WTN: A Donkey & Goat Walk Into a Bar...

and serve up the following two wines:
1. Donkey&Goat Chard Untended/AndersonVlly (U; 12.7%; www.DonkeyAndGoat.com) 2010: Med.yellow slight cloudy color; rater appley/Chard slight spicy/apple pie/nutmeg rather minerally/chalky attractive nose; very tart/lean quite chalky/mineral light appley/Chard/fruit rather austere flavor; med.long tart/lean/tangy mineral/chalky light appley/Chard/apple pie finish; packed w/ fresh apple flavor but not at all thin & eviscerated; needs some time; rather Chablis in style or more like AltoAdige Chard; very tangy/saline/savory.
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2. Donkey&Goat Carignane AlexVlly (U; 14.2%) 2010: Very dark color; very strong black cherry/cherry/Carig earthy light oak nose; rather tart/tannic/rustic strong earthy/black cherry/Carig/loamy some gout de terroir flavor; fairly long strong black cherry/Carig/earthy/spicy/licorice light oak tart/tannic/rough/rustic finish; needs a few yrs of age; a rather rugged/rough bit coarse Carignane w/ lots of flavor.
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A wee BP:
1. The Chard was a lot like many of the new-wave Calif Chards that focuses on higher acidity and lower alcohols. It has a minerally acidity to it, but has plenty of flavor and doesn't come off as thin & eviscerated. It comes from the DaveBlakeman vnyd of ungrafted Wente-clone Chard that is farmed by Fukuoka method. Aged for 10 months, sur lie. Interesting Chard that will not appeal to everyone.
The Carignane comes from 120 yr old vines in the AlexVlly. One of the better Carignanes I've had but a pretty rough/rugged red that will not appeal to PinotNoir fans.
Tom

Thanks for the notes, Tom. I've been meaning to try some of their wines, since I know of their connection to Eric Texier and do get to Berkeley from time to time. I love good renditions of Cargignane and have often wondered if it wouldn't be a successful transplant to California (I think the only previous CA example I've had was from Porter Creek a few years ago).

Mark Lipton

Thanks for the notes, Tom. I've been meaning to try some of their wines, since I know of their connection to Eric Texier and do get to Berkeley from time to time. I love good renditions of Cargignane and have often wondered if it wouldn't be a successful transplant to California (I think the only previous CA example I've had was from Porter Creek a few years ago).
Mark Lipton

They're worth doing a visit to, Mark. Recently moved into a new space in LowerBerkeley on 4'th St a few blocks N of University.
Tasting room usually open on Fri afternoons & Sat. Or by appt.
I'm sorta mixed about Carignan in Calif. Mostly my experience is w/ the Ridges, mostly Buchignani Rnch. I like the bright cherry/
black cherry character in the nose, but they often have this rather hard/tannic edge to them...like a Languedoc red. Haven't tried
the Carlisle one yet.
Tom