Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Wine impressions - 9-14-18
Bubbles:
N/V H. Goutorbe, Champagne Rose Brut - stronger flavors than expected in an overall well balanced and steady wine. Not bad . . .
Whites:
2016 Amapola Creek, Chardonnay - wonderful nose, superb fruit, some nice layers but the French oak is a bit too much for me on the finish. For those who are not as finicky as I, this is quite a wine. Puligny-esque and suave.
(Aside: I tasted this at the winery on the day they were bringing in current vintage of Chard - and the new fruit was stellar. If you like the style, 2018 Chard from this house should be splendid.)
2017 Cowan Cellars, Ribolla Gialla - needs time to open in air and then blossoms into something Friulian and lovely. This will develop over several years.
2014 Edmunds St. John, Heart of Gold - I usually drink these within days of arrival so it’s nice to try one with age - hasn’t lost a step - bright, pure, lively and delicious.
2016 Belluard, Gringet Les Alpes - Savoie wine with spice, life and something lurking; young but lively and maybe, complexity playing just at the edge of perception. Time should be good for this.
2014 Ladd Cellars, Chardonnay Cuvée Voile - part of this wine is made “under the veil” much like Sherry and then blended into the direct press juice. Initially, it’s quite angular with lemon rind in charge - as it opens the depth and character of the wine become clearer and the complexity shows - no oak anywhere, crystalline fruit, immense energy, endless finish. One of the very best new world chardonnays I have tasted and has years to develop in the cellar. Extraordinary wine!
Reds:
2015 and 2005 Amapola Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon - Sonoma Cab from Dick Arrowood; both clearly from the same house; the ‘05 has lost its wood signature and is relatively complex with some herbal tones over focused cab fruit, a bit disjointed overall but a nice drop. The ‘15 is much more of a piece but also shows more oak so its not as distinctive as the older wine. Neither is my cup of juice but both are well made in the style and, based on the older wine losing its oak notes, perhaps there is more development in store for the more recent vintage - that and the fact that the vines are ten years older gives promise.
2017 Dirty and Rowdy, Unfamiliar Rouge - open several days but recorked and in the cooler; a little aromatic funk blows off and, from then on, clear and lightly rustic, Mourvèdre smells and flavors with balance and sustain. May all Hardy’s “difficult vintages” be so lucky. Overachieves at the price point. SRP $23.
(Aside: D and I finished what remained of that bottle and decided to open another. Fresh, sans funk and every bit the same wine. Makes me wonder if this will last longer than anticipated. Either way, I’ve got to get another case.)
2009 Vieux Telegraph, CdP - a complete wine at the pretty end of the spectrum - no brooding or heaviness, just pure, nuanced CdP with perfect balance and plenty of there, there. A treasure.
2017 Harrington, Syrah McEvoy Ranch - remarkable wine; complete, lots of olive and lifted tones, good structure and such complexity at such a young age - my goodness! As impressive a young CA red wine as I have had in many years.
1996 Montille, Pommard Les Grands Epenots - laser like focus but too many holes right now; needs time.
1996 Dom. Prieure Roch, Vosne Romanee Les Suchots - fully resolved, lighter weight and delightful. Of a piece and worth spending some time with.
1996 Dom. Laurent, Bonnes Mares - it takes some effort to eviscerate and dry out Bonnes Mares with oak but Laurent achieves it here. It’s not completely lacking in character but the maladies that accompany too much wood are present and detract from the overall delivery. A wine that makes me wonder what could have been.
2016 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - Rhône style Beaujolais, bright, crisp, lightweight but intense and wonderful with puttanesca. Very old Cinsault turns out to be very good.
2008 Ladd Cellars, Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - practically a barrel sample; young, unevolved, undeveloped but with everything it needs to be more.
N/V Birichino, Grenache Hommage a Georges Besson (500ml) - 2012, 2013 and 2014 select clusters that are from own-rooted vines, made soldera style and appassimento, then fermented whole cluster and macerated post-fermentation for 40 days. Nothing here says Grenache; it’s all about deep fruit and savory and structured length. This is so very young but everything that is here points toward a long life with incremental development over the years. Crazy good!
Best, jim
Bubbles:
N/V H. Goutorbe, Champagne Rose Brut - stronger flavors than expected in an overall well balanced and steady wine. Not bad . . .
Whites:
2016 Amapola Creek, Chardonnay - wonderful nose, superb fruit, some nice layers but the French oak is a bit too much for me on the finish. For those who are not as finicky as I, this is quite a wine. Puligny-esque and suave.
(Aside: I tasted this at the winery on the day they were bringing in current vintage of Chard - and the new fruit was stellar. If you like the style, 2018 Chard from this house should be splendid.)
2017 Cowan Cellars, Ribolla Gialla - needs time to open in air and then blossoms into something Friulian and lovely. This will develop over several years.
2014 Edmunds St. John, Heart of Gold - I usually drink these within days of arrival so it’s nice to try one with age - hasn’t lost a step - bright, pure, lively and delicious.
2016 Belluard, Gringet Les Alpes - Savoie wine with spice, life and something lurking; young but lively and maybe, complexity playing just at the edge of perception. Time should be good for this.
2014 Ladd Cellars, Chardonnay Cuvée Voile - part of this wine is made “under the veil” much like Sherry and then blended into the direct press juice. Initially, it’s quite angular with lemon rind in charge - as it opens the depth and character of the wine become clearer and the complexity shows - no oak anywhere, crystalline fruit, immense energy, endless finish. One of the very best new world chardonnays I have tasted and has years to develop in the cellar. Extraordinary wine!
Reds:
2015 and 2005 Amapola Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon - Sonoma Cab from Dick Arrowood; both clearly from the same house; the ‘05 has lost its wood signature and is relatively complex with some herbal tones over focused cab fruit, a bit disjointed overall but a nice drop. The ‘15 is much more of a piece but also shows more oak so its not as distinctive as the older wine. Neither is my cup of juice but both are well made in the style and, based on the older wine losing its oak notes, perhaps there is more development in store for the more recent vintage - that and the fact that the vines are ten years older gives promise.
2017 Dirty and Rowdy, Unfamiliar Rouge - open several days but recorked and in the cooler; a little aromatic funk blows off and, from then on, clear and lightly rustic, Mourvèdre smells and flavors with balance and sustain. May all Hardy’s “difficult vintages” be so lucky. Overachieves at the price point. SRP $23.
(Aside: D and I finished what remained of that bottle and decided to open another. Fresh, sans funk and every bit the same wine. Makes me wonder if this will last longer than anticipated. Either way, I’ve got to get another case.)
2009 Vieux Telegraph, CdP - a complete wine at the pretty end of the spectrum - no brooding or heaviness, just pure, nuanced CdP with perfect balance and plenty of there, there. A treasure.
2017 Harrington, Syrah McEvoy Ranch - remarkable wine; complete, lots of olive and lifted tones, good structure and such complexity at such a young age - my goodness! As impressive a young CA red wine as I have had in many years.
1996 Montille, Pommard Les Grands Epenots - laser like focus but too many holes right now; needs time.
1996 Dom. Prieure Roch, Vosne Romanee Les Suchots - fully resolved, lighter weight and delightful. Of a piece and worth spending some time with.
1996 Dom. Laurent, Bonnes Mares - it takes some effort to eviscerate and dry out Bonnes Mares with oak but Laurent achieves it here. It’s not completely lacking in character but the maladies that accompany too much wood are present and detract from the overall delivery. A wine that makes me wonder what could have been.
2016 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - Rhône style Beaujolais, bright, crisp, lightweight but intense and wonderful with puttanesca. Very old Cinsault turns out to be very good.
2008 Ladd Cellars, Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - practically a barrel sample; young, unevolved, undeveloped but with everything it needs to be more.
N/V Birichino, Grenache Hommage a Georges Besson (500ml) - 2012, 2013 and 2014 select clusters that are from own-rooted vines, made soldera style and appassimento, then fermented whole cluster and macerated post-fermentation for 40 days. Nothing here says Grenache; it’s all about deep fruit and savory and structured length. This is so very young but everything that is here points toward a long life with incremental development over the years. Crazy good!
Best, jim
