WTN: Steele/Carlisle for DinDin...(short/boring)

Had these last night w/ leftover pasta al forno:
1. ShootingStar/JedSteele Aligote WashState (13.5%; www.SteeleWines.com) 2008: Light gold color; pleasant earthy/stoney/slotey slight floral/carnations/perfumed talc slight melony/honeydew/spicy attractive nose; rather tart/citric/grapefruity/floral/carnations totally dry bit austere slight earthy/steely/slatey grapefruity/citric flavor; very long/lingering bright/melony/grapefruity/citric some earthy/minerally/slatey slight valve oil bit Riesling-like lovely finish; an absolutely delicious/drinkable white at a great price. $12.00
_______________________
2. Carlisle SonomaCnty Zin (15.0%; 4% PS; AlexVlly/DryCreekVlly/RRV/SonomaVlly) 2008: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin light toasty/oak very spict/perfumed/aromatic nose; fairly tart some tannic/hard ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy light pungent/toasty/oak rather lush/ripe/mouthfilling flavor; long bit tannic/hard ripe/lush/blackberry/Zin/very spicy bit peppery light toasty/oak finish; needs 2-6 yrs and has the structure to go out further; a classic Carlisle Zin at a great price. $21.50
________________________________________________
And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Steele: I've followed JedSteele's wines from the very start; back when he became winemaker at Edmeades and totally turned the place around. At Edmeades, he made some of the greatest MendoCnty reds ever made. The CortiReserve Cab '74 was one of the greatest Cabs ever made in Calif. But since Jed went to K-J and then his own winery; his wines have never regained that stature they had at Edmeades. Alas.
I took my first trip thru LakeCnty/ClearLake last Tues and was quite taken by its beauty. Saw Jed's wnry, so made a stop in. The wines I tried were pleasant enough...but just that. Picked up this Aligote just to try it....having low expectations. My expectations were well exceeded. I love French Aligote for its lean/crisp/austere charaacter. This wine is not that. Don't have a clue if it's expressive of Aligote varietal character or not. But quite a lovely wine it is at a great price.
_________________________
2. Carlisle: Wanted a red to try and spied this xtra btl of the SonomaCnty that arrived a few weeks ago. This wine is a classic Carlisle in style. But don't be misled by the screwcap closure. This is serious Zin that needs at least another yr and will probably go out another 5-8 yrs. A great Zin at a great price; better than many a $30-$40 Zin.
Tom

I've had great pleasure from some Steele Pinot Noirs (Carneros?) over the years. I remember ordering one at a restaurant in Florida and the vintage they brought to the table was not the vintage the server thought they had. I was dubious because I had doubts about this vintage. Once he opened the bottle and poured some into the glasses, the aroma wafted across the whole table. Glorious! I have also enjoyed Steele's Catfish Zinfandel (not a typical high-alcohol Zin--maybe more Claret-like) and some of the Mendocino Zins. He also made a late-harvest Chardonnay one year that was appealing in small portions (and became cloying in larger doses.) Never got to try his wines from Edmeades.

I've had great pleasure from some Steele Pinot Noirs (Carneros?) over the years. I remember ordering one at a restaurant in Florida and the vintage they brought to the table was not the vintage the server thought they had. I was dubious because I had doubts about this vintage. Once he opened the bottle and poured some into the glasses, the aroma wafted across the whole table. Glorious! I have also enjoyed Steele's Catfish Zinfandel (not a typical high-alcohol Zin--maybe more Claret-like) and some of the Mendocino Zins. He also made a late-harvest Chardonnay one year that was appealing in small portions (and became cloying in larger doses.) Never got to try his wines from Edmeades.

I've liked his Pinots as well, especially the BienNacido. I picked up a hlf btl of the dessert Chard, from SangiacomoVnyd, about a '98 or '99, but have not tried it yet.
I also like his ShootingStar Blaufrankish (Lemberger) for a pleasant/earthy red.
The Zins (DuPratt, Ciapusci, Zeni, Recitti) were pretty big wines in terms of fruit, but only (I say only...this was in the late '70's when 15%-16%+ were NOT the norm) in the
low 14% alcohol range. Sorta in the Carlisle style but not quite as structured. The Edmeades and Milano (GregGraziano and JimMilone) Zins were as good as any made
in Calif in those days.
Tom