This is what we drank over the past week and some:
NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé Champagne Blend
First of two bottles purchased last fall. Pale coral color, spoke more to nut flavors than fruit (another reviewer spoke of strawberries, we didn't find any), not cooked but a little musty, very dry and complex, some mild green olive notes. My first Krug rose--not a disappointment, but not exactly as expected.
2006 Lane Tanner Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard Santa Maria Valley
Here's a wine from a winemaker who has always been in pursuit of balance, though admittedly I'm not sure if she's still in the wine business--haven't seen her label in awhile. Warm brick color. On the palate, lean and racy as one expects from a Lane Tanner with notes of cherry, tomato and red rose petals laced with orange peel and cardamom. Fantastic with a main course of duck l'orange.
2000 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Brickhouse Vineyard Willamette Valley
Rated our last bottle of this 80 pts in 2013. That was, I thought, our very last bottle of what had been a hard "angry spinster" of a case from day one--always tannic, not a single bottle drank well. Then yesterday, I found this orphan. Which for once showed some promise although strangely, though the wine still needs more time, after 16 years there is finally light at the end of the tannin tunnel. Should be optimum around 2020--and possibly immortal after that.
2013 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Consumed over two nights. Night 1: taupey-red, medium bodied, with one of the prettiest pinot noses I've run into in awhile. Pure joy. Would happily have drained the whole bottle but we were being sensible for once. Night 2: just as pretty, more complex, more depth of fruit.
2012 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah Foothills Reserve
Not my first Reynvaan, but first FR. Opened Monday. Initially lighter in body than expected, with very St. Joseph-like green olive and camphor notes on raspberry-plum fruit. But everything clamped down hard by the end of the glass--the camphor element overbearing and finish excessively bitter. Vacuvinned it; drank the rest last night (four days later). Initially balanced and seemingly in a good place, but by the end of the glass there was that strong bitter note again. Not in a good place right now--HOLD.
2014 Van Westen Vineyards Vivacious Okanagan Valley Pinot Blanc
Big, nervy, mouth-filling. Loads of minerality, apples and stone fruits. No relation to the vapid, wannabe-chardonnay failures more typical of this grape in the lower 48.
2013 Robert Ramsay Cellars Mason's Red Columbia Valley Red Rhone Blend (49% Cinsault, 26% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache, 4% Counoise)
Very correct peppery red fruit from McKinley Springs, Red Heaven, Dineen and Upland vineyards only marred, like a good song played too loud, by the 15.4% alcohol. Surprisingly, was actually more pleasing cold from the fridge than at room temperature.
2006 Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet Cornas
PnP. Would have benefitted from decanting, but what a lovely wine. Blood and iron with sweet black cherry fruit and a very mild tarriness, nicely middle-aged. Will push drinking window out to 2020.
I think in recent vintages Mark has done a better at managing the tannins. I love that Vineyard. I hope it comes around more but it sounds like we'll never know 