Secco Rosé
Fresh cherry and strawberry fruit. A very light mousse – creamy without much attack. Very Prosecco spumante in the mouth. Tank transfer –no hint of breadiness
Pinot Grigio 2006
Slightly spicy, and loaded with pineapple and tropical fruit. Not limp or dull –finds a nice middle ground between Alsace and Italy. Good.
Rosé of Pinot Noir 2006
Strawberry pie, carnival peanut candy, rose petal. Pretty and delicious with appealing acidity.
Hungaro Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2005 –Hungary
Crunchy lime and citrus, Poire William, mineral-laden. Well balanced with fresh acidity and a little horsepower behind it. Good.
Hungaro Hill Pinot Noir 2005 –Hungary
Rust colored, chokecherry, Christmas spice, cinnamon. A bit too acidic and lean. May need time to flesh out.
Welschriesling 2006 (from tank)
Lively, spritzy, light and acidic. Grapefruit and lemon fruit. Dry welschriesling isn’t my thing, but this is pleasant and simple enough.
Chardonnay 2006
Unfiltered, no oak. Fresh and fruity styled, pineapple and granny smith apple fruit. A bit lean.
Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Papaya, mango, cut grass. Half carbonic Maceration. Rich and full bodied, but still with plenty of acidity. White flowers –Better than most NZ Sauvignon - I like it.
Pinot Noir ‘Classic’ 2006 (tank)
A little heavy handed –Cherry cough syrup, molasses, strawberry preserves, cinnamon spice. Almost thick. Not for me.
Pinot Noir 2005
Very Russian River –Prunes, raisins, brown spice, but still bright and modern. Much better than ‘06
Sankt Laurent 2006 (Barrel Sample)
Powerful for Sankt Laurent –Dark purple fruit, raspberries, black cherries and white pepper spice.
Zweigelt 2006 (Barrel Sample)
Rich and sloppy –Like Petite Sirah meets Zinfandel sans tannins. Raspberry liqueur, clove spice and black pepper –Crowd pleasing.
Blaufränkisch 2006 (Barrel Sample)
Black cherry, wild berries, cassis with greener, chewy tannins. Plenty of road tar and damp earth. Good –my favorite of the reds
Grüner Veltliner 2006
Recently bottled. White peach, apple and green bell pepper. Very fresh and acidic, but lacks a little mineral and middle. Good effort for a region not suited to GV.
Small Hill White 2006
Welschriesling/Sauvignon/Gelber Muskateller
Delicious –Rounder, fleshier body with peach, stony mineral, and dry honey. A little floral. Fruitier and more polished. 12% alc.
Hill 2
70% Sauvignon, 30% Chardonnay
Austrian Cheverny –Apples, vanilla, aloe, tast, caramel. A little big and clumsy
Small Hill Red 2005
Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sankt Laurent
Juicy, but full of Pinot Noir and Sankt Laurent elegance. Merlot shows with spicy tobacco and burnt earth. Bright cherry fruit, Not at all sweet or boring. Very good and a very good value.
Blaufränkisch 2005
Bright and pure red cherry fruit, roasted beef, flower petals and black pepper. Plenty of bite. NOT in any way Sleazy or jammy. Very Good.
Zweigelt 2005
Plush and punchy. Cranberry, bing cherry fruit. Loads of acidity and spicy black pepper. The ‘05s are far better than 2006 at this point.
Sankt Laurent 2005
Silky cherry fruit, and slightly sweeter at that, coconut and vanilla, caramel –light bodied, but heavier handed with oak.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
BIG and rich. Cassis, baking chocolate, black olives and burnt sugar. Very CA cabernet. Sharp, forceful tannins.
Pinot Noir 2004
Cherries, strawberries. Dusty, red brick mineral and brown spice. Quite bold and a far cry from elegant.
Hill 1 2005
Syrah/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Zweigelt
Massive and extroverted, but without much spine. Blackberry, Raspberry liqueur, plum fruit. Soft tannins. Soulless.