Hanna

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/7/7

This isn't my first time here. I've been to their teeny, tiny tasting room off River Road, and I've been to this tasting room once before.  I came here during barrel tasting one year, with friends and was not (in any way) enamored with their wines. I only drank from their basic tasting menu, then, but this time I went straight to the reserve menu. It was certainly a different experience, but not to a measure that was commensurate with the prices increases. I may be a bit harsh on the wine rating but only because the wines were good...at a much lower price.

2007 Bismark Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $56/$42/$39

Mild aromas of blackberry, tobacco, and a desert plant. The blackberry is prominent on the palate with little or no acidity. This is a drink now cab that won’t impress anyone but you’ll enjoy as a nice, accessible wine.

Lisa – big nose to her – green pepper was most prominent, with just a little blackberry quite a bit of tobacco.

2007 Bismark Mountain Petite Sirah $54/$/$35

Floral nose with stereotypical petite sirah flavors. Another fruit forward wine with no acidity. There’s a quality that is missing that you expect from petite sirah (black pepper). Very drinkable, but not at this price

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2007 Bismark Mountain Syrah 56/$42/$35

The tea, cinnamon are almost exclusive to the nose. The fruit was transparent, at first, but the dried cherries appeared with sufficient coaxing (spelled S-W-I-R-L).  This is another enjoyable wine where the tea, cinnamon, really follows on the palate.

2006 Merlot Reserve Proprietor Grown $55/$40/$30

I’m having problems finding the bouquet on this wine; cola,  a little tobacco, and cocoa flavors, which are unusual for a merlot. The acidity is gone, but there’s still a bit oakiness with notes of plum, cola, tobacco, and vanilla.

2007 Bismark mountain Cab Franc $56/$42/$-

The nose is replete with bright red and black fruits, but the palate is almost completely flat.

2007 Bismark Mountain Titan $58/$43/$60

Classic meritage blend and nose. Very complex fruit on the palate with a mild velvety finish. Flavors of plum, cocoa are prevalent and accessible. This is an enjoyable wine and probably the only one of true merit.

2007 Bismark Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel $55/$41/$-

Cherries and plum on the nose, with hints of nut shells. Light bodied with a fair amount of fruit complexity, to include blackberry, plum, and mild toffee…not really.