Fritz

Predictably, our first stop of the year was at Fritz. It was the Friday of the second weekend and my wires were crossed...they weren't tasting from the barrel that day, "but if I came back tomorrow..."

I was characteristically noncommittal because I knew that, as a club member, I'd have my chance at a good deal on their new wines. (Not as good as the futures price, but you win some and you lose some...)

We had to stop, if for no other reason, to pick up our futures from last year. It had been a good selection last year, with a purchase of a half case of each of their offerings. Unfortunately, they chose to barrel age the Zinfandel just a little longer. No worries, though, the Cab was good to go without a word to say! Ahhh, but if that were the end of the story, there'd be little reason to go on, now would there!

2009 Sauvignon Blanc
I've been a big fan of these Sau Blancs over the years and this one doesn't disappoint as much as it surprises. It has intense flavor on the nose, fully integrated, indistinguishable, but undiluted. Having said that, the huge acidity over the palate almost took me aback. As Sau Blancs go, I prefer a creamier mouthfeel, but I'm not averse to a crisp finish. This one, however, was so crisp it could have shaved your tongue off! All kidding aside, the shortcoming of this wine is that the acidity completely masks the flavors on the nose. If you buy this wine, lay it down for a while and if you do serve it, pair it with some oily/buttery fish or chicken.

2009 Jenner Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
So, Jenner is a new label of Fritz's and I was curious how it would stand up to their estate chardonnays. This wine lures you in with hints of lime on the nose... and then it EATS YOUR FACE with explosive tartness (lemon lime) on the palate! I can't remember anything like this in recent memory. If you really enjoy Italian Pinot Gris, then this will be your chalice of choice. For half the price, though, buy a Pinot Gris.

2009 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Now, on to their estate grown chardonnay... This wine had mild citrus on the nose, and with trepidation, I sipped it anyway (still re-arranging my face from the last wine). The palate followed with more intensity than the nose, but not so much that it frightened you off Chards for good. It was fresh and crisp; it's a nice wine, but not what I want in a chardonnay, these days (I miss the buttery chards of old). I wouldn't tell you to not buy this wine; it certainly satisfies a demographic.

2009 Jenner Pinot Noir: $25/$20/$28Back to Jenner, the new label... This wine has a mild red fruit on the nose, with slight hints of herbs. It was a very appealing nose, if I'm honest. The fruit and herbs are spicy on the palate with quite a bit of acidity. It could settle (be laid down) for another year.
Lisa's notes: Huge herbs (say that three times real fast), but does not overpower the fruits on the nose. The palate is easy and drink now, but will improve in the next year. My guiltless price is $38.

2008 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir Saralee’s VineyardThis wine has rich, red fruits on the nose. A dried red fruit flavor appears on the palate with modest spice and acidity. We still have a few bottles of this from our futures purchase last year. It’s showing better here than when I served it with salmon last weekend. What did I do wrong? Well, for one, I served it with salmon. You really want something biased toward herbaceous than fruit when pairing with salmon.

2007 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley: $25/$20/$22This was mild and muted on the nose. It’s light-bodied with spicy, fruit flavors.

2008 Zinfandel Dry Creek ValleyMedium-to-light-bodied Zin with much more flavor. More than modest amount of anise, red currant, and a flavor I can’t identify. If you subscribe to the "wine has an ethnicity" philosophy, then this one has the Nose of Dry Creek Valley (much like the Italian noses of New Jersey).

2008 VinoValpredo Squeezebox Red: $20/$16/$3050% Zinfandel/35% Cabernet Sauvignon/15% Syrah
This wine exudes a lightly flowery nose with hints of a dark red fruit. It's medium-bodied with subtle tannins from the cabernet. A splash of petite sirah would really liven it up. It's a perfectly enjoyable wine that I classify as an over-achiever at its market price.

2007 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/$28/$35What a full-bodied cab, with great flavor! The mild anise confuses the tannins a little, but that's the ethnicity of a Dry Creek Valley wine, even the cabs.
Lisa's Notes: I'm not sure this will mature to anything more complex or full. The last of the glass demonstrated a little light for a cab, but it is a great drink now for an inexpensive cabernet that would nicely complement a regular sirloin (no real spice). This could not stand up to a spicy or well smoked steak.

2007 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: $50/$40/$45This is what I call my "big dog" of Fritz's cabs. It's an extremely smooth, very drinkable Cab with lots of big red fruits. It has very little tannins, or acidity so it won’t hold up to much red meat, but for a cab out of northern California at this price, it's a good deal.