WTN: Anthill Farm, Corison, Vellum and Clos Du Val

Met some friends for dinner Thursday night, and we had quite enjoyable wines.

Anthill Farms 2011 Syrah: Bracing, cold-climate syrah. Brilliant red fruit, acidity galore, lovely and powerful black pepper. Delicious and "moreish". Thanks, John! Available at Vino in Davis, I understand

2008 Corison Kronos Vineyard. Wow! No heat damage in this bottle. Piercing and beautiful Corison Kronos fruit, just layers of fruit flavors, earth, great acidity. A benchmark wine. Could have gone a decade. Lovely, lovely stuff. Even consumed this young, it was superb!

2009 Vellum Cabernet Sauvigon. Made by a young partnership at a custom crush facility in Napa, this is a lovely, somewhat "old world" style cabernet, with darker fruit than the Corison. More savory than the Corison at this point in the latter's evolution. Again, following the theme, the acid balance on this wine is appetizing and delicately delicious. A great palate!

I also visited Clos du Val this weekend, and their basic 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet is simply stunning! Classic Clos Du Val character. Will go decades.

i love the anthill farm. it is the only CA wine in my cellar.

i love the anthill farm. it is the only CA wine in my cellar.

There are some others out there. If you ever run across Rancho Bodega...claimed to be the coldest vineyard site in the state. If anything, even racier and more bracing than the Anthill Farm!

their Pinots are awesome, too...but pricier!

[David M. Bueker]

Brian-was that the Anthill Sonoma Coast Syrah or Anderson Valley?

Anyone who likes Anthill Farms owes their palate a taste of Arnot-Roberts.

Brian-was that the Anthill Sonoma Coast Syrah or Anderson Valley?

Anyone who likes Anthill Farms owes their palate a taste of Arnot-Roberts.

Sonoma Coast.

And I agree. The Arnot Roberts 2010 Sonoma Coast Syrah I tried last year was amazing.

A friend just got back from Anderson Valley for a birthday culinary event and he brought me a bottle of 2011 DREW Syrah with a Mendocino appellation clocking in at 12.8% abv nominal! That should be intriguing.