WTN: Rude-ness, 2 NW Ital duds, wasted efforts

[Jenise]

The Rude-ness:

2013 Rudius Syrah Stoney Vine Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
This winery is located in Napa but they're up here making some mighty good wine, and this is one. Not as ready as our last bottle, but we didn't open this one in advance and give it a chance to fly. But all the right stuff was there--black fruit, a bit of tar, some Rocks funk, black olives, all that. If you own them--decant.


Two New World Italian duds:

I have now had exactly three New World Dolcettos. The first, from Idiot's Grace Winery in WA, gave me so much hope I decided to try these:

2017 Unico Zelo Dolcetto Cherry Fields Clare Valley
Just decent, like that friend of your friend who comes to parties and never offends anyone but never adds anything to any conversation with his/her presence. He/she just SITS there. That's this wine, nondescript fruit with okay body but absolutely no point of view whatever, and after a few sips you give up trying to talk to it.

2016 Palmina Dolcetto Santa Ynez Valley
I've really enjoyed Italian varieties, plus one of the best Merlots I've had in California, from this winery. This bottle blemishes the name: thin, screechy, unenjoyable. Fed it to the azaleas.


Wasted efforts:

2019 Toil Oregon Pinot Noir Rosé Willamette Valley
Chris Figgins, son of Leonetti founder Gary and winemaker in his own right these days, is making pinot noir he touts as "pinot for Cabernet lovers". Thru a generous friend I get to taste the rose almost every year. Though most have been very good they haven't been consistently similar, and this year's in particular reminds one that a lot of roses are essentially the repurposed waste product of red wine making. Highly extracted with a gorgeous neon deep light red color. Nose is initially pleasantly floral and the wine's nicely dry on the palate, but before long nasty necrotic aromas of onion skin and rotting cabbage take over. Something's wrong here. Mercaptans?

2005 California Cult Classics Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley
So long time ago Napa winemaker Ray Signorello, who bi-homes in Vancouver, brought up a truckload of grapes and made this wine. I got a case of it. PnP'd last night, initial flavors were blackberry, chalk and mint. First pour was great but there was significant degradation in the second. My guess: this wine won't mature, it will just fade out. Should have drunk them all young.

2017 Unico Zelo Dolcetto Cherry Fields Clare Valley
Just decent, like that friend of your friend who comes to parties and never offends anyone but never adds anything to any conversation with his/her presence. He/she just SITS there. That's this wine, nondescript fruit with okay body but absolutely no point of view whatever, and after a few sips you give up trying to talk to it.

What a brilliant tasting note! I usually take a page from the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and call this sort of wine "mostly harmless". In the Three Stooges rating system, it would be a Shemp.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Thanks, and harmless is right. But in the most vapid way possible. From the wine buyer's perspective, if this is all you're going to come up with why even make it?

Hmm, "pinot for Cabernet lovers" - what could possibly go wrong?!?

[Jenise]

'Extracted' is the first thing that crosses your mind, right? My friend really isn't a pinot lover and prefers everything on the big side, so it stands to reason that they appeal to her (as they're meant to). There's definitely an audience for that style.

I still have that Cult Classics wine from 2012 and it is OK, but agree that the 2005 would be defunct.

[Jenise]

My remaining three will be earmarked for large gatherings where 6 or more get a first pour, and there are no seconds.

My remaining three will be earmarked for large gatherings where 6 or more get a first pour, and there are no seconds.

You mean the ones where you stick a bottle of that out on the common table and then help yourself to a different wine someone else brought......

[Jenise]

No! I'm not that kind of host. Just remember that I said the first glass was great. Not my preferred wine style but I could drink it just as I did the other night. But depth, not breadth! It's not an all-nighter.

'Extracted' is the first thing that crosses your mind, right? My friend really isn't a pinot lover and prefers everything on the big side, so it stands to reason that they appeal to her (as they're meant to). There's definitely an audience for that style.

Rodney Strong makes this style of pinot noir. For me, pinot noir is all about grace and nuance. This style is not for me. Someone said that maybe those who like this style of wine have a phobia about translucency when the wine is in a glass.

-Paul W.

Jenise, too bad about that Palmina Dolcetto. We had the 2014 about 2 months ago. It was decent. Not stellar, and QPR below average, but good enough. The only Palmina left is a 2013 Barbera Los Olivos, Walker vineyard.

Visited Palmina in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto a few years ago and picked up maybe 3 bottles total. They were running a special, which appeals to frugal soul.

Another vintner we've enjoyed is Domenico, Amador County. Especially the Aglianico.

Salute'

[Jenise]

For me, pinot noir is all about grace and nuance.

Ditto, Paul. And my friend doesn't look for balance and nuance so much as robustness and power, though she swears that drinking with me is changing her in my direction. And I can see that with wines like cabernet and syrah, but I don't think we'll ever get there with pinot noir.

[David M. Bueker]

Jenise - have you tried any of the Idlewild wines yet?

[Jenise]

I have not, but I can tell from your descriptions that they'd be in my wheelhouse.

Thanks for notes. I confess I thought I was going to open to find notes on a Rheingau and 2 Valle d'Aosta wines/.