Recent tastes

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
1995 Snowden, Cabernet Sauvignon:
My last bottle from a case and I am not sad to see it go. The winemaker started with terrific fruit; ripe, concentrated, varietally pleasing and then the barrel program blew it. Its not heinously over-oaked but its to the point that the fruit gets hidden behind a bit of vanilla here and a dab of dill there. Sometimes, a good dose of the fruit gets through and its delicious but too often theres an overlay of wood. And at 13 years out, I cant see it integrating. Maybe some will see this as complex; I dont.

2006 Edmunds St, John, That Old Black Magic:
Ah yes, all wine, no trees. A co-fermentation of grenache and syrah, this has a southern Rhne attitude and a CA intensity. Nuanced aromatics; a complete wine in the mouth with fine grained flavors, good structure and despite its 14.3% alcohol, an elegant and medium weight delivery. A joy to drink, especially after the preceding wine.

1993 Dom. Tempier, Bandol:
Had a slight onion smell and flavor and is not full resolved other than that, a very interesting bottle but one I would never have guessed from Bandol.

1999 Juge, Cornas Cuve SC:
Clearly of its place, fairly integrated and definitely in the feminine spectrum for the AOC. Has fleshed out some since the last bottle I had in October and carries a sort of ash note amid solid Cornas/syrah scents and flavors.

Quilceda Creek, Cab./Merlot/Cab. franc blend:
I didnt catch the year and really dont care; way too oaky on both the nose and palate well past my threshold for such things.

2007 Biggio Hamina, Melon:
A new winery in Oregon that appears to believe less is more; this is bright, acidic but balanced with pretty good depth and sustain. Not Luneau-Papin but a nice wine and quite good with chicken Caesar salad with crusty olive bread. A producer worth watching.

Best, Jim
 
1993 was supposed to be an excellent year in Bandol. Could it be that it's still too young? I know my 1993 Pibarnon are not ready yet.
 
The unresolved tannin structure led me to believe it's too young.
The onion notes led me to believe I won't like it even when its ready.
Best, Jim
 
I've had the 1993 Tempier Miguoa and Cuve Spciale in the last 6 months and didn't notice any untoward oniony odors wafting from the glass. These were both consumed at dinners where the food came from Lulu's cookbook and her recipes don't lack for onions, fresh herbs, and other aromatic ingredients, so perhaps vinous onionness could simply have melded in with the other smells and sensory triggers in the room.

I like the Bandols of 1993 quite a lot - Mourvdre did well and the wines are beginning to mellow out a lot. I think the Tempiers will go another decade+ but I've got no problems enjoying them now. The '93s from La Bastide Blanche are also doing well, although they may be a little further along than Domaine Tempier's wines. Unless it's just the provenance of the mixed case of Bastide Blanche I picked up at auction last year, the Cuve Fontanieu is nearing the end of its aging curve while the Longue Garde bottling still has a few more years left in it. The Bastide Blanche style isn't quite as assertive as Tempier's so the kinder, gentler approach may be lost when accompanying buckets of aioli.

Regarding Snowden, I too once had a few bottles of the 1995 around, but after tasting one I decided that it was well made, but in a too-heavy-handed way. The remaining bottles made good to silent auctions at charity events.

-Eden (the Biggio Hamina sounds fun)
 
Eden,
In the 'this could explain it category,' we were eating a cracker that had cooked onions in it when we were having the Tempier. Noticing that, I tried to clean my palate before taking another sip but still got the oniony note.
Perhaps, simple bottle variation or some associative mysticism in the "pie-hole."
(Pie-hole; good grief!)
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Does Lulu have an honest-to-God published cookbook? Is she as beautiful as Kermit Lynch describes her?
Click to expand...

The cookbok is from Richard Olney: "Lulu's Table." She's radiant, and, not so many years ago, could have wrapped you around her little finger like cotton twine...
 
Copies of Lulu's Provenal Table aren't too difficult to find...there are a couple of editions out there. The recipes work well, and Richard Olney's writing is excellent as usual.

I've never seen her, but the recipes are certainly beautiful.

-Eden (what's beauty anyway?)
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Probably doesn't hurt he's making wine with Steve's help.
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Steve made That Old Black Magic with Jim's (considerable) help, when my back was a constant source of pain. (As part of saying thank you, I provided him with a box of the wine.) It will be released early in '09.
 
Timko,
As mentioned, Steve Edmunds made That Old Black Magic.
And although Steve is not directly consulting on my wines, the experience I had helping/watching him in 2006 and his continued ability to act as my sounding board (he calls himself my 'reality check'), are integral to my efforts.
Just thought you'd want to know.
Best, Jim
 
I had my last (and only) Snowden (a 1994) sometime last year. It was not as bad as you describe the 1995, but I certainly have not run out to purchase more.
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Ah, my mistake. I was under the impression Steve Edmunds was helping you with your wines.
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Not directly.
Russell Bevan, OTOH, is helping directly and has been as patient and generous as anyone can be in that regard.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Ah, my mistake. I was under the impression Steve Edmunds was helping you with your wines.
Click to expand...

Not directly.
Russell Bevan, OTOH, is helping directly and has been as patient and generous as anyone can be in that regard.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

If your wines replicate the integrity you bring to your notes and posts, they should be pretty good.

Oh, wait ... groveling is in the ebob-burgundy thread. Sorry, I take it back.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
If your wines replicate the integrity you bring to your notes and posts, they should be pretty good.

Oh, wait ... groveling is in the ebob-burgundy thread. Sorry, I take it back.
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No, no; I'm down with groveling.
Seriously though, making wine is new to me - I do the best I can and, Lord knows, I drive Russell crazy with questions.
About all I can say about them is there will never be new wood on my wines, I try to let the place/variety show through and I always try to get them below 14% alcohol.
Of course, mother nature has the last word in all such things.
Best, Jim
 
About all I can say about them is there will never be new wood on my wines, I try to let the place/variety show through and I always try to get them below 14% alcohol.
Of course, mother nature has the last word in all such things.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

I am curious - why never new wood?
 
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