Needed something w/ my first Arugula harvest of the year:
1. SierraVista ElDorado Roussanne (EB; 13.5%) 2005: Med.gold color; lovely classic Roussanne/honeysuckle some earthy/Rhonish/minerally bit CdP/stoney slight creme brulee fairly complex nose; tart rich/lush creme brulee/honeysuckle/honeyed/Roussanne slight earthy/minerally quite Rhonish flavor; long tart rich/earthy/Rhonish classic Roussanne/honeysuckle finish; a lovely Roussanne at a great price. $20.50
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This is probably one of the best SierraVista whites I've had. It's a Roussanne that can go toe-to-toe w/ any produced in Calif. ElDorado's terroir lends a bit of earthy/mushroomy/minerally character that give this a rather Rhonish character. It's an area that should receive much more attention.
Vince and daughter Michelle have departed SierraVista and John is back at the winemaking helm full-time. Probably not the kind of retirement he envisioned. But their wines have been improving markedly over the last few yrs and they're some of my favorites.
John was one of the original RhoneRangers but never seems to get much recognition for his contributions to the movement. Of the first four really memorable Syrahs made in Calif in 1982, his was the one that held up the longest.
Tom