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WTN: Forlorn-Hope/Idlewild Reds...(long/boring)

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TomHill

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WTN: Forlorn-Hope/Idlewild Reds...(long/boring)

by TomHill » Thu Nov 01, 2018 11:24 am

We tasted last night (10/17/18) Mostly Forlorn-Hope Reds:
1. Forlorn-Hope Grenache RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (13.58%; 27 cs) 2014: Very pale garnet almost rose
color; some fragrant Gern/strawberry light earthy slight pencilly quite pretty nose; quite tart/tangy
bit earthy light strawberry/Gren rather lean/tight flavor w/ light rather brisk tannins; med.short
rather tannic/hard light Gren/strawberry bit earthy finish w/ light crunchy tannins; more a rose
than a red and quite lean/eviscerated expression of Grenache. $35.00
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2. Forlorn-Hope Grenache RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (14.67%; 87 cs; 10 mo. in neutral 500 litre puncheon)
2015
: Very light garnet color; stronger more spicy perfumed/Gren/strawberry slight earthy/mushroomy/
ElDorado-like fairly pretty nose; less tart rather lean strawberry/Gren some earthy/mushroomy flavor
w/ light bit astringent tannins; med.long bright/Gren/strawberry/lightish slight earthy/mushroomy finish
w/ light bitey tannins; a bit more Grenache fruit but still speaks quietly of Grenache & a bit on the
lean/eviscerated side. $35.00
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3. Forlorn-Hope Grenache RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (127 cs; 13.46%) 2016: Med.light garnet color; quite
fragrant Gren/strawberry/spicy light earthy quite pleasant nose; quite tart/tangy/bit metallic pretty/
Gren/strawberry/some spicy bit earthy flavor w/ light bit hard/brisk tannins; long bright/strawberry/Gren
bit earthy finish w/ light hard tannins; seems to be made in a glou-glou style but still pretty lean/tight
on the palate. $35.00
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4. Forlorn-Hope C/Ghost Mondeuse RHVnyd/CalaverasCnty (100% stem inclusion; 52 cs; 12.40%) 2016: Med.color;
some herbal/Mondeuse/rosemary/thyme/pungent bit earthy/dusty kinda quiet nose; quite tart rather spicy/
herbal/Mondeuse/thyme/pungent fairly earthy/dusty flavor w/ some hard/chewy tannins; long quite tart/tangy/
tannic some herbal/Mondeuse/thyme/rosemary/pungent some earthy/dusty finish w/ some hard/chunky tannins;
definitely Mondeuse but in a rather quiet voice and rather hard on the palate. $32.00
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5. Forlorn-Hope L'Asino Santo Barbera RorickVnyd/CalverasCnty (Sans Soufre; 250 cs; 14.30%) 2015: Very dark
color; bit funky slight mousey rather spicy/Barbera/Italian sausage slight volatile interesting if a bit
atypical nose; quite tart/tangy/acid slight funky/mousey stronger Barbera/Italian dried herbs/slight cherry
bit dusty/earthy flavor w/ ample tangy tannins; very long slight funky strong Barbera/Italian sausage/dried
Italian herbs slight floral/cherry bit dusty quite tart/acid finish w/ some sharp tannins; stronger Barbera
varietal character but a bit of funk. $32.00
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6. Forlorn-Hope SanHercurmer Delle Frecce Barbera RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (149 cs; 14.30%) 2015: Very dark but
bit lighter color; bit shyer strong classic Barbera/dried Italian herbs/spicy some earthy/dusty very attractive
Barbera nose; quite tart/tangy/angular more subtle classic Barbera/dried herbs/spicy bit earthy/dusty flavor
w/ lighter hard tannins; very long/lingering bit shyer very tart/tangy classic Barbera/spicy/dried Italian
herbs/Italian sausage light earthy/dusty finish w/ lighter tangy tannins; a bit shyer than the sans soufre
but a lovely classic Barbera. $30.00
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7. Forlorn-Hope L'Asino Santo Barbera RorickVnyd/CalverasCnty (Sans Soufre; 25 cs; 13.48%; Drk: within
the yr: MR) 2016
: Bit lighter color than the '15's; fairly clean more earthy/mushroomy some Barbera/spicy/
dried herbs more bright/perfumed nose; very tart/acid slight funky brighter/Barbera/spicy/dried Italian herbs
bit earthy flavor w/ some tangy tannins; very long bright/Barbera/dried herbs/Italian sausage bit earthy/dusty
finish w/ some sharp tannins; little signs of the funk ib the '15; much more bright/high-toned & perfumed than
the SO2 version; a bright/bracing/tart Calif Barbera. $38.50
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8. Forlorn-Hope SanHercurmer Delle Frecce Barbera RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (13.36%; 52 cs; 75 cs; Drk:
now-2028:MR) 2016
: Slightly darker color; stronger more fragrant more bass notes classic Barbera/spicy/dried
Italian herbs light earthy/dusty more classiv Piemonte Barbera nose; bit softer but fairly tart/tangy
stronger classic/Barbera/very spicy/dried herbs/Italian sausage light earthy flavor w/ modest bit softer/
rounder tannins; very long rather tart/tangy classic/Barbera/very spicy/dried Italian herbs some earthy/dusty
finish w/ bit softer tannins; quite a nice Calif Barbera more like a Barbera d'Asti than anything. $36.50
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9. Idlewild Barbera FoxHillVnyd/MendoCnty (14.6%) 2014: Very dark color; beautiful fragrant Barbera/spicy/
dried Italian herbs/Italian sausage/very spicy nose; some tart fairly rich/lush classic Barbera/spicy/dried
herbs slight floral flavor w/ modest tangy/brisk tannins; very long/lingering lightly tart/tangy fairly rich/
lush/ripe very strong classic/Barbera/dried Italian spices /Italian sausage/bit fennel seed/spicy lightly floral
bit complex finish w/ modest tangy tannins; speaks very strongly of Barbera but not as hard/angular on the
palate as many Piemonte Barberas can be; more like CollineNovarese Barbera than Piedmonte; has the balance &
structure to go out 4-8 yrs; an absolutely delicious rendition of Calif Barbera. $32.00
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10. Idlewild Barbera FoxHillVnyd/MendoCnty (14.5%) 2015: Very dark color; more lush/ripe fruit classic Baarbera/
very spicy/dried Italian herbs/fennel seed/Italian sausage slight chocolaty more earthy/ripe lovely nose;
bit more tart/tangy somewhat rich classic Barbera/spicy/Italian dried herbs/fennel seed light smokey/oak
flavor w/ modest harder tannins; very long/lingering bit ripe/lush very strong Barbera/very spicy/dried
Italian herbs light smokey/oak fairly rich/lush/ripe bit complex finish w/ modest bit tangy tannins; a lovely
Calif Barbera that can go for a few more yrs. $32.00
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11. Forlorn-Hope Mataro RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (13.78%; 134 cs; 100% stem inclusion; U/U) 2014: Dark color;
rather earthy/dusty classic plummy/Mourv/lightly spicy slight licorice some herbal/thyme some complex nose;
bit soft strong Mourv/plummy/lightly spicy/licorice some earthy flavor w/ modest bit hard tannins; very
long fairly classic Mourv/plummy/licorice/bit spicy light earthy finish w/ some hard tannins; speaks
strongly of Mourv but a bit hard on the palate; perhaps more age will help some. $28.00
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12. Forlorn-Hope Mataro RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (13.19; 52 cs; 50 cs) 2016: Dark somewhat cloudy color; strong
more classic Mourv/plummy/licorice more ripe/bit chocolaty light toasty/oak slight herbal/leafy some complex
nose; bit soft slight cardboardy (not TCA) some Mourv/plummy/earthy bit lean/spare slight licorice/pungent
flavor w/ light tangy/rough tannins; very long fairly classic Mourv/plummy/licorice/earthy light toasty/oak
finish w/ light coarse tannins; pleasant enough Mourv aromatics but somewhat lean/hard on the palate. $40.75
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More snitfarkle from TheBloodyPuplit:
1. Grenache: Don't quite understand what Matt is trying to do with his Grenache. Quite pretty Grenache aromatics,
quite light compared to other Calif Grenaches, but pretty hard & mean on the palate. Don't think age will be
of any help.
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2. Mataro: Both of these had attractive Mourv aromatics, but seemed a bit spare/hard/lean on the palate. Didn't
find either of these very appealing.
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3. Idlewild: I've always liked what Sam does with his Barbera. Speaks strongly of classic Barbera but more rich/
lush and not as hard/angular as many Piemonte Barberas can be. Actually resembles more some of the Barberas
from the Colline Novarese than anything.
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4. Barbera: Matt typically makes two Barberas, one w/ no sulfite additions and the other w/ his standard/low SO2
additions. It's always interesting to compare the two. I typically find the sans soufre to have more of a
bright/high-toned almost brittle character than the one w/ SO2 added. But the SO2 dosed seems to have more
depth & richness and more of a classic Barbera character. I noticed w/ the '16, he recommends drinking the
wine within the yr, indicating that he feels it may be a more fragile wine, especially given less than ideal
storage.
I typical prefer the one w/ the SO2 additions as it doesn't seem as brittle as the no-SO2, especially if there's some funky things creeping into the non-SO2 version.
Tom

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