WTN: Heitz, Hall, Elzabeth Spencer

Did a very nice bicycle ride in Napa Valley today. After cruising up shady Dry Creek Road, I climbed over the hill and dropped right into Oakvilel. Highway 29 is noisy and busy, but has an excellent shoulder.

First Stop: Heitz. FREE TASTING. What's wrong with them!!!??? The highlight of the tasting was an unusual and new wine-2005 Petit Verdot. DELICIOUS. Another wine that just tastes "purple." I tasted boysenberry and violets. Good acidity and a wallop of tannins. Delicious and unusual. I will be returning for this one. I know some here are not impressed by the Trailside Vineyard Cab (2002) , and it is pricey at $80 But, I like the leaner, even "astringent" character of this wine. It reminds me of Merryvale and Trefethan and a few other "old fashioned" cabs. I liked it enough to buy the 2001 last year. Still have not sampled the "famous" Martha's Vineyard.

In St Helena, I tried the 2004 Hall Napa River Ranch Merlot. Now this was a major surprise. Pomerol, I thought. Very dark black fruit and savory, with quite prominent tannins and a fuzzy mouth feel. Rich, but in no way extracted, jammy, or "fruity." This is one of the best young Napa Merlots I have tried this year!

Elizabeth Spencer-the 2004 Mount Veeder Cab has settled down nicely and has become quite elegant and almost light. Again, "restrained" but in no way thin or weak. Very nice blackberry and currant, with some smokey oak complementing the fruit. Not the raspberry I usually associate with Mount Veeder. The E/S (Reserve Label) 2005 Sonoma Coast Syrah was deliciously meaty and earthy and savory. Yum. What a great Syrah!

[Jenise]

in no way extracted, jammy, or "extracted."

And the difference would be....

Oops. I am a terrible typist. Especially late in the evening.

That Merlot was a major surprise. Hall has retained David Ramey as consulting winemaker, but they've retained the somewhat restrained style I have always associated with the winery. So...both restrained and opulent. I wish I had the tasting descriptors that many here have, but this Merlot was simply complex and delicious! Yesterday was a very good wine tasting day.