Impressions

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
Impressions - 2-9-18

Bubbles:

Whites:
2016 Vigneti Massa, Terra - my first Timorasso; crisp, clean, slightly resinous and well structured. And some density on the palate. Nice.
2008 Tribut, Chablis - fresh, lemon oil, some minerality, good persistence and a fine example of village Chablis.
2016 Cave Dog, Godello - relatively rich but plenty of cut and good length. Good stuff. From Bennett Valley; who’d a thunk?
2016 Giacosa, Arneis - the very essence of the grape. Maybe a touch more forward than some vintages
2015 Pieropan, Soave Classico - more emphasis on earthiness than the Arneis and dryer; good wine.
2016 Birichino, Chenin Blanc Jurassic Park Vineyard - aromatic but firm, intensity and precision, another complete wine from this producer and rivals the Leo Steen Jurassic bottling for the best new world Chenin I’ve tasted.
2014 Louis Moreau, Chablis Vaulignot - open, correct, with some depth and character; a joy to drink
2016 Lioco, Chardonnay Sonoma County - pure, no wood, mineral, bright chard; good wine at a reasonable price
2014 Louis Michel, Chablis Vaudesir - mostly tight but showing its pedigree; hold
2015 Massican, Ania - lovely, crisp, clean and complex; more please

Rose:
2016 Dom. Terrebrune, Bandol - fresh, juicy, restrained; happy wine.
2016 Sanford, Rose of Pinot Noir - clean, delicate, lively, pleasing.

Reds:
2014 Vajra, Rosso - a lean, character driven blend that delivers well above its price point. A case purchase type of wine.
2016 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - shows young yet focused. A wine that, at the moment, has a bit of baby fat but the structure here is evident, the balance impeccable and the fruit intense. Exceptional wine.
2014 Santa Arcangeli, Pinot Noir Split Rail Vnyd. - a solid Santa Cruz mountains Pinot but pretty tight; hard to say where this is going
2014 Piedrassasi, Harrison Clarke Vineyard Red - 50/50 Syrah and Mourvèdre; Ballard Canyon fruit and, for my taste, the very pinnacle of CA red wine; deep, layered, intense, grippy and savory. Reminds me of young Hermitage.
2014 O’Shaughnessy, Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain - an entire oak forest died for no good reason; sawn lumber nose, “gobs” of sugar-sweet fruit, and, wood tannins drying out the finish
2015 Bosquet du Papes CdP - tight but pretty and without weight or cloy
2014 Birichino, Pinot Noir Antle Vnyd. - while I like the fruit here I get a bit too much oak for me. If that is not an issue, you’ll probably like this wine.

Best, Jim
 
As ever, thanks.

L. Michel is a fav with you, iirc. Thoughts on aging his Vaudesir?

As a reference point, I feel his Montée takes a fair wallop of time to show its inner beauty - e.g., drinking the 07s around now.
 
that cave dog godello was eye-opening. my new world drinking is concentrated on a select few these days but i would certainly love to have that wine within reach. can't find it at my usual sources.
i think i told you, i could still kick myself for not buying up michael's "havens" wines when a local retailer was blowing them out several years ago.

the timarasso was the 'petit" bottling. i can't find any info on what that refers too. perhaps younger vines. terrific wine at a reasonable price point.

the Vajra rosso, at less than $20/bottle, is a bargain. i think a blend of barbera, fresia, dolcetto, and a touch of nebbiolo i think. on the other end of the price spectrum, vajra is now making barolo from Luigi Baudana's vineyards in Serralunga and they are very good. worth seeking out if you're willing to let them sleep for several years.
 
Ian,
You are more patient than I - likely younger, too.
The ‘14 Montee is lovely now.
I have had good luck with the Vaudesir at about ten years but these days, I’m not looking to hold anything that long.

Bill,
The Havens Albariño is also excellent, should you come across it. Haven’t had his red yet but I hear it is sourced from the same place and vines as was his Bourriquot wines under the Havens label. That bodes well.

Best, Jim
 
Massa's non-"petit" bottlings of Timorasso can be pretty stunning, at their best; somewhat Chablis-like, with respect to minerality, and cut, and at the same time, fairly rich, with very impressive length.
 
Thanks, Jim.

“2014 Piedrassasi, Harrison Clarke Vineyard Red - 50/50 Syrah and Mourvèdre; Ballard Canyon fruit and, for my taste, the very pinnacle of CA red wine; deep, layered, intense, grippy and savory. Reminds me of young Hermitage.”

The rare note that makes me want to try a CA wine that doesn’t have Edmunds St. John (or now Dirty & Rowdy) on the label.
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
Thanks, Jim.

“2014 Piedrassasi, Harrison Clarke Vineyard Red - 50/50 Syrah and Mourvèdre; Ballard Canyon fruit and, for my taste, the very pinnacle of CA red wine; deep, layered, intense, grippy and savory. Reminds me of young Hermitage.”

The rare note that makes me want to try a CA wine that doesn’t have Edmunds St. John (or now Dirty & Rowdy) on the label.
Click to expand...

Jayson,
Even if only be default, my time in CA has given me the chance to try a large number of smaller, lesser known domestic producers. Some are the same old thing but a few are at least worthy of one’s attention.
Piedrassasi, Domaine de la Cote, Idlewild, Dirty and Rowdy, Birichino and a handful of others. Not every wine from these folks is extraordinary but some truly are.
I think it’s fair to say I have an old world palate but also to say I like fruit. And ESJ sent me down the road to trying what CA has to offer in that vein.
If you get around Sonoma, CA, one of these days, I would be pleased to dig into the cellar for examples.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim: Ross is a nice guy but his wines are mostly not my style.
Click to expand...

Jim, thanks, I would be interested if you're comfortable elaborating as to why (I trust your preferences).

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
Thanks, Jim.

“2014 Piedrassasi, Harrison Clarke Vineyard Red - 50/50 Syrah and Mourvèdre; Ballard Canyon fruit and, for my taste, the very pinnacle of CA red wine; deep, layered, intense, grippy and savory. Reminds me of young Hermitage.”

The rare note that makes me want to try a CA wine that doesn’t have Edmunds St. John (or now Dirty & Rowdy) on the label.
Click to expand...

Jayson,
Even if only be default, my time in CA has given me the chance to try a large number of smaller, lesser known domestic producers. Some are the same old thing but a few are at least worthy of one’s attention.
Piedrassasi, Domaine de la Cote, Idlewild, Dirty and Rowdy, Birichino and a handful of others. Not every wine from these folks is extraordinary but some truly are.
I think it’s fair to say I have an old world palate but also to say I like fruit. And ESJ sent me down the road to trying what CA has to offer in that vein.
If you get around Sonoma, CA, one of these days, I would be pleased to dig into the cellar for examples.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

A kind offer I will try to take you up on! (I haven’t been anywhere closer to Sonoma than Mill Valley in well over twenty years unfortunately. A beautiful part of the world.)
 
Haven’t had any of the spendier single vineyard Syrahs from Piedrassasi, but a few months ago I tried a bottle of their basic “PS” Santa Barbara Syrah, which ran about $25, and thought it was terrific. Very Northern Rhône-ish in the olives, smoke, and savory meaty aromas, but with a freshness of fruit too that spoke of CA.

I’d echo Jim’s praise for the Domaine de la Cote Pinots, although you may find them to be kind of on the opulent side. The spicy aromas remind me of Dujac.
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

originally posted by Florida Jim: Ross is a nice guy but his wines are mostly not my style.
Click to expand...

Jim, thanks, I would be interested if you're comfortable elaborating as to why (I trust your preferences).

. . . . . Pete
Click to expand...

PM me.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Steve Edmunds:
Massa's non-"petit" bottlings of Timorasso can be pretty stunning, at their best; somewhat Chablis-like, with respect to minerality, and cut, and at the same time, fairly rich, with very impressive length.
Click to expand...

Word. Colli Tortonesi is on the rise thanks to folks like Walter Massa. His Barbera Monleale is also a fantastic example of the type. Vigna Marina Coppi Fausto with a few years age is another Timarosso from Colli Tortonesi that will recalibrate your perception of what makes a great Italian white wine. Coppi does Barbera just as well. Exciting times in east Piedmont.
 
originally posted by Marty L.:
Haven’t had any of the spendier single vineyard Syrahs from Piedrassasi, but a few months ago I tried a bottle of their basic “PS” Santa Barbara Syrah, which ran about $25, and thought it was terrific. Very Northern Rhône-ish in the olives, smoke, and savory meaty aromas, but with a freshness of fruit too that spoke of CA.
Click to expand...
Speaking of peppery-spicy-meaty Northern Rhonishness on top of California fruit, Bill Easton's (Terre Rouge) "Cotes de l'Ouest" is another good option, around $20-25.
 
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