My new Solminer club shipment arrived last week, so tried over the last few days:
1. Solminer GrunerVeltliner SpearVnyd/SantaRitaHills (12.3%; www.Solminer.com; 148 cs) Buellton 2021: Light gold color; very light some GV/white pepper/floral/gardenias/spicy slight stony/mineral pleasant enough nose; fairly tart/tangy light GV/white pepper/spicy/floral light stony/perfumed talc slight metallic flavor; long light GV/white pepper/floral/gardenias light stony/mineral/metallic finish; a pleasant lightweight quiet expression of GV; will probably put on weight over the next yr or two; like many of the Solminers, just wish it had a bit more oomph & intensity. $35.00
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2. Solminer Carbonic Syrah SantaYnezVlly (12%; Bttld: Dec 17/2021; #569 of 3612) 2021: Med.color w/ some bubbles that dissipate slightly volatile rather spicy/Syrah/blackberry bit grapey/Lambrusco-like quite pretty nose; fairly tart some frizzante light blackberry/Syrah/spicy/grapey light earthy lightweight flavor w/ little tannins; med. rather tart/tangy lightly frizzante grapey/spicy/blackberry/Syrah bit earthy finish w/ little tannins & a slightly funky/wet dog fur aftertaste that's barely detectable; a rather pretty/interesting frivolous expression of Syrah nbut not sure where this wine fits at table. $32.00
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3. Solminer Syrah DeLandaVnyd/LosOlivosDist (12.9%; 48 cs) 2019: Very dark color; fairly strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/quite spicy strong cold-climate/black pepper slight earthy/dusty bit complex quite lovely nose; quite tart/tangy bit austere/hard strong blackberry/Syrah/very spicy strong c-c/black pepper bit earthy/dusty some Rhonish/w-c/roasted bit complex fairly structured flavor w/ some hard/tangy tannins; very long/lingering bit austere/structured quite spicy/blackberry/Syrah rather c-c/black pepper bit Rhonish/w-c/smokey finish w/ some hard tannins; needs 2-6 yrs yet; has some oomph & structure to it; best Solminer Syrah I can recall. $42.00
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4. Solminer Grenache SantaBarbaraCnty (14.5%; 120 cs; U/U) 2020: Med.light color; strong bright strawberry/Grenache/raspberry bit earthy slight spicy/cinammon quite fragrant lovely nose; lightly tart/tangy bright fragrant Grenache/strawberry/spicy bit earthy very light pencilly/oak lovely flavor w/ light brisk tannins; very long bright strawberry/raspberry/Grenache/spicy light earthy finish w/ light tannins; quite a pretty expression of SBC Grenache; should be good for several more yrs; reminds some of the Beckman Grenaches but a bit more lively & bright. $40.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Solminer is the wnry of Anna & David DeLaski, both from an Austrian winemaking background, with a focus on making Austrian-style wines. Their whites (Riesling & Gruner) are pretty-enough whites, but I just wish the had a bit more more intensity & oomph. Of their reds, I like best their St.Laurent & Blaufrankisch, which seem the most authentic Austrian wines in their portfolio. I've never been much fond of their Syrahs, finding them a bit on the anemic & spare side. This deLanda Syrah was the best one I can recall and had more intensity & oomph than any in the past.
Tom