We tasted last night (11/30/16) Mostly Limerick Lane Reds:
1. Matthiasson Zin LimerickLaneVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (14.4%) 2014: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/
Zin/very spicy quite dusty/OV very light pencilly/oak very perfumed/fragrant lovely nose; fairly tart very
spicy/blackberry/boysenberry quite dusty/OV very light pencilly/oak very pure Zin flavors w/ ample tangy tannins;
very long quite dusty/OV very spicy/Zin/blackberry/bit peppery light pencilly/oak finish w/ ample firm tannins;
more spicy & more purity of Zin fruit than the others; terrific Zin. $45.00
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2. BedrockWineCo Zin LimerickLaneVnyd RRV/SonomaCnty; (Plntd: 1910; StGeorge rootstocj; Jake&Scott Bilbro;
14.0%) 2014: Dark color; bit riper strong blackberry/boysenberry/RCCola/bit licorice/peppery less spicy light
toasty/oak/smokey light dusty/OV quite aromatic nose; softer/lusher rich/blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/licorice/
peppery lighter dusty/OV modest toasty/oak flavor w/ ample riper/rounder tannins; very long/lingering softer/
lusher/richer blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/lightly spicy/licorice/peppery finish w/ ample ripe tannins; a classic
Bedrock Zin balanced rich/lush/ripe. $38.00
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3. LimerickLane Zin RockyKnoll RRV/SonomaCnty (EG; 15.3%) 2011: Dark color; some cedary/pencilly/old Zin
blackberry/raspberry/Zin/spicy somewhat mature lightsmokey/oak light dusty/OV some complex nose; soft bit
fumey/alcoholic some smokey/oak light pencilly/cedary/mature some blackberry/Zin/spicy flavor w/ modest hard
tannins; very long bit hot/alcoholic very ripe some mature/cedary/pencilly/old Zin some blackberry/spicy/Zin
finish w/ light hard tannins; alcohol really shows; showing more cedary/old Zin character than I would expect
of an '11; still quite a delicious Zin. $46.00
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4. LimerickLane Zin RockyKnoll RRV/SonomaCnty (EG; 15.3%) 2013: Very dark color; very light cedary/pencilly/old Zin
strong blackberry/spicy/Zin/RCCola bit dusty/OV somewhat ripe/licorice some vanilla/oak slight alcoholic nose;
soft rich/lush/ripe bit alcoholic/fumey some toasty/oak ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy/RCCola light
dusty/OV flavor w/ modest ripe tannins; very long/lingering very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/bit peppery
light toasty/oak bit alcoholic finish w/ some ripe tannins; loads of Zin fruit and on the riper side but shows
a bit of alcohol; lovely ripe Zin. $50.00
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5. LimerickLane Zin 1910 Block/RRV/SonomaCnty (EG; 15.1%; + Peloursin/Negrette/AlicanteBouchet/Syrah/PS;
12 brls; www.LimerickLaneWines.com) 2014: Very dark/near black color; intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very
spicy/bit black pepper quite dusty/OV some smokey/oak bit licorice/peppery/DrPepper rather complex nose; lightly
tart intense blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy some toasty/smokey/oak quite dusty/OV complex flavor w/ ample
hard tannins; very long/lingering quite dusty/OV intense blackberry/boysenberry/very spicy Zin/bit peppery some
smokey/oak complex finish w/ ample hard/ripe tannins; lots of structure and hard tannins and needs more age;
shows the most dusty/OV character of all the wines; a terrific Zin. $54.00
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6. LimerickLane 1023 RRV/SonomaCnty (EG; 52% Zin/45% Syrah/3% Grenache; 15.2%; 8 brls) 2014: Very dark color; very
strong blackberry/boysenberry/blueberry/less spicy some Syrah/blueberry some toasty/oak slight meaty/bacony
less dusty/OV somewhat complex nose; softer very ripe blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/less spicy some blueberry/Syrah
some smokey/oak rather complex flavor w/ ample soft/round tannins; lightly tart/tangy very strong blackberry/
boysenberry/Zin slight earthy/meaty some ripe/blueberry/Syrah some toasty/oak light earthy fairly complex finish
w/ ample soft/ripe tannins; the influence of the Syrah is quite obvious, softening the wine and adding to the
complexity; a beautiful LL blend. $65.00
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7. Carlisle Zin LimerickLaneVnyd/RRV/SonomaCnty (15.2%; Plntd: 1910; + PS/Peloursin/Trousseau; 120 cs) 2013:
Dark color; some vanilla/pencilly/oak quite spicy/ripe/blackberry/Zin/slight black pepper light dusty/OV
slight earthy bit brighter/raspberry slight pungent/graphite some complex/interesting nose; lightly tart slightly
hot/alcoholic some dusty/OV very spicy/blackberry/raspberry/Zin bit pungent/graphite (stem inclusion?) light
toasty/pencilly/oak flavor w/ ample ripe/smooth tannins; very long/lingering intense blackberry/raspberry/Zin/
spicy/peppery some toasty/oak some dusty/OV slight earthy some pungent/graphite bit complex finish w/ ample
ripe/round tannins; carries the alcohol a bit better; a terrific Zin it is at a great price. $39.00
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8. LimerickLane HailMary RRV/SonomaCnty (EG; 96% Syrah/4% Grenache; 14.2%; 8 brls) 2014: Very dark color; very strong
blackberry/blueberry/Syrah some toasty/smokey/oak rather spicy bit pungent/meaty lovely nose; bit soft/rich/lush
strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah/lightly spicy/peppery some toasty/smokey/oak flavor w/ modest tangy tannins;
very long intense blackberry/Syrah/blueberry/bit peppery/cracked pepper ripe/lush some oak/toasty finish w/ some
ripe tannins; shows more purity of Syrah fruit; a terrific RRV Syrah. $50.00
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9. LimerickLane Syrah HeadprunedBlock RRV/SonomaCnty (EG; 8 brls; 14.5%) 2014: Very dark/near black color; very strong
blackberry/Syrah/blueberry bit graphite/mineral/black pepper less toasty/oak some dusty/OV/earthy very interesting
nose; bit soft very rich/lush/mouthfilling slight dusty/OV/earthy very strong blackberry/Syrah/blueberry/slight
black pepper slight pungent/meaty light toasty/oak flavor w/ modest soft/ripe tannins; very long/lingering strong
blackberry/Syrah/blueberry/peppery light dusty/OV light toasty/oak slight meaty/peppery/pungent/graphite finish
w/ some ripe/lush tannins; not the purity of Syrah fruit and a bit more interesting. $50.00
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10. LimerickLane PetiteSirah RRV/SC (EG; 14.3%) 2014: Black color; very strong huge fruit blackberry/PS/peppery/
licorice/slight peppery bit dusty/earthy strong smokey/toasty/oak nose; soft/fat huge fruit blackberry/PS/
boysenberry/licorice bit peppery/dusty/earthy some toasty/oak smooth/lush/ripe/mouthfilling flavor w/ light
ripe/soft tannins; very long/lingering ripe/rich/lush/mouthfilling very strong blackberry/PS/boysenberry/licorice
some toasty/oak bit dusty/earthy finish w/ modest soft/ripe tannins; loads of ripe blackberry fruit for a PS;
not much obvious dusty/OV character; maybe a bit lacking in structure but an outstanding PS along the Carlisle line.
$42.00
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11. CarolShelton PetiteSirah RockpileReserve RockpileVnyd/Rockpile/SonomaCnty (14.5%; www.CarolShelton.com)
Healdsburg 2012: Very dark/near black color; very strong Am.oak/vanilla/dill some earthy light blackberry/PS/
peppery slight mineral nose; bit soft some earthy/graphite/mineral very strong vanilla/Am.oak light PS/
blackberry/peppery bit tangy flavor w/ light ripe tannins; long strong Am.oak/vanilla light PS/peppery/
boysenberry some graphite/mineral finish w/ some ripe hard tannins; shows the classic Rockpile mineral character
but a bit too much Am.oak for the fruit. $40.00
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12. Benandants Charbono ShypokeVnyd/NapaVlly (15%) ArbeGarbe/StHelena 2014: Very dark/near black color; intense earthy/
dusty/OV bit herbal/rosemary intense black cherry/RCCola/Mondeuse-like some toasty/oak complex beautiful nose;
rather tart very spicy black cherry cola/RCCola/boysenberry some earthy/dusty/OV bit herbal/thyme flavor w/ modest
hard/rough tannins; very long/lingering intense black cherry cola/RCCola/boysenberry rather dusty/OV some earthy/
loamy light toasty/oak complex finish w/ some hard/rough tannins; probably needs a few yrs and may go out 10
or more; shows the classic Charbono earthiness/rustic character but more intense fruit than any Charbono I can
recall; resembles a Savoie Mondeuse somewhat but much more fruit; truly a great example of great Charbono; pricey
but may just be worth it. $70.00
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13. Calder Wine Co. Charbono MeyerVnyd/Calistoga/NapaVlly (12.6%; 276 cs; www.CalderWine.com) StHelena 2012:
Very dark color; pretty funky/earthy/unclean/some bretty slight licorice/blackberry some earthy/loamy nose;
tart very unclean/earthy/bretty/goat pen/funky flavor w/ little fruit; long unclean/bretty/earthy/loamy
very slight licorice/blackberry finish w/ modest hard tannins; rather Italian in character and quite unclean/
bretty but at least not fecal; way too unclean for my taste. $27.50 (Ord)
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14. Colina LasLiebres Bonarda Clasica (13.9%; Unoaked; www.ColoniaLasLiebres.com) Altos LasHormigas/Mendoza/Argetina
2013: Med.dark color; strong earthy/loamy/dusty/compost pile/root cellar bit reductive slight smokey rough/rustic/
coarse little fruit nose; soft metallic/tangy/sour rather earthy/loamy/compost pile/Kansas root cellar very slight
black cherry/Charbono flavor w/ some rough/coarse tannins; med.long sour/earthy/loamy/compost pile/reductive/sewer
gas very slight black cherry/balsamic finish w/ modest rough/coarse tannins; a rather earthy/loamy/rough/coarse
Charbono w/ a paucity of fruit; might go w/ BarBQue Argentine anteater; overpriced at even $12.00 (KK)
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15. Summers Charbono VillaAndriana Estate Vnyd/Calistoga/NapaVlly (13.6%; www.SummersWinery.com) Jim&Beth Summers/
Calistoga 2011: Dark color; strong black cherry/boysenberry/Charbono/balsamic bit earthy/loamy/truffly slight
ContraCosta/plummy/Mourv-like light smokey/toasty/oak somewhat complex nose; soft slightly tangy/metallic some
black cherry cola/boysenberry/licorice/balsamic classic earthy/Charbono/loamy light smokey/oak flavor w/ modest
hard tannins; rather long bit tangy/metallic soft bit rustic/rough/earthy/loamy strong black cherry cola/
boysenberry/balsamic light smokey/oak finish w/ some rough tannins; reminds a lot of te old Inglenook Charbonos
w/ more fruit & less oak; some like good Carso Terrano; quite a nice red w/ classic Charbono character; can
still use another few yrs. $26.50 (KK)
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More ramble-mouth from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Charbono: This is a vanishing grape (alas) w/ only about 2 ha remaining in the Savoie, where it is known
as DouceNoir and where the variety is thought to have originated. It was once fairly available in Calif but
those plantings are dwindling as old vnyds are removed. At one time, Inglenook made a fair amount of Charbono,
which alerted people to the potential the grape has in Calif. It was also used in the SpecialBurgundy that BV
once produced. It is most widely planted in Argentina, where it goes under the name Bonarda. Unrelated to the
Bonarda Piemontese or Bonarda d' OltrepoPavese.
The Calder is made by Rory Williams, son of John Williams/Frog'sLeap and Julie Johnson/TresSabores. Given
that I bought it at the OrdinaireWineBar/Oakland, and from the taste, it is obviously a "natural" wine.
Certainly that uncleanliness in this wine would confirm that. He also makes a dry Riesling from very old
vines on the RossiRanch that might be interesting, though I'm a bit scared to try it now.
The Benandants are Letizia Pauletto and Enrico Bertoz, who make whites under the ArbeGarbe label. And very
fine whites they are. In a Friuli style. The Bertozs hail from Friuli. Enrico was a winemaker at Nonino
(famed for their grappas) and now is winemaker at FloraSprings. This Benandants was easily the greatest
Charbono ever made in the entire World. And I liked the Summers a lot.
Very interesting story on this Friulian name: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benandanti
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2. LimerickLane terroir: So....I taste all these reds from LimerickLaneVnyd, from several producers. So....you'd
think that'd give me enough data to identify the LL terroir...right?? In your dreams. Given a red wine, blind,
from LL, there's no way in the world that I could pick out the LL identifying characteristics. I'm such a
klutz when it comes to this terroir thing. I might, on a lucky guess, pick out Matthiasson/LL/Bedrock/Carlisle
as the producer from the style...but that's it. Hmmmm...hmmm...maybe, gasp, LL has no terroir??
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3. LimerickLane Zin: So...this should settle, once & for all, who makes the best Zinfandel from LL grapes. Not!!!
Despite its alcohol, the Matthiasson was clearly the outlier stylistically. It seemed a bit more on the restrained/
lean side. The Bedrock and the LL's seemed very close stylistically, w/ the LL showing a bit more brash/ripe fruit.
The RockyKnolls seemed to be a bit lesser of the LL Zins, not quite as interesting. Probably the most interesting
to me was the Carlisle. I suspect there might have been some stem inclusion but not sure about that. I scored
(no....I will not share my scores for you point-whores) all the Zins pretty much the same. None of these Zins
would I through out of bed. Of the LLVnyd wines, my slight preference was the 1023. But of all these wines, my
easy favorite was the Benandants Charbono. The Shelton PS the least favorite.
Tom