Recent reds from the cellar...
Jean-Frederic Mugnier, Nuits St. Georges, 'Clos des Fourches', 2004
Younger vines from the recently purchased Clos de la Marechale. Pretty excellent stuff, with beetroot, mushroom, cherry and strawberry. Elegant, and shows it's class even through having a pretty severe cold. A-
Domaine Sainte-Anne, Cotes du Rhone Villages, Saint Gervais, 2006
Medium claret red with a purplish look. A nice Rhone, especially for the price (around $18 or so?). Salty, mineral-laced sprightly wine full of fresh floral notes. Bright red fruits and a chalky-talc finish. Medium to light bodied, and drinking quite well at the moment. B++
Antico Brolio, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Schippettino 'riserva', 2003
Not sure what the 'riserva' here designates. My second time with this bottle, and the additional age has been kind to it. Color is interesting dull purplish-crimson-cranberry. Smoky plum and saline solution on the nose, with sour plum, cherry-pomegranite on the palate. Fresh, with abundant acidity for an 03, medium in body but with stemmy tannins on the finish. Good. 13.5% B+
Copain, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 'Tous Ensemble', 2007
I like Copain wines. His packaging (understated and classy). His philosophy (a terroirist, and a minimalist). We have never met (we'll, save a quick glance at a Santa Rosa industrial park wine grotto from a man that later looked like him), but I bet he is a an all-around nice guy as well. This here wine confirms my impressions. The color here is a light, bright cranberry red. There's an inital whiff of sewage-public market stall that blows off into mushrooms and red fruits. Lots of fun going on in the glass, despite being fairly straightforward in demeanor. Sweet-tart red fruits, raspberry-laced cherry, with a tangy, almost spritzy (could have low level of VA) finish. Alluring. has the depth and structure to put down for 2 years or more, which is when I'll touch another. 13.5% Good price too, mid-20's or so. A-/B+
Oberto, Barolo, vigna Rocche, 1996
This burly man of a wine has become...drinkable. Which is not to say it has smoothed out. The tannins are still in the background, ever so ready to pounce on command, but the wine's other flavors are more discernable, with chewy cherry (red & black), licorice, and the omnipresent mint note. 13.5% Begin consumption, boys and girls! B/B+
Jean-Frederic Mugnier, Nuits St. Georges, 'Clos des Fourches', 2004
Younger vines from the recently purchased Clos de la Marechale. Pretty excellent stuff, with beetroot, mushroom, cherry and strawberry. Elegant, and shows it's class even through having a pretty severe cold. A-
Domaine Sainte-Anne, Cotes du Rhone Villages, Saint Gervais, 2006
Medium claret red with a purplish look. A nice Rhone, especially for the price (around $18 or so?). Salty, mineral-laced sprightly wine full of fresh floral notes. Bright red fruits and a chalky-talc finish. Medium to light bodied, and drinking quite well at the moment. B++
Antico Brolio, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Schippettino 'riserva', 2003
Not sure what the 'riserva' here designates. My second time with this bottle, and the additional age has been kind to it. Color is interesting dull purplish-crimson-cranberry. Smoky plum and saline solution on the nose, with sour plum, cherry-pomegranite on the palate. Fresh, with abundant acidity for an 03, medium in body but with stemmy tannins on the finish. Good. 13.5% B+
Copain, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, 'Tous Ensemble', 2007
I like Copain wines. His packaging (understated and classy). His philosophy (a terroirist, and a minimalist). We have never met (we'll, save a quick glance at a Santa Rosa industrial park wine grotto from a man that later looked like him), but I bet he is a an all-around nice guy as well. This here wine confirms my impressions. The color here is a light, bright cranberry red. There's an inital whiff of sewage-public market stall that blows off into mushrooms and red fruits. Lots of fun going on in the glass, despite being fairly straightforward in demeanor. Sweet-tart red fruits, raspberry-laced cherry, with a tangy, almost spritzy (could have low level of VA) finish. Alluring. has the depth and structure to put down for 2 years or more, which is when I'll touch another. 13.5% Good price too, mid-20's or so. A-/B+
Oberto, Barolo, vigna Rocche, 1996
This burly man of a wine has become...drinkable. Which is not to say it has smoothed out. The tannins are still in the background, ever so ready to pounce on command, but the wine's other flavors are more discernable, with chewy cherry (red & black), licorice, and the omnipresent mint note. 13.5% Begin consumption, boys and girls! B/B+
