New World Blind Tasting Group $25+

• 2006 Seghesio Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Costiera

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Aged, see through crimson with rusty edge (Nebbiolo at a New World Tasting?); some soy, ginger bread, menthol, licorice (Nebbiolo?!); thicker texture on palate, a bit unctuous, lighter grape variety, a bit fresher on palate but I think this bottle's best drinking were years in the past; called Central Coast Pinot.

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• 2009 Lagier Meredith Syrah

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder

  Opaque core, cloudy, lilac rim; violets, faint wild berry, plum skin, fresh, a little subdued on the nose, purple grape candy; deeper and denser fruit on the palate, sweet initially with a black olive and brine quality, almost black pepper, plusher mouthfeel; overall good not great, seemed a little advanced for 2009.

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• 2007 Penfolds Pinot Noir Cellar Reserve

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills

  Cloudy rose core showing some age; funky nose, thinning out, vinegar, foxy, clay, green bean, strong clay component; tart funky red fruit on the palate, a bit muddled, showing higher acid; reminded me of some GA wines with that strong of a ferrous clay component; I also felt this bottle's best drinking stages were a year or two in the past; also not my style of Pinot as there was little definition.

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• 2009 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Dark reddish purple with medium plus extraction; strong brown baking spice, dark ripe fruit, savory, brown sugar, mix of blue and black fruit, blueberry; some texture, plum skin, apple skin, berries, higher alcohol, less tannin but elevated for varietal; good.

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• 2008 Jeff Cohn Cellars Petite Sirah Sweetwater Springs

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Black inky core, hugely extracted, absorbs all of the light from the room; acorn, dark fruit, ink, violets, bramble, smoky, interesting nose; silkier texture, some age, integrated oak, not as heavy as it looks, decent lift; obvious manipulation in the cellar with this one but I couldn't help but like it especially at this stage of its development.

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• 2009 Goosecross Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon State Lane Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Deep dark core with reddish violet rim; spice, blue and dark fruit, high toned, menthol, higher alcohol; rich, silky texture, sweet berry, nice tartness and fresh quality to it; tastes like valley fruit, a bit hollow.

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• 2010 Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Opaque, very dark core with bright magenta rim; sweet dark fruit, floral, a bit reductive, meat, salami; very floral on the palate, plush texture but heavier weight, pencil lead, cedar, dark fruit, juicy fruit but seemingly a lower acid varietal; thought this was more Syrah-like; good, one of the better ones today.

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• 2002 Clarendon Hills Syrah Moritz

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Opaque core with rusty aged rim; rusty, briny, black pepper, vanilla, aged, dense, Syrah, aged, funky; nice but palate is a little tough, lacks freshness, rusty, leather; tough to finish taste let alone bottle.

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• 2005 Luna Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Opaque core showing age with dull garnet rim; cooked red fruit, currant, spice, some chocolate; sharp palate, softer structure, cooked fruit; on the edge of collapse, drink soon; called '05-'07 Napa Cab.

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• 2006 Shelton Vineyards Cabernet Franc Port

  USA, North Carolina, Yadkin Valley

  See through dull crimson with orange rim; vanilla, cherry pastry, higher alcohol, sweet; very sweet, syrupy, high alcohol, a bit nutty, raisin, toffee; simple and ok.

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• 2009 Lucia Syrah Susan's Hill

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Black opaque core with thin dull purple rim; olives, violet, inky, tar, ashy, camphor; plush texture initially, dark fruit, black olive, tar, violets, cedar finish, strong tannin; seems like this would have been good with more airtime, this was pop and pour.

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• 2005 Gaetano D'Aquino Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Crimson core with lighter rim, orange hues, some age; sandy, red fruit, salami, slight VA, licorice; tart red-orange fruit, a bit clipped on the finish, some tannin, slight bitter note; obviously Sangiovese and the sandy note says old school Brunello but this was not very noble, $20 at Trader Joe's makes sense, almost to the level of Rosso di Montalcino and also not quite the price, so take what you will from that.

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Another less than stellar tasting where nothing really wows. Some decent examples but nothing that beckons you to take another sip.
Again entirely too much Syrah. I reluctantly grabbed my Lagier Meredith and was glad I did because it needed to be consumed but failed to inspire.
Surprisingly as if Syrah wasn't rich enough we had 2 Petite Sirahs which ended up being my wines of the night...weird how that works.