Daun Bailey and the team at Barrel Select are heroes and champions for bringing in hard-to-get stuff. Better still, Daun’s amazing rapport with the winemakers she represents often allows us lucky souls the opportunity to have a taste-and-meet occasion. This was the case yesterday as the very genuine and affable Bob Biale came into town to share with us his thoughts on his family’s winery, zin, California and winemaking. I’m beginning to understand that many of the best winemakers are farmers first, with a very deep understanding and appreciation of all that is necessary to get a grape ready for picking. It was a treasured opportunity to pass time with him…and, of course, with Daun and her team.
2012 Robert Biale Rocky Ridge Zinfandel
I believe Bob said this is a 13 year old vineyard that they started sourcing fruit from in 2009. From the Rockpile area, I like the chocolate notes that first waft up the glass. Plenty of cherry too. The usual ripe and rich entry, but while there is really juicy fruit and more cocoa in the middle, this has a lot of facets to it. Herbs and a little baked black licorice on the finish, the palate starts very much in 2 parts, but with further sips, everything resolves into a very likeable light creaminess. Bob is right–blind, it would be hard to call this Zin—I might’ve guessed merlot or maybe even a soft northern Rhone. It absolutely does not show a smidge of its 15.8%. Very fascinating and enchanting wine.
2012 Robert Biale Founding Farmers Zinfandel
From Napa. Bob stated that they only use burgundy barrels for their vinification. This has more of the coffee crisp and baked cookie I sometimes get with theirs. There’s a certain joyousness though, on the nose. Plum and some raisins and prune underneath. A real interesting nasal edge of pipe tobacco too! This one, at same alcohol level, tingles all right. Tasty enough, with cured meats around berries and plum, but it is showing somewhat hotter. Ben Shillow I think is right in having caught some star anise lurking in there.
2012 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel
I hadn’t known for sure, but this is indeed a field blend, with 10 other grapes in the mix including abburio, PS, black St. Peter’s, Pellersen. Oldest vines from their plots. A slightly smoky, more brooding nose, with dark chocolate and plenty of boysenberry and bramble. Still pretty young, with more herbs and bramble. It has enough structure, less bright fruit, with very dark–100%—chocolate nipping at the tongue. Don’t go looking for sweetness and cushion, at least not yet. Good though.
2012 Robert Biale Royal Punishers Petite Syrah
Very—um—Bordeaux! tar a bit, graphite, tobacco, blackberry and cassis all make an aromatic impression. And yup–plum pie. Bob said the 2012 vintage was a pretty easy one, unlike 10 and 11. Wow. Wow, this is jam-packed and in a very fine way already. I mean smoky blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry jam. Big-time structure, this is already expressing but has many years to get even better. It cries already for chateaubriand and is excellent and very tempting stuff.
Maluhia,
Mike
Sorry 'bout that.