Santa Barbara

Surprisingly spoofed up exterior and ambiance here.

• 2009 Melville Chardonnay Estate Clone 76 - Inox

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Ultra-reductive but shows a trace of smoky lees. There's also a subtle but noticeable hint of butter despite the stainless treatment. Bright, even ziny acids throughout, with a mouthwatering feel.

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• 2008 Melville Chardonnay Estate

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Predictably, this is lower toned than the Inox, with the emphasis on pineapple/melon fruit and a piney nuance in addition to the relatively obvious oak that shows through with some cinnamon. Broad, even a touch fat; you can definitely feel the loss of some of that malic acid.

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• 2008 Melville Pinot Noir Estate

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Light ruby. Incendiary, or perhaps obnoxious, woody/weedy cherries all over the nose. Subtler flavors thankfully, with good finishing acidity. I'd need to hold my nose to drink a glass of this.

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• 2008 Melville Syrah Estate Verna's

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  From much higher yields than the Chardonnays and Pinot. Medium violet. Cinnamon and red vine candy notes, followed by a warm, slightly spicy palate that lacks energy. Ho hum.

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• 2009 Melville Viognier Estate Verna's

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Unabashedly varietal nose of orange zest, honeysuckle, etc., as well as (clean) swimming pool and a trace of grain. Alcohol-sweet but not really warm; actually, this is pretty lively, although a little sharpness on the back end may be due to the alcohol. Flowers predominate in the aftertaste. Good example of this grape's inelegance.

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The first of several tasting rooms we visited in Lompoc's "Wine Ghetto," a business park-like setting with a multitude of producers represented.

• 2009 Palmina Traminer Alisos Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Asparagus and green bean notes, with a palate that's thin but not too sharp, and clean throughout. However, I feel this style needs some mineral oomph to make it worthwhile.

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• 2009 Palmina Malvasia Bianca Larner Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  Wafting cleaning solution nose, with a slight stink. Low acid but interesting for its alternating, almost schizophrenic mineral/bubblegum flavor profile. Strange stuff, but enjoyable.

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• 2009 Palmina Botasea Rosato di Palmina

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Light. Distinctly dominated by apricot, with a slight herbal/vegatal edge. Very mineral driven and delicate for California rose, with a finish that's dilute but acceptable given the style.

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• 2007 Palmina Alisos Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Light red. Bright and delightful nose of thoroughly ripe red cherries and just a trace of candiedness as well as slight wood. It's all good through the strikingly silken entry until a low acid midpalate and falling-off finish ruin the initial impression.

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• 2006 Palmina Nebbiolo

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Light brick red. Slightly Sforzato-like aromas of dried red fruits, smoky nuance, and cinnamon. Thick with flavor but not at all heavy; all is well supported by spice, acid and tannin. Nice touch with a tricky variety, especially with purchased fruit.

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A nice showcase for some producers without their own tasting rooms. Pouring samples was a pleasant expat from the Marches.

• 2008 Diatom Chardonnay Huber Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Reductive nose is hiding the lees influence (this saw 6 months' time) right now. Big up front with a mineral punch following through. You need to scrape said minerals off your palate at the end.

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• 2008 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Boisterous nose, with yeasty bread, lemon, and granny smith. Outstandingly balanced...a veritable model of restraint. I would be good and drunk before growing tired of this one.

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• 2008 Thorne Cellars Pinot Noir Rio Vista

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Light ruby red. Aggressive fruit verges on that cherry cough syrup that I so hate in overripe New World, especially California, Pinots. But it doesn't quite go there, with the flavors sweet but not quite as heavy as the 14.8% suggests. Still, definitely not my style of Pinot.

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• 2008 El Rey Pinot Noir

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Medium light red. Popcorn, underbrush, and pine bark make for a far more thought provoking and attractive nose. Nicely dry if not obviously concentrated, with a freshness to the fruit, a slightly bitter edge, and a meaty aftertaste.

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• 2006 Huber Cellars Dornfelder

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Dark violet. Something reeks here...I hope it's just reduction but it might be the grape itself. Sweet and dull but not fleshy or heavy, this is rather ignoble overall. A curiosity at best.

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Sashi Moorman's tiny new negociant project (another partnership with D.C. restauranteur Peter Pastan) as well as his flaship.

• 2009 New Vineland Sauvignon Blanc

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  There are flowers in the grass here, with the nose really rather gently restrained. The balance leans towards the heavy side, although it's rather lightly concentrated. There is a surprising finish waiting at the end, however, of a mineral nature.

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• 2008 New Vineland Viognier

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  High toned, somewhat lees-influenced nose of car exhaust. Despite the changeup in style from the usual California Viognier, this remains low acid, which, while perhaps an intrinsic quality to the variety, comes off as a rather strange attribute given the overall style presented here.

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• 2009 New Vineland Rosé

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Salmon colored. Chlorine, and very dry in its transition from nose to palate. Sophisticated if not much else.

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• 2006 New Vineland Syrah

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Medium dark bright red. Fruitcake, raisin and gingerbread, but some herbs break up the decadence. Then dry and precise with good grainy tannin. Showy in profile yet French in feel.

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• 2007 Piedrasassi Syrah Rim Rock

  USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley

  Dark plum violet. Deeply fruited but not dried or OTT in any way, with charcoal and stony nuances. Strong extraction but not overdone, this is almost imenetrably dense and in need of time to unwind.

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• 2007 Piedrasassi Syrah Mr. Smith

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Very dark violet red. Grand marnier-soaked raisins herald a Paso wine in an otherwise Santa Barbara tasting. Thick and overripe but a big hit among the novices...and it's hard for me not to like it either.

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• 2005 Piedrasassi Syrah

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Medium dark violet red. Fresher than the vineyard designates, and rather medium bodied and bright in flavor as well, with a finish spiced up by black pepper.

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