Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Impressions 7-25-21
2015 Black Kite, Pinot Noir Soberanes Vnyd. - from Santa Lucia Highlands this is confected and cloying. With air it gets slightly better but not a wine I’d ever buy.
2008 Ridge, Montebello - oaky to begin and even more so with air. What a waste.
2001 Jasmin, Cote Rotie - really angry upon opening but mellowed some with air, still a little too thin and angular but at least it spoke of its place.
2001 Dumien-Serrette, Cornas Patou- good from the get go and better after half an hour. Ash tray, olive and black fruit with that exquisite note of rusticity in balance with the rest of its profile - signature Cornas and superb with pork chop. Thanks Jon.
2012 Benzinger, Pinot Noir de Coelo Vnyd. - Sonoma Coast Pinot with just a bit too much heaviness; sort of smokey flavors (but not smoke taint) that overwhelm and make the wine feel ponderous. Not a bad wine but not for me.
2020 Esprit de Lieux, Macon-Verze - a Trader Joe’s $10 bottle that shows above its price point. Not as good as the Jadot, Macon but is easy to drink, plays well with food and is clean and oak free. Rebuy.
2019 Vignobles Lacheteau, Muscadet - a Trader Joe’s $9 bottle that also shows well. Good cut, some firmness, squeeze of lemon and a stony delivery that lasts. It’s not Luneau-Papin but it’s readily available, inexpensive and warrants a rebuy.
2019 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vnyd. - a lighter colored and weighted red wine with complexity and sustain. A joy to drink.
Sold out at the winery (I bought the last of it - which should tell you what I think of it.)
2009 Bjornstad, Pinot Noir Hellenthal Vnyd.- this is the same fruit I got in 2010 so the comparison is instructive. Almost identical flavor and aroma profiles; scents of a marine environment are most similar; great texture and sustain. Quite transparent to its terroir - and an unusual terroir it is.
2018 Three Sticks, Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown - the same confected attack as the Black Kite above but not as cloying or objectionable. Nonetheless, one sip is all I need.
2012 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - complete, complex and of whole cloth; showing as well as this wine ever has and fresh as the day it was made. I’m happy with this wine.
Best, jim
2015 Black Kite, Pinot Noir Soberanes Vnyd. - from Santa Lucia Highlands this is confected and cloying. With air it gets slightly better but not a wine I’d ever buy.
2008 Ridge, Montebello - oaky to begin and even more so with air. What a waste.
2001 Jasmin, Cote Rotie - really angry upon opening but mellowed some with air, still a little too thin and angular but at least it spoke of its place.
2001 Dumien-Serrette, Cornas Patou- good from the get go and better after half an hour. Ash tray, olive and black fruit with that exquisite note of rusticity in balance with the rest of its profile - signature Cornas and superb with pork chop. Thanks Jon.
2012 Benzinger, Pinot Noir de Coelo Vnyd. - Sonoma Coast Pinot with just a bit too much heaviness; sort of smokey flavors (but not smoke taint) that overwhelm and make the wine feel ponderous. Not a bad wine but not for me.
2020 Esprit de Lieux, Macon-Verze - a Trader Joe’s $10 bottle that shows above its price point. Not as good as the Jadot, Macon but is easy to drink, plays well with food and is clean and oak free. Rebuy.
2019 Vignobles Lacheteau, Muscadet - a Trader Joe’s $9 bottle that also shows well. Good cut, some firmness, squeeze of lemon and a stony delivery that lasts. It’s not Luneau-Papin but it’s readily available, inexpensive and warrants a rebuy.
2019 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vnyd. - a lighter colored and weighted red wine with complexity and sustain. A joy to drink.
Sold out at the winery (I bought the last of it - which should tell you what I think of it.)
2009 Bjornstad, Pinot Noir Hellenthal Vnyd.- this is the same fruit I got in 2010 so the comparison is instructive. Almost identical flavor and aroma profiles; scents of a marine environment are most similar; great texture and sustain. Quite transparent to its terroir - and an unusual terroir it is.
2018 Three Sticks, Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown - the same confected attack as the Black Kite above but not as cloying or objectionable. Nonetheless, one sip is all I need.
2012 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - complete, complex and of whole cloth; showing as well as this wine ever has and fresh as the day it was made. I’m happy with this wine.
Best, jim