This was an unknown wnry that I picked up at Corti's a few weeks ago:
1. LeCasque Calotte AmadorCnty (50% Syrah from BellaGraceVnyd/50% Grenache from TumbasVnyd; 14.8%; www.CasqueWines.com) Auburn 2007: Med.dark color; quite ripe earthy/dusty/very Zin-like very slight floral/strawberry/Grenache light vanilla/oak nose; soft quite earthy/dusty blackberry/Zin-like/briary somewhat tannic/hard light vanilla/oak flavor; med.long soft rather hard/tannic quite earthy/dusty light blackberry/Zin/briary light vanilla/oak finish; somewhat lacking in fruit and speaks more of Amadoor Zin than Syrah or Grenache; rather on the hard/tannic side. $22.00 (CB)
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2. LeCasque CalotteBlanc AmadorCnty (13.4%; 35% Viognier/28% Roussanne/23% Vermentino/14% Marsanne; no oak) Plymouth 2009: Light gold color; attractive Viog/pear/ripe/spicy slight apple pie/cinammon/spicy fairly fragrant nose; soft/fat spicy/apple pie/pear/Viog light earthy slightly bitter flavor; med.short slight tangy/grapefruity rather ripe/pear/Viog/apple pie/spicy finish; a rather attractive nose but doesn't quite deliver on the palate. $18.00 (CB)
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A wee BP:
1. Founded in 2006 by Mark Breunig and Kevin Stevenson. Mostly specializing in Rhone varietals w/ some Bdx-style wines. The LeCasque is a French helment their soldiers once wore. The Calotte was an inner fitting that made the helmet fit better on the head.
The red was a somewhat charmless wine, but the white was pretty decent. They make a range of wines that look interesting and I would try again.
Tom