- 2004 Araujo Estate Syrah Eisele Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (11/24/2007)
A very young a tasty syrah. Although it drank very well, this wine needed some airtime or some more bottle time. Not tannic or shut down, just very mellow. Not as heavy and over the top as a few other vintages I have tasted. Still big and ripe with a good amount of oak showing. I really liked this and would have loved to tasted another glass today ... but that ain't going to happen. - 2005 Palacios Remondo Rioja Plácet Blanc - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (11/22/2007)
What a great surprise. This wine is 100% Viura. Lots of complexity. Everything is played laid back. Honeyed fruit, stones, nuts and cream. A rich texture that is kept alive by the acidity. I had brought the 06 Kiim Crawford Sav Blanc which is a really nice wine and I have lots of it... but this was so much more interesting. I think it was a little too out of the ordinary for some folks who immediately went back to the Kim Crawford... good for me! (92 pts.) - 2004 native9 Pinot Noir Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (11/20/2007)
Great powerful nose. Lots of citrus, earth and bit of what seemed to be stems. I am assuming this has some whole cluster. On the palate it is young and flashy. Lots of berries and pomegranates. Big, ripe and in your face but not heavy or flabby. Very straight forward and primary but seems to have a nice amount of stuffing and acid to graduate to another level in a few years. At this stage the finish is slightly clipped but I don't think that is going to be a problem in a few years. Probably not a super long ager but certainly should make a fine 7 or 8 year old. I won't open another bottle for 3 or 4 years. Its greatness is probably slightly held back by the vintage. Sadly I didn't have the funds to get the 05 (which I did taste). Hope to be able to get the 06 ... sadly I don't think there will be an 07. (93 pts.)
Cheers,
Jason