Roederer Estate Brut (Anderson Valley) Fairly dense (or perhaps wee-heavy would be a better descriptorif youre Scottish), showing a pleasant mix of ripe lemon, ripe apple, and gentle intrusions of strawberry and raspberry. Lees are present, but submissive. This is very primary, but I remain of the opinion that this is about the best of the entry-level domestic bubblies. A second bottle is a little heftier and more red-fruited, which improves it for my palate. (11/08)
Mount Langi Ghiran 2004 Billi Billi Shiraz (Victoria) Alcoholic (14%) and volatile when first opened, so I close it back up and move on to another wine. Twenty-four hours later, everything has changed: the alcohol is subdued, the volatility is gone, and in their place are a gentle, pure expression of leathery blueberries and a softdare I say it?...almost Burgundian texture. No one will actually mistake it for Burgundy, because its both varietally expressive and rather hefty, but its a very pleasant wine. A second bottle gets to the good stage right after opening, which is an odd bit of variability for a wine under screwcap, but both are enjoyable. (11/08)
Edmunds St. John 2002 blonk! (Paso Robles) Tastes like its just coming into its maturing phase which is not to say its all the way there yet with older, bronzed stone fruit and a lot of dusty trails running through the foundation. It gets a bit twisty with food, but with more aeration finds its voice and starts to hum an old, folkish tune with a decided desert twang. (11/08)
Wild Earth Blind Trail 2006 Pinot Noir (Central Otago) Less whole than a previous bottle, showing dense beet and berry with mushroom soda, then a soft sine wave of cherried acidity, and then a deep basso throb of dark earth on the finish. And yet, it doesnt quite come together; despite its apparent construction as an early-drinking wine, it seems to be closing rather than falling apart. Still, its a good, regionally-true introduction to one version of the Central Otago style. A second bottle is identical. (11/08)
Tablas Creek 2002 Ctes de Tablas Red (Paso Robles) Corked. (11/08)
Terre Rouge 2005 Syrah Les Ctes de lOuest (California) Corked. (11/08)
Edmunds St. John 2005 Rocks and Gravel (California) Way too young, and yet showing its promise with thyme-infused skin not yet fully leathered, the densest blackberries, and a structure thats at least half micro-particulate; this wine has a vibrant presence in a very non-liquidy way. Very long. Let it rest. (11/08)
Scott Paul 2006 Pinot Noir Audrey (Dundee Hills) Passion and seduction, but the play ends a bit early; the wine teases rather than fulfills, and Im not sure its going to make good on its promises with age. Whats in evidence is a lush, overwhelmingly inviting pillow of softly floral berries. Its really lovely to drink, but I just dont know if it rises all the way to its pedigree. (11/08)
Pellegrino 2004 Moscato di Pantelleria (Sicily) Perfume with a heady edge of pine, lemon curd, and dry ice. Not as simple as everyday moscato, and an incomparably massive improvement over the horrid 2003. A fun finish. (11/08)
Mount Langi Ghiran 2004 Billi Billi Shiraz (Victoria) Alcoholic (14%) and volatile when first opened, so I close it back up and move on to another wine. Twenty-four hours later, everything has changed: the alcohol is subdued, the volatility is gone, and in their place are a gentle, pure expression of leathery blueberries and a softdare I say it?...almost Burgundian texture. No one will actually mistake it for Burgundy, because its both varietally expressive and rather hefty, but its a very pleasant wine. A second bottle gets to the good stage right after opening, which is an odd bit of variability for a wine under screwcap, but both are enjoyable. (11/08)
Edmunds St. John 2002 blonk! (Paso Robles) Tastes like its just coming into its maturing phase which is not to say its all the way there yet with older, bronzed stone fruit and a lot of dusty trails running through the foundation. It gets a bit twisty with food, but with more aeration finds its voice and starts to hum an old, folkish tune with a decided desert twang. (11/08)
Wild Earth Blind Trail 2006 Pinot Noir (Central Otago) Less whole than a previous bottle, showing dense beet and berry with mushroom soda, then a soft sine wave of cherried acidity, and then a deep basso throb of dark earth on the finish. And yet, it doesnt quite come together; despite its apparent construction as an early-drinking wine, it seems to be closing rather than falling apart. Still, its a good, regionally-true introduction to one version of the Central Otago style. A second bottle is identical. (11/08)
Tablas Creek 2002 Ctes de Tablas Red (Paso Robles) Corked. (11/08)
Terre Rouge 2005 Syrah Les Ctes de lOuest (California) Corked. (11/08)
Edmunds St. John 2005 Rocks and Gravel (California) Way too young, and yet showing its promise with thyme-infused skin not yet fully leathered, the densest blackberries, and a structure thats at least half micro-particulate; this wine has a vibrant presence in a very non-liquidy way. Very long. Let it rest. (11/08)
Scott Paul 2006 Pinot Noir Audrey (Dundee Hills) Passion and seduction, but the play ends a bit early; the wine teases rather than fulfills, and Im not sure its going to make good on its promises with age. Whats in evidence is a lush, overwhelmingly inviting pillow of softly floral berries. Its really lovely to drink, but I just dont know if it rises all the way to its pedigree. (11/08)
Pellegrino 2004 Moscato di Pantelleria (Sicily) Perfume with a heady edge of pine, lemon curd, and dry ice. Not as simple as everyday moscato, and an incomparably massive improvement over the horrid 2003. A fun finish. (11/08)