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by Tom Hill

A self-admitted wine geek, Tom lives in Northern New Mexico and works as a computational physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory doing numerical neutron transport & large scale code development. He has been tasting wines since 1971, participates locally with a couple of large tasting groups in his area, and is practically a fixture at most California wine festivals, such as the Hospice du Rhône, Rhône Rangers, and ZAP. Other interests: Tom is heavily into competitive sport fencing (foil & epee), biking, cooking, basketball, skiing, backpacking, mountain climbing.

Some New Reds - March 5, 2014

We tried tonight (3/5/14) Some New Reds:

  1. Forlorn-Hope MilAmores DeWittVnyd/SierraFoothills RW (12.80%; 427 cs; Touriga/Tempranillo/TintaCao/TintaAmarella) 2012: Dark color; lovely black cherry/boysenberry rather herbal/rosemary bit dusty light smokey/oak very perfumed/fragrant beautiful nose; rather tart/lean strong black cherry/boysenberry bit herbal/pungent/rosemary slight Port-like lovely complex flavor w/ some hard/angular tannins; very long bit tart/hard/lean strong boysenberry/black cherry light herbal/rosemary/dusty very structured finish w/some hard/tight tannins; quite structured and needs 3-8 yrs; a bit like the L-M Mondeuse but not quite as herbal; resembles a bit a dry Port; a terrific red at a great price. $28.25
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  2. Forlorn-Hope TintoCao DeWittVnyd/AmadorCnty (25 cs; 13.47%) 2012: Very dark color; strong boysenberry/licorice bit chocolaty/RCCola slight smokey/pungent bit alcoholic nose; tart bit riper/lusher strong boysenberry/licorice/RCCola bit lean/austere quite structured less complex flavor w/ some hard/bitey tannins; long riper/lusher strong boysenberry/licorice/chocolaty/RCCola fairly structured/ lean/austere finish w/ some hard tannins; more riper and not quite as interesting as MilAmores but a very good red at a great price. $28.25
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  3. Strehn Blaufrankisch Deutschkreutz/Burgenland (14%; L-N6514/13; AI.Selections) 2012: Med.dark color;
    characteristic earthy/dusty/loamy some plummy/boysenberry/black cherry cola bit smokey/smoked hot dog
    somewhat coarse/rustic interesting nose; bit tart/lean rather earthy/loamy/dusty light plummy/black cherry
    cola flavor w/ light hard/bitey tannins; med.short tart/lean quite earthy/loamy rather rustic some plummy/
    black cherry cola finish w/ light/sharp tannins; a bit on the rustic/loamy side but typical Blaufrankisch
    at a rather good price. $12.00 (PrimaIlC)
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  4. Prieler Blaufrankisch DAC: Leithaberg/Burgenland/Austria (13%; TerryTheiseSlctn; www.Prieler.At; trocken; L-E 5639/12) 2010: Dark color; rather fragrant/perfumed some black cherry/black cherry cola/framboise slight black pepper light earthy/loamy slight charred/oak almost Pinotish quite attractive nose; soft/smooth/round strong black cherry/cola/framboise bit black pepper slight smokey/oak bit Pinotish rather perfumed flavor w/light/bitey tannins; long smooth/polished black cherry/cola/framboise bit charred/oak finish w/ light/bitey tannins; quite high-toned and Pinotish for BF; best Austrian BF I've ever had but a tad pricey. $54.00 (AV)
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  5. Shooting Star Blue Frank Blaufrankisch WashState (13.8%; #69638) JedSteele/Kelseyville/ LakeCnty 2011: Med. color; strong plummy/BF/blackberry/bit licorice almost Zin-like light Am.oak attractive nose; soft slight tangy light plummy/BF/blackberry/earthy very light Am.oak flavor w/ light tannins; med. light plummy/BF/blackberry/earthy very light Am.oak finish w/ light/gentle tannins; a pretty rather simple/pleasant BF w/o the distinct earthiness of Austrian versions. $24.00 (AV)
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  6. WindGap Blaufrankisch RitchieCreekVnyd/SprintMtnDist/NapaVlly (1 brls/23 cs; #209; 12 3/4%) 2012: Very dark color; very strong perfumed/exotic framboise/black cherry/black cherry cola bit licorice/pungent light toasty/oak beautiful/aromatic nose; soft very rich/lush slight tangy strong framboise/black cherry cola/slight licorice bit charred/smokey/oak flavor w/ modest/hard tannins; very long/lingering framboise/black cherry cola/spicy slight licorice/pungent light toasty/oak very perfumed finish w/ light slightly hard tannins; can benefit from several yrs; a wonderfully aromatic rendition of BF w/o the usual earthiness; a beautiful/exotic red and one of the best BF I can recall. $36.00
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  7. Forlorn-Hope Ost-Intrigen StLaurent RicciVnyd/Carneros/Calif (12.20%; 23 cs) 2012: Dark color; slight volatile/EA very fragrant plummy/cherry/Pinotish slight herbal/DrPepper very grapey quite perfumed/ aromatic lovely nose; very high/almost screechy acidity very exotic/plummy/cherry/Pinotish/ boysenberry slight herbal/DrPepper/spicy flavor w/ light/angular tannin; very long grapey/Pinotish/ plummy/cherry very tart/tangy slight herbal/rosemary/DrPepper very perfumed slight volatile finish w/ light/sharp tannins; rather screechy on the palate but amazing aromatics; should age well; great price at $26.00.
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  8. SellaRonda Rosso Teroldego IGT: Vigneti delle Dolomiti (13%; www.CorsaWine.org; Slctd: JeffMorgenthal) Lavis 2011: Med.dark color; strong blackberry/plummy/black cherry/boysenberry some graphite/mineral/stony rather spicy lovely nose; soft/lush/ripe plummy/black cherry/classic Teroldego some simple/grapey flavor w/ light/soft/smooth tannins; long ripe/plummy/black cherry/grapey/Tero rather grapey/soft finish w/ light/soft tannins; fairly classic Tero nose but a bit lacking in structure and on the simple/grapey side; fairly priced at $19.00 (BWM)
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  9. MarcoDonati Bagolari DOC: TeroldegoRotaliano (13%) Mezzocorona 2010: Very dark color; rather shy/closed light black cherry/licorice bit spicy slight mineral nose; soft/ripe/lush rather closed light black cherry/licorice/spicy light earthy/mineral flavor w/ light/smooth tannins; long soft/smooth light black cherry/licorice/pungent slight earthy/mineral/stony finish w/ light/polished/gentle tannins; a well-constructed wine on the rather gentle/quiet side but rather nice/drinkable; seems pricey at $39.00 (WE)
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  10. Foradori Teroldego IGT: Vigneti delle Dolomiti (13%; RainerZierock; L.09/12; www.ElisabettaForadori) Mezzolombardo 2010: Very dark color; very strong Tero/plummy/blackberry/ almost Syrah-like/black cherry/boysenberry/spicy slight earthy/ElDorado-like/pungent/mushroomy/granitic quite perfumed/fragrant lovely classic Tero nose; fairly tart strong licorice/plummy/black cherry/blackberry/ bit Syrah-like some earthy/granitic/mineral quite perfumed flavor w/ some smooth/rounf tannins; very long very strong black cherry/licorice/black berry/boysenberry/pungent bit granitic/mineral/stony finish w/ smooth/soft tannins; a bit softer/smoother & less structured & more intense Tero than the Morei; a beautiful expression of Tero at a great price. $27.00 (LM)
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  11. Foradori Morei Teroldego IGT: Vigneti delle Dolomiti (12.5%; L.01/13) 2011: Very dark/near black color; bit more fragrant/perfumed plummy/blackberry/Tero/Syrah-like light earthy/granitic/pungent lovely complex nose; quite tart richer/lusher more intense blackberry/black cherry/Tero/cola beautiful/complex flavor w/ light/hard tannins; very long/lingering black cherry/cola/licorice/blackberry/Tero w/ light/hard tannins; clearly needs more age; much like the regular '10 but more complex, more intense fruit, and a bit harder tannins; a beautiful rendition of Teroldego and what makes this variety so great. $45.00 (Cured)
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  12. Harrington Teroldego FratelliVnyd/SantaClaraVlly (14.2%; 50 cs) 2012: Very dark/black color; light toasty/oak strong plummy/blackberry/boysenberry/licorice/black cherry cola slight earthy/funky/ herbal/ sauvage quite fragrant/perfumed some complex nose; rather tart/tangy beautiful licorice/plummy/ blackberry/black cherry cola/boysenberry light toasty/oak slight herbal/earthy flavor w/ light/bitey tannins; very long/lingering rather tart/tangy light toasty/oak very strong licorice/spicy/blackberry/black cherry cola/boysenberry/pungent slight herbal/thyme/earthy complex finish w/ light/bitey tannins; lots of ripe fruit but doesn't cross the line into jammy/overipe; a beautiful rendition of Teroldego that can toe-to-toe w/ the Foradoris though not quite the granatic/minerality of those; a steal at $25.00


Stuff from the BloodyPulpit:

1. Blaufrankisch: Also known in WashState as Lemberger. There, it used to be fairly popular but the acerage as declined to some 73 acres now. So sad.. but you can't sell WashState Lemberger for the $$'s you get for Syrah or Cab.

I've been interested in trying this Prieler because it's the most expensive Austrian BF I've seen. They have a lower end one that sells for around $28. This one is definitely better, but not worth the xtra tarrif.
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2. ShootingStar: This is JedSteele's 2'nd label. I've followed Jed from the very start, in his days when he turned Edmeades around and made some of the greatest Calif Zins & Cabs ever. Alas, those days be long gone. On his SS BF label, he always puts thinly-disguised watermark visage on the label from someone in the wine world.

Once it was DougNalle. Alas, I couldn't recognize who was on the 2011 label. It would be nice if they would post on their WebSite (www.SteeleWines.com) who the person for each yr is. Alas..prolly won't happen.
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3. StLaurent: StLaurent is most widely planted in the CzechRepublic, w/ significant plantings in the Burgenland of Austria. Zweigelt is a Blaufrankisch X StLaurent cross. The RicciVnyd is the only StLaurent planting in Calif that I am aware. It all goes to MattRorick/F-H. In the 2010 vintage, somebody sneaked into the RicciVnyd and absconded w/ nearly the entire crop and Matt did not make one that yr. The thieves probably thought they were stealing primo Carneros PinotNoir and were probably severely disappointed in the stolen Pinot they made that year. I dwaddled for two days before placing my order and the StLaurent had already sold out. However, Matt instead sold me the one btl that was destined for Monktown, where they love god-forsaken grapes like what Matt works with.
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4. Teroldego: ElisabettaForadori is regarded as the creme de la creme of Teroldego producers. She makes a basic Teroldoga that I've always liked a lot and what first drew me to that variety. She also makes a high-end Granato that I don't care for as much because of its more "international" style and more oak. She then makes some vnyd-designate wines, including a Nosiola (white), which I've liked a lot. The grapes have been farmed bio-dynamically for a number of yrs. Over a yr ago, I'd heard that she'd gone over to the dark side and was making her wines "naturally". She apparently ferments in "tinajas" (clay amphorae). I'd heard reports of tasting her wines out in the Bay area that the wines were terrible. If so, this change was not evident to me in these two wines. According to the Polaner WebSite, the Morei spent 8 months on the lees in amphorae, post fermentation. Whereas, the '10
was fermented in steel tanks, open-top, and no extended lees contact.
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5. Harrington: This would be BryanHarrington, who makes his wine in the industrial bottoms of lower SanFrancisco. Though he specializes in PinotNoir (very delicate/elegant/ethereal in style), in makes a number of unusual varieties that I find exceptional. I have, of course, followed Bryan from the very start, though KenZinns beat me there by about a year. Production is small, but worth seeking out. Because he does a lot of "god-forsaken" varietals, they probably don't play well in Monktown.
This is about Bryan's third vintage of Teroldego. It's a variety they should be planting more of in Calif.
I thought this '12 was every bit as good as the two Foradoris; which is saying quite a lot.

TomHill

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