New World Sangiovese

Just for fun, I tried a bottle of Pride's sangiovese (2006.) I've really only tasted Italian sangioveses, but given my experience with Pride's other wines, it was very much what I expected. Ripe but not too ripe, very rich oak and dark fruit flavors to bump up the wine's intensity (given the varietal) and certainly the inkyest sangiovese I've ever encountered. So there ya have it. I think cabernet stands up better to their style of winemaking.

Willamette Valley Pinot Find (under $40)

I love a lot of the Oregon pinots. They usually showcase the varietal and are balanced (or even have acidity at all.) Picked up this wine recently at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa and it simply made me smile. All the components of a lovely pinot were there - the berries, earth, delicate oak and integrated alcohol - and my husband and I had sipped away the bottle before we knew it. Here's the info if you want to check it out :)

Anne Amie, 2009
Pinot Noir (in all its glory!)
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Vineyards: 41% Anne Amie Estate, 28% Boisseau, 11.5% Gran Moraine, 8% Rainbow Ridge, 5% Alloro, 4% Louise, 2.5% Zena Crown
Clones: P4, 114, 115, 667, 777, 828
Oak: aged 10 months in French oak, 21% new, 20% 1 year, 59% neutral
Soils: Willakenzie, Laurelwood, Ritner
Alcohol: 13.9%

OakJamNapaCabFest

Cimarossa, 2007
Riva Di Ponente Vineyard
Howell Mountain
Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine was just too much for me. I want to write about it so I remember to not buy it again and stop trying  different Napa cabs when the style of 95% of them is just TOO jamberry syrup and woody for me. 

Cozy Fall Cabernet

Thanksgiving came to an end. I'm completely turkey and pinot-ed out and left with a craving for a sultry cab, reserve gouda, roaring fire and spanish guitar.

Popping a Fontanella Family Winery 2009. Premiere Napa Valley. Auction 15 Lot 124, Melanson Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon...Bottle 14 of 60. Not exactly sure what every detail means (except that this juice sounds pretty darn special) but also not in the mood to be a student tonight...just ready to drink something intense and tasty. That I got...

- Stains the glass a brickish purple

- Red rose on the nose, prettypretty

- Dense fruits: red and black but not pure jam, acidity is present with a youthful freshness

- Some oak on the finish, alllllllmost too much (others would hardly detect but I'm supersensitive to wood in my wine)

- Very silky tannins

- Leather, leaves, and a mellow dustiness/extra dimension

- Pleasant grip on the finish

- Ubercab

c o l g i n (napa cult syrah)

I know what I like and don't like. While I can appreciate how well made this wine is, the wine's meaty, smokey and herbal qualities stand out way too much. Those on top of the high alcohol (15.8%) start to mask the fruit which I'm sure is of the highest quality. Wanted to write again to remember this wine's first impression on me. Have a few more entries to make - have had a few noteworthy bottles recently.

Colgin, 2007, Syrah, Napa Valley (IX Estate)