2007 Miner “Wild Yeast” Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Producer/Winery: Miner Family Vineyards
Wine: Wild Yeast Chardonnay
Country: USA
Region: California
Appellation: Napa
Varietal Composition: 100 % Chardonnay
Aging: 15 Months 70 % new French Oak
Climate: Maritime
Alcohol: 14.4 %
Winemaker: Gary Brookman
Production: 2070 cases
Bottle Value: $50-60 USD
Where: San Jose, CA When: December 24, 2009 With whom: Anh and family
Perspective: Just what I have been craving, a rich golden toasty chardonnay with great acid and fruit that last forever in the mouth. After being in Washington for the past four months and not being able to find a wine of this caliber it was a great experience. When these wines are done right there is nothing like them. The trend for un-oaked chardonnay is well and good but it can never replace the experience of good quality fruit aged in spicy new French oak barrels. This chardonnay is among my most favorites produced in the states. We had this with Christmas Eve dinner, the most interesting course being the curry leaf scented butternut squash soup that Anh made. Seek out and enjoy. This wine is showing well now and will developed nicely over the next ten years if that’s your style.
Systematic Approach
Appearance: Bright clarity. Pale golden core and rim. No sediment or deposits.
Nose: Clean. Medium(+) youthful aromas of ripe pear, toasted hazelnuts, sweet vanilla, butter and citrus peel.
Palate: Dry. Medium(+) acidity. Medium soft/ripe tannins. Medium(+) alcohol and body. Pronounced flavors of melon, apple, ripe pear, creamy toasted oak, and butterscotch. Balance – Dry. Lively acidity, rounded tannins, generous alcohol and well defined fruit. Texture – Velvety tannins and creamy viscosity. Overall Impression – Refreshing ripeness, vivid freshness and harmonious. Medium(+)/long length.
Conclusion: Very good quality for structure, complexity and length. Drink now but will age well for the next 10 years.
2007 Miner “Gary’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2007
Producer/Winery: Miner Family Vineyards
Wine: Gary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
Country: USA
Region: California
Appellation: Santa Lucia Highlands
Varietal Composition: 100 % Pinot Noir
Aging: 14 Months French Oak (70% New)
Climate: Maritime
Alcohol: 14.4 %
Winemaker: Gary Brookman
Bottle Value: $60 USD
Production: 911 Cases
Where: San Jose, CA When: December 20, 2009 With whom: Anh & I
Perspective: This is one of my favorite wines from Miner Family Vineyards. I visit the winery once a year and pick up an assortment of great wines that I put away and some that I drink immediately. This one should have gone to the wine locker but after drinking so many Bordeaux varieties lately I was craving a pinot. The wine is super clean with bright red fruits intermingled with toasty oak and spice box flavors. I allowed the wine to breathe-without decanting-for three hours before I drank it. This makes all the difference. Drink now if you have a few bottles and keep the rest for a few more years or more.
Systematic Approach
Appearance: Clear clarity. Medium garnet core, pale ruby rim. No sediment or deposits.
Nose: Clean. Medium intense youthful aromas of red and black cherry, green olive, dried hay, and pimentos.
Palate: Dry. Medium(+) acid. Medium(-) ripe/soft tannins. Medium alcohol. Medium(-) body. Medium(+) intense flavors of red cherry, ripe raspberry, plum, sweet spiced vanilla, toasted oak, and earthy/stony minerals. Balance – Drying. Refreshing acid, supple tannins, warm alcohol, well defined fruit. Texture – Silky tannins and fluid viscosity. Medium(+) length. Overall Impression – Refreshing ripeness. Well defined freshness and harmonious.
Conclusion: Very good quality for balance and length. Drink now and for the next 8 years.
2005 Palacios Remondo “La Montesa” Rioja Crianza
Vintage: 2005
Producer/Winery: Palacios Remondo
Wine: La Montesa Rioja Crianza
Country: Spain
Region: La Rioja
Appellation: Rioja Baja
Varietal Composition: 40% Garnacha, 45% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo and Graciano
Aging: 14 months 75% is French oak, 25% American oak – 10% new oak. 90% split equally between, one, two and three year old wood.
Climate: Continental
Alcohol: 14 %
Winemaker: Alvaro Palacios
Imported By: Folio Wine Company
Bottle Value: $20 USD
Production: 60,000 Cases
Where: San Jose, CA When: December 17, 2009 With whom: Anh & I
Perspective: This is an interesting Rioja because it uses more French oak than most producers. Honestly if I where to taste this wine blind I might mistake it for a young inexpensive Burgundy. Upon opening it wreaked of barnyard, hay, rusty iron and red cherry. On the palate the wine was lean and reluctant to relinquishing its fruit. The only marker that it wasn’t Burgundy was the opaque color of the core, depth of the rim and brown highlights. Nonetheless this producer is a favorite of mine and I try to always revisit his wines. With some age this wine will develop nicely, I think in two years I should give this wine another try… or perhaps tomorrow night. Additional Note: After re-tasting this wine the next night it had changed completely. The wine was more centered and dense with less mineral and hay notes and the fruit structure was more pronounced. Take your time with this one it seems to be a little stubborn.
Systematic Approach
Appearance: Clear clarity. Opaque ruby core, deep ruby rim. Brown highlights. No sediments or deposits detected.
Nose: Initially unclean. Faint traces of Brettanomyces-farmyard and horse sweat. Conclusively clean. Medium(+) intensity, youthful aromas of red and black cherry, rusty mineral, hay and sweet tobacco.
Palate: Dry. Medium (+) acidity and alcohol. Medium (-) unripe tannins. Medium (-) body. Medium intense flavors of dried red cherry and red currant. Earthy mineral notes of rust with herbaceous medicinal flavors. Balance – Drying. Lively acid, supple tannins and generous alcohol. Texture – powdery tannins and fluid viscosity. Overall Impression – stemmy ripeness, tertiary freshness, and mellow. Medium(+) length.
Conclusion: Good Quality for concentration and length. Hold for another year and drink over the next five or more years.
2007 Clos de Noi Samso
Vintage: 2007
Producer/Winery: Clos de Noi
Wine: Negre Samsó Vinyes Velles
Country: Spain
Region: Catalunya
Appellation: Montsant DO
Varietal Composition: 100% Samsó (Carignane)
Aging: 3 Months French Oak
Climate: Mediterranean
Alcohol: 13.9 %
Winemaker: Carles Escolar
Imported By: Vinos & Gourmet Inc.
Bottle Value: $15 USD
Where: San Jose, CA When: December 15, 2009 With whom: Anh & I
Perspective: The wine is made from 40 year old vines of Samsó- which is a synonym for Carignane in Montsant. On the shelf this wine looked very interesting in its clean modern package. Upon opening the wine showed concentration and depth but after fifteen minutes or so it tapered off and developed one dimensional characteristic. Driven by overripe fruit and earth this wine is not bad by any means, it only lacks balance and complexity. I would like to try it again in another vintage to see if it changes before I dismiss it completely. The wine would pair well with a rich gamey protein such as slow braised lamb or venison. Note: The morning after I opened the wine I went back for a re-taste. The wine had lost most of its aromatics but the fruit was much brighter and clean. Perhaps decanting for an hour before drinking will allow the wine to show better.
Systematic Approach
Appearance: Clear clarity. Opaque ruby core, deep ruby rim. No sediments or deposits detected.
Nose: Clean. Pronounced aromas of overripe black cherry, plum, cassis, spearmint, wet leaves and earthy mineral.
Palate: Dry. Medium acidity. Medium plus tannin, alcohol and body. Medium plus flavors of raisin, prune and dried lavender. Balance – Drying, thick acidity, dried out tannins, generous alcohol, and meager fruit. Medium length. Texture – dusty tannins, (medium-low) thin viscosity. Overall Impression – Overripe, dull and disjointed.
Conclusion: Acceptable quality. Lacking balance and complexity. Ready to drink now but could age for another 3 years.
Producer/Winery: Clos de Noi
Wine: Negre Samsó Vinyes Velles
Country: Spain
Region: Catalunya
Appellation: Montsant DO
Varietal Composition: 100% Samsó (Carignane)
Aging: 3 Months French Oak
Climate: Mediterranean
Alcohol: 13.9 %
Winemaker: Carles Escolar
Imported By: Vinos & Gourmet Inc.
Bottle Value: $15 USD
Where: San Jose, CA When: December 15, 2009 With whom: Anh & I
Perspective: The wine is made from 40 year old vines of Samsó- which is a synonym for Carignane in Montsant. On the shelf this wine looked very interesting in its clean modern package. Upon opening the wine showed concentration and depth but after fifteen minutes or so it tapered off and developed one dimensional characteristic. Driven by overripe fruit and earth this wine is not bad by any means, it only lacks balance and complexity. I would like to try it again in another vintage to see if it changes before I dismiss it completely. The wine would pair well with a rich gamey protein such as slow braised lamb or venison. Note: The morning after I opened the wine I went back for a re-taste. The wine had lost most of its aromatics but the fruit was much brighter and clean. Perhaps decanting for thirty minutes before drinking will allow the wine to show better.
Systematic Approach
Appearance: Clear clarity. Opaque ruby core, deep ruby rim. No sediments or deposits detected.
Nose: Clean. Pronounced aromas of overripe black cherry, plum, cassis, spearmint, wet leaves and earthy mineral.
Palate: Dry. Medium acidity. Medium plus tannin, alcohol and body. Medium plus flavors of raisin, prune and dried lavender. Balance – Drying, thick acidity, dried out tannins, generous alcohol, and meager fruit. Medium length. Texture – dusty tannins, (medium-low) thin viscosity. Overall Impression – Overripe, dull and disjointed.
Conclusion: Acceptable quality. Lacking balance and complexity. Ready to drink now but could age for another 3 years.