Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Wine impressions 7-13-21
2016 Vincent, Pinot Noir Armstrong Vnyd. - as always, structure, fruit, savory, symmetry and silken textures. No bottle of Vincent Pinot goes unfinished at our house. Very fine.
2017 Vincent, Pinot Noir Armstrong Vnyd. - ditto
2008 Bernard, Savagnin Cotes du Jura Les Chassagnes - dull color, dull aroma, dull flavors. Not a bad wine but not it’s best showing. Thanks Jon.
2010 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - the nose is a bit stinky but the texture is gossamer silk and the flavors are delicate and nuanced. I could ask for better aromas but the rest was all I could hope. Hellenthal Vineyard fruit.
A second bottle opened several days later had none of the stink and all of the silk.
And a third bottle was stinky.
‘Looks like a dice roll to me.
1996 Montevertine, le Pergole Torte - secondary development, firm structure, more weight than expected, excellent concentration and good balance. Just entering mid-life with decades to go. It’s not often I care about Sangiovese but this was exceptional. Thanks Jon.
2015 Cruse Wine, Sparkling Valdiguie Pet. Nat. - fun, fresh, showing no signs of age and quaffable but not more. Under crown cap.
2019 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - lightweight, precise, balanced and a joy to drink. Few wines give so much and require so little; easy street.
Opened a second bottle a week later - there is a savory, lightly gritty texture that is in perfect balance with the fruit and structure. I haven’t had many stand alone Cinsault but there is little doubt this one is a benchmark for the variety. Reminds me of Cru Beaujolais with a little age on it.
2019 Birichino, Chardonnay Peter Martin Ray Vineyard - a dry-farmed, head trained vineyard at elevation (500m) with elevage in one neutral puncheon and one new half barrel, and then placed in tank for several months prior to bottling. While the new oak is evident now, it is not overwhelming nor does it obscure some deeply concentrated but tight fruit. The transfer to tank ‘tightens up” the wine and is something I’ve seen done at Ceritas, et al; building a wine to age.
This deserves and I hope to give it no less than 5 years in the cellar before opening another. We’ll see.
My ventures into CA chard are rare but this vineyard and producer are of interest.
Disjointed with too much oak on day two.
2019 Cos, Frappato - the victim of expectations; having often had Frappato from this producer and his student, Occhipinti, I had a standard in mind. This was less than; not a bad wine but not up to past glories. Even so, good with short ribs. Thanks John.
2004 Dauvissat, Chablis les Preuses - quiet nose of lemon oil and flint; rich, dense and vividly intense with a slight touch of oxidation; length that rides on acid. Still has time to go in the cellar but shows Preuses as well as any producer and the intensity here is hard to match. ‘Hell of a wine. And killer with cheese soufflé. Thanks Jon.
2018 Cowan Cellars, Ribolla Gialla - direct press/without skin contact; effusive nose of white fruit; balanced, clean and fresh. Probably the wine most representative of its AVA (Russian River Valley) and variety I have tasted. Very easy to drink.
Best, jim
2016 Vincent, Pinot Noir Armstrong Vnyd. - as always, structure, fruit, savory, symmetry and silken textures. No bottle of Vincent Pinot goes unfinished at our house. Very fine.
2017 Vincent, Pinot Noir Armstrong Vnyd. - ditto
2008 Bernard, Savagnin Cotes du Jura Les Chassagnes - dull color, dull aroma, dull flavors. Not a bad wine but not it’s best showing. Thanks Jon.
2010 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - the nose is a bit stinky but the texture is gossamer silk and the flavors are delicate and nuanced. I could ask for better aromas but the rest was all I could hope. Hellenthal Vineyard fruit.
A second bottle opened several days later had none of the stink and all of the silk.
And a third bottle was stinky.
‘Looks like a dice roll to me.
1996 Montevertine, le Pergole Torte - secondary development, firm structure, more weight than expected, excellent concentration and good balance. Just entering mid-life with decades to go. It’s not often I care about Sangiovese but this was exceptional. Thanks Jon.
2015 Cruse Wine, Sparkling Valdiguie Pet. Nat. - fun, fresh, showing no signs of age and quaffable but not more. Under crown cap.
2019 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - lightweight, precise, balanced and a joy to drink. Few wines give so much and require so little; easy street.
Opened a second bottle a week later - there is a savory, lightly gritty texture that is in perfect balance with the fruit and structure. I haven’t had many stand alone Cinsault but there is little doubt this one is a benchmark for the variety. Reminds me of Cru Beaujolais with a little age on it.
2019 Birichino, Chardonnay Peter Martin Ray Vineyard - a dry-farmed, head trained vineyard at elevation (500m) with elevage in one neutral puncheon and one new half barrel, and then placed in tank for several months prior to bottling. While the new oak is evident now, it is not overwhelming nor does it obscure some deeply concentrated but tight fruit. The transfer to tank ‘tightens up” the wine and is something I’ve seen done at Ceritas, et al; building a wine to age.
This deserves and I hope to give it no less than 5 years in the cellar before opening another. We’ll see.
My ventures into CA chard are rare but this vineyard and producer are of interest.
Disjointed with too much oak on day two.
2019 Cos, Frappato - the victim of expectations; having often had Frappato from this producer and his student, Occhipinti, I had a standard in mind. This was less than; not a bad wine but not up to past glories. Even so, good with short ribs. Thanks John.
2004 Dauvissat, Chablis les Preuses - quiet nose of lemon oil and flint; rich, dense and vividly intense with a slight touch of oxidation; length that rides on acid. Still has time to go in the cellar but shows Preuses as well as any producer and the intensity here is hard to match. ‘Hell of a wine. And killer with cheese soufflé. Thanks Jon.
2018 Cowan Cellars, Ribolla Gialla - direct press/without skin contact; effusive nose of white fruit; balanced, clean and fresh. Probably the wine most representative of its AVA (Russian River Valley) and variety I have tasted. Very easy to drink.
Best, jim
