TN: Vare RibollaGialla NapaVlly 2005....(short/boring)

Tried this new wine last night:
1. Vare RibollaGialla NapaVlly (14.5%; 237 cs; http://www.VareVineyards.com) George&Elsa Vare/Napa 2005: Med.light gold color; attractive slightly floral rather stoney/steely/minerally/slatey interesting/unusual nose; tart very stoney/steely/minerally quite lean/austere lightly fragrant/floral slight grapefruity/citrisy flavor; med.long stoney/steely/very minerally finish; definitely a food wine; like sucking on a pebble picked up in the bed of a stream high in the PecosWilderness; very interesting rendition of RG, went great w/ the risotto. $25.00/500ml
____________________________
And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Picked up this xtra btl for Bobby Stuckey (Frasca), but turns out he already knew of this wnry, so immediately cracked it myself. Having had several dozen RG from Friuili, I was expecting an up-front/fruity/Calif-version of RG. Couldn't have been further from the truth. This is not a wine to have in a tasting, but to accompany food. It has a steely minerality that you seldom find in Calif whites, reminiscent of the Alsace Rieslings of yore afore Z-H perverted the market. Yet it does NOT have at all that green character you get in Calif whites from underripe grapes, the flavors seemed fully developed. GeorgeVare developed a love for the whites of Friuli and I think he's done a remarkable job of making this RG in that style. Interesting wine and worth seeking out for something out of the usual paradigm.
TomHill

Very interesting stuff, and with such young vines (PG grafted to RG in 2002) it looks like it should be only better in the future.

The website says the 2004 wines were all sold to French Laundry and Per Se, but not the 05s? Are they easy/hard to find?

Only 500 cases. Nice report there Tim, always look forward to your notes. I am living in the wrong place!!!! Great find.

I stumbled upon them at MX's Enoteca in Calistoga and presume she still has some. Small quantities so probably hard to find.
Tom

like sucking on a pebble picked up in the bed of a stream high in the PecosWilderness

A tasting note I can completely identify with!