Christian Miller (CMM)
Christian Miller
Those bored with "best of..." lists - just skip to "most interesting" list below. Or roll your eyes and move on.
TOP WINES
Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Elke vineyard 2006, Ici la Bas (Clendenen-Knox) - terrific fragrant and complex aroma with PN spice, dried orange peel, woodsy notes; mature black cherry-piney fruit, mellowed velvety mature tannins, good balance, good length. Best Anderson Valley PN I've ever had by a considerable margin; per Mel one of their best vintages.
Rioja Alavesa “Ansa” 2015, Bodega 202 - from a tiny garagiste operation, using 70+ year old vines in the cool northwestern end of the Alavesa; dense, rich and pure Tempranillo fruit with excellent balance, significant but not upfront oak, with structure and finish that suggest a long life. Neither “old school” aged/woody nor international gobbiste, the style falls somewhere between CVNE Reserva and Corison Cab.
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Oakville 2013, Groth - the 2013 is grippy, just starting to unfold but packed with promise. A fine complex 2011 opened last year shows what’s possible down the road. Groth was briefly a critics’ darling years ago, but now seems to get little notice. A good alternative for those who prefer Corison to the uber-ripe sculpted style. 20% Merlot.
Shiraz Barossa "Freedom 1843" 2014, Langmeil - dusty, baked and earthy; full bodied yet mellow, berry/fresh fig fruit, plenty of fine cocoalike tannin, very long, classy. Claims to be from oldest producing vines in Australia, a vineyard planted in the 1840s.
Cote Rotie 1991, Jamet - aromatic and gamey with toasted spices, oak, cigarbox, pink peppercorns, farm hearth; berry fruit emerges, mature but strong on the med-full palate, balanced, fine complex finish, still with some grip. Brilliant.
Barsac 2005, Ch. Climens - very complex nose with jasmine, ripe peach, buckwheat honey, oak; good acid, some light skin tannin, med body, long long finish with grip; a reminder that I really should drink more Sauternes and Barsac.
MOST INTERESTING WINES
Shiraz Clare Valley "the Pioneer" 2012, Wakefield (Taylors) - I know about Clare Valley Riesling, but this was my first encounter with its very un-Barossa Shiraz. A fine floral aroma, medium body, good acid, soft tannin. 14%.
Ciliegiolo Tracy Hills 2017, Rock Wall - I don’t encounter this grape much even as part of Chianti blends, let alone in a varietal bottling. What a nice surprise to run across it at Rock Wall winery in Alameda. Nice cherry-tuscan flavor; medium body, good fruit and balance, lively. Made via carbonic maceration, this has charm and character. 13.5% (low for Rock Wall).
Graciano Rioja Alavesa Barrel Sample 2017, Amaren (Luis Cañas) - My few encounters with solo Graciano have left me puzzled as to why the grape gets such respect. Now I know. Dense pure current fruit with slight hints of bay and sage, background oak; med-full body; vigorous acid. medium but chewy tannins; has density and grip and length, shot through with minerals.
Mourvedre Sonoma Valley Bedrock Old Vines 2013, Wind Gap - an early pick yields low alcohol and a very different wine. Complex and curious, with Pinot Noir-like body, Cinsault-like herbs and Mourvedre’s sauvage notes. But missing Mourvedre's depth and earthy-barky-truffley character.
Pinot Noir Mendocino Ridges Perli & Gianoli 2016, Murder Ridge - a nicely structured aromatic and already complex Pinot Noir, from two vineyards in the vinous middle of nowhere between Anderson Valley and Russian River. Not far from the Ciapusci vineyard, itself a unique curiosity where both ferns and good Zin grow. Good reminder that there are still undiscovered, interesting terroirs even in well-known California regions.
Cariñena "Agoston" 2015, Bodegas Paniza - the DOC, not the grape. 50-50 Grenache and Syrah, this is astonishing value at $6-8 and delivers on Cariñena’s fruit + altitude pitch. Vivid baked black cherry and floral blackberry fruit, slightly sappy with a greenish/vermut tone; lively acid, light dry tannins.
Piemonte Rosso Passito Appasimento 2016, Dezzani - bright fruit - raspberry/grapy with a hint of burnt almond-herbs; med body, juicy berry fruit; significant acid balances some RS to give a barely sweet effect; mild but dry tannin, med length. 2/3 Dolcetto, 1/3 Barbera. Intriguing and different with charm. Like Ripasso lightened with Brachetto and Lambrusco. The next big thing? You heard it here first.
TOP WINES
Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Elke vineyard 2006, Ici la Bas (Clendenen-Knox) - terrific fragrant and complex aroma with PN spice, dried orange peel, woodsy notes; mature black cherry-piney fruit, mellowed velvety mature tannins, good balance, good length. Best Anderson Valley PN I've ever had by a considerable margin; per Mel one of their best vintages.
Rioja Alavesa “Ansa” 2015, Bodega 202 - from a tiny garagiste operation, using 70+ year old vines in the cool northwestern end of the Alavesa; dense, rich and pure Tempranillo fruit with excellent balance, significant but not upfront oak, with structure and finish that suggest a long life. Neither “old school” aged/woody nor international gobbiste, the style falls somewhere between CVNE Reserva and Corison Cab.
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Oakville 2013, Groth - the 2013 is grippy, just starting to unfold but packed with promise. A fine complex 2011 opened last year shows what’s possible down the road. Groth was briefly a critics’ darling years ago, but now seems to get little notice. A good alternative for those who prefer Corison to the uber-ripe sculpted style. 20% Merlot.
Shiraz Barossa "Freedom 1843" 2014, Langmeil - dusty, baked and earthy; full bodied yet mellow, berry/fresh fig fruit, plenty of fine cocoalike tannin, very long, classy. Claims to be from oldest producing vines in Australia, a vineyard planted in the 1840s.
Cote Rotie 1991, Jamet - aromatic and gamey with toasted spices, oak, cigarbox, pink peppercorns, farm hearth; berry fruit emerges, mature but strong on the med-full palate, balanced, fine complex finish, still with some grip. Brilliant.
Barsac 2005, Ch. Climens - very complex nose with jasmine, ripe peach, buckwheat honey, oak; good acid, some light skin tannin, med body, long long finish with grip; a reminder that I really should drink more Sauternes and Barsac.
MOST INTERESTING WINES
Shiraz Clare Valley "the Pioneer" 2012, Wakefield (Taylors) - I know about Clare Valley Riesling, but this was my first encounter with its very un-Barossa Shiraz. A fine floral aroma, medium body, good acid, soft tannin. 14%.
Ciliegiolo Tracy Hills 2017, Rock Wall - I don’t encounter this grape much even as part of Chianti blends, let alone in a varietal bottling. What a nice surprise to run across it at Rock Wall winery in Alameda. Nice cherry-tuscan flavor; medium body, good fruit and balance, lively. Made via carbonic maceration, this has charm and character. 13.5% (low for Rock Wall).
Graciano Rioja Alavesa Barrel Sample 2017, Amaren (Luis Cañas) - My few encounters with solo Graciano have left me puzzled as to why the grape gets such respect. Now I know. Dense pure current fruit with slight hints of bay and sage, background oak; med-full body; vigorous acid. medium but chewy tannins; has density and grip and length, shot through with minerals.
Mourvedre Sonoma Valley Bedrock Old Vines 2013, Wind Gap - an early pick yields low alcohol and a very different wine. Complex and curious, with Pinot Noir-like body, Cinsault-like herbs and Mourvedre’s sauvage notes. But missing Mourvedre's depth and earthy-barky-truffley character.
Pinot Noir Mendocino Ridges Perli & Gianoli 2016, Murder Ridge - a nicely structured aromatic and already complex Pinot Noir, from two vineyards in the vinous middle of nowhere between Anderson Valley and Russian River. Not far from the Ciapusci vineyard, itself a unique curiosity where both ferns and good Zin grow. Good reminder that there are still undiscovered, interesting terroirs even in well-known California regions.
Cariñena "Agoston" 2015, Bodegas Paniza - the DOC, not the grape. 50-50 Grenache and Syrah, this is astonishing value at $6-8 and delivers on Cariñena’s fruit + altitude pitch. Vivid baked black cherry and floral blackberry fruit, slightly sappy with a greenish/vermut tone; lively acid, light dry tannins.
Piemonte Rosso Passito Appasimento 2016, Dezzani - bright fruit - raspberry/grapy with a hint of burnt almond-herbs; med body, juicy berry fruit; significant acid balances some RS to give a barely sweet effect; mild but dry tannin, med length. 2/3 Dolcetto, 1/3 Barbera. Intriguing and different with charm. Like Ripasso lightened with Brachetto and Lambrusco. The next big thing? You heard it here first.
