Falmet, Brut Le Val Cornet - charming
Cedric Bouchard, Roses de Jeanne - complex and impressive
Rose:
2015 Dom. Tempier - just lovely
2003 Clos Saron, Tickled Pink - quirky in a good way
White:
2012 Cowan Cellars, Ribolla Gialla (skin-fermented) - showing well with spice and apricot tones
2015 Pierpaolo Pecorani, Ribolla Gialla - fresh and pleasant
2015 Perusini, Ribolla Gialla - more convincing than the preceding wine
2007 Radikon, Jakot - always unusual and, for me, a wine that must have food. When it does, it defies description but works
2015 Liable, Riesling - designated troken but still seems Demi-sec; regardless, it was delicious
2014 Rudi Pichler, Gruner Veltliner Federspiel - crisp and long
2015 Jolie Laide, Melon - precise, varietal and crystalline
2015 Kirschenmann, Chenin Blanc - pretty, pretty, pretty
Reds:
2013 Arpepe, Rosse di Valtelline - charming but no more
2011 Fernando, Carema (white label) - charming and more
2015 Sandlands, Mataro - true to the grape with good depth; seems a good candidate to cellar
2011 Cowan Cellars, Syrah - secondary development underway and showing well
2008 Giovanni Canonica, Barolo Paiagallo - closed on day one, decanted immediately but served on day two; rustic and haunting all at the same time
2010 Arpepe, Grumello Rocco de Piro - great wine, I would love to cellar some of this
2013 Pillot, Santenay les Champs Claude - texturally beautiful, some depth; more to it than expected
2012 Dom. de la Cote, Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills - beautiful, complex and savory; such a pleasure
2010 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - very close to the preceding wine
2001 Vajra, Barolo Bricco Della Viole - special wine with years to go
2009 Allemand, Cornas Chaillot - profound
Thanks for the update on your 2010 SC PN and the 2012 Ribolla. I liked both of those wines but put a few aside to see how they develop. A Ribolla opened about a year ago wasn’t promising so hoping it was just a bad spot in its development or bottle variation. The PN never seemed to go through a phase and has been delicious the whole time.
BTW, I believe you left the Sandlands off of the Chenin note.
Loren,
Save for bubbles, I serve everything at cellar temp.
Drew,
The Jolie Laide indicates Antle Vineyard in Monterey County. I still prefer Muscadet but this was clean crisp, correct to its variety and good with sesame noodles.
Kirschenmann is made by Sandlands. The label is quite similar. I have no idea what the story behind it is. Fruit is from Lodi. I prefer the Sandlands, Napa bottling to this or any other Sandlands bottlings.
The Sandlands Mataro is primary but again, correct to the variety, no noticeable wood and clean. I liked it and would be curious as to what cellar time would bring but it does not require it.
Our Syrah comes from Moaveni Vineyard in Bennett Valley. As I’m sure you know, we don’t even own any barrels less than 8 years old. 2011 was a cool, wet vintage but this wine came through much smoother and complete than the vintage would infer. The secondary development is in the form of meat aromas and flavors, as well as some underbrush notes. I have found that our Syrah generally take about 5 years to open and stay that way for a fairly large window. That said, the 2012 (not tasted in these notes but tasted elsewhere) is still not ready to play.
Hope this helps.
Air is the Ribolla’s friend. Probably, better on day two.
That Pinot has confounded me since bottling; I did not like it for several years even though others seemed to. Recently, it has made me rethink that - I’m actually pretty amazed at the transformation. Not that it was ever closed but just different.
Good catch on the chenin note.
Best, Jim
Jim, I always enjoy your take on wines, as I (somewhat) share your eclectic palate. Just across these 2 recently myself, but the Jakot was the 2010 - beautiful. And the 2013 Rosso was about my take on it as well, not sure due to the extra age or was it always so? The 2011 was beyond charming.