We tasted tonight (9/13/17) some More New Wines:
1. WindGap TrousseauGris Fanucchi-WoodRd Vnyd (11.8%; Plntd: 1981; Frmtd: concrete eggs; 715 cs;
www.WindGapWines.com) Sebastapol 2016: Light gold color; rather fragrant apple/floral/bit green
GreyRiesling slight stony/chalky very light phenolic nose; quite tart/tangy green apple/appley/slight
floral bit earthy/stony/chalky somewhat neutral flavor w/ slight phenolic character; med.long slight
phenolic/resiny rather green apple/slight floral slight stony/chalky somewhat neutral finish; pleasant
enough but just that; reminds a bit of the old Sebastiani GreyRieslings. $26.00
___________________
2. Forlorn-Hope PinotGris KirschenmannVnyd/Lodi (Ramato/Frmtd on skins; 37 cs; 11.48%) Murphys 2015:
Med. brown/gold/burnished bronze color; strong orange rather phenolic/resiny some honeyed bit complex
nose; rather tart/tangy/metallic some orangey/honeyed strong phenolic/very resiny/slight cidery flavor
w/ light tannic bite; very long/lingering somewhat phenolic/resiny rather orangey/honeyed tart/tangy
finish w/ light tannic bite; quite an attractive & interesting ramato. $30.00
___________________
3. Harrington Corvina HeirloomRanch/MokelumeRiver/Lodi (13.0%) 2016: Light rose/garnet/copper color; classic
Lodi/earthy/mushroomy/loamy very fragrant cranberry/watermelon/strawberry bit spicy/cinammon quite a
lovely aromatic nose; lightly tart very perfumey strawberry/cranberry bit metallic/tangy light Lodi/
earthy/loamy light spicy/cinammon flavor w/ light tannins; very long/lingering spicy/cinammon/strawberry/
cranberry light slight earthy/loamy/Lodi/mushroomy bit tart/zippy finish w/ light tannins; a very unusual
rendition of Corvina but an exceedingly perfumed pretty expression of that grape. $25.00
___________________
4. Avanguardia Corvina SierraFoothills/NevadaCnty (13.2%; www.AvanguardiaWines.cpm) NevadaCity 2013: Med.light
color; much deeper slight earthy/loamy rather grapey/Bardolino-like clean very pleasant nose; lightly tart
rather earthy/loamy bright/grapey/spicy bit simple flavor w/ light gentle tannins; med.long earthy/loamy/dusty
quite grapey/Bardolino-like balanced quite pleasant finish w/ light tannins; a rather pleasant grapey red
much like a Bardolino but a bit on the simple side. $22.00 (CB)
___________________
5. Harrington Trousseau SilettoVnyd/SanBenitoCnty/Calif (BasketPressed; 13.0%) 2016: Med.dark color; strong
cracked black pepper/spicy some earthy/dusty rather rustic/mtn red bit Jura-like fragrant/strawberry very
attractive nose; lightly tart some cracked black pepper bit earthy/dusty very spicy/strawberry bit
rustic/mtn red flavor w/ light bitey tannins; very long/lingering spicy/strawberry light earthy/dusty bit
rustic finish w/ light angular tannins; resembles a lot a Jura Trousseau but w/ more fragrance and less
earthy/loamy character. $30.00
___________________
6. Sandlands Trousseau SonomaCoast/SonomaCnty (13.4%) St.Helena 2014: Light color; quite perfumed/grapey/
strawberry/very spicy light earthy/dusty bit Jura-like lovely aromatic nose; fairly tart bit tangy light
earthy/dusty very strong grapey/strawberry/cranberry very spicy bit rustic/Jura-like flavor w/ light
smooth tannins; very long/lingering very spicy/strawberry/cranberry/grapey light earthy/dusty fairly
tart finish w/ light gentle tannins; rather lighter in style but absolutely packed w/ flavor; a stunning
Trousseau. $38.00 (BWM)
___________________
7. Sipun Sansigot Croatia Dry RW (12.0%; L50517) Ivica Dobrinčić/Krk NV (2015): Very dark/near black color;
very strong blackberry/boysenberry/black cherry cola almost Zin-like rather spicy bit modern-style very
attractive nose; bit soft slight tangy/metallic very strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/Zin-like very
modern-style flavor w/ modest smooth tannins; med.long soft strong blackberry/boysenberry/black cherry
cola slightly rustic finish w/ some smooth/ripe tannins; a bit lacking in structure; very Zin-like and
made in a modern style; fairly priced at $24.95 (BDW)
___________________
8. Alexakis 60% Kotsifali/40% Syrah PGI: Crete (14%; DiamondWines; www.AlexakisWines.com) Heraklion/
Crete/Greece 2013: Dark color; bit coarse/rustic strong blackberry/Syrah bit earthy/loamy fairly strong
nose; soft bit alcoholic/fumey some blackberry/Syrah rather earthy/loamy/hot-climate somewhat coarse/rustic
flavor w/ light rough tannins; med.short somewhat soft lacking structure blackberry/Syrah coarse/rustic
some alcoholic/fumey finish w/ light coarse tannins; clearly a hot-climate red but mildly interesting.
$15.00 (DiV)
___________________
9. Harrington Zin ZeniRanch/MendoRidge (OldVine/MixedBlacks; 13.8%) 2015: Med.dark color; strong bright
very spicy raspberry/Zin/bit peppery quite dusty/OV slight earthy light pencilly/oak very aromatic
complex nose; fairly tart very spicy very bright/raspberry/strawberry/Zin quite dusty/OV/bit earthy
light pencilly/oak beautiful flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long bright/raspberry/strawberry/Zin/
very spicy dusty/OV light pencilly/oak finish w/ light smooth tannins; tastes like a Zin made by a Pinot
producer; reminds a lot of the old Fetzer Zins w/o the ton of Am.oak; a really lovely/pretty Zin at a
very good price. $30.00
___________________
10. Onward Zin KnoxVnyd/RedwoodVlly (12.7%; 3 brls; St.George rootstock; Plntd: early '60's; OnwardWines.com)
Faith Armstrong-Foster 2015: Med.light color; light fairly perfumed bit Mendo/tomatoey some spicy/
raspberry/Zin light earthy/dusty/OV slight pencilly nose; rather tart/tangy light bright/raspberry/Zin
lithe/wiry light pencilly/oak slight Mendo/tomatoey flavor w/ light tangy tannins; long some spicy bright/
raspberry/Zin light earthy/Mendo tomatoey some dusty/OV finish w/ light tannins; on the lighter side of
Zin but a pretty rendition of Zin. $34.00
___________________
11. WineSmith SaintLaurent RicciVnyd/Carneros/SonomaCnty (11.8%; www.WineSmithWines.com) Sebastopol 2013:
Very dark color; very strong earthy/loamy/dusty very slight pungent/acrid/burning steel wool classic
Burgenland StL quite interesting nose; soft rich/lush quite earthy/loamy/mushroomy bit black cherry cola/
Pinotish-like fairly spicy/peppery flavor w/ light smooth/ripe tannins; very long slight pungent strong
blackberry/Pinotish rather earthy/loamy/mushroomy finish w/ light smooth/polished tannins; very much
like a Burgenland St.L or Blaufrankisch but not as rustic; a very good StL but just seems a bit too
polished. $36.00 (CB)
___________________
12. JMC J.McClellandSlctn Charbono NapaVlly (13.9%; www.jmcclellandcellars.com) SteeleCanyonCllrs/Napa 2012[/b]:
Very dark color; very strong earthy bit peppery classic Charbono bit clunky/rustic quite dusty/OV light
charred/oak some complex/old-timey nose; soft fat/lush rather earthy/clunky bit alcoholic light peppery
quite dusty/OV slight charred/oak somewhat coarse/rustic/old-timey flavor w/ light coarse tannins;
very long light peppery/Charbono earthy/rustic rather dusty/OV light charred/oak finish w/ light rough
tannins; a rather classic/coarse/rustic Charbono that reminds some of the old Inglenook Charbonos w/o
their refined character. $36.00 (CB)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
More stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Sansigot: A indigenous variety of the Island of Krk. The name means "wild roses" that grown on the
hillsides of that island. Clearly a variety they should be planting all up & down the coast of Calif.
___________________
2. Kotsifali: A variety indigenous to the island of Crete. Tends to be high-yielding and produce ponderous
alcoholic wines, so is usually blended with something to give it some structure. Clearly a variety they
should planting all up & down the SanJoaquinVlly.
___________________
3. ZeniRanch: A 5-th generation ranch well the hell & gone in the MendocinoRidge AVA, south of the
AndersonVlly. It also grows pigs & chestnuts, in addition to great Zin. Ridge made a one-off Zeni Zin
in 1972 that was outstanding. In the early '70's, BarneyFetzer made Zeni Zin, though it was slathered
w/ a ton of new Am.oak. Probably the best Zeni Zins were made by JedSteele in the late '70's at Edmeades.
Of late, I've not seen many ZeniRanch Zins around. Though in a lighter than Zeni Zins of old, it great
to see Brian return Zeni Zin to greatness. This is Bryans first attempt at making Tribidrag, I believe.
Every bit as good as I expected it to be.
___________________
4. Onward: This is the label for Faith Armstrong-Foster. She also makes blended wines under her Farmstrong
label as well. I've tasted thru a fair number of her wines have have been very/very impressed. A winemaker
to keep your eyes upon. Her LedgewoodVnyd Syrah is easily the best Syrah from the SuisunVlly I've ever
tasted.
___________________
5. WineSmith: This is the wnry of ClarkSmith, the man who brought us ReverseOsmosis. Regarded by many (not me)
as the DevilIncarnate. He sold VinoVation some yrs ago and is now focusing on the lecture circuit and his
winemaking. His book "Postmodern Winemaking" is an excellent, if esoteric, read. I did a vist w/ Clark
at Vinovations some yrs ago and was impressed by what he was doing. I need to re-read his book.
The RicciVnyd in the Carneros has the only planting of StLaurent in Calif, I believe. The first to make
StL from these grapes was MattRorick/Forlorn-Hope, which I have liked quite a bit over the yrs he's been
making it. So I was excited to find Clark's StL and was eager to try it. I was impressed with this wine.
It spoke strongly of Burgenland StL made by one of the more modern producers, like RolandVelich/Moric
or HannesSchuster/RosiSchuster.
That said, Clark's StL seemed a bit too polished and perfect. It lacked the sorta rustic character
I usually find in Burgenland StL (and in Matt's StL). Sorta like comparing an iPhone8 next to General
MacArthur's walkie-talkie. I'd prefer to use MacArthur's walkie-talkie because it has a solid feel to it.
Given the 11.8% alcohol, I was expecting a rather lean/green StL. It was not...it was very smooth/ripe/
polished. Whether Clark used RO on it or not, I don't know. But manipulated or not, it's a very fine
example of StL.
____________________
6. McClelland: Never had any of their wines before. The McClelland family and long-time Napa grower PaulScotto.
Winemaker is Mitch Cosentino.
____________________
7. Corvina: This is the classic grape (along w/ Rondinella & Molinara) in the Trentino wines of Valpolicella
and Bardolino. It's been yrs & yrs since I've tasted any of those. I should revisit them sometime. There
is very little Corvina planted in Calif. I would say because Bolla pretty much trashed the reputation
for that grape.
I was shocked at the color of the Harrington when I first poured it. This is Valpolicella?? But I
was totally suckered in by the perfume the wine showed. An incredible frivolous little wine for drinking
right now...or ystrday. I understand Bryan has got RonSiletto to plant Corvina down in the Gilroy area.
Given Bryan's proclivities for the weird, I'm certain he has Recioto/Amarone lurking in the back of
his mind.
____________________
8. Avanguardia: This is the wnry of Rob & Marilyn Chrisman. They moved from LA some yrs ago to TulareCnty
and planted an experimental vnyd. They moved up to NevadaCnty in 1990 to found Avanguardia. They have
a lot of very interesting varieties, mostly Italian, in their vnyd and special in blends of these.
____________________
9. Trousseau: A grape variety found mostly in the Jura and the Iberian Peninsula, where it is known as
Bastardo. Mostly, it is used to make fortified wines/Port. As a dry table wine, mostly in the Jura.
Increasingly, there are dry TW's made from Trousseau in Calif.
____________________
10. Sandlands: The wnry of TeganPassalaqua, winemaker at Turley. This is my third Sandlands and they have
all been very impressive.
Tom