La Crema

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/10/7

Nice tasting room. Staff recommended other places to taste wines within the Healdsburg Square area.  

Oddly, they served the wines in Riedel O’s. 

2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay $30/$24/$24

Tropical scents over the lip of the glass, with hints of honey. The alcohol comes across with the oakiness.  Notes of baked pear.

2008 Los Carneros Chardonnay $30/$24/-

Slight notes of butterscotch. The lemon zest dominates the palate with nice, clean acidity.

2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $40/$32/$28

Clove! Aargh!  But seriously, the notes of sassafras really dominate with a layer of cherry. Thin body with medium alcohol on the finish. The fruit is subtle and difficult to access.

2010 Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir $40/$32/-

Blackberry, cherry, black currant with a dominant layer of tea leaves.

Very spicy notes on the palate. The winemaker notes say that it has a velvety finish with it’s tannic structure, but I didn’t get any of it.

2008 Los Carneros Pinot Noir $40/$32/$34

Fresh cherries on the nose with little spice.  Smooth and well-integrated fruits that make it difficult to distinguish the differences.

2009 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir $50//$42

The bouquet is much more accessible with mild spicy notes and some baking spice.  The palate follows the humble black cherry and baking spices.

2008 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 9 Barrel $90//$49

The nose was a little flat, I think because the bottle had been open a day. There’s a quality that is unique to this wine and any other Pinot Noir that I’ve ever tasted.  Doublemint gum!  I like the black cherry and dusty finish.  It’s a great wine, but the price kills me.