedarville's are always solid/well-
priced Syrahs.
__________________
3. Last yr's D&G Recluse Syrah was, to my judgement, their best wine of all. It had plenty of cold-climate/
peppery character. Of these '07's I tried, the Fenaughty was my favorite this time. But all very well-made
Syrahs. Jerod was not showing the Reserve/Perli Syrah '06 ($68) nor the White Rhone Roussanne/Marsanne
blend '08 ($27). The Appellation Series Mendocino Syrah is a new wine for D&G, barrels that did not make
the single vnyd cut. And...they've changed the label. It is now a more restrained/serious label. I liked
the old frivolous one w/ the big Donkey & Goat in the upper corner better and as being more distinctive.
__________________
4. I have, of course, followed D&G from the very start, when they showed their wines at RhoneRangers. Those
first ones were a bit on the rustic side, but I was quite taken by Tracey & Jerod's passion for what
they do. As with many winemakers....if the passion's there...it will eventually show up in the wines
in the btl. These '07 Syrahs are another solid lineup from D&G. They will evolve as they age in the
btl. But I haven't a clue which one is going to be the best down the road. But I'll be taking data.