WTN: A Chard, a Merlot, and a Torrette Walk Into a Bar...(sh

Tried these three w/ DinDin last night:
1. Ser Chard CoastviewVnyd/MontereyCnty (13%; www.SerWinery.com; 150 cs) NicoleWalsh/SantaCruz 2015: Med.gold color; very strong melony/floral/Chard/celerey seed/almondy bit citric light pencilly/oak slight spicy/nutmeg really lovely nose; fairly tart/tangy rather citric/grapefruity strong melony/Chard/bit honeysuckle/almondy light spicy/nutmeg slight pencilly/oak bit complex lovely flavor; very long/lingering quite spicy/bit nutmeg bit citric/grapefruity strong floral/melony/Chard/celerey seed light pencilly some complex finish; a rather lithe/vibrant/svelte expression of Chard that can still go another 206 yrs. $28.00
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2. S.Anderson Merlot StagsLeapDist (14.5%; www.4Bubbly.com) Yountville 1999: Med.dark some browning color; rather cedary/pencilly/oldRed bit toasty/oak some herbal/Cab bit oldBdx some oxidative/tired nose; soft pretty oxidative/tired/cedary/oldRed slight Merlot/grapey some toasty/oak rather earthy/oldBdx flavor w/ light astringent tannins; med.long some oxidative/oldBdx slight herbal/grapey rather tired/astringent/metallic sligt herbal/Bdx finish w/ light astringent/drying tannins; not totally dead & still clinging to life but offers up little pleasure. $nc (B&SR)
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3. Ch.Feuillet Torrette Dd'OP: Valle d'Aosta (13.5%; 90% PetiteRouge/10% Mayolet; Lotto 07/19; KermitLynch/Berkeley) Maurizio Fiorano/St.Pierre/Vd'A 2018: Med.color w/ slight bricking; lovely very fragrant cherry/black cherry/blackberry rather floral/lilacs/Alpine red light earthy/dusty/OV slight pencilly/oak almost Savoie Mondeuse-like fairly complex nose; lightly tar bit earthy/dusty/OV strong black cherry/blackberry/alpine floral/lilacs/spicy bit licorice/pungent light pencilly/oak fairly complex flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long/lingering lightly tart/tangy some earthy/OV fairly strong blackberry/black cherry/Alpine floral/lilacs bit pungent/licorice light pencilly/oak some complex finish w/ light tangy tannins; a lovely Alpine/Vd'A red that resembles a bit a Savoie Mondeuse but more high-toned/Alpine in character; very attractive price at $24.50 (KK)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Ser is the wnry of NicoleWalsh. She started her wine career in Michigan, then moved to Calif. She started wi/ Randall at BonnyDoon and continues there, w/ a brief stint in NewZealand.
I like her wines quite a lot. Don't know if she's regarded as a natural winemaker or not, but her wines are clean/well-made & show no natty character whatsoever.
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2. S.Anderson was a wnry that started in the early '70's w/ a focus on Sparkling wines. When that market stagnated, they switch to Merlot/Cab. In 2001, they were sold to RaySignorello and Cliff Lede. They no longer make wines under this label.
This wine was recently gifted me from Bill&Sheila Reed, friends from Charlottesville. The storage provenance was questionable.
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3. Torrette is an AC that is mostly a blend of PetiteRouge w/ other red varieties. Both PetitRouge & Mayolet are varieties indigeneous to the Vd'A. This red displayed a floral character that I oft find in Alpine reds.
Tom

[Jenise]

The Swiss wines I've had recently that mirror the grapes of the Valle d'Aosta have made me deeply curious about their Italian counterparts. Haven't had the latter that I know of. Certainly if I have, it was someone else's bottle. Really need to find out more about this region; this note is yet more encouragement.

The Swiss reds I've had recently that mirror the grapes of the Valle d'Aosta have made me deeply curious about wines of that region. Haven't had one ever that I know of. Certainly if I have, it was someone else's bottle. Really need to find out more about this region; this note is yet more encouragement.

Well, Jenise.....there are a number of grapes common to Suisse & the Val d'Aosta. Alas, the Swiss wines are
very hard to find & frightfully expensive. The Val d'Aosta wines are a bit more available and not as expensive.
But I love most of the wines that come from the Vd'A.
Tom

[Jenise]

I've been able to get a few of the Swiss wines, and own some even now. But VdA? Newp. Just now checked wine.com as I got a coupon in the mail. Nothing in stock, though in the recent past they've carried some Feuillet wines.

[David M. Bueker]

I am looking forward to Tom’s note on the Ser in the year 2228.

My interest in Val d'Aosta began not with wine, but with the cheese known as Fontina Val d'Aosta I remember first tasting from a cheese shop on San Anselmo Avenue in San Anselmo, CA in the Spring of 1982, when I was a letter carrier for the US Post office for a few years, and I delivered mail to that shop. That cheese can be pretty captivating, and I found it irresistible. When I found out they made wine, my intuition suggested it was likely to be compelling stuff. If you enjoy great cheese, and run across this one, I think you'll want to try it.

My interest in Val d'Aosta began not with wine, but with the cheese known as Fontina Val d'Aosta I remember first tasting from a cheese shop on San Anselmo Avenue in San Anselmo, CA in the Spring of 1982, when I was a letter carrier for the US Post office for a few years, and I delivered mail to that shop. That cheese can be pretty captivating, and I found it irresistible. When I found out they made wine, my intuition suggested it was likely to be compelling stuff. If you enjoy great cheese, and run across this one, I think you'll want to try it.

Yup, Steve... know that cheese well. One of the best of the Alpine cheeses.
I think I know that small grocery store you're talking about. They also had a nice wine department. But can't recall the store's name. Nothing to do with old age, be assured. There was a small creek running beside it. One of my favorite stops heading North out of the Cite.
Tom

[Jenise]

Checked the online store of my local wine merchant (a small but adventurous shop) for Valle d'Aosta wines, and it came back with four options from Baja California. No, I don't think so....

[Jenise]

Steve, I was at Whole Foods yesterday afternoon searching their cheese wall for pecorino when, lo and behold, there was Fontina Valle d'Aosta, an aged one that looks Comte-ish. Haven't tried it yet but you might be interested in knowing they carry it.