SF Wine Exchange Portfolio

Lineup of new producers available from SFWE

• 2005 Kamiak Cellar Select White 79 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Average to slightly above average at best. Interesting blend of SB and Chard. SB supplied freshness and acidity with citrus. Chard supported with body and light richness. These seemed to collide together and offer a rather bland and boring wine.

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• 2005 Windy Ridge Chardonnay 79 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Light colour with hints of green. Canned corn right off the bat on the nose, in which I have gotten from cheap Cali Chards time and time again. The palate isn't all that exciting with simple yellow apple fruit with some nice acidity. Eh?

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• 2005 Gordon Estate Chardonnay 84 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Huge nose full of toasty popcorn, brown butter, and oak. The oak components follow through on the palate as well with some oak spice, nuttiness, and creamy pear. A bit too much oak for my liking, but as a whole it is a well made wine and would please most Chardonnay drinkers.

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• 2005 David Bruce Pinot Noir Central Coast 79 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Haven't had a DB Pinot for a while. Simple nose of underripe raspberry, hint of stem, and toast. Mild tannins up front again with simple fruit, decent acidity, and an underwhelming finish. Overall impression was a flat, borderline insipid PN with no intensity and/or structure.

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• 2004 David Bruce Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Huge step up fron the Central Coast label. Very ripe nose of fresh cherries and wild berries. Beautiful freshness on the palate. Rainier cherries, red currant, warm spices of cinnamon and coriander, finishing with great acidity and a velvety texture. Very nice.

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• 2004 Windy Ridge Merlot 81 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Hmm... An inexpensive Merlot that isn't just awful!!! Nice nose of black cherries with a hint of coffee and toasty oak. Good fruit on the palate and a surprisingly tannic structure and somewhat balanced. Not necessarily exiting, but nowhere near offensive.

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• 2003 Kamiak Cellar Select Red 85 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Beautiful nose of black cherry, currant, and chocolate. Nice table wine-like structure and fruit component with red plum and cherry licorice. No tannins made for a very quaffable, pleasant wine. 85+

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• 2005 Gordon Estate Merlot 88 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Intense, primary nose of ripe plum. Nice black cherry fruit up front with some mocha, toasty oak, and velvety textured tannins on the finish. Nicely balanced with fresh acidity. Very well done, as most Merlots from Washington are.

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• 2004 Windy Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Hofer Ranch 86 Points

  USA, California

  Impressive little value Cab. Surprising tannins up front with a nice core of black fruit and mild oak. Not mind blowing, but very pleasant and would please most.

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• 2005 Gordon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Rich nose of creme de cassis and sweet chocolate. Chocolate component follows through on palate as well with black cherry dominating the fruit. Moderate tannin structure and a nicely balanced, long finish. This as well as the Merlot make for some very affordable Washington wines. Hopefully the recent press won't drive up prices!!

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• 2003 Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Always have and always will love this producer. Slight mint on the nose with big black fruits as a core. Medium to full bodied with cree de cassis, mocha, blackberries, and vanilla on the palate. Still fairly primary, but as the moderate tannins shed, hopefully some secondary characteristics will make it more interesting. Great now though!!

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• 2003 Gordon Estate Syrah 89 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  First to admit that most domestic Syrahs don't appeal to me. This, however was very nice. The aromatics make up 90% of this wine's appeal. Smoked game, bacon fat, ripe blackberry jam, and toasted oak. Palate is of rich plum, wildberry liqueur, and some of that smokiness follows through. All with balancing acidity and a wonderfully long finish.

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• 2004 Foppiano Petite Sirah 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  This is sooo good. Vintage after vintage, this producer puts out great PS. Beautiful nose of blueberries, blackberry jam, and freshly cracked black pepper. Nice intensity on the palate as well. Huge, chewy tannins, black fruit jam, with balanced acidity. Even though the tannins are barbaric, the wine's fruit component and freshness of the acidity keeps you going back for more.

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Great wines with some extraordinary values and a few blockbusters