WTN: Four more

2005 Giacosa, Roero Arneis:
Sappy, slightly resinous white wine with good acidity, a fine texture and lots of persistence. Especially good with Diane’s white chili soup. Imported by Locascio and about $20; I’d buy it again.

2004 Dom. La Garrigue, Vacqueyras:
Salty and meaty on the nose; full bodied and savory in the mouth without great weight and a balanced, medium length finish. It may be 80% grenache and 14% alcohol but it doesn’t taste it – and for me, that’s a good thing. Imported by Eric Solomon and about $15; I’d buy it again.

1996 Dunham, Cabernet Sauvignon II:
The nose is the aromatic embodiment of the concept ‘clear-cut;’ ultra-pasteurized, confected, oak syrup in the mouth with the unrelenting taste of wood sap on the palate that makes one want to spit. DNPIM. About $50 on release: I wouldn’t pay 1/5,000th of that for it.

1999 Giacosa, Barolo Falletto:
The antidote for the preceding beverage and if any bottle of fermented grape juice can be worth $90 (and I’d argue against that), this is the one. Perfect balance, class, immense concentration without being extractive, a ripe and substantial structure, and a plethora of nebbiolo flavors and scents that are so harmonious that this wine geek can only be humbly grateful for such miracles. Has decades of life in the cellar but is sensational now. Imported by Locascio and, if I had the money, I’d buy it again.

Best, Jim

2004 Dom. La Garrigue, Vacqueyras: Salty and meaty on the nose; full bodied and savory in the mouth without great weight and a balanced, medium length finish. It may be 80% grenache and 14% alcohol but it doesn’t taste it – and for me, that’s a good thing. Imported by Eric Solomon and about $15; I’d buy it again.

I bought a case of this wine -- killer QPR. What's up with "it may be 80% Grenache?" I take it you do not like M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac, or Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape?

I take it you do not like M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac, or Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape?

Rarely.
Of course there are exceptions (for instance, Edmunds St. John uses grenache in some of it's blends and I like most of those) but in the main, grenache and I do not get along.
Mourvedre, OTOH, is much more to my taste - Bandol is my friend.
Best, Jim

[Jenise]

Jim, yours is the first note I've read on an older Dunham. I had one tase of a VI and liked the VIII so much I bought some for my cellar. Judging by your note, he's pulled back from the oak quite a bit. Still probably isn't your cup of tea, but compared to many other winemakers in the state Eric's (current) wines seem rather restrained. At least, they're not sweet.

Judging by your note, he's pulled back from the oak quite a bit. Still probably isn't your cup of tea, but compared to many other winemakers in the state Eric's (current) wines seem rather restrained. At least, they're not sweet.

Any change would be a good change.
I very much enjoy Eric; I do wish I could say that about his wine.
Best, Jim

He still used 100 percent new French and American oak barrels for the VIII -- too much for my preference.

[Jenise]

Randy, had trouble accepting 100% new oak so I called the winery. Damn, you're right, but it really didn't taste that extreme to me.

Damn, you're right

And don't you forget it, little missy.... I find his wines very early on may not taste as oaked as they do a year or so down the road -- they don't seem to integrate -- but then again, I've never had one at 10-12 years of age. Maybe it is the American oak I object too. I become less enamored with it as time goes by.

[Jenise]

And don't you forget it, little missy....

Yes, Pops. [smooch]

I find his wines very early on may not taste as oaked as they do a year or so down the road

That matches my experience. I have a couple VI's--maybe it's time to taste one. Re American oak--so much in agreement there. But he uses less than half American, and again I didn't taste it in the young wine. Older can be another story.

And don't you forget it, little missy....

Yes, Pops. [smooch]

All right, you two, get a room already.

My first experience w/ a nebbiolo was a 2001 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo D'Alba at a restaurant for about $42. I'm a novice and am not very good at identifying particular components of smell/taste, but that wine was simply sublime in my opinion.

So your description of the barolo falletto makes me want to drop someone from my Christmas list and treat myself!!

My first experience w/ a nebbiolo was a 2001 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo D'Alba at a restaurant for about $42. I'm a novice and am not very good at identifying particular components of smell/taste, but that wine was simply sublime in my opinion.!

I bought cases of that wine - for the very reason you state.
Best, Jim