WTN: Three Matthiassons...(short/boring)

Tried these three over the last few weeks:
1. Matthiasson Chard MichaelMaraVnyd/SonomaCoast (134.3%) 2015: Med.yellow color; some stony/mineral light honeudew/melony/Chard/slight pineapple bit floral rather pleasant/simple nose; quite tart/lean some chalky/mineral light Chard/honeydew melon rather simple/clean flavor; long light honeydew melon/Chard bit chalky/mineral/perfumed talc quite tart/lean pleasant/simple finish; a pleasant/clean/simple Chard that just leaves me wanting more; rather on the lean/pinched/eviscerated side. $55.00
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2. Matthiasson Calif Rose Wine (11.5%; Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre/Counoise) 2017: Med.copper/salmon color; quite fragrant cranberry/watermelon/pomengranate some spicy/cinammon very attractive nose; quite tart/tangy/acid strong cranberryy/pomengranate very spicy/cinammon brisk/bracing/juicy flavor; very long very tart/tangy/bit metallic strong watermelon/cranberry/pomengranate rather spicy/cinammon finish; an altogether brisk/bracing/bright/juicy/spicy rose. $24.00
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3. Matthiasson Lagrein LonePineVnyd/ElDoradoCnty (11.8%) 2015: Very dark color; strong plummy/black cherry cola/bit boysenberry somewhat earthy/loamy bit rustic rather classic Lagrein nose; rather tart/lean/bit hard strong Lagrein/plummy/black cherry cola/bit boysenberry fairly earthy/loamy/rustic flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; very long rather tart/tangy/lean strong Lagrein/plummy/black cherry cola rather earthy/loamy/bit mushroomy w/ light brittle tannins; a pretty good expression of Sudtirol Lagrein w/ the ElDorado terroir giving the Sudtirol earthy/loamy character often found in those wines; but not as soft/lush as those Lagreins; on the lean/brittle side and would like a bit more soft/lush character; very interesting Lagrein. $40.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I was expecting the Rose to be on Steve's lean/spare side. It was not. It was packed w/ flavor. Some of the grapes for this come from the WindmillVnyd in the DunniganHills in SolanoCnty....not a place noted for quality grapes. Probably a large part of the character in this wine comes from the 60+ yr old Grenache, goblet pruned, on the GibsonRanch in the McDowellVlly. Seems like a bit of a waste to use such great grapes in a rose, though.
This is Steve's first stab at Legrein. Sourcing from ElDoradoCnty probably gives the earthy/loamy character that you find in Sudtirol Lagreins. Lagrein is a descendant of Teroldego and related to Syrah & PinotNoir in some unclear way.
Tom

Tom: Are you saying that there is no such thing as a great rose worthy of good grapes? It sounded like this was a delicious rose?

Tom: Are you saying that there is no such thing as a great rose worthy of good grapes? It sounded like this was a delicious rose?

Yeah, perhaps, Brian. I presume these were great Grenache grapes. I would think they would have a higher calling made as a red.
If you had a ton of Pinot off Romanee-Conti. You could undoubtedly make a rose from them. Probably a great rose. But I would think you could make an even greater wine as a red.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

I had the Michael Mara Chardonnay withThanksgiving dinner,and thought it was a much better wine than you did. Way better.

Tom, I'm not sure the Grenache at Gibson Ranch can make a "great" red, but I know it makes nice rosé, especially when farmed attentively, and the pleasure those particular grapes confer in a rosé may be as worthwhile and reliable as those vines may have to offer. Sometimes that's just what you want!