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Overall impressions: another interesting look at some of the current crop of Rhone varietals from California and the Northwest. Most of the wines poured were Syrah, but a Marsanne made it into my top picks of the tasting. Marilyn Remark winemaker Joel Burnstein is making some 'remark-able' wines from Monterey County. In addition to this beautiful Marsanne, he also makes an excellent Syrah and Grenache. The Ojai Bien Nacido was very nice, but thee was very little difference other than style that separated the top four Syrahs. The '02 Qupe from Arroyo Grande was beautiful, and the '01 Ethan Syrah from the same vineyard was nearly as nice. Disappointments included the Villa Creek, which was just too overripe and extracted for my taste. But that said, it was far better than the Pagor Syrah which was a stewed mess. Finally, the JRE was something of an anomoly - this was obviously made from late-picked fruit, didn't appear to be labeled as such, and just didn't play well with the other kids in the flight. |
2002 Marilyn Remark Marsanne - Monterey County. $24.99. Medium gold color. Lovely nose of citron and toasted nuts. Full on the palate, very nicely balanced, with slightly crisp off-sweet finish. Very nice job here! Aroma score: A- Taste score: A- Overall score: A- 2002
Garretson Celeidh Rose - Paso Robles. $14.99. Beautiful
crimson color. Light buttery note to the floral and fleshy nose.
Meaty texture on the palate, with very nice balance and finish. 2001
Stolpman Rhone Ridge Cuvee - Santa Ynez Valley. $12.99.
Dark garnet color. Nose of red and black fruits, with hints of rose
petal, shoe wax and maybe a bit of milled hardwoods. Somewhat soft
and sweet in mouthfeel, with a long smooth tasty finish. Syrah-based
blend, with Grenache and Mourvedre. 2001
Edmunds St. John Rocks and Gravel - California. $15.99.
Dark garnet color. Nose seems a bit reserved right now, with lighter
notes of blackberry and blueberry. Meaty on the palate, lots of
chewy fruit, beautiful balance, long flavorful slightly tannic finish.
Blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. 2002
Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvee - Paso Robles. $19.99.
Very dark garnet color. Quite extracted. Lots of very ripe dark
fruit, with a light pungency to the nose. Big and very ripe in mouthfeel
- pushes the envelope on ripeness. Sweet, somewhat gripping toward
the slightly hot finish. 2000
Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel - Paso Robles. $22.99.
Dark garnet color. Lots of dark fruit in the nose, along with a
roasted meat quality, and some toasted scents. Full on the palate,
very nice dark cherry and black berry fruit, with excellent balance,
and very long smooth and tasty finish. 2002
Porter Creek Carignane - Angeli Vnyd, Alexander Valley.
$15.99. Dark garnet color. Nice red fruits, with a buttery light
floral quality in the nose. Thick in the glass, sweet cherry and
berry flavors that seem punched up a bit by some cranberry. Good
balance, smooth long finish. 2001
Quivira Grenache - Dry Creek Valley. $14.99. Medium-dark garnet
color. Nose is very reminiscent of old vine Zin - briary, with slightly
muted raspberry and boysenberry, and a light floral touch. Taste
seems to follow nose here, with a wine that tastes very much like
an old vine Zin. Could've used more raspberry. 2002
Garretson Mouvedre The Graosta - Hastings Ranch, Paso Robles.
$19.99. Very dark ruby garnet color. Sweet ripe nose, with a
touch of grilled meat. Rich and chewy on the palate, sweet mouthfeel,
very nice balance, with a touch of toast on the long smooth finish. 2002
Hahn Syrah - Central Coast. $7.99. Very dark garnet ruby color.
Lots of coffee and chocolate in the nose (...if Starbuck's made
a Syrah) seem to cloak the dark cherry and berry fruit. Moderate
mouthfeel, good balance and fruit, though the coffee mocha seems
to take over a bit on the finish as well. But heck, for Eight Bucks.... 2000
Pagor Syrah - California. $10.99. Dark
ruby-garnet color. Somewhat stewed quality in the nose, with the
fruit taking back stage to celery and tomato. Dry on the palate,
the veggie flavors come on about mid-palate and carry through the
aftertaste. (...if V-8 made a Syrah.) 2002
Qupe Syrah - Central Coast . $13.99. Very dark garnet ruby color.
Nose
of sweet slightly buttery blackberry, with touches of blueberry,
pomegranate and even a bit of meat. Rich and slightly sweet on the
palate, very nice balance, long smooth finish, with just a trace
of oak. |
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2001 Ethan Syrah - Rancho Arroyo Grande Vnyd, Arroyo Grande. $19.99. Dark garnet color. Nose of blackberry, spices, pepper, and toast. Big and brawny in mouthfeel, with lots of dark fruit, very nice balance, and long slightly gripping finish. Nice job here. Aroma score: B+ Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+ 2002
Qupe Syrah - Rancho
Arroyo Grande Vnyd, Arroyo Grande.
$24.99. Dark garnet color. Slightly bright nose of dark fruit,
with smooth, sweet spicy aromas. Excellent balance, sweet and juicy
on the palate, beautiful long smooth finish. 2001
Ojai Syrah - Bien Nacido Vnyd. $33.99. Very dark ruby-garnet
color. Quite jammy in the nose, smelling of freshly-macerated dark
fruit, along with a bit of spice and toast. The big fruit on the
palate nearly masks the light coffee flavor. Rich, smooth and spicy
- just delicious. 2001
August Briggs Syrah - Napa Valley . $24.99. Dark ruby garnet
color. Lovely nose of black fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, and toast.
Smooth chewy mouthfeel, excellent balance, and long tasty finish.
Want some immediate gratification in a Syrah? 2002
Failla Syrah - Phoenix Ranch, Napa Valley. $32.99. Very dark
ruby garnet in color. Nose of spiced dark fruit, floral aromas,
and grilled meat. Moderately full on the palate, very nice balance
and finish, but seems a little underfilled. 2001
JRE Syrah - Sherwin Vnyd, Mendocino Co. $19.99. Very dark ruby
garnet color. Quite pungent (VA?), with dark berry and more than
a little wood. Very sweet and thick on the palate - nearly late
harvest-like, and way over the top. This should have been labeled
either as "late picked," or "sweet syrah." 2000
Rockblock Syrah - Del Rio Vnyds, Rogue Valley, OR. $31.99. Very
dark ruby garnet color. Lots of gorgeous dark fruit in the nose,
with floral and spicy accents, and a nice toasted scent. Tons of
fruit on the palate, chewy consistency, very nice balance, and long
spicy finish. 2002
K Syrah The Beautiful - Walla Walla Valley, WA. $31.99.
Dark ruby in color. Nose of blackberry and raspberry. Also quite
floral in the nose - like dried flowers. Flavors of black cherry
and cranberry, off-sweet mouthfeel, nice balance and long finish.
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© 1993 - 2004, Eric Anderson - All rights reserved |