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WTN: Ridge, Sabon, Fort Ross, Vermeil, Betz, Savage G...

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WTN: Ridge, Sabon, Fort Ross, Vermeil, Betz, Savage G...

by Jenise » Tue May 10, 2016 8:58 am

A few recent things:

2011 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Symposium Fort Ross Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Dry cork that broke in half on removal. Wine was dried out, unpleasant--no resemblance to other recent reports (and this is why I love CT). Will presume defective.

2009 Vermeil Wines Cabernet Franc Frediani Vineyard Napa Valley
Who deflated the ball? Dense, syrup-sweet and almost devoid of acidity, no tannins, cloying finish. Drinks like a late harvest wine. Horrible.

2007 Ridge Geyserville Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel
This is one of my least favorite Geyservilles ever; low acid, richly sweet and not a lot of structure. Huckleberry flavors but not much spice. A bit plodding.

2014 Syncline Pinot Noir Celilo Vineyard Columbia Gorge
Aromatic nose of lush, warm cherry and pomegranate fruit with that edgy Gorge minerality. Wonderful.

2010 PB Wines (Rasa Vineyards) Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley
Big wine, big oak and from a big vintage. Initially ultra plush, it's lost that velveteen mouthfeel it had early on, and new gravel and iron notes are putting some layers in that big body. A friend and new world cab franc fiend actually wished it had more fruit, but it was just right for me.

2014 Savage Grace Wines Cabernet Franc Copeland Vineyard Rattlesnake Hills
Not as rustic as Loire, but not as fruity as a typical WA red. Delightfully Loire-like in ambitions, however, with herbaceousness beneath the cherry fruit. Drank well on Day One and even better on Day Three. Bet this wine is deceptively more ageable than others seem to think and will push the window out to 2021.

2011 Betz Family Bésoleil Columbia Valley Red Rhone Blend
Medium bodied with nice cool-vintage details--berry fruit with some underlying herbs and a little earth. Very enjoyable now (didn't decant) but should cruise well and develop more secondary nuances in the years to come. I'd happily trust it to 2020.

2014 Terres des Chardons Costières-de-Nîmes Bien Luné Red Rhone Blend
Initially showed like 100% grenache. Flavors of passion fruit and cactus pear were a bit wild and offputting on Day One, but it drank pleasantly on Day Four. Still, not compelling.

2007 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Olivets Red Rhone Blend
Did not care for two previous bottles long ago but this bottle showed well. IOW, not the syruppy high alcohol thing I feared, but a wine in late middle age with soft but pleasant fruit, beef boullion and some caramel tones.

2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle Artist Series Meritage Columbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Cold vintage produced something more firm and restrained than the usual CSM, and therefore I liked it quite a bit. Pretty berry fruit with decent backbone and length. Should cellar nicely for the next 4-5 years.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: WTN: Ridge, Sabon, Fort Ross, Vermeil, Betz, Savage G..

by JC (NC) » Tue May 10, 2016 2:26 pm

I liked the 2007 Geyserville, even preferring it to the Lytton Springs of that vintage. I have three bottles of the 2007 Roger Sabon Cdp "Prestige" but haven't tried any yet except for a few sips at a tasting.
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Re: WTN: Ridge, Sabon, Fort Ross, Vermeil, Betz, Savage G..

by Jenise » Tue May 10, 2016 3:09 pm

I enjoyed it earlier, but not so much last night. Bob enjoyed it more than I did.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

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