Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Wine impressions 1-9-23
2021 Saladini Pilastri, Falerio - a white blend from the Marche that’s Passerina, Trebbiano, Pecorino and Chardonnay; charming white fruit nose, medium weight and textural with good balance and complexity and quite fresh (No RS that I can discern). The texture and freshness stood out. My new go to white (along with the Hermes noted below).
Excellent.
2021 Saladini Pilastri, Pecorino - 100% Pecorino; more focused than the preceding wine but the same medium weight and textures. Savory in all respects.
Very good.
2020 Famiglia Lanxavecchia, Nebbiolo D’Alba - quiet nose but true to the variety, very savory flavors with depth, typicity and medium weight. Bone dry and more expansive in the mouth than on the nose.
Very good.
2021 Famiglia Lanzavecchia, Roero Arneis - more open on the nose than the preceding wine, good Arneis character, cut and balance and a bitter note on the finish which seems to disappear with food. Hence, probably best with food.
Very good.
2021 Hermes, Assyrtiko - smells dry (best descriptor I’ve got) with floral and fresh herb notes; mouth filling flavors and textures, balanced and longer than expected. With an Asian bowl type meal, sensational.
Excellent.
2021 Greek Wine Cellars, Assyrtiko - similar to the foregoing but with the volume turned down and not as complex. Charming but not special and double the price of the Hermes.
Good.
2020 Vissoux, Fleurie Les Garants - while it smells good and the flavors are pure, the alcohol (14.5% on the label) is insidious, muddying out the nose and making the wine simple, ponderous and forgettable.
Poor.
(FWIW, the Poncie from the same vintage and producer was excellent and a degree less in alcohol.)
2021 Marchese di Borgsole, Fiano - perm solution nose, no markers of the variety and a lot of RS.
Bad.
2020 Renieri, Rosso di Montalacino - upon opening, a big somewhat sweet and simple red without character. But once it gets air, the tannins clamp down, the fruit streamlines and the complexity arrives. With decanter time, an entirely different and really delicious wine.
Very good.
2021 Extradimensional Wine Co., Mourvèdre Evangelho - even with decanter time, it’s too young. All the right notes are there but it’s not harmonious - yet.
Hold.
2017 Cowan Cellars, Syrah Bennett Valley - during its first 4 years in bottle, it was much too disjointed and young. These days it’s found it’s center, become integrated and even nuanced and is just about as good as Bennett Valley Syrah can be. I had hoped for this but 5 years is a bit of a wait.
Excellent.
Best, Jim
2021 Saladini Pilastri, Falerio - a white blend from the Marche that’s Passerina, Trebbiano, Pecorino and Chardonnay; charming white fruit nose, medium weight and textural with good balance and complexity and quite fresh (No RS that I can discern). The texture and freshness stood out. My new go to white (along with the Hermes noted below).
Excellent.
2021 Saladini Pilastri, Pecorino - 100% Pecorino; more focused than the preceding wine but the same medium weight and textures. Savory in all respects.
Very good.
2020 Famiglia Lanxavecchia, Nebbiolo D’Alba - quiet nose but true to the variety, very savory flavors with depth, typicity and medium weight. Bone dry and more expansive in the mouth than on the nose.
Very good.
2021 Famiglia Lanzavecchia, Roero Arneis - more open on the nose than the preceding wine, good Arneis character, cut and balance and a bitter note on the finish which seems to disappear with food. Hence, probably best with food.
Very good.
2021 Hermes, Assyrtiko - smells dry (best descriptor I’ve got) with floral and fresh herb notes; mouth filling flavors and textures, balanced and longer than expected. With an Asian bowl type meal, sensational.
Excellent.
2021 Greek Wine Cellars, Assyrtiko - similar to the foregoing but with the volume turned down and not as complex. Charming but not special and double the price of the Hermes.
Good.
2020 Vissoux, Fleurie Les Garants - while it smells good and the flavors are pure, the alcohol (14.5% on the label) is insidious, muddying out the nose and making the wine simple, ponderous and forgettable.
Poor.
(FWIW, the Poncie from the same vintage and producer was excellent and a degree less in alcohol.)
2021 Marchese di Borgsole, Fiano - perm solution nose, no markers of the variety and a lot of RS.
Bad.
2020 Renieri, Rosso di Montalacino - upon opening, a big somewhat sweet and simple red without character. But once it gets air, the tannins clamp down, the fruit streamlines and the complexity arrives. With decanter time, an entirely different and really delicious wine.
Very good.
2021 Extradimensional Wine Co., Mourvèdre Evangelho - even with decanter time, it’s too young. All the right notes are there but it’s not harmonious - yet.
Hold.
2017 Cowan Cellars, Syrah Bennett Valley - during its first 4 years in bottle, it was much too disjointed and young. These days it’s found it’s center, become integrated and even nuanced and is just about as good as Bennett Valley Syrah can be. I had hoped for this but 5 years is a bit of a wait.
Excellent.
Best, Jim
