WTN: Idle, Wild Hours

[David M. Bueker]

2012 Idlewild Cortese Fox Hill Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County (1/24/2014)
Not my first ever bottle of Cortese, but I really cannot recall the last one. Initially it showed a lot of pear fruit, and even seemed a little heavy on the palate. After an hour that all changed. The fruit got lighter, and pleasing fresh herb note showed up, and a spicy element came in on the finish. It became a very complete wine. I really do not know how or why this wine works so well, given the rarity of New World Cortese, but it does work. Excellent effort from Idlewild.

2012 Idlewild Cortese Fox Hill Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County (1/24/2014)
Not my first ever bottle of Cortese, but I really cannot recall the last one. Initially it showed a lot of pear fruit, and even seemed a little heavy on the palate. After an hour that all changed. The fruit got lighter, and pleasing fresh herb note showed up, and a spicy element came in on the finish. It became a very complete wine. I really do not know how or why this wine works so well, given the rarity of New World Cortese, but it does work. Excellent effort from Idlewild.

David,
I imagine there are others, but this is the first wine I recall tasting that was half skin-fermented and half direct press. I would not expect that formula to work well, if at all, but this wine certainly is both interesting and delicious.
Food for thought, for me.
Best, Jim

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting. That might explain a little bit of the richness, heck almost thickness of the fruit when I first opened it.