Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Wine, skiing, and snowboarding
Telluride, CO
Tasted February 20, 2010 - February 26, 2010 by OneLastSyrah with 786 views
Introduction
Some wines tried while on vacation in Telluride. We had a number of disappointments, and I'm wondering if altitude or travel shock may have played a role.
Flight 1 (13 notes)
White
2008 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre
88 points
13% ABV. Light golden straw in the glass. Chalky aromatics with a bit of pepper. Slightly reminiscent of NZ SB. Medium to light bodied with tangy lime and chalky minerals. At times this seemed downright bracing in its acidity. Pretty good. About a B+ 88 for me.
Red
2007 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja Veraton
86 points
15.5% ABV. Dark black garnet, somewhat translucent. Somewhat confectionary on the nose with sweet oak caramel and sugar. Full bodied with coffee and toffee over dark fruit. Finishes somewhat hot and heavy. This was tasted at altitude (about 9500 feet) and was potentially suffering from travel shock, but it didn't do anything for me. I may be being generous with an 86.
Red
2007 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio
90 points
15% ABV. Dark garnet, translucent. On the nose this was showing some confectionary sugar and oak. Prickly pickle oak faded with a little time. Secondary nose showed more typical mourvedre flavors of wax and black cherry. Medium full bodied with a decent finish. I would like this more if the raw confected oak didn't keep making appearances from time to time. Tasted at about 9500 feet in elevation and that might have effected my palate some, but overall a bit disappointing. 90?
Red
2007 McPrice Myers L'Ange Rouge
92 points
15.8% ABV. Dark garnet, almost opaque. Sweet kirsch nose tinged with garrigue and a hint of lavender. Rich sweet cherry fruit with a retronasal nuance of lavender again. Tasty. More red fruit in profile.
Red
2004 Larkmead Vineyards LMV Salon
94 points
14.7% ABV. Initially served a little too cold. Warmed up to show great layers of dark currant fruit, cocoa, and cedar. This just seemed to keep building in richness and complexity. Probably best to hold these a little bit longer. Really nice.
Red
2007 Jaffurs Syrah Verna's
94 points
Dark, slightly translucent in the glass. Nice aromatics of black raspberry, graham cracker, crushed blackberry seeds, all lifted by a cool climate tar nuance. Medium full bodied and slightly tangy. Complex cote-rotie-like berry fruit turning a bit dark and gamey in the finish. Really nice showing.
Red
2006 Lillian Winery Syrah
15.6% ABV. Popped and poured. Translucent dark garnet in the glass. Coffee bean aromatics. Rich and full bodied but a bit disjointed and hot. Maybe suffering from travel shock/altitude. Not a great showing. Judgment reserved.
Red
2004 Carlisle Syrah Dry Creek Valley
Tasted alongside a Lillian '06 and a Jaffur's '07, this was ahead of the Lillian, but a little behind the Jaffurs. Rich with a touch of coffee like the Lillian, but as more of a nuance. Roasted black raspberry fruit. Satisfyingly rich.
Red
2006 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Pickett Road Vineyard
92 points
Notes from memory, but this over-delivered and showed well with some other nice new world wines. Rich and concentrated with chewy boysenberry fruit.
Red
1999 Sean Thackrey Orion Rossi Vineyard
90 points
14.8% ABV. Popped and poured. Right out of the gate this was showing a funky, bretty horse leather nose with a touch of mint/eucalyptus. Medium full bodied with dark high toned raspberry fruit. This could probably hold for another five years or so. Seemed younger than its vintage. I had trouble getting past the nose on this wine and found it fine, but disappointing, overall.
White
2007 Viña Cobos Chardonnay Bramare Marchiori Vineyard
15% ABV. Medium gold in the glass. Ripe pear fruit over toasted cereal. Touch of smoke. Good.
Red
2005 Pride Mountain Vineyards Reserve Claret
91 points
Dark garnet in the glass. Aromatically a little closed showing dark fruit and mocha. Medium full bodied with dark currant fruit and more leafy mocha. Just okay and has a lousy QPR.
Red
2006 Cantine Sant'Agata Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato Pro Nobis
89 points
Tasted this briefly at a restaurant in Telluride - notes from memory. Dark garnet in the glass, slightly translucent. Aromas of dried berry fruit and tar. Medium bodied with tangy red fruit on the palate. A little vinous and overpriced ($65 from the list), but pretty good. The owner of this restaurant is passionate about Italian wine and claims to import a bunch himself. This was described as the most fruit forward of all the wines on the list. Makes me wonder about the rest of the list.