Susan & I tried over the weekend:
1. LaChenille Picarela Picpoul de Pinet AProtegee: Languedoc (13%) 2011: Med.gold atypical color; ripe/fruity/pineapple/lush almost GrenacheBlanc very light stony/chalky simple nose; soft/lush ripe/pineapple/fruity/grapey bit weak/watery simple/dull flavor; very short waek/watery simple/fruity/grapey/pineapple/lemon finish; no acidity and no stony/mineral typical of Languedoc Picpoul; dull as dishwater; pretty to look at but vapid as ParisHilton. $12.00 (KK)
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2. Booker White PasoRobles (14.2%; 65% Roussanne/35% Viognier; www.BookerWines.com) 2005: Med.dark gold color; very perfumed/floral/carnations/Rouss some toasty/charred/oak some smokey/nutty/toasted hazelnuts slight wet wool/Army blanket complex nose; soft/fat bit alcoholic strong floral/carnations/candied/Rouss/cotton candy some toasted hazelnuts/nutty bit charred/toasty/caramel/oak fairly complex flavor; very long soft/ripe/lush strong floral/carnations/Rouss bit toasty/charred/oak slight candied/cotton candy finish; a bit on the soft/fat side but has developed very nicely into quite a lovely wine.
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3. MontGravet IGP: Cotes de Gascogne (100% Colombard; 11.5%) LesProducteursReunis/near Tolouse 2012: Pale yellow color; bit sauerkraut/cabbagy rather stony/earthy/chalky/metallic/austere nose w/ little fruit; very tart/lean/metallic/austere totally dry tangy/grapefruity some earthy/chalky/metallic lean/austere flavor w/ very little fruit; med.short tangy/grapefruity/chalky/stony/metallic no fruit finish; a tangy/lean/austere/eviscerated white; you gets what you pay for. $10.00 (KK)
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4. BrocCllrs Syrah DryStackVnyd/BennettVlly (15%; www.BrocCellars.com) Novato 2005: Med.dark color w/ little bricking; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/Syrah light pencilly/oak slight graphite/pungent/peppery/green olive/licorice/RCCola/spicy some complex lovely nose; soft bit alcoholic/hot/fumey strong boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah/green olive bit peppery/cold-climate flavor w/ some dried out/astringent tannins; long rather hot/alcoholic ripe/boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah some peppery/green olive finish w/ light dried out/astringent tannins; on the overripe side and starting to dry out but quite an interesting Syrah.
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5. VIE Zin BeattyRanchVnyd/HowellMtn/NapaVlly (90 yr old vines; 15.1%; www.VIEWinery.com) SanFrancisco 2006: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; strong dusty/OV/wet pavement/mineral very briary/earthy/very spicy/blackberry/Zin some rustic/HowellMtn Zin complex nose w/ light toasty/oak; somewhat hard/tannic/rustic/HowellMtn/earthy strong blackberry/Zin/very spicy/blueberry pie bit alcoholic some toasty/oak flavor w/ bit hard/drying tannins; very long rather rustic/rough/HowellMtn/hard/tannic very spicy/blackberry/Zin/earthy slight alcoholic light toasty/oak finish; starting to dry out a bit but still loads of spicy Zin fruit. $36.00
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. VIE: This is the wnry of BrianKane. Followed him from the very start when he first showed his LasMadres Syrah at HdR. This was a classic HowellMtn Zin w/ its earthy/rustic rather hard/tannic flavor profile. Ridge used to make a HowellMtn Zin, from BeattyRanch and other vnyds. It was a Zin you had to learn to love. In iits youth, it had a paucity of fruit and quite earthy/rustic/hard tannins; a classic mountain Zin. But they usually evolved into some of the greatest Zins Ridge ever made.This VIE is cast from that same mold.
Tom