Tried these three w/ my 'NdujaRisotto last night:
1. AlainGraillot AC: Crozes-Hermitage Blanc (14%; 80% Marsanne/20% Rouss) Pont de l'Isere 2013: Med.light yellow color; fairly ripe/honeysuckle/Rouss/honeyed/waxy/mango bit alcoholic slight earthy/stony slight valve oil/floral pleasant enough nose; soft/fat ripe/mango/honeysuckle/Rouss slight metallic/tangy bit earthy flavor; med.short soft/fat some honeysuckle/mango/Rouss bit tangy/metallic slight earthy finish; a pleasant enough NRhone white but lacks the expected stony/mineral character; a bit on the dull/vapid side & doesn't hold a candle to a mid-range SBC Rouss or GrenacheBlanc; not nearly as good as the Guigal CdR Blanc (about $18) and a (small) step above the TJ's RGMV blend (at $4). Nothing to indicate age will miraculously transform this wine; way overpriced at $36.00 (KK)
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2. CherryTart PinotNoir by CherryPie (50% MontereyCnty/25% SonomaCnty/25% SBC; 14.5%; www.CherryPieWines.com) JasonWoodbridge; V&B by OneTrueVine/AmericanCanyon 20133: Med.light ruby/red color; strong cherry/PN/spicy/bright/confected slight earthy/SanBernabe/plummy rather simple PN nose w/ no oak evident; soft/fat off-dry (0.5%?) bright/cherry/PN/cherry cola/artificial/confected/spicy simple flavor w/ zero tannins; med.short bright/cherry/PN/cherry cola slight plummy/earthy/SanBernabe no oak soft/simple/bit vapid finish w/ no tannins or structure; lots of confected/cherry soda character but rather vapid/simple/uninteresting; it's like reading People magazine and when you finish it, it feels like mental masturbation...you've shot your wad but so what!!; doesn't hold a candle to even the basic Siduri SonomaCnty PN; way/way overpriced at $22.00 (AV)
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3.Summers Charbono VillaAndrianaVnyd/Calistoga/NapaVlly (13.6%; < 50 acres of Charbono in Calif; www.SummersWinery.com) Jim&Beth Summers/Calistoga 2011: Dark color; rather vanilla/Am.oak some earthy/metallic meaty/gamey/raw meat some metallic/graphite/ozone/WWII beacon rather interesting nose a bit like PS; soft/fat strong vanilla/Am.oak bit metallic/tangy some peppery/PS-like/earthy bit coarse/rustic flavor w/ light/astringent tannins; med.long bit tannic/hard/angular strong vanilla/Am.oak some peppery/PS-like/earthy/loamy coarse/rustic finish w/ light/coarse tannins; a pleasant-enough old-timey coarse/rustic/oafish Calif red more like a Foppiano PS than anything; doesn't hold a candle to the Harrington Charbono; speaks quietly of Charbono but a bit on the dull side; pairs well w/ the 'Nduja risotto; fairly priced at $26.50 (KK)
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. CherryTart: I bought this wine (against my better judgement) because of the cheap/stupid/kitschy label and tried it w/ very low expectations. It fully delivered on those expectations and then some. And..if you can believe it....the wine even has a mailing list you can sign up for. It's the end of WesternCivilization as we know it.
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2. Summers: I gather the vines, like the Zin, are about 40 yrs old here.
Tom