Tried these two last night at DinDin:
1. Forlorn-Hope Vermentino RorickHeritageVnyd/CalaverasCnty/SierraFoothills (12.70%) Murphys 2018:
Med.gold color; strong floral/Verm/carnations/spicy light chalky/perfumed talc slightly saline rather attractive nose; fairly tart/tangy bit saline/pinched/metallicsome floral/carnations/Verm bit lightweight/eviscerated flavor; med.long light floral/Verm/carnations bit saline/eviscerated/metallic light chalky/perfumed talc finish; a quite attractive aromatic Verm nose but rather lean/eviscerated on the palate; a bit like a Sardinian Vermentino.
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2. Arnot-Roberts Syrah SonomaCoast (12.5%) 2015: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; strong very Rhonish/roasted/espresso/smoked meats some w-c/c-c/peppery strong blackberry/Syrah/very spicy/peppery quite complex beautiful nose; very tart/tangy/metallic somewhat lean/eviscerated strong Rhonish/roasted/espresso rather peppery/w-c/c-c some blackberry/Syrah/peppery/spicy rather Rhonish/complex flavor w/ ample lean/tangy tannins; long quite tart/tangy/lean/eviscerated/austere strong Rhonish/roasted/smoked meats/w-c slight Syrah/blackberry/spicy bit complex finish w/ hard tannins; a lovely Rhonish nose but very hard/eviscerated on the palate; a real paucity of fruit; don't see this going anywhere (except down the drain).
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More biddyhurkle from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. I really like the aromatics of the Arnot-Roberts but it was just too hurtful on the palate. The next morning when I tried it after sitting out open all night, the tannins had actually softened somewhat and it was not so painful on the palate to drink. I almost never see that happen in a red wine. The "experts" tell us, in their infinite authority, that a hard/tannic wine needs to breathe/be exposed to air to "soften" then tannins. Like most "experts", they are full of $hit.
Tom