Villa Martina Tocai Friulano 2005 12.5% abv. $18.00
Yum. A brand new variety for me. I understand now how white wines can have "minerality" For $18, this is a lovely white wine with a light yellow color, auster, savory minerality. Not a lot of fruit, but that's ok.
****
Villa Martina Pinot Grigio 2005. More fruit here-nice lemon and tropical notes. Still, there is the solid mineral underpinning that really makes this wine sing. ***1/2
I picked up a bottle Tocai. Stunning little wine!
The next booth over, Sequoiah Grove was available. The 2003 Reserve Cabernet is showing very nice right now-even from newly opened bottles. Restraint in the oak-no caramel bombs or vanilla pudding here. Instead, nice rich black Rutherford fruit. Surprisingly savory and leathery for a young wine like this, their current release. One of my favorite Napa producers comes through again. At $55, it's not cheap, but I like it better than many "cult" wines at twice or three times the price. Definietly my favorite Cabernet I was able to sample that night. ****
The 2005 Carneros Chardonnay was also nice. Not too much oak, and the tropical fruits are showing very fine. Creamy, rich finish without being buttery. ***
The next day, I was bored and went for a drive. Visited a Jess Jackson property in Sonoma County, Matanzas Creek. I expected "supermarket plonk," but the merlots on show were actually quite austere. They have a new wine maker since 2005, and the 2004 estate Merlot was showing very Old World-not a fruit bomb, soft tannins, leatheriness. Yum. ***1/2
The Jackson Park 2001 Reserve Merlot, while $$$$, was even more Old World in character. In doing a little research, it turns out that the winemaker is the same gentleman responsible for one of my absolute favorite California estates, Verite in Alexander Valley. Very austere, lean, restrained style. Leather and lovely earthiness. (****)
I know Kendall-Jackson is an evil conglomerate
, but I find their smaller estates put out absolutely lovely wines. They also seem to have really good taste in architecture. Matanzas Creek is known for its Lavendar famr, and the arts-and crafts style architecture is lovely. Plus, Bennet Valley is one of the most beautiful areas in Sonoma County.
Finally, after doing some work around our condo complex, I pulled out a bottle of 2003 Trentadue La Storia Petit Sirah. Lot's of heat (15% abv), but a very lovely blueberry platte and quite a nice hit of savory tannins. I prefer this darker style (blueberry/blackberry) of Pet. Solid ***
