Tried this last night at dinner:
1. Jana Riesling MendoCnty (12.5%; www.scottharveywines.com) StHelena 2012: Light gold color; beautiful Mosel valve oil/gout de petrol very perfumed/aromatic quite floral/R/mineral bit flinty/stony very Germanic nose; quite tart/tangy/mineral bit stony/flinty/metallic very valve oil/gout de petrol some floral/R/mango flavor; very long/lingering strong mineral/Mosel valve oil/gout de petrol some R/floral/mango/aromatic finish; a very perfumed crisp/bracing acidity that's balanced by a very slight RS (0.5%?); one of the most Germanic R from Calif I've had in ages; a beautiful R at a very good price by any standard, German or otherwise. $18.00 (CB)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This is, of course, Scott Harvey's wine he makes under the Jana label (Jana is his wife). I've followed Scott from the very start, from his days at Montevina. And then at Santino, and Renwood, and Folie a Deux.
Scott was a big troublemaker in high school up in the foothills. He was sent off to Germany for a year, where he picked up his love for Riesling. Under his own label, he has made Riesling from Michigan, FingerLakes, and Calif. My guess is that these grapes came from GuinnessMcFadden's ranch up in the PotterVlly. The MikeDashe R from there has been my gold standard for Calif R. This Jana is now my platinum standard for Calif R. It avoids the tutti-fruity character of many Calif R and shows a Germanic character one never sees in Calif R. Worth tracking down.
Tom