SteveTimko
Steve Timko
1993 Ridge Carignane Sommer Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (9/1/2011)
This was okay, but I think I liked the 1992 Ridge Whitten Ranch carignane better. The one thing that stood out with this wine was the acidity. It was tart enough it demanded food. There were some nice spices and red fruit on the palate. A decent finish. Not a bad wine but it doesn't seem to have aged as gracefully as some of the other Ridge wines. Glenn said he got dill on the nose to betray American oak, but I did not sense that. It was a good food wine.
1992 Stony Hill Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/3/2011)
There was a touch of oxidation but otherwise this wine was still going strong. No noticeable oak, but the texture suggests it has at least seen neutral oak. On the nose, I'd say flowers and white apples. It's starting to develop secondary characteristics but I wouldn't say it has hit middle age. Nice acidity. I wish I had more.
1970 Ridge Zinfandel Jimsomare - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (9/3/2011)
Yeah, this was definitely over the hill. It was still drinkable, but obviously it was largely dead. The fruit that remained seemed more like plum. Some molasses. I wanted this to be my special wine for my 50th birthday, but alas it just wasn't up to task. Would have been wonderful for my 40th birthday.
1988 Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Hill - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (9/3/2011)
This was drinking great. First off, it's got the highest acidity of any zinfandel I can remember. I had everyone try it before dinner because I didn't think it had the acidity it needed to go with food, but I was wrong. And it's not that big that it will clash with food. The nose was really funky. Some of it blew off as the wine got air but it remained pretty funky through dinner. The flavors seemed to be more red berries and sandalwood. This aged well. Smooth and polished claret style. Any sharp edges wore off with age.
2001 Domaine les Pallières Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (8/9/2011)
This didn't taste like Gigondas to me. I got dark fruits and saddle leather. Maybe some barnward. If I had tasted blind I might have guessed Bandol. It seemed closer to mourvedre than grenache. A Kermit Lynch import.
1999 Domaine du Banneret Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape (9/7/2011)
I opened the cork to let this breathe, then poured the first glass for Backroads Bob. He took a sip and his eyes lit up. "Violets and roses," Bob said. I tasted it and sure enough. Quite floral. Balanced and smooth. Definitely old school. Some herbs and some garrigue. The wine flowed wonderfully from the attack through the finish. There is tremendous elegance here. I get the feeling this tastes significantly different with some age than it does when it is young. This is the only bottle of Banneret I've ever had but it ranks as one of my five favorite Chateauneuf-du-Papes. I'd like to say I knew it it was that good when I bought it. Actually, I had purchased 11 bottles from a wine store and was looking for one bottle to fill out the case order and get the 15 percent discount. This was only $26. Well worth it. Imported by Casa Bruno LLC.
2006 Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/7/2011)
This was excellent. I grabbed it as a backup when I noticed the ullage on the 1990 Domaine aux Moines Savennières looked too scary. I needed it. The alcohol is list as 15.3 percent. The wine is full bodied, for sure, but balanced. No alcohol showed. It was definitely Rhonish. Nutty and waxy. Also some honey and maybe the sensation of some other sweetness. Fairly explosive on the attack but the finish tapers quickly. This was a good food wine. I grabbed it because I knew Backroads Bob liked Tablas Creek whites. He thinks it was their best grenache blanc.
This was okay, but I think I liked the 1992 Ridge Whitten Ranch carignane better. The one thing that stood out with this wine was the acidity. It was tart enough it demanded food. There were some nice spices and red fruit on the palate. A decent finish. Not a bad wine but it doesn't seem to have aged as gracefully as some of the other Ridge wines. Glenn said he got dill on the nose to betray American oak, but I did not sense that. It was a good food wine.
1992 Stony Hill Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/3/2011)
There was a touch of oxidation but otherwise this wine was still going strong. No noticeable oak, but the texture suggests it has at least seen neutral oak. On the nose, I'd say flowers and white apples. It's starting to develop secondary characteristics but I wouldn't say it has hit middle age. Nice acidity. I wish I had more.
1970 Ridge Zinfandel Jimsomare - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (9/3/2011)
Yeah, this was definitely over the hill. It was still drinkable, but obviously it was largely dead. The fruit that remained seemed more like plum. Some molasses. I wanted this to be my special wine for my 50th birthday, but alas it just wasn't up to task. Would have been wonderful for my 40th birthday.
1988 Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Hill - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (9/3/2011)
This was drinking great. First off, it's got the highest acidity of any zinfandel I can remember. I had everyone try it before dinner because I didn't think it had the acidity it needed to go with food, but I was wrong. And it's not that big that it will clash with food. The nose was really funky. Some of it blew off as the wine got air but it remained pretty funky through dinner. The flavors seemed to be more red berries and sandalwood. This aged well. Smooth and polished claret style. Any sharp edges wore off with age.
2001 Domaine les Pallières Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (8/9/2011)
This didn't taste like Gigondas to me. I got dark fruits and saddle leather. Maybe some barnward. If I had tasted blind I might have guessed Bandol. It seemed closer to mourvedre than grenache. A Kermit Lynch import.
1999 Domaine du Banneret Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ch“teauneuf-du-Pape (9/7/2011)
I opened the cork to let this breathe, then poured the first glass for Backroads Bob. He took a sip and his eyes lit up. "Violets and roses," Bob said. I tasted it and sure enough. Quite floral. Balanced and smooth. Definitely old school. Some herbs and some garrigue. The wine flowed wonderfully from the attack through the finish. There is tremendous elegance here. I get the feeling this tastes significantly different with some age than it does when it is young. This is the only bottle of Banneret I've ever had but it ranks as one of my five favorite Chateauneuf-du-Papes. I'd like to say I knew it it was that good when I bought it. Actually, I had purchased 11 bottles from a wine store and was looking for one bottle to fill out the case order and get the 15 percent discount. This was only $26. Well worth it. Imported by Casa Bruno LLC.
2006 Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/7/2011)
This was excellent. I grabbed it as a backup when I noticed the ullage on the 1990 Domaine aux Moines Savennières looked too scary. I needed it. The alcohol is list as 15.3 percent. The wine is full bodied, for sure, but balanced. No alcohol showed. It was definitely Rhonish. Nutty and waxy. Also some honey and maybe the sensation of some other sweetness. Fairly explosive on the attack but the finish tapers quickly. This was a good food wine. I grabbed it because I knew Backroads Bob liked Tablas Creek whites. He thinks it was their best grenache blanc.
