2004 Acacia Pinot Noir, Napa Valley - Carneros
Very aromatic with floral perfume, lighter color than many PNs, medium-bodied with some depth, and a long taste. Light touch with tannin and oak, good acidity, with none of that too-frequent California sweetness. A very reliable producer with a style that I prefer (now that Byron has disappointed several times with a sweet edge to its PNs). No idea why it's on close-out but a good deal at $21, regular price $30.2004 Cline Ancient Vine Carignane, Contra Costa County
Rating: Very Good -
Deep carmine color with purplish tone, warm blackberry fruit with lots of intensity and depth, long taste with some complexity. A bit of softness, with mild tannins and wood, fruity aroma. Carries alcohol level of 15% well, without seeming heavy. Drinks well now, but is likely to gain complexity with some age. Great deal at a close-out price $10, regular price $14.2003 King Estate Pinot Noir, Oregon
Rating: Very Good
Note added 7/23/09: The wine had the same characteristics of softness, mild tannins and wood, as well as somewhat low acidity, but not complexity or great length.
Revised Rating: Good ++
Firm, with some backbone around good cherry fruit and a bit of perfumed character. Dark color, medium-bodied, with a fairly long taste, varietally true. Oregonian in having some structure and avoiding sweetness, with just enough oak and tannin. Close-out price $6, regular price $9 (half-bottle).2004 Waldracher Sonnenberg Riesling Qualitätswein, Gebrüder Steffes, M-S-R
Rating: Very Good -
True riesling character with good acidity, but also with somewhat low intensity and length. Kabinett-level sweetness. Close-out price $6, regular price not known.2003 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir, Los Carneros - Napa Valley
Rating: Good
Strong acidity gives this a sour-cherry component to go with raspberry. Some floral character, fairly dark carmine, oak and tannin well in check. Altogether burgundian in style - good fruit without sweetness. A touch of complexity and a fairly long taste. Close-out price $26, regular price $38.2002 Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru "En Caradeux", Reserve, vin non filtré, Domaine Marius Delarche, France
Rating: Very Good
This white burgundy came with a fine pedigree - the "regular" Pernand-Vergelesses by Delarche has always been very good and true to type, and it's from North Berkeley Imports - and it did not disappoint. There was the wonderful balance of chardonnay fruit with perfect acidity and just enough oak, dry but not austere. Intensity without heaviness led to a long complex taste. Golden color. Close-out price $29, regular price $39.2004 Morgon, Georges duBoeuf, France
Rating: Very Good +
This is the kind of white burgundy I look for in a restaurant as well but have not found recently. I'm beginning to wonder not so much about the French changing their vinification style, but about restaurant wine buyers choosing those with a more Californian component: somewhat softer, with more body and less acidity.
Fairly dark carmine color with a purplish tinge. Sour-cherry fruit with strawberry overtones; high acidity and just a touch of tannin give it a bit of backbne. Moderately long taste. Close-out price $10, regular price $14.2001 Viña Mein, Vin blanc, Ribeiro, Spain
Rating: Good +
Deep golden color. Well-balanced, with some softness. Medium-bodied, with moderately long taste. Made from local varietals, so comparison is difficult, but has held up well over six years. Close-out price $12, regular price $15.2001 Köwericher Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese, Karl Jostock-Thul & Sohn, M-S-R
Rating: Good +
Absolutely lovely riesling floral aroma and taste, with pineapple and peaches. Moderate intensity and long taste, golden color. True Spätlese sweetness with mouth-watering acidity. This may be a minor village, but it's no minor wine. Very good now, and can hold for years. Close-out price $12, regular price $17.2002 Santa Ema Carminière, Reserve, Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Rating: Very Good +
Lots of cherry fruit, dark red color with a slight purplish edge, gentle tannin, overall softness and low acidity, fairly long taste. The first bottle was corked, which I interpreted as over-wooded; the second (Dec. 2008) did not have this flaw. The wine held well, but did not improve with age. Close-out price $13, regular price $17.1999 Finca Valpiedra Rioja, Reserva, Calificada, Spain
Rating: Good ++
Superbly balanced: mild tannins, just enough wood, good acidity, and chery fruit, all with some backbone. Medium-bodied, some complexity and a fairly long taste. Close-out price $23, regular price $33.2002 Pedroncelli Pinot Noir, F. Johnson Vineyard, Santa Barbara County
Rating: Very Good
A double surprise - I think of Pedroncelli as an old-time winery featuring rustic wines, and California pinot noir has started acquiring too much of a sweet edge - this wine has good varietal character wih some perfumed aroma, as well as a firmness with a bit of austerity. Moderately long taste. Close-out price $12, regular price $17.2002 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, "Les Murgers des Dents de Chien", Marc Colin et ses Fils, France
Rating: Good ++
Well-balanced between fruit, oak and acidity, but chardonnay character is subdued. Medium-bodied with a bit of softness, and a fairly long taste. I expected more at this price. Close-out price $27, regular price $35.2005 Mercuzio Chardonnay, Fattoria Gambero, Oltrepo Pavese, Italy
Rating: Good ++
Unoaked, a bit of softness, somewhat light-bodied with light chardonnay character, moderate length. 12.5% alcohol. Price unknown.2005 Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Kabinett, Max Ferd. Richter, M-S-R
Rating: Good
Spötlese-level sweetness, young, developed a bit of complexity, nice peach-like riesling aroma and taste. Has depth and good length. Needs time to gain some spiciness and lose a bit of sweetness. Regular price $12.2005 Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc, Vicar's Choice, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Very Good
Some grass, good acidity, dry, a bit low on intensity and length of taste. Regular price $12.2004 Scott Harvey Barbera, Mountain Selection, Amador County
Rating: Good
Deep color with purplish tones, Italianate acidity, lots of cherry/sour-cherry fruit, medium intensity, moderately long taste, easy on tannin and wood. Easy-drinking - small remainder in glass loses flavors and leaves acidity. Regular price $17.2005 Morgan Pinot Noir, Twelve Clones, Santa Lucia Highlands
Rating: Good ++
Aromatic, light on wood and tannin, medium intensity with some body, purple tinge, raspberry/cherry flavors give varietal character, fairly long taste. Ready to drink now and enjoyable. Regular price $30.
Rating: Very Good -
Red-tag close-out sales this month:Whites:
2002 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru "Les Murgers des Dents de Chien", Marc Colin et ses Fils, France ($27, orig. $35) 2001 Viña Mein, Vin Blanc, Ribeiro, Spain ($12, orig. $15) 2004 Waldracher Sonnenberg Riesling Qualitötswein, Gebrüder Steffes, M-S-R ($6, orig. $9) 2001 Köwericher Laurentiuslay Riesling Spätlese, Karl Jostock-Thul & Sohn, M-S-R ($12, orig. $17) 2004 Grüner Veltliner Kremser Freiheit, Nigl, Kremstal, Austria ($12, orig. $17)
Reds:
2002 Pedroncelli Pinot Noir, F. Johnson Vineyard, Sonoma County ($12, orig. $17) 2003 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir, Los Carneros - Napa Valley ($26, orig. $38) 2004 Acacia Pinot Noir, Napa Valley - Carneros ($21, orig. $30) 2002 King Estate Pinot Noir, Oregon ($6, orig. $9)
Half-bottle2003 King Estate Pinot Noir, Oregon ($6, orig. $9)
Half-bottle2004 Cline Ancient Vine Carignane, Contra Costa County ($10, orig. $14) 2002 Maranges 1er Cru, Clos des Loyeres, Vieilles vignes, Vincent Girardin, France ($21, orig. $29) 2004 Morgon, Georges duBoeuf, France ($8, orig. $14) 1999 Finca Valpiedra, Rioja Riserva, Calificada, Spain ($23, orig. $33) 2002 Santa Ema Carmenière Reserve, Cachapoal Valley, Chile ($13, orig. $17) 2003 Santa Ema Syrah, Barrel Select, Cachapoal Valley, Chile ($9, orig. $11) 2003 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile ($15, orig. $22) 2000 Castello di Poppiano Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Riserva, Cont Fernandino Guicciardini, Italy ($14, orig. $20)
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