I've been everywhere - Terlan, Jasmin, Jamsheed, Sandhi, La Rioja Alta, Matanzas Creek, Ghost Hill

Business trip with cultural whiplash from Metropolitan Iowa to Rustic Manhattan (New York, not Kansas). Betcha can’t guess which wines I had in which place! I mixed ‘em up. The good news is that there are interesting wines everywhere.

2015 Terlan Pinot Bianco – Even served a little too cold, the aromas are lovely and subtle, featuring Granny Smith apple, a hint of citrus and a hint of conifer. The palate is very substantial, especially as this warms up, medium to full bodied with density and some oily texture, perfectly offset by fresh acidity. The flavors now feature some lime and some sage along with crisp apple and a hint of quince. Pinot Blanc can be great wine and here is Exhibit ‘A’. Rated 94, a point of improvement possible over the next few years.

2007 Jasmin Cote Rotie – From magnum. Nice dark ruby color. Aromas are the best part with lovely purity of black fruit, some mineral and a touch of pepper. The flavors follow the aromas, with an odd but not unpleasant hint of olive. However the tannins are abundant and rather rustic. An adequate glass that got a lot better when my duck confit showed up. Rated 83, could improve up to 5 or more points with another five years if the tannins integrate.

2013 Jamsheed Syrah ‘Illaj’ – I rarely do Oz, but this was brought to dinner and I liked the fact that they call it Syrah. Not inky in color, not alcoholic in aroma, so two quick plusses. However the aromas are somewhat lacking in mineral cut and black fruit intensity. The palate is better, good fruit, as much red as black, good weight and nicely crisp. I would not have guessed this as pure Syrah. Tastes like a Crozes-Hermitage that has been cut with some Grenache-based Cotes du Rhone. However it is savory and harmonious. Rated 88, probably mature.

2015 Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Barbara – Nice straw color. Aromas are subdued but piquant, rather simple with crisp bosc pear notes. The palate offers nice weight and fruit, but the finish is marred by something bitter, something that seems as if perhaps some seeds had gotten crushed with the must. Would be rated about 86 without the bitter finish, which got worse as the glass warmed up; as is below 80, not recommended.

2011 La Rioja Alta Reserve Alberdi – Lovely aromas of fading roses, ripe red plums and vanilla. The palate is as polished and polite as the previous was rude and rustic. This retains vigor, like a recently retired gymnast in top condition. There are oak and herbal nuances, the entire package is beautifully integrated. Rated 93, ready to drink.

2017 Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc – This reliable standby delivered, with aromas of fresh-mown grass, a hint of lemon, no grapefruit, but a tiny, subtle touch of the cat box. The palate was beautifully balanced, piquant, with grass now subdued and lemon rather than grapefruit adding freshness. Rated 90, drink up.

2010 Ghost Hill Pinot Noir Bayliss Bower Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton –The aromas were both subtle and opulent, but somewhat diffuse. There were notes of black cherry and oddly, lavender. The palate was rather rich and soft, not particularly varietal, as if a little really ripe Syrah in there, but that’s California’s job, not Oregon’s. This was pleasant enough, but more like a rich but not heavy generic red than an Oregon Pinot Noir. I enjoyed it, but don’t think I could have identified it as either Oregon or Pinot. An OK OR oddity, rated 83.

Dan Kravitz

Love Alberdi,

You’ve been everywhere, Dan.

That Sandhi does not sound like it worked for you at all! Have you had others? Have not had this specific bottling - wondering if others have and what their experiences were . . .

Cheers.

Love the Cantina Terlaner whites, pretty much up and down the line. Haven’t tried the reds, though I’ve got a couple bottles of Lagrein sitting in the cellar.

Larry,

I admire ‘pithy’ in words, not wine.

I had never had a Sandhi before, but I’d heard good things. The glass was reasonably priced (for the High Rent district, this was in Manhattan, not Iowa), so I gave it a try. I finished the glass but barely; I wasn’t going to send it back, just order something else. I guess ‘subtly flawed’ is as good a description as I can give.

Dan Kravitz

Yea that Alberdi is a ridiculous value. Less new American oak than the higher-end La Rioja Alta cuvees, and for me, it shows much better as a result.

That was a killer set of notes!

Trying to picture the ‘where’ parts!

Deleted

Really lovely tasting notes!