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California BYO

@ Terkel

Tasted February 19, 2011 by canan with 1,115 views

Flight 1 (1 note)

Red
2007 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
92 points
Opened the day before.. Really funky at this point and it didn't really impress me.

Flight 2 (1 note)

White
2008 Neely Chardonnay Holly's Cuvée Spring Ridge Vineyard USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
94 points
Nice and complex nose with smoke and sweet vanilla and minor notes of honeydew melon, yogurt and glue.
Very fresh palate dominated by exotic fruit and vanilla and a little liquorice in the aftertaste. Great balance.

Flight 3 (1 note)

White
2007 Kistler Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
94 points
Caramelized nose with butter, burnt vanilla, honeydew melon and a little pear.
The palate starts with a little butter and sweetness but evolves into a dry ending dominated by liquorice. Just a minor hint of exotic fruits also. The aftertaste is long and dry and has a solid mineral feel to it.

Flight 4 (1 note)

Red
2004 Scholium Project Gardens of Babylon USA, California
93 points
Nose: Powerful and intense. Mushy bluberries, a lot of tar/asphalt, dirt, burnt rubber, dark chocolate. Concentrated.
Palate: Dense and concentrated black fruit. Completely crazy tannins and a wild acidity. Does seem to fall apart in the aftertaste which also is a bit short. Loads of burnt earth and tar.

Flight 5 (1 note)

Red
2002 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
97 points
Wauw, what an impressive nose filled with blueberries and dark violets. The nose also has aged meat, a little tar and burnt dirt.
Overall the nose is very complex with a solid core of blue fruits and black pepper.
Powerful but fresh blackberry fruit on the palate that has an amazing structure and aftertaste that goes on for a very long time. There is lots of complexity (meat, dirt, black pepper, both green and black olives) and the freshness is very exciting.
Great drinkability and just a beautiful wine!

Flight 6 (2 notes)

Red
1995 Ridge Monte Bello USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
90 points
Perfumed nose with a little green pepper and black currants.
Elegant and light blueberry fruit on the palate but also a little bit watery. A fresh and lovely wine but with a short aftertaste and lack of body it is a little bit boring.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard USA, California, Napa Valley
94 points
Classic Cabernet nose with lots of iron, pencil lead and black currant.
Mature and delicious palate again with iron, pencil lead and black currants but also some unexpectedly mature tannins. Lovely body and flavor depth but I had really expected more of everything from this wine!
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 7 (1 note)

Red
1999 Turley Zinfandel Moore "Earthquake" Vineyard USA, California, Napa Valley
93 points
Mostly prunes and raisins on the nose but also elements of varnish, glue, marzipan and chewing-gum.
Raisin like fruit on the palate with a lot of excess sweetness. Lacks a little tannin but an almost sick amount of acidity making the wine actually drinkable despite the overly sweet fruit.
A nice wine but also really special.

Flight 8 (2 notes)

Red
2006 Lillian Winery Syrah Blue Label USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
95 points
Powerful blackberry nose with lost of freshly ground black pepper. The fruit is almost creamy and has beautiful notes of blood and dirt.
Impressively intense palate with blackberry fruit, black pepper and a lovely creamy texture and a vibrating acidity in the long aftertaste.
Beautiful wine.
Red
2000 Sine Qua Non Syrah In Flagrante USA, California, Central Coast
97 points
Quite an interesting nose but also funky with chlorine, mint leaves, blackberry, red currant and rhubarb.
On the palate it has a slightly sweet blackberry and rhubarb fruit with very juicy tannins. A lovely acidity and overall freshness really gives the impression of a wine in great balance. Beautifully long aftertaste
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