WTN: Two This Weekend...(short/boring)

We tried these wines Sat night:
1. Drew Albarino AndersonVlly (12.8%; www.DrewWines.com) 2012: Med.light gold color; rather floral/carnations/Albarino quite stony/chalky/mineral slight saline/savory quite perfumed/fragrant nose; fairly tart some rich/lush rather tangy/citric/grapefruity quite stony/mineral/chalky/saline fairly floral/carnations/Albarino flavor; med.long tangy/grapefruity quite mineral/stony/chalky light floral/carnations finish; a clean/crisp/tangy/bright somewhat stony/mineral Albarino at a good price; seems a bit lighter in fruit and more stony than previous Drew Albarinos. $21.25
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2. Ridge Carignane TriangleBlock/OldVines/GeyservilleVnyd (13.8%; 44 brls; Bttld: 2/13; 110 yr old block; Drk:
12/12-12/17-12/18: EB; Yield: 3.1 tons/acre) 2011: Very dark color; very attractive cherry/Carignane/fragrant rather earthy/mushroomy/Geyserville-like very spicy light vanilla/Am.oak/toasted coconut/ZagNut bar some complex nose; bit tart slight bitey/tannic very spicy/cherry/Carignane/black cherry/ rather dusty/OV/Geyserville/earthy some vanilla/toasted coconut/Am.oak flavor w/ modest/bitey tannins; very long strong cherry/Carignane/very spicy earthy/dusty/OV some vanilla/coconutty w/ some bitey tannins; needs several yrs; maybe the best Ridge Carignane I can recall; speaks more of Geyserville terroir and less of Carignane; much like a Geyserville but not as perfumed and more hard/bitey tannins.
$28.00 (ATP)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. RidgeCarignane: I've long expressed my disenchantment w/ the Ridge Carignanes/BuchignaniRanch. They just seem quite in the same class as the Ridge Zins. Every time I visit the Ridge table at RR, Eric always urges me to try the newest Carignane...certain he'll eventually win me over...or wear me down.
This new Carignane is the first one (I believe) from this 110 yr old Geyserville block. And, I have to admit, is darned good Ridge red, maybe the best Ridge Carignane I've yet had.
Tom

Have you tried the Drew syrahs, Tom? A friend gifted me a bottle.

Have you tried the Drew syrahs, Tom? A friend gifted me a bottle.

Say whot, Brian??? Tried the Drew Syrahs?? Does a bear $hit in the woods??
I have followed Jason & Molly Drew...what's that they say..."from the very start"??
I first got taken by the Drew's when they were making (mostly Syrah) down in Buellton. They were some of my favorite
SBC Syrah...big/strappin' SBC Syrahs.
Then Jason & Molly returned to his roots up in Mendocino and the Syrahs went downhill from there (not really, though).
But the style of them did change into lighter, less alcoholic, more balanced, more nuanced Syrahs. Mostly from Perli and Valenti
vnyds up on the MendocinoRidge. Same is true of his Pinots...so they are now darlings of the IPoB cabal.
But his Syrahs I do like and think they're more interresting than what he was doing down in SBC. His Pinots are first rate.
Tom