Nana, vins et cie 2005 Vin de Table La Pange (Loire) This has got that fizzy, biting, razor burn texture, plus a musty raw paper aroma, that says pineau daunis to me (and in fact thats here, along with gamay), and its the very reason Ive always been cool towards the grape. Its sweet, almost keening melody some sort of ancient woodwind on a misty hillside is something I want to be more appealing than it is, but I suspect what I like about this wine (the pretty, light red fruit with a zesty zip of acidity) is mostly about the gamay and the lack of winemaking. Unfortunately, what I like about this wine is a very low percentage of its totality. (8/08)
San Felice 2003 Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany) Some strawberry jam (with seeds) threatens to stick its neck out here, but mostly this is clumsy structure and fruit the wine doesnt know what to do with, except step on with a heavy foot. Dull. (8/08)
Le Bonheur 2003 Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon Prima (Simonsberg) A fruit bomb, but a fairly reasonable one, showing thick, leathery blueberry and cassis, blackberry, perhaps some plum (though without the acidity). Not a whole lot of structure, but its quite drinkable and pleasant with aggressive enough foodwhich, given the wine, really needs to be cow muscle or something similar. (8/08)
Charvin 2004 Ctes-du-Rhne Le Poutet (Rhne) Lightly smoky, but mostly about pleasant, simple earth-fruit. Dark and drinkable. (8/08)
Domaine Coteau 2006 Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills) Big and shoulder-y, as usual, but with more grace than in previous vintagesor maybe the fruit is just stronger in relation to the structure, which in the past has seemed to dominate this wine. Deep-toned, with some oven-roasted earth underneath all that broody fruit. (8/08)
Graziano 2004 Zinfandel (Mendocino) 14.5%. Simple, clean, and direct; a burst of zingy fruit amongst tangled vines, with acidity that will remind one of the zins of yesteryear. Fun and gluggable. (8/08)
Copain 2004 Zinfandel Arrowhead Mountain (Sonoma Valley) 14.5%. $39.99. Not as heavy as it seems at first sniff, but ponderous, with a thick layer of oak that pretty much obliterates the sludgy fruit. Young Ridge tastes like this, and the wine is otherwise restrained, so it could very well age beautifully. It certainly isnt any fun to drink now. And the price isaggressive. But Id hold it with cautious optimism, and for a while. (8/08)
San Felice 2003 Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany) Some strawberry jam (with seeds) threatens to stick its neck out here, but mostly this is clumsy structure and fruit the wine doesnt know what to do with, except step on with a heavy foot. Dull. (8/08)
Le Bonheur 2003 Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon Prima (Simonsberg) A fruit bomb, but a fairly reasonable one, showing thick, leathery blueberry and cassis, blackberry, perhaps some plum (though without the acidity). Not a whole lot of structure, but its quite drinkable and pleasant with aggressive enough foodwhich, given the wine, really needs to be cow muscle or something similar. (8/08)
Charvin 2004 Ctes-du-Rhne Le Poutet (Rhne) Lightly smoky, but mostly about pleasant, simple earth-fruit. Dark and drinkable. (8/08)
Domaine Coteau 2006 Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills) Big and shoulder-y, as usual, but with more grace than in previous vintagesor maybe the fruit is just stronger in relation to the structure, which in the past has seemed to dominate this wine. Deep-toned, with some oven-roasted earth underneath all that broody fruit. (8/08)
Graziano 2004 Zinfandel (Mendocino) 14.5%. Simple, clean, and direct; a burst of zingy fruit amongst tangled vines, with acidity that will remind one of the zins of yesteryear. Fun and gluggable. (8/08)
Copain 2004 Zinfandel Arrowhead Mountain (Sonoma Valley) 14.5%. $39.99. Not as heavy as it seems at first sniff, but ponderous, with a thick layer of oak that pretty much obliterates the sludgy fruit. Young Ridge tastes like this, and the wine is otherwise restrained, so it could very well age beautifully. It certainly isnt any fun to drink now. And the price isaggressive. But Id hold it with cautious optimism, and for a while. (8/08)