Tried several throw-away wines on Tues and this was the best of a sorry lot:
1. Nalle CabernetSauvignon DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (13.2%) Healdsburg 1987: Dark color w/ slight bricking; quite cedary/pencilly/tobaccoy/old Cab light herbal/Cab some earthy/dusty complex/oldCab nose; slightly tart very cedary/pencilly/tobaccoy/light Fr.oak some herbal/Cab/dusty complex flavor w/ light drying tannins; very long light/herbal/Cab/earthy/bit Bdx-like rather smokey/pencilly/tobaccoy/oak light earthy/dusty complex finish w/ light/astringent tannins; starting to dry out somewhat but still hanging in there w/ nice oldCab/tobaccoy character; was pretty much dead & gone 3 hrs later.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. DougNalle is a guy I've followed from the very start. In the mid-'90's, Doug came to LosAlamos & we did a vertical of his Zins for my group. He stayed w/ us that night and he absolutely charmed the sox of my grade-school daughter. She still has fond memories of Doug & I occasionally give her a btl of Nalle Zin to keep those great memories alive.
Doug & Lee are still very much involved w/ the making of the Nalle wines, though he's handing more & more responsibilities off to son, Sam. The transition seems to be pretty seamless.
Though Doug is most well-known for his Zins, I've always liked his other varietals as well, PinotNoir and Cabernet. I was particularly fond of his HopkinsRanch GWT & Riesling. They were totally dry & austere, but aged quite well. Alas...thos two are no longer being made.
Tom