Tried this one last night:
2. Idlewild Cortese FoxHillVnyd/MendoCnty (skin-contact; 13.4%; www.IdlewildWines.com) Healdsburg 2012: Light gold color; quite fragrant/perfumed floral/carnations/mango light stony/mineral/Cortese rather spicy/nutmeg lovely aromatic nose; rather tart/stony/mineral/bit chalky fairly rich/lush/bit honeyed/slight waxy/figgy strong floral/carnations/mango/spicy lovely flavor; very long quite spicy/nutmeg/figgy/waxy strong floral/carnations/mango light stony/mineral/chalky finish w/ very slight tannic bite; as the mineral/stony character of Cortese but much more perfumed/aromatic & lush; a really lovely drinking Cortese as good as any from the Piemonte. $30.00
________________
My TN from upon arrival (12/18/13):
2. Idlewild Cortese FoxHillVnyd/MendoCnty (skin-contact; 13.4%; www.IdlewildWines.com) Healdsburg 2012: Light gold
color; light phenolic/savory/resiny/cider some stony/earthy/smoky/dusty rather interesting/complex nose; tart
rich/lush graham cracker light phenolic/cider/savory light stony/earthy/dusty finish w/ very light tannic bite;
long light savory/phenolic/resiny/cider tart/rich/lush smokey/pungent/graham cracker finish w/ light tannins;
sort of a skin-contact Lite w/ a rather low-key phenolic character; quite an interesting/exotic wine; doesn't
have the austere/stony character of Piemonte Cortese. $30.00
_________________
A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Wow....what a transformation this wine has made in almost 2 yrs. This was made w/ a limited amount of skin contact which I was able to pick up a bit of the phenolic character when I first tasted it. I looked hard last night for any suggestion of skin-contact, but was unable to find any such character. This has a perfume to it that is now as strong as that of his wonderful Arneis. This is definitely world-class Arneis.
______________
2. "He" is, of course, SamBilbro, the mind/behind Idlewild wines. He's doing some amazing things w/ mostly Italian varietals. He promises us he'll have his latest release early in Oct.
Tom