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WTN: Weekenders

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WTN: Weekenders

by Jenise » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:51 pm

Three great wines from last weekend:

2005 Cedarberg Chenin Blanc, South Africa
I was surprised at how much terroir prevailed over grape in that it tasted more like South African sauvignon blanc than it did Loire chenin. It had none of the yellow color or lemony beeswax, lanolin and nectarine notes of the latter. Instead: pale, almost water color, nose of lime peel and chalk with apple and white grapefruit on the palate. Bob said it reminded him of a margarita-from-scratch without the tequila or the ice, a good comparison. Good acidity keeps it firm and makes it a total thirst quencher. I'm buying more for summer.

2003 Passing Cloud Shiraz, Bendigo, Australia My friend John Gorman at Southern Starz Imports sent me home with this gift bottle, insisting that it would appeal to my traditionalized, not-so-enamored-with-syrah palate. He was right! Concentrated rich cassis and boysenberry fruit with minerals, fennel and black pepper. Something at the background hints of earth etc to come with a little age, and there's both good structure and lively acidity. The wine sports a ripe sweetness without being overdone in any way, and I couldn't have been more impressed. We drank the wine with steak tacos wherein skirt steak was marinated in olive oil and copious amounts of aleppo pepper, sugar and garlic salt, barbecued, and served with a cabbage and cilantro salad wrapped in iron skillet-crisped corn tortillas. The peppery sweetness in both created one of those all too rare, totally sensational wine and food matches that temporrily blocks out all other inputs--while you're enjoying them together, you can't imagine any other food with the wine or any other wine with that food. I'm going to order more of this for summer, too.

2003 August West Rosella's Vineyard pinot noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
When I first tasted this wine a year ago October, I swooned. It had one of the best pinot noses I've smelled anywhere, and I commented in a TN that it was so perfect at being THAT grape in THAT place, that someone should put it on a poster. With a memory like that, I was nervous that this wine would disappoint a year and a half later. It usually does work out that way when one is THAT impressed, but for once I worried in vain. This wine is as beautiful now as it was then, and indeed nary a hair has changed. Nor did it change, except to intensify, in the glass over the three-four hours it took us to finish it. Cherry/raspberry fruit with green tea, woody spices, and tomato leaf. Soft on the palate with velvety acidity and a nose so huge you expect the neighbors to show up panting. One of my favorite California pinots of all time, and apparently this wine has all the time in the world. But alas, my last bottle: if anyone knows where I can get more, DO speak up.
Last edited by Jenise on Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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David Lole

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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by David Lole » Tue Apr 25, 2006 3:37 pm

Enjoyed your notes, thanks!

On the Passing Clouds - I've quite enjoyed Graeme Leith's red wines over the years but I can't ever remember drinking a straight Shiraz from this winery. My favourites' have been the Angel Blend (Bordeaux varieties) and a Shiraz/Cabernet (called Graeme's Blend, I think) - both would be worth seeking out on the strength of your TN. Not sure what labels they export, though.
Cheers,

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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Diane (Long Island) » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:23 pm

Jenise - I was totally impressed by the 2003 August West Rosella's Vineyard when I opened my first bottle last January for the reasons you described. That was also why I opened my second, and last, bottle the following day for a dinner I was hosting. Everyone present was blown away by the wine, although a local winery owner was puzzled. As he said, it wasn't what he expected and it was nothing like Burgundy, that I'm not sure exactly what his opinion was of the wine. Now you have piqued my curiousity about that, and I will have an opportunity to ask him about it when I see him this weekend. I have 3 bottles of the newest vintage resting in my cellar, and I only hope it's as good as the 2003.
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Jenise » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:13 pm

Diane, I'll be anxious to hear your thoughts on the 04. In general 04 is a very different kind of vintage, so it will be interesting to see how much carry-over there is. I have had no experience with AW prior to or other than this one vintage, so no idea if this was a fluke or what. I do know that there is no more 03 to be had anywhere at any price--believe me, Monday morning, I looked!
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Diane (Long Island) » Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:48 pm

I'll find out if the winemaker, Ed Kurtzman, used some magic to turn his 2004 bottlings into as good a wine considering the challenges of the vintage. Either way, I will have supported his attempt. I've enjoyed wines from other producers from this vineyard, but August West really nailed it. I have yet to try a 2004, but I will get around to opening some soon.
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Jenise » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:18 pm

Either way, I will have supported his attempt.

Attagirl. I take this stance with many winemakers I like--I'm definitely not a vintage chaser, for winemakers to be in business at all, they have to sell all the wine they make and there's a lot to enjoy in vintage variations. We'd be bored to tears if wines were that predictable, wouldn't we?

Do you personally know Ed?
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Diane (Long Island) » Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:41 pm

Do you personally know Ed?


Only via some email exchanges.
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James Dietz

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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by James Dietz » Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:45 pm

I have two bottles of the AW '03 and the '04 in my cellar.. :lol:
Cheers, Jim
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Diane (Long Island) » Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:47 pm

But Jim....have you tasted either of them yet?
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by James Dietz » Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:59 pm

I haven't... but all this talk is getting me worked up!!
Cheers, Jim
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Jenise » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:12 pm

James Dietz wrote:I have two bottles of the AW '03 and the '04 in my cellar.. :lol:


Hi, handsome....
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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James Dietz

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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by James Dietz » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:40 pm

You really think I'm that easy? That all you have to do is flatter me and I will open a bottle for you???

Oh, right.. you know me, huh? :wink:
Cheers, Jim
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Re: WTN: Weekenders

by Jenise » Mon May 01, 2006 11:35 am

James Dietz wrote: You really think I'm that easy?


Do you really want me to answer that? :shock:
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

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