Went up to Sonoma Valley yesterday morning to see Jim Mack from Jemrose Vineyards, and taste through his recent bottlings and barrel samples. I'm hardly neutral when talking about these wines: Jim is a good friend (and an incredibly generous and hospitable person) who was also a part of my old tasting group in Chicago, and I had stayed with him and his family for a few days during my last visit to California. I love the wines he's making which have a real sense of place from slightly cooler, sometimes rather steep vineyards in Bennett Valley, and a combination of rich Californian fruit, wild meaty/peppery/other non-fruit aromatic elements and a sense of real drinkability and food-friendliness. Was great to see Jim and his assistant winemaker Shane Finley again and we started with a few samples from bottles they had just opened.
2009 Jemrose Egret Pond Vineyard Viognier
Jim says this was picked around 25 brix, done in stainless steel with the malolactic fermentation stopped to retain the freshness from the malic acids. Explosive floral and perfumed aromatics leading into a palate full of peach, orange blossom and mineral notes; the texture's very polished and slightly creamy, but this has fantastic precision and purity with really nice acids and great length. Fantastic wine, one of the best Viogniers I've had!
2008 Jemrose Foggy Knoll Grenache
Bottled very recently, and it comes across very tight and reticent at first. There's a core of red and dark fruit, and faint meaty and spicy notes that emerge with time. Really well structured with grainy tannins and solid acids, and a finish that's remarkably savoury and salty with something very proscuitto-like on the back end.
2008 Jemrose Cardiac Hill Syrah
30% whole cluster, 30% new French oak and from a steep vineyard (hence the 'cardiac'). Also bottled very recently and even more reticent than the Grenache, showing some dark fruit and black pepper with a sense of intense concentration and power, but it's very tightly coiled and unyielding right now. Lots of acid/tannin structure as well, just needs some time.
2008 Jemrose Gloria's Gem
55% Syrah, 45% Merlot. Surprisingly open and accessible now with a core of rich plummy, chocolate-tinged fruit and accents of herbs, chestnut and faint meaty notes. Very polished and finessed with grainy tannins and fine acids noticeable beneath the deep fruit, and serious length. The richest and most fruit driven of all the Jemrose wines, delicious stuff that's very fun to drink.
2007 Shane Jemrose Vineyard Syrah
From Cardiac Hill, 100% whole cluster. Really high toned, fresh aromatics full of pepper, smoke and bright berried fruit (Shane suggests boysenberry); there's plenty of grip and structure here with the tannins quite chewy and I reckon this will only get better with time.
2008 Shane Jemrose Vineyard Syrah
Gorgeous aromatics; even more high toned and peppery than the '07 with wild lavender and smoky elements amidst the white pepper and fruit. It's even more backward and tannic in the mouth though with the structure dominating right now, but the balance suggesting this will be lovely with time.
Kosta-Browne wines from barrel
I was really impressed for the most part. I've read a lot about K-B's wines being fairly heavy and overripe, though I didn't notice any of that when tasting through the '09 Pinot barrel samples. Shane Finley (the assistant winemaker) also mentioned that they've tried to keep more freshness and balance in the wines in the last few years, and I found the samples I tried very enjoyable.
2009 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard
Deep complexioned fruit; black cherry and some plum with clove and cardamom accents and nice acids beneath. Big but balanced. Very nice.
2009 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard
Wild nose full of fresh red fruits, tangy orange peel and spice. Very light, fresh and elegant in the mouth with clear red fruit and citrus lifted by good acidity, lovely.
2009 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard, whole cluster
Remarkable to taste the whole cluster barrel after the stemless barrel. This has the same fruit flavours as the previous sample, but the volume's dialled down on the fruit here with herbal, stemmy and faintly leafy elements taking more prominence. The texture's already quite polished and silken with fine grained tannins and bright acids.
2009 Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard, 667 clone
"Fresh" is the first thing I scribbled – like cramming berries and a slice of blood orange into your mouth. Surprisingly polished and finessed for a barrel sample with the acids giving it a sense of real precision and refreshment. Lovely.
2009 Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard
Deeper in colour than the previous samples (this one's from Sonoma), but the fruit's slightly tart and very fresh, along the lines of raspberry and cranberry. Quite firm tannins on the back end.
2009 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard
Like really fresh cherry and apple juice with a sense of elegance and finesse. Yum!
2009 Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard, 667 clone with wood tank fermentation
Deeper complexioned than the other Pinots with black cherry and plummy fruit, touches of tarter raspberry and some spice, but beautifully balanced. Delicious.
2009 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch, clone 23
The most primary of the barrel samples, some red fruited flavours here but this still tastes rather grapey
Spell wines from barrel:
One of Shane Finley's other projects that he poured a couple of samples from. Very nice wines.
2009 Pinot Noir Guidici Vineyard
Bright apple, cherry and red berried fruit over touches of earth, surprisingly complex for a barrel sample.
2009 Pinot Noir Sonoma County Nicole's Blend
Cherries and apples with a sense of amazing freshness, some tarter herbal notes underneath and really nice acidity.
Jemrose wines from barrel:
Love the wines, loved the barrel samples as well. Now I can't wait to taste some of these out of bottle soon.
2009 Grenache, once-used oak
All about freshness. Red fruits straight from an orchard seasoned with just-cracked black pepper. Tannic, but yummy already.
2009 Syrah, 470 clone
Essence of Syrah fruit; all currants, plum and dark berries with a sense of power and freshness.
2009 Syrah, 174 clone
It's like someone fermented a cut of venison and some pepper! Smoky and spicy notes over wild gamey meats and a solid tannic/acid spine; wow.
2009 Syrah, 174 clone co-fermented with Viognier
Wow again; more exotic now with dark fruits tinged with lavender, spicy and floral elements, and a savoury meatiness underneath. Jim says he may make a separate Syrah-Viognier bottling from this, I'm very excited.
2009 Syrah, Estrella River clone
A really sauvage flavour profile here; aromatics of iodine, blood and meat over a core of deep fruit, surprisingly refined and polished in the mouth though with a finessed texture and the tannin more silky than in the other barrel samples.
Shane wines from barrel:
These were a little harder to taste than the other barrel samples – all of these go through 100% whole cluster fermentation, and the stemmy qualities and more prominent/abrasive tannins made the barrel samples quite tough to taste.
2009 Syrah Valenti Ranch Vineyard
Starts out with deep blackberry and plummy fruit that turns really herbal and woodsy on the back end. Nice.
2009 Syrah Judge Vineyard, clone 174
Faintly green and very stemmy; there's a dominant herbal and woodsy quality over the plum and red fruited flavours. Really tannic and acid-driven.
2009 Syrah Jemrose Vineyard, clone 174
Floral, smoky and stemmy/herbal accents on top of dark berried fruit, really good structure and balance here.
Interlude for a couple of Rieslings. Jim Mack, Shane Finley and I revisited the Viognier (which was again very fun and refreshing) and then enjoyed a couple of glasses of the Schönleber, then I caught up with Florida Jim and Brad Widelock in Santa Rosa, where we finished the remaining 2/3rds of the Schönleber and the Othegraven over lunch at a lovely French bistro.
2006 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Spätlese
Very refreshing with bright citrus, peach and subtle honeyed and petrol notes over a minerally base, there's a nice acid spine here and this shows none of the fat or high ripeness of the vintage. Elegant, precise, long and very easy to drink.
2003 Von Othegraven Kanzemer Altenberg Erste Lage Riesling Auslese Auction
This is one of those rare Auslesen with barely a hint of botrytis, showing a spectrum of fruit that ranges from citrus and lime to riper peach and nectarine. On top there are all sorts of gentle floral, minerally and herbal accents that are hard to do justice to in words, with an incredible sense of purity and freshness to the flavours and really nice acidity that gives this wonderful cut and precision. This has presence; no finish to speak of but flavours that just stay with you. Outstanding wine. (And AP #17 for those who keep track.)
Tasting with Jim Cowan and Russell Bevan soon after:
Was really excited to try Jim Cowan's wines (with some Johnny Cash playing in the background), which occupy a very different stylistic realm from most other Californian wines I'm familiar with. There's a lot about the Syrahs that reminded me of the Loire, and I'm now hoping I'll be able to buy a few bottles as these seem like perfect wines to sit down and explore with food.
2008 Cowan Cellars Skin Fermented Sauvignon Blanc
Slightly cloudy in appearance with a pale orange colour. Fierce – makes an impact immediately with high toned, intense aromatics full of ripe tropical fruits, smoke, herbs and saline elements. Very powerful and deep in the mouth with layers of ripe fruit over ginger, spicy and herbal notes; very un-Sauvignon-like but really fascinating to explore.
2008 Cowan Cellars Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah
Really fresh and high-toned; bright Syrah fruit accented by delicate floral and peppery elements over a spine of grainy tannins and refreshing acids. There's a sense of elegance and a lightness of touch to this, and it's a wine I could drink a lot of. Really pretty, delicious Syrah.
2007 Cowan Cellars Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah
Like the '08, very light on its feet and fresh with a bright red fruited core, touches of plum and high-toned peppery notes. Both this and the '08 Syrah reminded me of really good Loire Cabernet Franc with their high-toned flavours, lightness and a sense that these would be tremendous wines to follow over a few hours with food.
Cowan and Bevan Cellars barrel samples:
2009 Cowan Cellars Syrah (didn't note the vineyard source)
Jim warns me it's a little awkward right now; while the aromatics are a little muddied, there's an incredible sense of freshness and purity to the fruit in the mouth with a beautiful finessed mouthfeel already and the same lightness of touch I found in the bottled Syrahs. And it's 12.7% alcohol!
2009 Bevan Cellars Syrah Westerhold Vineyard, Alban clone 1
Powerful, explosive fruit; deep-complexioned and tinged with lavender and spice. Lots of layers and depth here with the fruit and richness balanced by good acids; really long and intense.
2009 Bevan Cellars Viognier Kick Ranch
A powerhouse of a Viognier; intensely floral, perfumed and peachy with a minerally base underneath. Very rich, slightly creamy and full bodied though with enough acidity to keep it nicely balanced.
Bevan Cellars wines:
After Jim's wines and the barrel samples, Russell pulled out a bunch of bottles from his latest release lineup. Side note: Russell Bevan is a real character, and tasting with him, Jim Cowan and the Bevan winery team was incredibly fun – most of us were laughing non-stop through the tasting. The wines are big, full of power and concentration with plenty of new oak, but for the most part are beautifully balanced and the Cabernets at the end were truly spectacular.
2008 Bevan Cellars Greywacke Syrah
Iron-fisted Syrah. Explosive aromatics full of pepper, black currants and high-toned dark fruits, and this is really immense in the mouth with lots of concentration and power over firm tannins, though the alcohol's a bit noticeable on the back end, which I struggled with.
2008 Bevan Cellars De Crescenzo Vineyard
Jim says it's like drinking a black hole. This is really dark. Incredibly deep, opaque in appearances; full of black, black fruit and absolutely packed with tannin and acid. More structure here than the Golden Gate Bridge.
2008 Bevan Cellars Ontogeny Red Wine
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Very rich and concentrated; herb-tinged cassis and currant flavours and a fair bit of oak apparent.
2008 Bevan Cellars Merlot Showket Vineyard Alexis' Cuvee
Chocolate covered plums and black cherries, with the volume ramped up to 11. Not something for contemplation or matching with food; it's just delicious fruit and chocolate in a very fun, delicious package with plenty of ripeness and balance.
2008 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Showket Vineyard David's Cuvee
Wow! Amazing wine; combining rich plummy and curranty fruit with violets, herbs, cedar and dark chocolate in a seamless package. It's a big, intense wine with plenty of ripeness that doesn't hold anything back, but it's freaking delicious, silken-textured and all too easy to drink with a level of balance, freshness and finesse I rarely find in such ripe, fruit-forward wines. Not my style and a wine I'd ever think of looking out for, but it's irresistible. Wow again.
2008 Bevan Cellars Red Wine Showket Vineyard Double E's Cuvee
A blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon; picks up where the Cabernet Sauvignon left off with the same fruit and intensity, but a wilder, more herbal and slightly forestal aspect to the flavours. Surprisingly light on its feet despite its power and concentration with lovely acids and solid tannin structure, and a finish that's all chocolate and herbs and a mile long. Fantastic wine!
An amazing day out in wine country with some great people who are making some fantastic wines with distinctiveness and a sense of place. Many thanks to Jim Mack, Shane Finley, Jim Cowan, Russell Bevan and the team at Bevan Cellars for their generosity and for taking the time out to take me through their wines; was great to see Jim Mack and Shane again, and a real pleasure meeting Florida Jim and Russell for the first time over some great wines. Flying out of California this evening and headed back to the far east, the vacation has been amazing and the couple of days I've spent up in Sonoma and RRV were tremendous; eye-opening and educational with some great folks.