Sonoma Coast wines

S

Sharon Bowman

Sharon Bowman
Yesterday (Tuesday, sorry; jet-lagged at present), I had a chance to taste some Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Sonoma coast at a tasting at City Winery in New York. I was under a time constraint, having arrived late, but I have to say that I was extremely impressed by everything I tasted (well, I had a short list, but Scott Reiner also weighed in with his thoughts and helped winnow down).

These wines (the ones I tasted) were remarkable for their depth and lightness of foot. And I'd thought I just could scratch out Chardonnay 'cept in Champagne. No: this made me appreciate the grape, which with age* (just like everyone starts reading Balzac only later in life) is tasting even striking.

I am on the Sonoma Coast now, flew in today. It's not a wine trip, but tasting wines from here by chance just beforehand was somehow fitting.

I'll add more when I've had some sleep.

* ETA: I mean my aging, not the wines' (my wording was probably unclear).
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
Sonoma Coast winesYesterday (Tuesday, sorry; jet-lagged at present), I had a chance to taste some Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Sonoma coast at a tasting at City Winery in New York. I was under a time constraint, having arrived late, but I have to say that I was extremely impressed by everything I tasted (well, I had a short list, but Scott Reiner also weighed in with his thoughts and helped winnow down).

These wines (the ones I tasted) were remarkable for their depth and lightness of foot. And I'd thought I just could scratch out Chardonnay 'cept in Champagne. No: this made me appreciate the grape, which with age (just like everyone starts reading Balzac only later in life) is tasting even striking.

I am on the Sonoma Coast now, flew in today. It's not a wine trip, but tasting wines from here by chance just beforehand was somehow fitting.

I'll add more when I've had some sleep.
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If not a wine trip, Craterellus cornucopioides perhaps?
 
welcome to sunny California, where many vintners are getting nervous about how warm it's been for a few days. I, myself, am on that midnight train to Georgia
 
originally posted by Steve Edmunds:
welcome to sunny California, where many vintners are getting nervous about how warm it's been for a few days. I, myself, am on that midnight train to Georgia
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Interesting, and yikes. Wasn't El Niño supposed to make everything all cool and wet again?
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
originally posted by mark e:
If not a wine trip, Craterellus cornucopioides perhaps?
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Spot on, Mark E. With your odd Hydnum.
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Ah ha. Yup, you usually find hedgies when you are out for blacks. Say hi to Patrick.
 
Outside of the usual (for me) like Cobb, Ceritas, Banshee, Hirsch, Red Car, Failla and Littorai I found a few that I liked.

Claypool Cellars (made by Ross Cobb) was delicious, especially the 2013 Pachyderm PN.

Gros Ventre Pinots are fantastic. Great acid balance, not too ripe but Cali all the same, lovely red fruits, deep and nimble. Must taste more.

Flowers: Since when do these guys make wonderful wines, especially the Chard?!?! Racy, acid and mineral driven. Just fucking delicious.
 
originally posted by scottreiner:
Flowers: Since when do these guys make wonderful wines, especially the Chard?!?! Racy, acid and mineral driven. Just fucking delicious.
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I was going to call bullshit, but a quick look at their talent pool indicates some infiltration from the likes of Rhys, Bonny Doon, and Quartz Reef. The times, they are a changin'.
 
originally posted by fillay:
originally posted by scottreiner:
Flowers: Since when do these guys make wonderful wines, especially the Chard?!?! Racy, acid and mineral driven. Just fucking delicious.
Click to expand...

I was going to call bullshit, but a quick look at their talent pool indicates some infiltration from the likes of Rhys, Bonny Doon, and Quartz Reef. The times, they are a changin'.
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If memory serves, Flowers was sold a few years ago; perhaps the new owners have made a radical departure from the abominable wines that Flowers initially made?
 
This seems like a good thread to ask for Littorai help.

I somehow have come into the following bottles of Littorai pinot noir. I've never drank a Littorai wine and have no idea if these are ready or need more time.

2007 Hirsch
2008 Haven
2008 Pivot
2009 Roman

Thank you for enlightening me!
 
originally posted by slaton:
This seems like a good thread to ask for Littorai help.

I somehow have come into the following bottles of Littorai pinot noir. I've never drank a Littorai wine and have no idea if these are ready or need more time.

2007 Hirsch
2008 Haven
2008 Pivot
2009 Roman

Thank you for enlightening me!
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I think you should come to my house, Sharon and I will cook, and we can all find out!
 
originally posted by slaton:
This seems like a good thread to ask for Littorai help.

I somehow have come into the following bottles of Littorai pinot noir. I've never drank a Littorai wine and have no idea if these are ready or need more time.

2007 Hirsch
2008 Haven
2008 Pivot
2009 Roman

Thank you for enlightening me!
Click to expand...

Happy to purchase from you, if you don't want to find out.
 
originally posted by scottreiner:
originally posted by slaton:
This seems like a good thread to ask for Littorai help.

I somehow have come into the following bottles of Littorai pinot noir. I've never drank a Littorai wine and have no idea if these are ready or need more time.

2007 Hirsch
2008 Haven
2008 Pivot
2009 Roman

Thank you for enlightening me!
Click to expand...

I think you should come to my house, Sharon and I will cook, and we can all find out!
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I approve of that message!

I recently had a 2007 Littorai Pinot Noir, but it was Mays Canyon, not Hirsch. For what it might be worth, it was extremely young.
 
2009 Littorai One Acre Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 13.3%
Cherry cola and smoke. Racy and pure, with pleasing balance and weight, though ends a trifle sweet before food. Not Burgundian, thank goodness, but still bantam. New worldly without being modern. Suave.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Happy to purchase from you, if you don't want to find out.
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Oh, I'm quite keen to find out. This was just an unexpected opportunity to acquire a few somewhat older bottles. I'm seeking information as I know almost nothing about the vineyard sources and personalities, and drinking windows.

But it sounds like you should join Scott, Sharon and I to drink these. Whenever they're ready.
 
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