Tried these 4 wines over the last few days:
1. Sineann SauvBlanc Marlborough/NZ (13%) P&B by NewZealandWineries/Marlborough 2018: Med.gold color; intense herbal/grapefruity/SB/gooseberry very aromatic classic NZ SB nose; quite tart/tangy/acidic bit metallic/steely rather herbal/grapefruity/SB slight mineral/chalky flavor; very long quite tart/tangy/metallic/steely some herbal/SB/grapefruity finish; an attractive brisk/crisp herbal/grapefruity/citric classic 4-square NZ SB at a good price; not as rich/lush as some. $21.00 (KK)
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2. Sineann GrunerVeltliner BlossomVnyd/ColumbiaGorge (13%; 250 cs; www.Sineann.com; Hrvstd: 10/15-16/2018; SaH: 23.1 Brix; pH: 3.16; Frmtd: SS) 2018: Med.gold color; fairly strong classic GV/white pepper/floral/carnations lightly spicy quite lovely nose; some tart bit rich/lush/full-bodied quite spicy/white pepper/GV/floral/carnationa slight chalky/mineral flavor; very long quite spicy/white pepper/GV/carnations slight chalky finish; quite a lovely/well-made GV; not the richness of a Wachau but more like a Burgenland or Weinviertal GV, a bit like a ViennaHills GV; quite a nice expression of GV and better than most from Calif. $nc (PR)/$20.00
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3. Sineann PinotNoir YatesConwillVnyd/Yamhill-Carlton (14.4%; Farmed: Steve&Cathy Conwill; 100 cs; SaH: 25.2 Brix; Picked: 9/29/2018) PeterRosbach/St.Paul/OR 2018: Very dark color; very strong/fragrant PN/black cherry/ripe/cherry slight herbal/earthy modest pencilly/toasty/oak pretty classic bright OR PN nose; rather tart/tangy very strong black cherry/PN/cherry light toasty/oak deep/structured flavor w/ modest brisk tannins; very long/lingering very strong black cherry/PN/cherry/slight dusty/earthy modest toasty/oak serious flavor w/ modest brisk tannins; a deep/serious OR PN that shows a lot of nerve & tension; will benefit from several yrs of age; this is pretty serious PN & one of the best I've had in a few yrs. $nc (PR)/$42.00
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4. Sineann PinotNoir "TFL" WillametteVlly (14.2%; SaH: 24.5 Brix; Hrvstd: 10/3/19; 103 cs of hld btls) 2019: Very dark color; bit brighter/cherry strong black cherry/PN/lighter more pencilly/oak not as deep quite pretty nose; lightly tart/brisk bright/cherry/PN/black cherry some pencilly/oak spicy/drinkable quite pretty bit simpler flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long bright/cherry/PN/black cherry some pencilly/oak balanced/drinkable finish w/ light tannins; a very attractive bright/drinkable PN ready to go now & should go out several yrs; not the depth/structure of the first PN. $nc (PR)/$30.00/hlf
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I've followed the wines of PeterRosbach for quite a few yrs. But not as closely has I should have been. I was first drawn to his wines for the OldVine Zin he made. Alas, haven't tried that in a number of yrs. But OV Zin in OR is pretty rare and I was rather impressed by it.
A few weeks ago, Peter contacted me about sending me some samples to try. I think it was because of my whining about the difficulty I have in opening wines bttld under the glass stopper VinoLoc, which his Pinot was bttld with. I was unable to open this VinoLoc w/ my bare hands, even though epee fencers are reknowned for their finger strength. But a small pry from my wine screw knife blade loosened it enough to easily pull it out.
I tried Peter's Gruner when he first released it, being a big fan of the variety. I found it pleasant enough, lightweight, but just that. This latest GV I found markedly better & liked quite a lot.
I don't try a lot of OR Pinots these days. So it was nice to return to that genre of PN. The Yates PN I found a pretty serious expression of OR PN, but not as much oak as many of them like to show.
The hlf btl TFL PN was one he made at the request of a "famous"/world-class restaurant. It is a blend of some of the best lots of the Yates/Conwill vnyd. Alas, the wine apparently never made the list at this restaurant. But they have continued to make the wine. The next time you eat at TheFrenchLaundry, you should complain mightly about the lack of Sineann Pinot on the list.
Tom
