Had these two JCCellar Reds last night:
1. JCCllrs TheImposter CentralCoast (14.8%; Zin/Syrah/PetiteSirah/Tempranillo/Carignan/Grenache/Viognier; Drk: 2013-2016: JC) 2010: Very dark color w/ some browning; strong blackberry/Syrah/Zin/bit black cherry cola bit alcoholic/fumey very ripe/big fruit strong toasty/oak/smokey nose w/ little complexity; soft rich/lush/ripe big fruit/blackberry big fruit/blackberry/Syrah/Zin bit dusty/OV/earthy some fumey/alcoholic/overripe strong smokey/toasty/Fr.oak slightly tired flavor w/ light bit astringent tannins; very long some overripe/fumey/alcoholic very strong blackberry/Syrah/Zin strong toasty/oak finish w/ modest tannins; emphasis on very ripe fruit; not going to go anywhere & only going to get more alcoholic & dried out; still offers up plenty of pleasure but rather overripe/alcoholic & starting to show a bit tattered around the edges.
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2. JCCllrs Smoke&Mirrors (14.9%; Syrah/PetiteSirah/Zin; www.JeffCohnWines.com) Oakland 2010: Very dark/near black color w/ some bricking; very intense blackberry/Syrah/boysenberries/ripe bit cold-climate/black pepper strong toasty/smokey/Fr.oak slight alcoholic bit complex/mature slight herbal/Monterey (Ventana?) quite interesting nose; lightly tart bit alcoholic/fumey intense blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/ripe strong toasty/smokey/Fr.oak slight c-c/black pepper/herbal bit complex flavor w/ modest smooth/ripe tannins;very long/lingering slight hot/alcoholic intense blackberry/boysenberry/SAyrah bit c-c/peppery/herbal strong toasty/Fr.oak bit complex finish w/ light ripe tannins; emphasis on ripeness again but a bit more interesting; quite good if you like the style.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I have, of course, followed JeffCohn from the very start, when he worked in the cellar at RosenblumWnry in Alameda. He eventually struck out on his own, establishing his wnry in the JackLondon area of Oakland. Sourced much of his fruit from many of the same vnyds KentRosenblum did. He, at one time, sourced Grenache & Syrah from the old DougMeader VentanaVnyd in Monterey. Those wines were some of the best expressions of c-c Rhones in Calif.
He has since moved his operation up to Healdsburg, closer to his vnyd sources. Haven't purchased any of his wines in a fair number of yrs, so don't know what they're like these days...but suspect the emphasis is still on ripeness & bigness. Just looked at his offering on his WebSite & a bit shocked at the prices. So not likely to try them again.
Tom