Damn my over-processing brain.

I was going to write about two wines that I tasted last week while I was in in Napa & Sonoma for the Wine Bloggers Conference… technically I was actually (sweltering) in Tacoma when I tasted them, but I received the wines in Napa & Sonoma…

Anyway, I was going to write about these wines when my ever-processing, never-lets-me-rest brain decided to switch it up on me.  Now, it turns out I’m writing about not getting these wines. Or, writing about writing about not getting these wines.  This will all clear up in a minute or two.  I think.

The wines in question are C. Donatiello’s Rose, and the new 2006 release of Prime Cellars’s Cab.  Both of them are very, very good wines, the kind of wines that I want to get to know and want others to get to know – small production, interesting, made by up-and-coming, passionate winemakers who are tweaking things, trying to find the right balance and improving their wines early on with every vintage.

The thing is, I’ve been wondering if I should write about these wines.

Because chances are that you can’t get them…

Read the rest of this stuff »

• 07 Siduri Rosella's Vineyards Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands): Smokey. As in, *real* smokey. Got a brush fire in this glass here! #
• 06 Goldeneye Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley): Imagine a ripe little strawberry, folded up nice & cozy in a HUGE blanket. A blanket of BOOZE. #
• 07 Landmark 'Grand Detour' Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Sweet red berry fruit. A bit hot, and not terribly complex, but solid if u like BIG. #
• 07 Monchhof Urzig Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett (Mosel): Fresh-cut apples, pear & sugar. Still a baby, but will compliment sushi right now. #
• 07 Undurraga T.H. Syrah (Limari, Chile): Deep red berry, but can't shake the green pepper. Still, will play very nice with grilled whatever! #
• 05 Oak Ridge Winery "OZV" Zinfandel (Lodi): An acquired taste. Very sweet blue berry fruit and chocolate, but not quite solidly integrated. #
• 08 Emiliana 'Natura' Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley, Chile): White peach, ripe lemon, wet stone, and all good – 'nuff said. #
• 08 Ruffino Orvieto Classico: Classic indeed. Almost too delicate on the nose, but the mouthfeel will rock lighter shrimp or scallops dishes. #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

• Planeta 'Segreta' Nero d'Avola/Merlot (Sicily): 'Warrior needs food, badly!' And so does this wine. Why isn't Nero more popular Stateside?!? #
• 07 Honoro Vera Merlot (Jumilla): Seasons52 exclusive Monastrell blend. Very approachable red fruit & spice. VERY ymmy with lamb & potatoes. #
• 06 Retromarcia Sangiovese (Chianti Classico): Good balance btw 'Old' (woody, citrus peel) & 'New' (ripe red fruits) styles. Drink it now (?) #
• 06 selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese (Mosel): An embryo. Acidic – like, Alien's blood acidic! Needs decades to open up. #
• 07 Lingenfelder Riesling Kabinett (Pfalz): The operative word is Lovely – as in lovely green apple & lime, lovely taste, & lovely with food. #
• 07 Macchia 'Oblivious' Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi): eXtreme Zin. The X Games of Zin. Port-like prune & blueberry, and a massive Port-like abv. #
• 08 Martha Clara Vineyards Riesling (LI): A balanced offering with citrus, yellow apple & hay. Germany it ain't, but bad it ain't, either. #
• 06 Buena Vista Pinot Noir (Carneros): Good, if a bit rough around the edges. Red fruit, a little too jammy, but will stand up to heavy food. #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

• 06 Petanque Syrah (CA): Very solid 1st effort 2nd label from Michel-Schlumberger. Maybe not a home run, but a fruity double for sure. BBQ! #
• 07 Pétanque Sauvignon Blanc (CA): Quaffable & tasty, but you can't take the CA out of the SB. Hits the mark for the price point, though. #
• 07 Pétanque Cabernet Sauvignon (CA): Some jammy dark cherry fruity smokey decently-priced goodness. Needs food to really shine, though. #
• 07 Pétanque Chardonnnay (CA): Suprising amount of citrus & balance, like that lemonhead guy tightrope walking. Ok, that visual is weird… #
• 07 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett (Mosel): Crisp green apple & minerals. Classic blue slate soil profile. Not that I've tasted blue slate. #
• 08 Indaba Chardonnay (West Cape, SA): VG balance of tropical fruit & cream, & enough acid to stand up to dinner. Just a ridiculous value. #
• 06 Selbach-Oster Weissburgunder (Mosel): About as big as Pinot Blanc gets, but also about as yummy-fruity & food-friendly as PB gets. #
• Marques de Monistrol Cava Rosé Brut Reserva Selección Especial: Pink grapefruit & hints of toast. At these prices, why would you NOT try it? #
• 07 ZaZin! Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi): A jammy, blueberry, jammy, spicy, jammy, raisiny, jammy, jammy, jammy, jammy monster of a wine. #

Powered by Twitter Tools.