A few wines at the new house

2015 Qupé Syrah Central Coast
from 375ml. Simple Syrah, dark fruit, elevated tannin that has softened nicely. Great acidity as well. For a cheap red it's hard to beat. Was perfect with a Burger.

2011 Maison Alex Gambal Cuvée Les Deux Papis Bourgogne
I loved this wine. I know a lot of people down on 2011, but I love the acidity and got no green notes. Great acidity, cranberry and cherry notes. Tannin is low, but has some crunchy texture, good mineral edge as well. Could have lived another 5+ easily, for a entry level Burg I was very happy.

2017 Château Riotor Rosé Côtes de Provence
Just not good, strange bitter note and almost no flavor other than a slight burn from alcohol, which is strange because it's not very alcoholic! I love Provence Rose, but was not a fan of this...

2017 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Blanc Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
I loved this $10 wine! Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Bland and Terret Blanc? SB kept the acidity high enough to keep it interesting. GB added great depth and honeysuckle, lemon pith, peach, apricot aromas. If I can find more it will be my house white for this summer!

2017 Zampato Sauvignon Blanc Slovenia
Not a bad SB, but also not a good one. Had such a strong bitter note I would have guessed a cheap Gruner blind. Better values to be found out there.

2014 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Woodruff Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains
I purchased a TON of Wind Gap on clearance and I've had mixed results. The color was extremely light red, almost looked like a Tavel Rose. Alcohol was low (12.5%) on the nose I just got sweet fruit, and not much else. Jolly Rancher style... I'm hoping this develops more, but so far I have very much preferred Wind Gaps Syrah to their Pinot Noir. I'm hoping they develop as they age because I have about a case and a half of their Pinot left split between a few wines. I have loved the Syrah I've tried so far and luckily I have a good amount of them saved as well...

[Jenise]

2017 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Blanc Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
Vic at the downtown Co-op stocks this every summer. Love it.

2017 Zampato Sauvignon Blanc Slovenia
Had this a few weeks ago. Didn't like it a bit.

2014 Wind Gap Wines Pinot Noir Woodruff Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains
Not sure if 13 or 14 was my first Wind Gap pinot, but offhand I'm fairly certain it was '13. Loved it. Didn't like '14 so didn't buy again after a sample bottle, but was told when I panned it here to hold on it will get better. I didn't chance it. Then for the same reasons you did I went big on a case of '15. HATE THEM. That Jolly Rancher watermelon thing is so offputting to me. I give them away every chance I get and still have 3 bottles I don't know what I'm going to do with. Coq au Vin?

Funny sounds like you and I agree on them across the board. I've had some good Wind Gap over the years, but the 14 and 15 I bought in bulk is just a different wine. The flavor is just candied and taste fake. I'm going to hide the rest of them and open in a 5-10 years and see what happens, but I'm guessing it was a bad purchase, they happen.

I love Mas de Daumas Gassac wines so when I saw what is essentially their 2nd label for $10 I had to grab a few, now I wish I grabbed a case! They make like 50 different wines and I've only ever seen a few of them for sale. I really want to try their Sparkling Rose, but have never seen it sadly.

[Jenise]

You and I seem to have fairly identical palates, Kasey.

I just checked CT to see what Gassac wines I've had lately, and I know I've had more. Absolutely loved a still rose last year and recall going back for more, but these are the only TN's I've logged. I'm surprised to realize that I've had a pinot:


2001 Mas de Daumas Gassac Vin de Pays de l'Hérault Red Bordeaux Blend
Blind tasting. Ruled out Bordeaux and southern Rhone before settling on the Languedoc. No question it was French, though. Showing beautifully right now: my favorite red of the day.

2014 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Vin de Pays de l'Hérault White Blend
White peach, honeydew and pear; a little fat and subdued but it does grow on you.

2014 Moulin de Gassac Pinot Noir Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
Tart and earthy; improves drastically with time in the glass and food.

I didn't know they made a Pinot! That's so cool! I know they have Nebbiolo planted, but it all just goes into one of the blends, would love to try it on it's own.

For some reason I've been on a kick to find non Italian Nebbiolo. I picked up a 2013 Côtes de Ciel Nebbiolo Ciel du Cheval from Red Mountain last week that I'm excited to try but haven't open yet. I also have some Wind Gap Nebbiolo I'm going to pop soon... I know Australia makes a decent amount of Nebbiolo as well, but I haven't been able to find any around here...

[David M. Bueker]

As much as I have loved Wind Gap, and bought/drank cases of the Sonoma Coast Pinot, I can't stand what he eventually did with his single vineyard Pinots. He started going for more whole cluster/carbonic character, and ruined the wines. I don't even buy Pax anymore.

I tried the Mas de Daumas Gassac Sparking Rose at the winery a few years ago and was not impressed, FWIW. It was a little sweet and just didn't seem to be at the same level as their other wines. But that was several years ago. I still have a bottle of the red which I brought back from the Languedoc! We don't see it up here.

Thank you for the information John! If I ever see it I may still pick up, but I won't hunt it down now.

Jenise, I agree. It feels like once the wines kinda fell into the Natural wine style he went towards it 100% and it does not work for my palate. I love many natural wines too, but the Wind Gap Pinot's get the crazy fruit, but not the depth...

I didn't know they made a Pinot! That's so cool! I know they have Nebbiolo planted, but it all just goes into one of the blends, would love to try it on it's own.

For some reason I've been on a kick to find non Italian Nebbiolo. I picked up a 2013 Côtes de Ciel Nebbiolo Ciel du Cheval from Red Mountain last week that I'm excited to try but haven't open yet. I also have some Wind Gap Nebbiolo I'm going to pop soon... I know Australia makes a decent amount of Nebbiolo as well, but I haven't been able to find any around here...

An idea for domestic Neb:

https://www.palminawines.com/

Visited their tasting room in Lompoc, CA a few years ago. At that time they even had a sparkling Neb.

[David M. Bueker]

For some reason I've been on a kick to find non Italian Nebbiolo. I picked up a 2013 Côtes de Ciel Nebbiolo Ciel du Cheval from Red Mountain last week that I'm excited to try but haven't open yet. I also have some Wind Gap Nebbiolo I'm going to pop soon... I know Australia makes a decent amount of Nebbiolo as well, but I haven't been able to find any around here...

Idlewild is a great source for northern Italian grapes as expressed in northern California soils. Their Nebbiolo is delish, as is their Dolcetto and Barbera...really everything they make is fantastic.

[Jenise]

Pat, I too like Palmina's work with Italian varieties.

I will have to track down some Palmina. I did pisk up an Idlewild Red with a bird on the label. Looks like it is mainly Dolcetto abd Barbera with just a hint of Nebbiolo. I didn't even know at the time, was just happy to see some Idlewild wines locally, I've had some and was always a fan.

What was left over of my Wind Gap Pinot I started a red vinegar with it. I have a friend who makes apple cider vinegar from scratch and she gave a nice bottle with a mother, so we will see how it goes!.

[Jenise]

Bob and I made a trip up to the Lompoc wine ghetto to visit Arcadian and several other wineries, including Palmina where I'd hoped to pick up some of their Arneis--best domestic version I'd had of the grape (though I've not had that many). We'd had a stunning bottle in Hawaii--alas, sold out.

I've been picking up new world Itals lately. Am really curious about Dolcetto in particular.

OH HEY. I'm having another couple over tonight for social distancing on the patio, hadn't opened any wines yet but was going to go with young Ital nebbiolos. Menu's stuffed artichokes, grilled shrimp, pesto-cheese focaccia. I have some NW Dolcettos--this will be the PERFECT opp to open those. Thanks for suggesting it.

I picked up a Seghesio Arneis about an hour ago, mainly because it was on clearance for $10, but still I can never have enough daily drinker whites.

I miss Washington, and your patio! Tell Bob I said hello, and Cheers!