By the glass during dinner at Ulele, a very cool Tampa restaurant with a fabulous setting and fine if somewhat quirky food. A lot of the dishes pack some heat, so be careful about food and wine pairings if you go:
NV Sokol Blosser Brut Evolution – I kind of thought that an Oregon bubbly would be Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I don’t know what’s in this, but probably something more aromatic. Flowery aromas, dry, lively flavors, nothing particularly deep, subtle or complex but it tastes good! Don’t remember the glass price, but it was very reasonable. Rated 87.5, fully mature.
2015 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir – The aromas are more raspberry than cherry, without any particular hint of earth or sous-bois. The flavors are classic Pinot, now a hint of cherry, now a hint of earth. The texture is ripe, balanced, sturdy, foursquare. This is very solid… maybe a little more solid than I like my Pinot Noir but there’s no hint of excess alcohol or excess anything. Pleasant, well made, not inspiring. Rated 88.5, could improve a point or even two if it develops some subtlety.
2011 Don Cesar Ribera del Duero Crianza – Color seemed quite dark (just like the restaurant), the aromas were fresh and balanced, with fine red currant fruit. The palate was sturdy and young, vigorous but not lacking in finesse. I’m more of a Rioja guy, so was surprised by the weight and freshness at over 8 years of age, but this was an excellent accompaniment to chili (not peppery) incorporating beef, wild boar and alligator. Rated 88, could improve a point.
In my first Florida post I mentioned a natural wine store near my hotel. I asked the owner for a recommendation, saying that I’m ITB and very suspicious of natural wines. She came through just fine:
2017 Pence Pinot Noir – The name is neither rare nor common; I assume ownership is not related to a High Priest of the Christian Taliban who has been in the news lately.
Deep ruby color, dark for Pinot Noir and not a positive for me. The aromas are totally positive, with fresh, tender black cherries and a hint of iron and other minerals. The palate is young, vigorous, ripe, with plenty of New World fresh red cherry, red raspberry and even some strawberry fruit. The balance is excellent, ripeness without any hint of excess alcohol, vivacity with heft, polite and fine. Rated 92, I don’t think this will improve. IIRC priced ~$30 and fine value.
From a coffee shop, Vegan bakery and wine store a block away:
2017 Black Stallion Pinot Noir Carneros – Never heard of them and I’m a Carneros fan, so I searched on line. ROFLMAO! This is owned by Delicato, specifically the Indelicato family. I know some of these folks, did some business with their Central Valley and Monterey wines many decades ago. Never thought of them as Carneros people.
The wine didn’t taste like Carneros either. Quite dark, like the Pence, but unlike the Pence the aromas are quite ripe, black cherry and strawberry notes with a touch of acescence. On the palate the wine has reasonable Pinot character, but is a little heavy and overripe, and shows some obtrusive alcohol. Not an ooze monster, but not well balanced. Rated 84, drink up.
If tasted blind and told one Carneros, one Santa Rita Hills, I would definitely have gotten these wrong.
I had a few other wines in Florida, but lost one of my cheat sheets and at this age have a mind like a steel sieve, so that’s it folks.
Dan Kravitz