Blinds at Nopa with Tim - Bonny Doon
Nopa SF
Tasted Monday, September 21, 2015 by RajivAyyangar with 255 views
Introduction
I'm pretty happy with this tasting - some atypical stuff, but we nailed the classic Loire Cab Franc and also got varietal on the Albarino.
2009 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant 83 Points
USA, California, Central Coast
Wine 1 - a blind wine, but we know it’s from Bonny Doon.
Medium ruby-purple to a ruby rim. No signs of age in color. Dull.
Nose: Savory - play dough, celery .Dark plum. Ripe to overripe. Slightly oxidative, hint of carbonic / whole cluster. I'm not the biggest fan of the nose here.
Medium plus body, medium plus alcohol 14% [actually 13.3%]
medium plus acid, medium tannins (blockish) with some phenolic bitterness and possible stem inclusion.
Some partially new or 2nd-3rd use oak - bourbon, vanilla, sawdust on the palate.
New World Pinot - color is too deep, tannins are too high.
Tempranillo from California? Maybe. The alcohol is pretty high.
Nebbiolo - fruit is dark plum, tannins not high enough.
Sangiovese, California, 2010. $30.
Actually: GSM from California, “Le Cigare Volant” - Bonny Doon, 2009 (regular, not reserve). ~$36.
Discussion:
Sangiovese wouldn’t be purple. It would be more ruby/red at the core and red/garnet at the rim.
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2014 Cedric Garreau Anjou Gar'O'Vin 83 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou
Summary: Typical of Loire Cab France, but a bit austere and bretty. Around 8-8.5
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Blind 2:
Medium minus ruby-purple to a ruby rim.
Lots of brett on the nose, slight pyrazines, tart red fruit.
Finishes tart and dry: Medium minus body, medium alcohol (12.5% - actually 12%), elevated acid, medium plus tannins (chalky and drying).
St. Joseph: Slight pyrazines and the austerity would rule that out.
Morgon/cru beaujolais: When would you have this much brett on a Beaujolais? Also tannins are too austere.
It’s a Cab Franc, from the Loire, 2014 (youthful), from Chinon.
Actually: 2014 Cab Franc, from Anjou. Garovin.
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2014 Verdad Albariño Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Edna Valley 85 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
Summary: Typical of the varietal, but I could use a bit more acid. Score: Around 8.5
Very pale straw.
Youthful fruit-driven nose, driven by canned peach, with slight overripe papaya, slight melon.
Medium body, elevated alcohol 13% [correct].
Just barely elevated acid - maybe medium/medium plus. There’s a split-second on the midpalate where the alcohol drops out entirely and you’re left with flabby alcohol and body. But then there’s some verve from acidity on the finish.
Slight phenolic bitterness.
Not Pinot Gris: too aromatic, too clean, no botrytis, also no RS.
Not Gruner Veltliner: no pepper, no savory vegetal radish character. And if the alcohol were this high on a Gruner, I’d expect it’s a smaragd, and it should have more flavor concentration and complexity, and also maybe some botrytis.
Albarino, from Rias Baixas, 2014.
Actual: Albarino, 2014, Central Coast. Verdad. Sawyer Lindquist. Edna Valley.
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