Tried these two last night:
1. Forlorn-Hope Nacre Semillon YountMillVnyd/Yountville (11%; 77 cs) Calistoga 2008: Deep yellow color; strong figgy/fig newton/graham cracker/Semillon rather nutty/bit oxidative slight herbal/boiled peanuts rather interesting/complex nose; quite tart/tangy/austere strange nutty/boiled peanuts some Semillon/graham cracker/fig newton bit herbal/haymow slight oxidative/nutty rather bizarre complex flavor; very long some Semillon/graham cracker/fig newton quite tart/tangy bit pinched austere some nutty/boiled peanuts/oxidative slight pungent/marigolds/holly hocks finish w/ an herbal aftertaste that goes on & on; has a tangy austere character much like a skin-contact white; quite a bizarre expression of Semillon; not alltogether unpleasant but you have to approach w/ an open mind; a bit like a HunterVlly Semillon w/o the oak or the richness; needs food with it.
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2. Forlorn-Hope Ost-Intrigen St.Laurent RicciVnyd/Carneros (12.3%; 12 cs) SuisunVlly 2010: Dark color w/ some browning; strong earthy/loamy/StLaurent bit Blaufrankisch-like
light pencilly/oak some complex very Austria/Burgenland some PN-like/cherry lovely complex nose; quite tart/tangy rather earthy/loamy some pencilly/oak strong StLaurent/Blaufrankisch very Bergenland-like lovely flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long/lingering some pencilly/oak some earthy/loamy strong StLaurent/Blaufrankisch/Burgenland complex finish; a very Burgenland-like expression of StLaurent; speaks more of Burgenland than Calif; a bit like a heavy Carneros PN; maybe Carneros is more Burgenland than Calif (think of SanPabloBay/NeuseedlierSee).
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Semillon: A pretty bizarre expression of Semillon. With the blackened shishito peppers, was actually pretty good. This was made at Elizabeth Spencer where Matt was the winemaker then.
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2. St.Laurent: This is a variety indigenous to Austria and thought to come from a PinotNoir seedling. Propagated by Kloster Neuberger.
This is the first Calif StLaurent and Matt's first attempt w/ this grape variety. It has evolved into a very Burgenland-like red.
Tom