Tried these two over the weekend:
1. Qupe Roussanne BienNacido HillsideEstate SantaMariaVlly (14.5%) 2006: Med.dark gold color; strong honeyed/honeysuckle/Rouss slight nutty/oxidized quite old-Rhone-white/complex rather fragrant nose; tart rather nutty/toasted hazelnuts/oxidized/piney quite honeyed/honeysuckle/floral slight caramel/creme brulee very complex flavor; very long honeyed/honeysuckle/mead some nutty/toasted hazelnuts/oxidized very complex finish; a wonderful example of an old White Hermitage along the Chave lines; one of Calif greatest Roussannes. $36.00
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2. AlainGraillot AC: Crozes-Hermitage (13%; L.2) Pont de l'Isere 2001: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; beautiful complex NorthernRhone/smokey/roasted/coffee/espresso some dusty/earthy/loamy very slight blackberry/Syrah complex nose; rather tart intense smokey/roasted/espresso/coffee/smokey slight blackberry/Syrah/peppery/olive tapenade some hard/tannic/gritty/astringent/drying out complex flavor; very long/lingering classic NR/Fr.roast coffee/espresso/smokey/roasted slight blackberry/tapenade/peppery/Syrah finish w/ some hard/fritty/astringent tannins; a beautiful classic NR complex Syrah but starting to dry out & may never be smooth & elegant; the tannins will outlive the fruit. $23.00
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Evaluating Wines: I didn't know quite whether I should like these wines or not. It would be very helpful if I had the Parker scores on these wines so I could know if I like them or not.
The Qupe had distinct oxidative notes in it. Hot/hip Somm JeremyQuinn tells us (relating to orange wines) that if the wine has oxidative character, than it is "bad", sure signs of inattentive/sloppy/careless winemaking. Unless the winemaker's intent was to make an oxidized wine...then it is "good". I didn't have BobLindquist's cell phone so I couldn't call him to find out his intent on this wine and find out if it was "good" or "bad" wine.
The Graillot had a distinct lack of fruit. Wines are made from grapes...which are a fruit. Wines with "gobs of hedonistic fruit" draw great raves and high scores. With all the fruit gone in this wine and nothing left but roasted/complex Rhone character and terroir; how can I possibly like this wine.
What to do...what to do. I need to know the scores on these wines. At the end of the day...the bottles were drained. So I must have liked them on some level, I guess.
Tom