Girard

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7

The tasting room is tucked away in the quaint neighborhoods of Yountville, just down the street from Jessup Cellars. It's a very modern tasting room with private tables for four, a room for large tasting, and a bar for the casual tasters. There's seating outside, as well.

The staff knew their script about the wines very well, but it was obvious that it was a script. One thing that was a little off-putting was how they reminded all of their new patrons how close to closing they were.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc Stone Fly Vineyards: $24/$19/$17
Fermented in stainless. Aged in French oak. Semillon 8% 92% Sau Blanc from Mount Veeder.
A very quiet feel, taste, mouthful.
Nice oak structure. The nose has mild apricot, lemon, and other indistinguishable white fruits. This is refreshing smelling wine, served nicely cool.

2007 Mixed Blacks: $50/$40/$52Field blend of zin, petite sirah, syrah, mouvedre, carignane and who knows what else.
The nose is so openly unashamedly black fruit that you can’t help but nearly pour it through your lungs. The nose also is unmistakedly Carnistoga mouvedre.
The palate follows beautifully with rich deep, dark fruits…
The fruit on the nose actually mutes a little as it warms up. The black fruits are integrated and robust, but difficult to discern. The oak on the nose carries the fruit to your nose, but doesn’t overpower them.
This is a wildly accessible wine that has all appearances of complexity, but isn’t. It’s a really good field blend. The black fruits abound, balanced well with the mild oak finish. This’ll impress your friends…

2006 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon:$75/$60/$48
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this Cab is exactly cab with just the right amount of earth and spice. I struggle to identify the black fruits due to the oak, but the cherry is accessible.
The oak on the nose blankets the fruit.
Nice mouthfeel, that’s soft and silky, but a little lighter-bodied than I would expect. The fruit is well integrated, again, but difficult to distinguish. This is a spicy cab that some of your friends would like, but others would pass on.

2006 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
The nose is much softer, with more accessible dark fruit. Cassis, blackberry, black cherry, but there’s a significant amount of oak on the nose. The nose belies the longevity of this wine. The oak on the palate isn’t nearly as oaky, and the cassis really stands out. It’s full-bodied with really great mouthfeel, for a cab.

2007 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
Where’s the nose? The oak is almost non-existent on the nose. The bouquet has a peppery nose, tempered with black fruits. This isn’t a wine that gained much from the oak. If they used new oak on the 2006, they used the same barrels for this wine. As Cabernet Sauvignons go, this is an easy drinker, but not impressionable. Both wines, though, were aged in 85% new French oak.

2006 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$60
The nose has a non-threatening softness to it. This is a highly structured wine with all the tannins and earthiness that is expected. The fruit is struggling to compete with the tannins, but does so in a manner that makes the wine better. A wine you could/should pair with meaty/peppery food, but is just barely accessible enough to drink by itself.

Matrix

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/8/8

It would be unfair to associate this winery with its former occupant, Rabbit Ridge. As the Wilson wineries expand throughout the valley, they've opened the Matrix Winery. With it comes three vineyards that are producing respectable Pinot Noirs.

The tasting room has a nice feel and charm to it, but your sense of smell can be blanketed some of the "charm" that was carried forward from the previous occupants (Rabbit Ridge). It's large enough to comfortably serve 10-12 patrons, served by two pourers. The staff members here were very engaging, suggesting other wineries, and helping patrons find their way to other wine-tasting experiences. They knew the wines and the history of them, providing us with some "off-the-wall" information that was charming and entertaining.

It's notable to mention that if you're a club member of Mazzocco, DeLorimier, or Wilson Winery, your discount it good here, too.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc:$18/-/-
Dry lemon and pink grapefruit on the nose. The palate follows.

2007 Nunes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $32/$24/$28
Light and simple nose and palate. Somewhat spicy/oaky palate, but the palate has dried black fruits.

2007 Buoncristiani Vineyard Pinot Noir:$35/$26/$30
Spice and red currant on the nose, full and blatant. Palate simply does not follow.

2007 Buoncristiani Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve: $45/$34/$42
Much better balanced. Earthy palate that is smooth, with black fruits and mild oak. Brand new French oak.

2007 Reserve Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Alegria Vineyard:$38/$26/$38Similar nose to a dessert wine, it’s so jammy. Palate is good and follows somewhat, but simply does not live up to the nose. It’s a great zin, but I’d be expecting the Mazzocco fruit on the palate, and it’s not quite there…maybe it needs to open a bit. The competing aromas in the tasting room made it difficult to give this wine its due. I walked outside with it and it was a completely different bouquet.

2007 Matrix Zinfandel
Wonderful, full, almost dessert wine nose…very jammy, almost smoky. Palate was not as discernible, but great! Liked the reserve zin better.

2007 Alegria Zinfandel

The Alegria zin (not reserve) needs to wait. It's good and you can tell it’s going to get there, but you have to have patience. Another year would be best. "Wow" to the nose, the palate simply needs to come around.

C. Donatiello

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/7/7

Formerly Belvedere. The renovations are great! It's a very large tasting room that is very well staffed. This is one of the places I hold up as the purest example of a 10 TRL.
Staff is eager enough with some knowledge of the wines. Nothing that you’ll find “enlightening”. I give them credit for serving their Pinot Noir in the right stemware.

2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $39/-/$30
This was a pinot with very little to offer on the nose and palate. I've already spent too much time on it...

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $38/-/$40
This wine has a much bigger nose. The Russian River Valley had record rainfall that year. The raspberry peeks out of the bouquet like it's tempting you to find it. It's medium-bodied and has better balance. The raspberry also slips over your palate, lightly, but very pleasurably. The spice of the oak carries the fruit throughout the sip. I’d stop back in for this one.

2008 Pinot Noir Maddies Vineyard: $62/-/$35
The nose has balanced fruit and floral bouquet. Red currant and raspberry are subtly prominent. The palate doesn’t follow, however, with a dramatic shift in flavors to herbs, spices, oak, and a touch of alcohol. Any fruit that appears on the palate is dried in nature.

2008 Pinot Noir Floodgate Block 15 Vineyard: $48/-/$40
The nose is predominantly subtle fruit with mild hints of oak. The finish is layered, with a slight sweetness that lightly tickles the sides of your tongue. The palate kicks ass! The oak and red currant carry the raspberry, and mild quince. The disappointment is that the nose isn’t as enticing as the palate provides.

Thomas George Estate

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7

Based upon the recommendation of a credible source, we ventured into old stomping grounds (Westside Road) to try a new winery. Thomas George Estate is a relatively new winery that exists in what used to be Davis Bynum's facility. They've dramatically renovated the facility and surroundings and elevated it to a real Westside Road attraction. One of the drawbacks to such a large tasting room/bar is that when staffed w/ three pourers, each may end up serving as many has 6-8 people at a time. The intimacy of the experience is lost and your ability to learn about the wine, the winery, or the winemaker is diminished.

The reds are wines good. They are well-valued, but only somewhat compelling.

2008 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Musque:$25/-/$17
Crisp, but lushly tart. The nose has a soft citric, like a sweet pear.

2008 Chardonay, Stuhlmuller Vineyard, Alexander Valley: $32/-/$18
No malolactic conversion. Stainless steel barrels.
Light nose, that’s nearly vacuous. I struggle to discern very light lemon and honey on the nose. The palate follows, but this is a chardonnay that has no body, and flavor so subtle that it would never survive a chardonnay blind tasting.

2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay: $32/-/$18
100% French oak (1/3rd new oak). Another light chardonnay, where the oak is the dominant flavor and even that was hard to discern. The finish runs long, but it’s just more oak.

2007 Allen Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir : $48/-/$46Slightly floral bouquet, with strawberry on the nose. It lacks a little intensity that might be improved by a better glass. The palate, however, is all Pinot! There’s complex palate to it that includes dark cherry, plum, with some slight boysenberry notes. Almost medium-bodied and very good mouthfeel.

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir:$38/-/$38
Red currant and cherry on the nose. Very stereotypical Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Silky tannins finish the wine well. A slight sweetness flushes over the palate as the strawberry –rhubarb does its thing. Medium bodied… drink with friends at your happy hour.

2007 Zinfandel, Tre Torrente Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley:$34/-/$35The blackberry and raspberry on the nose, knocks you in the head. Luscious doesn’t begin to describe it. This smells like it might be a fruit-bomb, but the nose isn’t jammy. It surprises me with some un-hinted spice and alcohol on the palate. It might be the oak…

Sheldon Wines

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/10/10

With this winery, you could examine their approach to wine and reach a couple of conclusions: 1) they really prefer to follow old, traditional techniques of making wine; 2) they're really trying to make a successful business of it, on the cheap; 3) their approach is a little bit of both. For starters, all of their wines are unfiltered, unfined. They are bottled via gravity feed, which puts them in a very exclusive club among California vintners. They hand-label their bottles. While they don't grow their own grapes, they follow a business model that is close to Siduri's, which is to tend to the vineyards from which they are buying their fruit. Since it's only the two of them (Dylan & Tobe) and some remote family members, their product offering is both small, yet impressively large. Case production would never likely hit more than 400 for a wine, but what they do make is strong, marketable product with broad appeal and a great quality-price ratio.

The tasting room is quite cute, constructed in a train caboose that comfortably holds 6-8, but is rated for 11. If you're going to give them a try, you'll want to look for the Gravenstein Station near the Sebastopol Inn for the next few weeks. They are in the process of moving it all to a new wine "ghetto" in Santa Rosa (on or about August 1st).

When it comes to tasting room staff, I don't know how it gets any better than to honored to be served by the winemaker/owner. Tobe, a very charming woman, was full of information about the wine, her winery, and other tidbits that really enhanced the experience. This was one of those quintessential, intimate Sonoma County wine tasting experiences that everyone should have.

2006 Sleep Hollow Chardonnay: $30/$25/$32Only wine of its own rootstock. Not cloned. Santa Lucia Highlands of origin. Nice honey on the nose and palate. Will be really nice when served at the right temp.

2006 Kendric Vineyard Pinot Noir:$45/$38/$35
On Marin/Sonoma County line. Clones115/667/Pommard. Huge strawberry and blueberry on the nose, with a little bit of spice on the back end. Lisa says “mmmm, Strawberry Rhubarb pie”, which indicates the strange small spice on the nose. The palate is much smoother and more subtle than expected. Not sure if it’s not yet developed, or if it will never be, but it’s a nice light little pinot which would not stand up to any food. Drink alone.

2007 Roma Vineyard Pinot Noir. $50/$42.5/$50What a fantastic, complex nose, uncharacteristic of a Pinot Noir. Not that Pinots have simple bouquets, but that this one made us both ask "This is a Pinot?". Single barrel - 24 cases. Not fully integrated yet, but this will be a stellar wine, in time. Full-body on the palate with a slight earthiness on the finish. Low acidity, but very well structured. Get your grubby hands on these while you can!

2006 Santa Ynez Valley Grenache: $25/$21/$30Wild strawberry, with a layer of black fruit over it (might be black currant). This is a really nice Grenache, with a good flavor, medium body, and slight earthiness. I am rarely enthused about Grenaches, but this one had me by the nose.

2005 Vinolocity 18% Syrah, and the rest Grenache:$30/$23/$30
Mild, light strawberry nose, with much more alcohol on the palate. Great full body to match the huge strawberry and zin-like white peppery nose.

2006 Ripken Petite Sirah: $32/$27/$32Lodi AVA. 19 feet below sea level. Long hang time. It's the first to bud and the last to be harvested (Halloween). See what I mean about winemaker tidbits?
Just a little bit of anise on the nose and palate, but other than that this is just a prime example of a petite sirah on the nose, The palate lost a little of the earth/spice I’d expected, but I believe that was due to the tasting glass. This needs a vinum extreme syrah glass for the slightly larger bowl. Easy to drink as is.-Lisa
Robust earth and spice on the palate! I think this will absolutely pair well with a peppery steak, but it’s not so overpowering as you’d expect from a petite sirah. It can be consumed alone, as well. This is one of the best petite sirah for the price I’ve ever had.

Merry Edwards

TRL/Staff/Wine: 7/8/7

The winery is attractive enough, nestled in a little valley off the Gravenstein Highway, in Sebastopol. The tasting room is connected to the offices, but is clearly designated. There are two rooms, one includes a larger table for large groups and the full complement of glasses. This is likely for appointments with large groups. For smaller groups, 2-4 people, you stand at a dining room table where they have laid out the winemaker’s notes. It’s not conducive to taking copious notes, whatsoever. Neither is the pace at which the pourer presents the wines and the information about them. It’s fast paced and we were in and out (having tasted four wines) in twenty minutes. The pourer was knowledgeable, but not engaging. She might have been if we had engaged her.
I was unhappy with the fact that they poured the Sauvignon Blanc after three Pinot Noirs and into a Pinot Noir glass, to boot. It was served at a good temperature, but I believe the glass didn’t do it justice.

2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley: $36/-/$30
Great nose, w/ balanced fruit (cranberry, cherry) and herbs (dried).
Palate wasn’t as full as the nose.

2007 Meredith Estate Pinot Noir : $54/-/$40
Much more herbal nose, with a modest degree of spice on the palate. The fruit was a bit subdued, but over time would find it’s way out of the shelter of the spices.

2007 Klopp Ranch Pinot Noir:$57/-/$50
Chewy blueberry, blackberry notes on the nose, but fully integrated with smoky notes. This wine was deeply complex on the palate and was as good as the nose implied.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc:$30/-/$12
Amazing nose! Plush nose, full of stone fruits, peach, pineapple, and lemon. The palate was disappointing with a watery mouthfeel, and an embarrassing lack of acidity. I would imagine that this wine would have tasted much better if it had been served in a more appropriate glass (not a Vinum Extreme Burgundy glass).

Sunce

What an incredible difference from last year! When we stopped here last year, the offering was limited to two or three barrels. This year, the barrel room was open and they were pouring from upwards of 14 barrels! I confess that I was done for the weekend, by that point, so I don't have much to offer, except to say that don't let one year be the only indicator; four times as many wines to choose from, year-to-year is a wonderful surprise.

Joseph Swan

I do like stopping at Joseph Swan to see what their barrels are offering. They often have 6-8 barrels open for the tasting and the case price is more than reasonable. Moreover, they'll have a vintage wine on clearance for a ridiculous price.

Joseph Swan, in my opinion, has some of the best-balanced zinfandels in the valley, particularly at that price point ($19-$25). I often believe they are under-priced, but it's their market and I'm not complaining. Unfortunately, I lost my tasting partner this year before we stopped here (and subsequently Sunce), so my heart wasn't in it. Even though the wines weren't compelling as futures, I'd likely buy them for full price if I was walking out the door with them. In fact, if you can get your hands on some vintage Lone Redwood, horde it! They've since ripped out the vines, but it was a delectable zinfandel.

Sapphire Hill

This is a winery we've regularly purchased futures at. In fact, we had to stop this year just to pick up last year's futures. If you find yourself milling about Healdsburg, wander down to Front Street and stop into the tiny little winery that is Sapphire Hill. You'll be amazed at how enjoyable their selection is; Chardonnay, Winberrie Zinfandel, Porky's Patch Zinfandel, Syrah, to name a few.

This year, the wines weren't tasting well. In the past, I've had to negotiate with Lisa over which futures we commit to, but this year, none of their offerings were compelling. That did not, however, deter us from filling out the rest of the case to include one of their 2006 Chardonnays (stainless and oak fermented), the 2004 Bastoni Ranch Zinfandel, and 2008 Porky's Patch Zinfandel.

In fairness, barrel tasting here has been a temperamental experience. One year, we rolled in on a Friday and the Syrah was tasting poorly. We dropped back in on Sunday and it was compelling enough to buy futures. They seem to be dramatically affected by the weather, as in this case, the temperature had dropped Thursday night and the barrels were a little below their optimal aging temp. Moreover, they hadn't warmed up for tasting yet, as they had by late Sunday afternoon. Another opportunity to continue to collect empirical data! Cheers!

Mill Creek

If I haven't said it before, Mill Creek is a charming little winery. Set back from the road, in the middle of the vineyards as most of them are, it's a quaint little tasting room that is appropriately sized and staffed. They really fit a price niche and are thoroughly enjoyable.

This year, their merlot in the barrel was an incredible steal! I think they undervalue their merlots, perhaps intimidated by Twomey down the road. The two wines aren't in the same class (or style) so a comparison wouldn't be fair. Truth be told, I think they have a corner on the market in their demographic, in Russian River Valley. In any case, I'm really looking forward to the case of 2008 Estate Vineyard Merlot we'll be receiving next year.

Stop here and try their cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and don't forget "Left of Starboard", their fortified wine. Not only will you not be disappointed, I challenge you to leave without a bottle!

Twomey

Since Twomey moved into the old Roshambo winery/tasting room in Russian River Valley, they've endeavored to establish their presence, as they have in Napa County (Calistoga). Their merlots are complex and approach a French style, but in an agreeable and accessible way. Their attempts at Pinot Noirs in Russian River Valley, though, have left me wanting. This year's offering out of the barrel was no exception and a local patron had the best use for it when she tossed it into her repugnant boyfriend's face.

The stop is worthwhile, during the year, but it won't make my list for next year's barrel tasting. At least during the year, they don't bogart the better vintages, protecting them from the juvenile oenophiles that tend to swamp certain wineries during these events.

Armida

This was the second stop on the third day and right after the epic 2-hour adventure at Siduri. The timing was good, though, because Armida always puts out a spread of finger foods and it's a fair distance to drive, allowing our palates (and palate processors) time to recover.

If you haven't read previous blogs about Armida, let me summarize quickly. This is a fun stop. Whether they're geared up for a big weekend or they're cruising quietly through the week, you'll have a nice time here. I'll cut it short for the sake of brevity of this blog and begin a contribution on the Review page.

I normally abhor tasting vintages that are younger than a year. In this case, I don't mind a bit. The 2009 Maple Vineyard Zinfandel is a delight! The maturation process on the wine will be very rapid and, quite likely, one of their best vintages of this wine. It was more than worthy of a case, which we generously shared a third of with a friend.

Once done with the barrel tasting, we rolled up to the tasting bar and like many other wineries we frequent, were immediately recognized. Janet, who recognizes us on sight, passed us off to Steve Cousins, brother of Bruce Cousins, and co-owner of Armida. For the next half hour, Steve took us through a few of the wines they had out for tasting, and a few they didn't. We got a real education on the Maple Vineyard that was a special moment for us all. In the end, another case of wine was tucked under our arm (2007 Armida Il Campo) and another great story.

Robert Young

This was at least our third barrel tasting at Robert Young. As you'll note in the prefacing blog, it was at the end of the day, so note-taking was virtually non-existent. My recollection of this winery is that they were, uncharacteristically, tasting some young wines. Usually, they wouldn't taste a wine so young as a year old, but we were seeing it.

Now, understand that Robert Young (Alexander Valley) is probably the best bordeaux blend winemaker in Sonoma County. Their Scion rivals any other in the valley (including Marlstone from Clos du Bois) and their Red Winery Road is a wonderfully fruit forward, complex red wine that can real versatility. This year, though, a couple of the wines weren't tasting well. I might argue that they went overboard with the cheese pairing and did the wines a disservice. Nonetheless, we absconded with three bottles of one of their best vintages (2003). It was no simple task, either; it took more than my charms to ply the wine from their library stores. Lo, I owe our booty to the wiles of my blond, busty, beautiful companion and the feminine charm that oozes from her pores. To her I say, Cheers!

Mauritson

Of all the zinfandel producers in Dry Creek Valley, Mauritson has some of the best balanced. I've never been able to put my finger on why I haven't joined the club here, because I do enjoy their wines. Their Rockpile Winery label has taken off since the early vintages, which were merely vineyard designated wines under the Mauritson label.

As I've said, I do enjoy their wines, but for some reason I've not found them altogether compelling. You know, as strange as it may sound, sometimes it's just a vibe. The tasting room is nice enough, the staff is perfectly pleasant and engaging, and the wines are priced fairly. I just can't figure it. Well, the nice thing about a mystery such as this is that empirical data collection is quite rewarding!

Siduri

TRL/Staff/Wine: 6/10/10

For new people, walking into the warehouse where Siduri makes their wines and seeing a dozen people at a dozen tables ready to to pour 2-3 wines might be quite intimidating. We've been at it for so long, and have tasted at Siduri so many times, we're often a tad crestfallen when they're only tasting 7-8 wines (see October 2007). For you rookies, hold on to your glass...this will be a long and bumpy ride.

Note that Siduri doesn't have a wine club (they don't need one), so the second-of-three prices will be the "event" price, discounted for barrel tasting, for select wines.

2008 Russian River Valley Viognier: 22/17/-

2008 Chardonnay Rosellas Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands: 24/19.5/20
Lemon is the predominant note, with a little toast. No real buttery feel. Easy to drink.

2008 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir: 30/33
East to drink; nice nose. Simple fruit.

2008 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir: 30/40
Smoky and well-balanced. More complex.

2007 Sonatera Pinot Noir: 29/44Multi-layered. Great spice/fruit balance!!

2007 Keefer Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/29/39
Makes me think of rain. No real spice but rounded; needs to settle down. Open for 4-5 hours prior to serving.

2007 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/34/34
Sharp nose, but so smooth all the way down. Very nice. Green nose, but unmatched palate.

2007 Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/29/38
Soft palate, good nose but doesn’t draw you in.

2008 Gary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/38
Mild-to-bland palate/nose. The finish had merit.

2008 Cargasacchi Vineyard: 50/39/43
Spicy/smoky nose with bright fruit on the palate.

2008 Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir: 55/39
Bright fruit; very accessible. Full mouthfeel, fruity, but too expensive.

2006 Stolpman Vineyard Nebbiolo: 19.50/29
Strawberry!

2009 Lewis Vineyard Pinot Noir (Futures): 39/-
Developing fast for something harvested 6 months ago. Has good fruit potential but little hints of spice/smoke. Still a little effervescent (for which I would usually cry foul) and tangy, but you can feel/taste the fullness of the fruit. A bit smoky.

2009 Sierra Mar Vineyard Clone 943 Pinot Noir (Futures): 45/-
Bright fruit on the nose. Palate falls short; needs more time in the barrel to develop. Has some potential.

2008 Simpson Vineyard Grenache (Futures)
Driest Grenache I’ve ever tasted. Makes your cheeks pucker.

2008 Carlisle Vineyard Zinfandel (Futures)
No notes, but worthy of splitting a half-case.

2006 Page Nord Syrah
Lackluster

2006 Sapphire Hill Vineyard Syrah
Great fruity nose, but the palate bombs.

2006 Judge Family Vineyard Syrah
Great, full nose with strong notes of truffle. The acidity on the palate hides the fruit, however.

2007 Christiansen Vineyard Syrah: 19.5/25-36 (opinions differ)
Nice fruit, uncharacteristic of a syrah. Not earthiness, but some spice.

2007 Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah: 27/32
Nice, accessible fruit with mild tannins. Late spice on the finish. The nose really is appealing.

2007 Rosella’s Vineyard Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands: 33/33
Meaty nose; classical earthy syrah. Fruit is not as accessible as other syrahs, but good, nonetheless.

2007 Gary’s Vineyard Syrah: 33/30
A “light” version of Rosella’s Vineyard syrah. Consistently lighter, smoother, and less bold.

2006 Pinot deals
Oddly labeled, I know, but the long and short of this is that one of Siduri’s distributors returned a batch of their 2006 vintage pinot noirs. Nearly all of them were well priced at $40/bottle; these were selling for $15/bottle! The most notable pinots included the 2006 Sonatera Vineyard and the 2006 Amber Ridge Vineyard.

2009 Hirsch Pinot Noir
Great nose! Good smoky flavor. Keep an eye out for this – it’s going to be great!

So this is the point of the story where I get to brag a little and substantiate why I keep returning to Siduri. Lisa and I were poring over our notes in an attempt to build a modest, two-case order when Jody (whom we met the very first time, years ago) recognized us and came up to greet us. After pleasantries were exchanged, Jody finds Adam (co-owner and winemaker) and sends him our way. Naturally, this wasn’t the first time we’ve enjoyed his company and his free reign in the winery. After a brief conversation, he directed us back into the barrel room. Now, we had been taking notes on all of the aforementioned wines, which bored the three friends we’d brought with us to the extent that they had been waiting out by the car for a bit. After conferring with Adam, however, I ran out and passed along the command, “grab your glasses, Adam is taking us into the back.” Two of the three friends knew exactly what this meant (having been with us during previous events) and grabbed their glasses without question and chased after me, dragging the questioning “rookie” behind them. Meanwhile, Adam is setting up in the barrel room to offer us a couple of recent formulations. I must confess, at this point, that the Gewurstraminer that he poured us, while interesting didn’t compel me to take notes. Honestly, I was still a bit wrapped up in the special experience. After another wine, he led us to the purpose of my mission… Behold, as he thiefed from the barrel, I heard the angels sing!

2008 Simpson Vineyard Syrah (5o cases)
WONDERFUL! OMG! Mere weeks from being released, it happens to be my favorite vineyard-designated syrah from Novy (Siduri is Pinot Noir; Novy is the label they use for everything else).
2008 Susan’s Hill Syrah
Big fruit, mild spice. Needs more integration. The spice is awaiting its turn, but it’s still very accessible.

2007 Susan’s Hill Syrah
Well integrated, nice spice, great nose – not as full fruit, but the fruit does show.

2007 Simpson Vineyard Syrah
Smoky, like a pinot, but earthy like a syrah. Smooth – not so fruity.
The 2008’s are going to be the better wines, in my opinion.

2009 Oley (dessert wine)
Muscat nose. So sweet! Caramel, honey, orange, peach. Delicious without making you sleep or stop. So GOOD! Also to be bottled in April. Adam says that this will be the best wine in his library, and I have to agree. On its merits, it is the best of their wines. Fun note about this tasting: Adam thiefed from the stainless steel barrel and then from the oak barrel that he was aging the wine in. It gave you the experience of what the two components were like before he blends and integrates them before bottling. Fascinating!

Unti

TRL/Staff/Wine: 6/9/9

We weren't sure Unti would be tasting this year, as they kind of prefer to stay a little lower-keyed. Fortunately, they were open for business...

2007 Grenache

Full grenache! Good, but the finish is really short.

2007 Zinfandel

Nice spice, but fruit is understated. No acidity to ruin the search for fruit... Just no excuse for the lack of fruit. Oh...wait...yeah, this is what's considered an Italian style zinfandel. Not my taste.

2008 Barbera

Not to be released until May (280 cases), but it'll be worth the return trip. Of all the barberas I've had, I enjoy this one the most.

2005 Benchland Syrah

Smoky nose and full of flavor. Quite honestly, the Unti syrahs are the standard by which I measure most other syrahs.

2005 Syrah Reserve Dry Creek Valley

Fantastic nose with a wonderfully balanced palate. The amazing thing about this syrah was the whole cluster fermentation, which often leaves the syrah tasting a little green; nothing could be further from the truth, here.

Michel Slumberger

The most notable thing about this winery is the layout of the grounds. The main building encircles a long courtyard with fountains. The tasting rooms are small and intimate, with outdoor patios surrounded by sweet-smelling flora. The surroundings belie the character of the wines, which over very delicate and minerally, in the typical style of a French Bordeaux. Moreover, the clownish atmosphere of the staff and the patrons (of which there were scores) may have tainted our following opinions. The quality wines were being tasted in the reserve tasting, but they weren't worth anywhere near the price they were listed at. I won't bother to embarrass them by listing them, here.

This was our second outing to Michel Slumberger; the first was five years before. My impression hasn't changed...

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend

Very tannic. Would not purchase. Has to lay down for 10 years.

2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes of blueberry pie, but a confusing cab; still tannic (2 -year lay down)

2006 Dry Creek Valley Pinot Noir

Great nose, but lacked flavor with a flat palate; barely simple.

2006 Dry Creek Valley Merlot "Le Sage"

Very tannic - hid the fruit. Might be good in 3-4 years.

1992 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

Smooth with a good backbone. Tobacco, dried black fruits with a nose reminiscent of a merlot.

1993 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Cree Valley

More dried fruit with good tannic balance; so integrated that it's hard to distinguish fruits.

1996 Reserve Cab Dry Creek Valley

No nose, but nice palate. A little stringent and green; won't likely improve to strong fruit. Very minerally.

2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

Balanced and accessible.

Tres Hermanas

TRL/Staff/Wine: 7/7/6

The wines are serving cold on the nose.

2007 Barbera: $24/$19/$27
Nice nose, fruit forward. Velvet palate and finish. Pleasant – not over the top like most Barberas. Fruit is less accessible on the palate.

2007 Syrah
Spice on the nose is strong w/ earthy, almost truffle aroma (white pepper).

2006 Syrah: $25/$20/$31
Nose is plush. Red cherry, fig, raspberry palate follows. Hints of liquid smoke.

2005 Syrah: $25/$20/$33
More smoke on nose, fruit is brighter fig and cherry. Palate doesn’t follow. Finish needs structure.

2005 Syrah/Sangiovese (70/30): $30/$24/$-
Nice blend – makes me think of an Italian wine, but has more fruit than earth. Very peppery on the palate. The nose has a bright fruit that doesn’t appear as prominently on the palate. The nose is sangio; the palate is syrah.

2007 Refosco: $38/$30/$22
Italian varietal grown in Paso Robles. Nice fruit, full. No structure; the fruit doesn’t follow. It’s a good social wine and a good blending wine.

Fess Parker

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/?/?

The tasting room bars have accommodations for two dozen people. There were four dozen when we stopped in. Edging into the room, to try to reach the bar wasn’t an option. The TRL is a 10, but we’ll have to find out about the wine another day.

Zaca Mesa

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/9/9

This is a very large tasting room, accommodating at least 18 people. They only charge $10 for a tasting of nine wines, which is refunded with a purchase. This is a very club-worthy winery.

2009 Estate Z Gris: 16/12/9
Strawberry & citric with rose aromas.

2009 Estate Viognier: 20/16/22
No finish, but the nose is huge! Great and creamy, especially for a viognier! Very accessible for a white and good for a viognier. Fruity and floral.

2007 Estate Z blanc: 28/23/28
Very creamy; nice, smooth palate for a lovely pear and citrus nose. Easy to drink with a finish that sits on your palate without the acidity.

2006 Estate Grenache:
Smokey, nice full strawberry/raspberry Grenache – totally enjoyed this one.

2006 Estate Z Cuvee: 20/16/28
Blackberry/blueberry; easy quality, fantastic price.

2006 Syrah: 23/18/28
Spicy nose, some-to-none tannic structure. Spice comes through on the palate. Light-to-medium bodied. Dark wild berries with notes of violets.

2006 Z Three: 42/33/35
Syrah/mourvedre/Grenache. Nice, spicy nose and palate. Medium bodied; needs a little earthiness about it. Good wine for gamy meat.

2006 Estate Mesa Reserve Syrah (“The Mesa”): 42/33/42
Dark berries and beef on palate. Very beefy nose; grilled heaven. Classic syrah! Earthy palate, mouthfeel.