We tried tonight (11/12/14) some New White Wines:
1. Forlorn-Hope Riesling KickOnRanch/LosAlamos (12.02%; 57 cs) 2012: Med.light gold color; lovely Mosel valve oil/
gout de petrol very Germanic/slatey/steely slight SO2/pungent some floral/R/slight pineapple beautiful/fragrant/
complex nose; quite tart/tangy some Mosel valve oil/gout de petrol/slatey some floral/R/pineapple very Germanic
flavor; very long quite tart/tangy gout de petrol/Germanic/steely/slatey light floral/pineapple/R finish; a
lovely very Germanic rendition of Calif R. $30.00
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2. Radio-Coteau Riesling PlattVnyd/SonomaCoast (U; 12.6%; www.RadioCoteau.com) 2013: Light gold color; clean/
fragrant R/floral/pineapple/mango/apple blossom/spicy slight earthy/stony quite aromatic nose; quite tart/
tangy/chalky/earthy/metallic perfumed/floral/apple blossom/R flavor; med.long tart/tangy/earthy light R/floral/
pineapple/mango bit stony/mineral finish w/ maybe a touch of RS (0.8%?); a rather stony/austere R w/ very nice
aromatics. $30.00
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3. Solminer DryRiesling SBC (98 cs; 14%; www.Solminer.com) Lompoc 2013: Light gold color; quite fragrant/perfumed/
perfumed talc quite spicy/floral/R/pineapple/mango quite attractive nose; bit soft slightly off-dry ripe/R/
pineapple/apple/floral slight bitter/stony/mineral/perfumed talc flavor; med.long bit soft rather floral/R/
pineapple/mango/apple/spicy light mineral/perfumed talc slightly bitter finish; would like a bit more acid but
a quite attractive floral R. $30.00
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4. Trimbach Riesling Reserve AC: A (13.5%; 13%) Ribeauville 2011: Med.light gold color; strong gout de petrol/Mosel
valve oil rather perfumed/R/floral bit mineral/stony classic Alsace R nose; rather tart/tangy some gout de petrol/
metallic strong floral/pineapple/mango/ripe light stony/mineral flavor; very long/lingering some gout de petrol/
Mosel valve oil light stony/mineral quite tart/tangy/dry some ripe/pineapple/mango/floral/R finish; quite an
attractive Alsace R that should go out 10-20 yrs; an old-timey example of Alsace R. $35.00 (AV)
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5. Reustle/PrayerRockVnyds GrunerVeltliner Revelation & SorekBloc/UmpquaVlly/OR (13.6%; www.ReustleVineyards.com;
670 cs) Stephen&Gloria Reustle/Roseburg 2013: Light gold color; bit earthy/stony rather spicy/light peppery/GV
bit perfumed talc rather attractive nose that speaks of GV; slightly tart rather rich/lush fairly spicy/GV/light
peppery bit tangy flavor; ripe/lush floral/GV/light peppery slight grapefruity/tangy finish; a very pretty GV
a bit on the rich/lush side. $nc (SK)/$24.00
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6. Nikolaihof GrunerVeltliner Federspiel (11.5%; DemeterCertified; EB; www.Nikolaihof.At; LN723314) Wachau 2013:
Med.light gold color; very strong GV/peppery/floral/very spicy bit metallic rather perfumed nose; fairly tart/
tangy/lean rather spicy/GV/floral/bit peppery slight metallic fairly rich/ripe flavor; med.long bit tart/
tangy/grapefruity ripe/lush spicy/GV/light ppeppery finish; a solid 4-square GV but rather overpriced.
$31.00 (SFW&S)
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7. Tatomer GrunerVeltliner ParagonVnyd/EdnaVlly (215 cs; 12.5%) Lompoc 2013: Slight cloudy med.light gold color;
attractive floral/spicy/GV/slight peppery bit chalky/perfumed talc attractive/pleasant nose; bit soft/lush
floral/appley/GV/apple blossom/bit peppery slight metallic bit dilute/unfocused flavor; med.short soft bit
tangy/metallic pleasant/floral/GV/appley/bit peppery finish; a pleasant enough GV bit seems a bit dilute/
washed out on the palate. $25.00
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8. Tatomer GrunerVeltliner MeeresbodenVnyd/SBC (420 cs; 13.5%) 2013: Brilliant med.gold color; very perfumed/
aromatic strong appley/GV/floral/apple blossom/very spicy some white pepper lovely fragrant nose; fairly tart
strong floral/spicy/GV/apple blossom some white pepper clean/crisp/vibrant flavor; very long quite spicy/GV/floral/
apple blossom some white pepper/spicy fairly tart lovely finish; a lovely wine that speaks strongly of GV w/
a bright/vibrant delivery on the palate. $25.00
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9. Mandrarossa Fiano DOC: Sicilia (13.5%) Cantine Settesoli/Menfi 2012: Med.gold color; rather waxy/pear/Fiano some
herbal/earthy fairly attractive nose; soft/fat waxy/pear/Fiano earthy/herbal slight spicy bit coarse/heavy-bodied
flavor; med.short waxy/pear/apple/Fiano some coarse/herbal/earthy biit soft/fat/porky finish; quite attractive
nose but rather coarse on the palate; decent Fiano for the price. $12.00 (KK)
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10. Feudi di SanGregorio DOCG: Fiano di Avellino (13%; www.Feudi.It) Sorbo Serpico 2009: Med.dark gold color; fairly
spicy/metallic/stony/earthy/perfumed talc bit piney/herbal light waxy/floral some complex very attractive nose;
bit tart/tangy quite spicy/metallic/waxy/Fiano slight earthy/loamy bit herbal complex/attractive flavor; very long
waxy/Fiano/bit appley/floral some stony/earthy/loamy bit metallic/tart/tangy fairly complex finish; quite an
attractive Fiano that is showing some maturity; very fairly priced at $23.50 (SFW&S)
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11. Ryme Fiano LagoVnyd/SonomaCnty (12.2%; www.RymeCellars.com) Forestville 2013: Med.light gold color; very
attractive spicy/Fiano/waxy rather floral/apple/apple blossom bit stony/mineral rather quiet/low-key/reticent
nose; bit tart/metallic/stony/mineral some appley/waxy light earthy/stony rather quiet flavor; long sone stony/
mineral/earthy light waxy/Fiano/apple blossom/floral attractive finish; a rather quiet/understated expression
of Fiano w/ a lot of stony/mineral character for Calif; probably will benefit from age. $30.00
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12. Harrington Fiano FratelliVnyd/SantaClaraVlly (14.1%; 45 cs; Vnyd plowed under for housing) 2013: Med.light
gold color; very aromatic/perfumed spicy/appley/insecticide bit stony/earthy/chalky slight SO2/pungent quite
attractive perfumey nose; soft quite perfumey/spicy/appley/waxy/apple blossom light mineral/chalky/stony flavor;
very long light stony/mineral strong fragrant/waxy/Fiano/apple blossom quite lovely finish; quite an interesting
white w/ lots of aromatics and a nice stony touch. $25.00
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The usual stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Fiano: This is a variety of unknown parentage who has its origins in Campania. It was resurected from the
dead by AntonioMastroberardini. It is unrelated to Fiano di Puglia, a totally different variety. Oliver contends
that aged Fiano can be a real pleasure. Certainly this '09 Feudi would support Oliver's claim.
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2. Forlorn-Hope: It is always sort of an adventure to taste MattRorick's wines. To channel ForestGump: "Tasting
F-H is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get until you bite into it". I thought
this might be one of his skin-contact whites. It was not. About as conventional as you're going to get from Matt.
What really struck me was the minerality/gout de petrol that this wine showed. One of the most Germaniac Riesling
from Calif I've had in a long time. It'll be interesting to taste AdamTolmach's rendition of KickOn Riesling
alongside this F-H.
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3. GV: The flagship grape of Austria. This is a cross between Traminer(Savagnin) X some obscure/unknown grape. This
unknown grape was later identified as a single/old/weakened/abandoned vine at Sankt Georgen am Leithagebirge
outside Eisenstadt/Burgenland. In 2011, this poor vine was attacked and destroyed by vandals. Fortunately,
some of the plant material was rescused and the variety, now known as as St. Georgener-Rebe or "St. Georgen-vine",
is being propagated. Because of the Traminer perentage, GV is a grandchild of Pinot.
There is a modicum of interest in GV in Calif, particularly in the SantaBarbara area. The Reustle GV was the
first US-released GV, in 2005. I still find MikeOfficer's Carlisle GV to be the best one I've yet had from the
USofA. Also David/Solminer and GrahamTatomer are doing very solid jobs w/ GV. Their wines are worth checking out.
But Carlisle is still my fave.
Tom