We tried tonight (1/14/15) Some New Reds:
1. Harrington Grenache SilettoVnyd/CienegaVlly (14.2%; Old vine; 31 cs) 2013: Med.color; very attractive bright/
strawberry/Grenache/spicy slight dusty/OV/earthy/slight Rhonish/meaty nose; fairly tart bright/strawberry/Grenache/
cherry bit dusty/OV/Rhonish very tangy flavor w/ some angular tannins; very long bright/strawberry/cherry/Grenache
bit dusty/OV finish w/ light/tangy tannins; not a big wine but a very pretty/bright/zippy Grenache. $30.00
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2. CowanCllrs PinotNoir AndersonVlly (13.6%; 270 cs) 2012: Med.dark color; deep some toasty/oak/pencilly/smokey
strong black cherry/cherry cola/Pinot some dusty/earthy lovely nose; quite tart/tangy rather smokey/pencilly/
Fr.oak some dusty/earthy bright/cherry/black cherry cola/Pinot flavor w/ some hard tannins; very long/lingering
bright/zippy/cherry/black cherry cola/Pinot some smokey/pencilly/Fr.oak slight earthy/dusty rather tart finish
w/ some hard tannins; needs 2-6 yrs of age; lots of bright AV Pinot fruit w/ some deep RRV/earthy character;
quite a lovely Pinot at a great price. $28.00
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3. Harrington Carignane Lover'sLaneVnyd/MendoCnty (14.2%; Planted in 1930's; 31 cs) 2013: Very dark color; quite
dusty/OV bit pungent/licorice some black cherry/boysenberry/Carig very light pencilly/toasty/oak quite attractive
nose (for Carignane); fairly tart/tangy quite dusty/OV bit earthy/tomatoey strong black cherry/Carig/boysenberry/
licorice some pencilly/toasty/oak flavor w/ some hard/bitey tannins; very long black cherry/Carig light pencilly/
toasty/oak bit earthy/tomatoey rather dusty/OV finish w/ hard/rough tannins; a bit rough/rustic but pretty
attractive (for a Carignane); maybe you can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear; very good red for the price.
$25.00
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4. Forlorn-Hope Merlot Ghanima LostVnyd/NapaVlly (43 cs; 13.97%) Fairfiled 2012: Med.dark color; quite spicy/
herbal/weedy/black cherry/Merlot some pencilly/smokey/oak very unusual Merlot nose; rather tart quite weedy/
herbal/Merlot/cherry some pencilly/smokey/oak flavor w/ ample/hard tannins; long quite tart/tangy very herbal/
weedy/rosemary/thyme/pungent some Merlot/cherry/underripe strong smokey/pencilly/Fr.oak finish w/ some hard/
rough tannins; needs 4-8 yrs but hard to tell where this will go; not your usual Calif Merlot for sure. $33.75
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5. Idlewild Barbera FoxHillVnyd/MendoCnty (14.4%) 2013: Dark color; classic Barbera/spicy/Italian sausage/fennel
rather earthy/dusty/mineral/graphite very spicy light oak lovely nose; fairly tart/tangy very spicy/Italian
sausage/fennel bit dusty/earthy light oak flavor w/ modest/structured tannins; very long quite tart/tangy
very spicy/calssic Barbera/Italian sausage some dusty/earthy light toasty/oak finish w/ strong/firm tannins;
needs several yrs; quite a good Calif rendition of Barbera. $32.00
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6. CowanCllrs Syrah MoaveniVnyd/BennettVlly/SonomaCnty (14.1%; 45 cs) 2012: Very dark color; lovely strong
blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah rather peppery/cold-climate/black olive light toasty/oak quite strong/fragrant
nose; fairly tart strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah/licorice some cold-climate/peppery/black olive/pungent
some toasty/oak flavor w/ modest smooth/ripe tannins; very long very peppery/black olive/cold-climate
strong blueberry/blackberry/spicy/Syrah finish w/ some smooth/ripe tannins; quite a good expression of
cold-climate Syrah at a great price. $26.00
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7. Forlorn-Hope Ost-Intrigen StLaurent RicciVnyd/Carneros (Whole cluster frmtd; 237 cs; 11.45%) 2013: Med.dark
color; some toasty/charred/smokey/oak rather earthy/dusty menthol/DrPepper/black cherry cola slight licorice/
pungent quite exotic/perfumed nose; very tart/tangy/citric some earthy/dusty strong black cherry cola/DrPepper/
spicy some charred/toasty/oak quite exotic flavor w/ light/tangy tannins; very long rather tart/tangy/grapefruity
black cherry cola/licorice/DrPepper/spicy light earthy/dusty/loamy some charred/oak finish w/ modest/sharp
tannins; a beautiful/exotic red at a great price. $26.00
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8. Glatzer St.Laurent Carnuntum (13.0%; www.WeingutGlatzer.At) 2011: Very dark color; very earthy/dusty/loamy/
mushroomy/Kansas root cellar somewhat smoked hot dog/meaty bit used fireworks/cough syrup rather strange/exotic
nose; soft bit flabby/porky quite dusty/loamy/earthy/mushroomy somewhat pungent/smoked hot dog little fruit
flavor w/ light/coarse tannins; med.long earthy/loamy/mushroomy some pungent/smoked hot dog flavor w/ light/
rustic tannins; dominated by the earthy/loamy character of StLaurent; a rather interesting nose but doesn't
deliver much on the palate; a tasty/rustic red for the price. $23.00 (AV)
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9. Harrington Lagrein BerardoVnyd/PasoRobles (14.1%; 31 cs) 2013: Very dark color; rather earthy/dusty very strong
licorice/plummy/boysenberry/framboise/spicy/cinammon light toasty/oak very perfumed intense/bit jammy beautiful
nose; slightly soft very intense plummy/black cherry cola/boysenberry/huge fruit bit jammy very spicy light
toasty/oak flavor w/ ample soft/ripe/round tannins; very long/lingering huge fruit/boysenberry/plummy/black
cherry cola/licorice bit soft/jammy strong toasty/oak finish w/ soft/ripe tannins; speaks strongly of Paso
and strongly of Lagrein; a beautiful expression of Lagrein that would be the envy of the AltoAdige; very
fairly priced at $30.00
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10. St.Michael-Eppan Lagrein DOC: AltoAdige (13.5%; L13052A) Appiano 2011: Dark color; very reduced/stinky/sewer gas
rather earthy/loamy bit menthol/ozone/pungent rather odd-ball nose; bit soft/lush some buttery/oak quite
earthy/loamy slight tangy some black cherry/licorice/root beer/pungent interesting flavor w/ light/soft tannins;
med. soft/ripe/lush fairly earthy/loamy slight black cherry/root beer somewhat coarse/rustic flavor; lacks the
zingy minerality of most AltoAdige reds; an interesting Lagrein but just that. $27.00 (AV)
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11. Amphora Teroldego HeringerVnyd/Clarksburg (15.1%; U; www.AmphoraWines.com) HutchinsonWines/Healdsburg 2010:
Very dark color; slight earthy/dusty/loamy strong plummy/blackberry/mushroomy strong Am.oak rather grapey
nose; soft/fat bit sour plummy/blackberry/black cherry/Teroldego/juicy/soupy rather earthy/loamy flavor w/
light tannins; med.short juicy/blackberry/plummy/ripe some Am.oak rather earthy/loamy finish w/ light tannins;
speaks mostly of Delta terroir and only whispers of Teroldego; pleasant enough red but just that; lacks the
brightness of a good Teroldego. $32.00
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12. SellaRonda Rosso Teroldego IGT: Vigneti delle Dolomiti (13%; www.CorsaWine.org) Lavis 2011: Very dark color;
very strong black cherry/black cherry cola/plummy/licorice bit earthy/mineray/stony/granatic slight herbal/
ozone/pungent rather fragrant/perfumed nose; soft/rich/lush plummy/black cherry bit earthy/licorice/mineral rather
spicy flavor w/ light/bitey tannins; very long strong black cherry/black cherry cola/plummy bit licorice/pungent
some earthy/mineral finish w/ light/bitey tannins; speaks strongly of Teroldego and the Dolomites; quite an
attractive/interesting Teroldego of the basic Foradori level at a great price. $19.00 (DiV)
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13. R.Zeni DOC: Teroldego Rotaliano Lealbere (13.5%; ViniferaImports) Grumo/Trentino 2011: Very dark color; very
strong plummy/black cherry cola/boysenberry/ripe bit mushroomy/earthy slightly funky/unclean nose; soft/fat
ripe plummy/black cherry cola/boysenberry slight earthy/dusty/mushroomy flavor w/ light/gentle tannins; rather
soft/fat/ripe some plummy/black cherry cola/licorice bit earthy/mushroomy finish w/ light/soft tannins; a very
nice nose but doesn't quite deliver on the palate. $20.00 (BB)
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14. Novy Syrah SapphireHillVnyd/RRV (14.1%) 2006: Dark color w/ some bricking; very strong sweet oak/toasty/smokey
exotic mace/cloves/cinammon/pungent/nutmed rather toasted coconut/ZagNutBar some peppery/blackberry/Syrah very
complex/exotic nose; soft very peppery/blackberry/Syrah nutmeg/mace/toasted coconut/oak very exotic flavor w/
some drying tannins; very long exotic/mace/cinammon/nutmeg/toasted coconut/oak some peppery/blackberry/Syrah
finish w/ some astringent tannins; this Syrah has evolved into a very bizarre/exotic Syrah but showing signs
of drying out; quite an interesting Syrah. Costigan mystery wine.
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Some more deep & profound thoughts from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. IdlewildBarbera: This was a replacement btl that Sam sent for a corked one we had a month ago. One of the better
Calif Barberas I've had of late.
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2. Teroldego: A variety that evolved in the Trentino area. No known parents but it is known to be an Aunt/Uncle of
Syrah. Teroldego X ?? --> Marzemino, another of my favorite grapes. The Teroldegos of ElisabettaForadori are
easily the greatest expression of Teroldego. It's a variety that should be given more interest in Calif. The
Harrington Teroldego is easily the best I've had from Calif.
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3. Merlot: This F-H Merlot was a pretty unusual beast. It reminded me some of the Cabernets that came out of
the SalinasVlly back in the '70's, before they learned to grow Cabernet down there. Except this F-H had a
tannic structure that those never had. It has a strong underripe/herbal character but has the structure to
(maybe) age into something pretty interesting I think. I kinda liked the wine for its eccentricity, but
I was widely hooted down by most of the other tasters. Alas, I have no more btls to prove them wrong.
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4. StLaurent: MattRorick has the only StLaurent produced in Calif, from a friend's vnyd in theCarneros, RicciVnyd.
There is a Tre-Ricci Wnry in Healdsburg but don't believe they're related. This is about Matt's 4'th vintage
of StLaurent and may be his best one yet. It shows that earthy/dusty/loamy character of Austrian StLaurent,
plus loads of exotic Calif fruit. Better than any Austrian StLaurents I've tried. Superb wine.
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5. Quite an interesting selection of eclectic red wines. Forlorn-Hope/Harrington/CowanCllrs are really making
some interesting wines. Some of my no-brainer buys every year.
Tom