We tried the other night (3/1/17) Some New/Strange Reds:
1. Forlorn-Hope TrouGrit TrousseauGris King-AndrewsVnyd/SuisunVlly (10.87%; 25 cs; Frmtd on skins 2 weeks)
2014: Light gold color; rather earthy/dusty/mushroomy bit apple/grapefruit fairly fragrant nose; quite tart/
lean/steely rather green apple/grapefruity some earthy/mineral/flinty austere flavor; very long lean/tart/austere
appley/grapefruity bit earthy/chalky finish; not a particularly interesting white; reminds some of the old
GusSebastiani GreyRiesling. $32.00
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2. Forlorn-Hope TrousseauNoir RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (12.23%; 127 cs; InaugralRelease) 2015: Very light red/garnet
color; very fragrant/perfumed strawberry/TN/truffle quite earthy/dusty/loamy very JuraTrousseau attractive/rustic
nose; quite tart rather strawberry/watermelon quite earthy/loamy/dusty/truffle flavor w/ light bitey/rough tannins;
very long quite tart/lean/austere strawberry/TN/truffle rather earthy/loamy/dusty finish w/ light bitey tannins;
on the earthy/rustic side and rather similar to a Jura Trousseau but w/ more fruit. $30.00
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3. Harrington Trousseau SilettoVnyd/SanBenitoCnty (13.6%; 107 cs) SanFrancisco 2015: Light red color; very fragrant/
perfumed bright strawberry/chile powder/watermelon/pungent some earthy/dusty/loamy/chalky quite pretty/aromatic
nose; lightly tart bright strawberry/watermelon/chile powder light earthy/dusty flavor w/ light lean/spikey tannins;
very long/lingering bright/strawberry/watermelon rather chile powder/pungent light earthy/loamy/dusty finish w/
light angular tannins; a really pretty extression of TrousseauNoir w/ the laght earthy character you get from the
Jura; a really lovely wine. $30.00
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4. Arnot-Roberts Trousseau NorthCoast (mostly LuchsingerVnyd/ClearLake; 1 Foudre/5 Puncheons/6 Brls; 11.8%) 2015:
Very pale red/garnet slight browning strange color; quite earthy/dusty very light fruity/strawberry fairly classic
Trousseau nose; quite tart/lean/austere/hard slight strawberry/fruity/watermelon rather earthy/dusty/loamy flavor
w/ light gentle tannins; long very light strawberry/TN/fruity rather earthy/loamy/dusty/root cellar finish w/
light tannins; expresses the Jura side of Trousseau and some of the coarse/rustic character of LakeCnty; on the
hard/lean side but a rustic/Jura-like red. $30.00
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5. Idlewild Valdiguie EnzenauerVnyd/DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (12.3%) 2014: Med.dark color; very strong strawberry/
Gamay/fruity light earthy/dusty quite pretty nose; quite tart/tangy strong strawberry/flowery light earthy/dusty
flavor w/ light lean tannins; fairly long strawberry/fruity/Gamay quite tart light earthy/dusty finish w/ light
raspy tannins; quite a pretty/lovely Gamay that has some earthiness of Bojo; not the bright/lively character of
BoneJolly. $32.65
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6. Guillaume Clusel Traboules Ad'OP: Coteaux du Lyonnais (13%; CharlesNealSlctn; GamayNoir) Clusel-Roch/
Ampuis 2015: Med.color; light Gamay/fruity/earthy strong burnt/charred/bit oak slight BojoGC/earthy/dusty nose;
lightly tart bit charred/burnt/oak slight Gamay/fruity rather earthy/dusty flavor w/ light tannins; med.long light
Gamay/fruity somewhat earthy/dusty rather strong burnt/charred/oak finish w/ light tannins; reminds a bit of a
St.Amour or Julienas but slammed w/ new toasty oak; interesting Gamay if a bit strange. $17.00 (WH)
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7. Tenuta Migliavacca Freisa DOC: Monferrato (12.5%; Organic; www.IndieWines.com) Francesco Brezza/SanGiorgio/
Monferrato/Piemonte 2014: Med.color w/ light bricking; rather reductive strong fecal/Kansas outhouse/burning
metal celery seed little fruit unpleasant nose; soft very fecal/Kansas outhouse rather reductive/unpleasant/
pungent flavor w/ light tannins; very long foul/fecal/Kansas outhouse quite reductive earthy finish w/ light
tannins; a dreadful fecal/unclean wine w/ no Freisa fruit apparent; way overpriced at $29.00 (BergA)
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8. f2 Favaro LeChiusure VinoRosso (Freisa; www.CantinaFavaro.it/en; JustinGallenSlctn) Benito Favaro/Piverone
2013: Med.dark color; light strawberry/Freisa/floral bit earthy/dusty fairly fragrant nose; lightly tart slight
strawberry/floral/Freisa some dusty/graphite/mineral bit lean/austere flavor w/ light gritty tannins; very long
tart/lean/austere some floral/strawberry/Freisa bit Vitalis/hair oil finish w/ light bitey tannins; shows a bit
of the perfume of Freisa and resembles Nebbiolo on the palate; interesting but not a great example of Freisa.
$24.00 (WH)
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9. SandroFay IlGlicine DOCG: Valtellina Superiore Sassella (Uva Nebbiolo/Chiavennasca; 13.5%) MarcoFay/
SanGiacomo di Teglio 2013: Med.light color; beautiful floral/lilacs/violets/rose petal classic floral/perfumed
Nebb very slight tarry/road tar/pungent beautiful nose w/ soaring aromatics; lightly tart rather smooth beautiful
very floral/lilacs/violets/rose petal some earthy/dusty/OV ripe Nebb flavor w/ modest smooth/ripe tannins;
very long/lingering floral/Nebb/lilacs/rose petal/violets lightly tart slight pungent/road tar bit dusty/earthy
finish w/ some smooth/round tannins; a beautiful soaring Valtelline Nebb whose ripeness almost speaks of Calif;
an amazing Nebb at a terrific price. $32.00 (EVN)
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10. SandroFay Ronco del Picchio DOCG: Sforzato di Valtellina (15%; www.ViniFay.it/eng) 2009: Med.dark color; more
intense/more grapey/ripe/lush strong blackberry/violets/Nebb/floral beautiful complex nose; lightly tart ripe/
blackberry/floral/violets/Nebb/lilacs slight pungent/tarry bit herbal/thyme rather dusty/OV quite complex flavor
w/ modest ripe tannins; very long/lingering bit ripe/lush/blackberry very strong floral/Nebb/lilacs/violets/spicy
bit dusty/OV very slight pungent/tarry finish w/ some ripe/round tannins; a rich/textured Nebb w/ all the floral
aromatics but no hint of an overripe/pruney character; a beautiful ripe Sforzato at a great price. $53.00 (EVN)
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11. ClendenenFamilyVnyds Nebbiolo "ThePip" SantaMariaVlly (13.5%; EstateGrown) Jim/Isabelle/Knox Clendenen
2011[/b]: Med.light color; lovely fragrant floral/lilacs/violets/Nebb/spicy slight herbal/thyme somewhat grapey/
lush beautiful nose; lightly tart rather floral/fragrant/lilacs/Nebb some grapey/lush/berry slight herbal
beautiful aromatic flavor w/ light hard/firm tannins; very long slight herbal strong floral/lilacs/violets/
Nebb/rose petal lightly tart some lush/berry/grapey finish w/ light ripe/firm tannins; a beautiful expression
of Calif Nebb at a great price. $26.00 (WH)
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12. cantine Garrone Prunent DOC: Valli Ossolane Nebbiolo Superiore (13.5%; cantinegarrone.it/en/) Domodossola/
Crevoladossola 2013: Med.dark color; somewhat earthy/dusty/OV rather floral/lilacs/plummy/boysenberry/ripe
slight walnutty quite complex nose; lightly tart bit lean/hard/angular ripe/floral/lilacs/violets/Nebb rather
dusty/OV/bit earthy bit plummy/ripe/boysenberry flavor w/ ample ripe/round tannins; very long/lingering quite
structured bit hard/angular very dusty/OV ripe/floral/Nebb/violets/lilacs/boysenberry/plummy slight pungent/
tarry very complex finish w/ ample ripe/hard tannins; badly needs some age; a spectacular expression of Nebbiolo
at a stupid/silly price. $42.50 (WM)
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13. Jaffurs Mistress PinotNoir SantaMariaVlly (68% SolomonHillsVnyd/32% BienNacidoVnyd; 140 cs; 13.3%)
SantaBarbara 2011: Med.light color; rather pencilly/toasty/oak strong cherry/PN/spicy/bright very attractive nose;
lightly tart rather toasty/pencilly/oak/bit Burgundian bright/spicy/PN/cherry/black cherry slight earthy flavor
w/ light smooth/graceful tannins; very long spicy/bright/PN/cherry/black cherry bit earthy strong pencilly/toasty/
Burgundian oak finish w/ light supple tannins; quite a pretty Pinot that's really improved over the last few yrs.
$37.00
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14. Donum PinotNoir EstateGrown/RRV (14.4%; www.TheDonumEstate.com) SantaRosa 2008: Med.color; fairly strong
blackberry/Syrah-like rather herbal/thyme/rosemary slight black cherry interesting nose; soft/fat bit alcoholic
some blackberry/Syrah-like/black cherry strong toasty/oak bit hot/fumey slight herbal/thyme flavor w/ some hard/
drying tannins; very long blackberry/Syrah-like/slight black cherry/ripe slight herbal/thyme rather toasty/
charred/oak finish w/ some hard/drying tannins; speaks more of Syrah than Pinot; starting to dry out a bit &
not going anywhere probably; quite pricey at $68.50
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More blabberings from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Pinots: These two were served as mystery wines and I told them they were the same variety. Most easily got the
Jaffurs as a Pinot. But most thought the Donum a Syrah...so they wern't quite sure what the mystery variety was.
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2. Gamay: Valdiguie was what was once known in Calif as NapaGamay, but later by DNA shown to be Valdiguie of the
Languedoc-Rousillon area. What was once called GamayBeaujolais was later found to be a wussy PinotNoir clone.
The J.Lohr Wildflower Valdiguie is probably the best known. This Idlewild was easily the best Valdiguie I've
yet had. There's not a whole lot of true GamayNoir a jus Blanc planted in Calif. SteveEdmund's BoneJolly
from ElDorado is easily the best.
Coteaux du Lyonnais is not an AC you see very often. Established in 1984 and just to the West of Lyon.
This is the first one I recall seeing. Given it was from Rhone producer Clusel-Roch, I guess that would
explain the high oak level.
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3. Freisa: This is a grape variety that they should be planting all up&down the coast in Calif. It is one of the
parents of Nebbiolo. It is sometimes made in a slightly-sweet/frizzante version but those seem rather rare
anymore. It often has the same tannic bite of Nebb. It often, especially in the Monferrato area, has a lilting/
soaring fragrance of strawberries and flowers. These two were not particularly good examples.
The Migliavacca was particularly reductive & foul. This is a wine that might have benefited from breathing.
But the wine showed much the same character after sitting out on the counter overnight. Given it came from
BergamotAlley in Healdsburg, a shop that specializes in "natural" wines, I guess I shouldn't have been too
surprised.
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4. Nebbiolos: These were an impressive batch of Nebbiolos. The SandroFays were particularly impressive. They had
a ripeness that almost suggested Calif, but were very balanced and surprisingly drinkable. They are imported by
Tosco wines in Calif and sold at their retail outlet, Enoteca Vino Nostro, in SanFrancisco. What struck me about
these three Italian Nebbs is that they don't have the hard/angular/crunchy/tongue-lashing tannins that you often
get from Piemonte Nebbs and show a richness/texture that those Nebbs seldom show.
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5. Prunent: This is the 2'nd Prunent I've tried from CantineGarrone. I am mightly impressed. Prunent is the local
name in the Val d'Ossola for Nebbiolo. The Vd'O is a small valley in the northernmost part of the Piemonte that
sticks up into the Val d'Aosta. From the WebSite, the scenery looks spectacular. They refer to Prunent as a
clone of Nebbiolo. It is the earliest reference to Nebbiolo in Italy, first mentioned in 1309. I've not been
able to find any DNA identification work on Prunent. Most of the Prunent plantings in the Vd'O appear to be
very old. This WineMonger (www.WineMonger.com) import is a must try for lovers of Nebbiolo who have an open
mind and not supremely confident that B/B are the greatest expression of that grape.
Tom