Tried these three over the last few days:
1. Forlorn-Hope QueSaudade Verdelho Calif (13.58%; 457 cs) 2012: Med.gold color; rather fragrant/floral/carnations slight stony/earthy/metallic light pineapple/mango slight honeyed/ripe/waxy quite pretty nose; bit tart/tangy/metallic/grapefruity ripe/mango/pineapple slight earthy/stony flavor; med.long stony/earthy/metallic/tangy ripe/mango/pineapple slight tart/tangy finish; seems not as lean & mineral as the '11; quite a pretty/attractive/good-drinking white. $24.00
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2. Forlorn-Hope TheFaufreluches GWT Adam&EveVnyd/RRV (34 cs; 14.3%) SuisinVlly 2010: Dark golden bronze slight brownish color; very strong phenolic/orangey/resiny/savory/cidery bit saline/ocean breeze slight GWT/hair oil quite complex nose; quite tart strong phenolic/orangey/resiny/savory/saline slight GWT/hair-oil some tannic/bitey rather complex flavor; very long tart/tangy/metallic/saline strong phenolic/savory/cidery/resiny/orangey some tannic quite complex finish; very classic savory/skin-contact/phenolic wine that only whispers of GWT. $34.00
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3. Forlorn-Hope Morrow SauvignonBlanc AllaisVnyd/Ruthervord/NapaVlly (14.51%; 17 cs; skin-frmtd; 3 yrs in barrel) 2010: Deep golden/burnished bronze color; very strong phenolic/savory/resiny/cidery some smokey/smoked weiners/pungent/tobaccoy/fresh oak sawdust slight orangey/canned peaches no evident SB very complex/exotic nose; fairly tart quite phenolic/resiny/savory/orangey/mango/cidery very exotic pungent/tobaccoy/smoked hot dogs/Kansas hatmow bit honeyed/old Rhone fairly smooth/lush very complex flavor w/ light tannins; med.long strongly phenolic/savory/resiny/cidery some honeyed/old Chave Hermitage bit orangey/mango/pungent/tobaccoy/smoked hot dogs bit tannic/bitey very exotic/bizarre very complex finish; a very exotic/bizarre very complex wine like nothing I can recall; a bit (good) Retsina/savory in character; any SauvBlanc that I can recognize has been obliterated; a really fun/exotic kind of wine. $40.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Forlorn-Hope is the operation of MattRorick. Makes his wine up in the SuisunVlly at TennbrinkWnry, along w/ AbeScholium. Focuses on mostly obscure varieties. Small production. Some of the whites are made w/ skin-contact. Definitely off the beaten track. Followed him from the very start. Understand Matt brought in some 35 different grape varieties this yr.
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2. Skin-contact whites: This is a genre that is attracting a bit of interest w/ cutting-edge winemakers. They're wines that are not for everyone and definitely not for those who worship at the altar of varietal correctness. They're a bit like dry fino sherries and not particularly pleasant to taste. The badly need food with them. And they need to be served at cool room temperature so as not to be too tannic on the palate. I find them to be very fascinating wines. But they're not for everyone.
Tom