Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
At Newark airport, biding time before embarking for San Diego, home of the Padres, we had lunch at one of those Vino Volo thingies, where there are scores of wines by the galoches. We flitted back and forth between three pinots and two higher octane offerings from around the globular orb. We liked the two Europeans better than the three neue welt examplars, so hereby consider the Judgment of Paris reversed, once again.
We liked enough:
2007 Nicolas Potel Volnay Clos des Vignes Franches
Elegant cherry and leather aromas with a touch of funk. Overly acidic before food, became balanced with it, then unbalanced again afterwards. Currently disjointed, but should come together.
2005 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino
Blackberry, leather and mint. Appealing tannins, good balance, a tad lacking in heft.
We did not like enough:
2008 Russian Jack Pinot Noir Martinborough
Plums, vanilla and white pepper. Too sweet, and offputtingly oaky. Yucky modern.
2007 Russian Hill Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma
Cherry, quince and vanilla. Peppery, way too oaky, sweetness greater than acidity. Another yucky modern, less egregious than the Kiwi.
2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection
Purple enough to make me think of Whoopi Goldberg and Ritchie Blackmore. Cherry extract, eucalyptus and vanilla. Silky smooth, flashy in a way that is not without uphill appeal, a polished exemplar of a style I don’t care for (but wanted Marcia to taste a “higher” expression).
We liked enough:
2007 Nicolas Potel Volnay Clos des Vignes Franches
Elegant cherry and leather aromas with a touch of funk. Overly acidic before food, became balanced with it, then unbalanced again afterwards. Currently disjointed, but should come together.
2005 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino
Blackberry, leather and mint. Appealing tannins, good balance, a tad lacking in heft.
We did not like enough:
2008 Russian Jack Pinot Noir Martinborough
Plums, vanilla and white pepper. Too sweet, and offputtingly oaky. Yucky modern.
2007 Russian Hill Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma
Cherry, quince and vanilla. Peppery, way too oaky, sweetness greater than acidity. Another yucky modern, less egregious than the Kiwi.
2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection
Purple enough to make me think of Whoopi Goldberg and Ritchie Blackmore. Cherry extract, eucalyptus and vanilla. Silky smooth, flashy in a way that is not without uphill appeal, a polished exemplar of a style I don’t care for (but wanted Marcia to taste a “higher” expression).