Blind Cali Samples

My Place - Washington, DC
Tasted Friday, March 20, 2015 by isaacjamesbaker with 455 views

Flight 1 - Whites (7 Notes)

  • 2013 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Single Vineyard Riva Ranch 87 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Seco

    Light golden color. Classic aromas of yellow pears and apples, some honey and nougat, a yellow floral element. Quite creamy on the palate, a rich wine with some moderate acid. Yellow apple, baked pear and apple sauce notes mix with a generous dose of cinnamon, nougat and honeycomb. Straightforward, not the deepest Chardonnay, but clearly well-made and surely a crowd-pleaser. Aged 8 months on the lees in oak, this includes 3% Gewurztraminer.

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  • 2013 La Merika Chardonnay 83 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    Pale straw color. Smells like lime drizzled on papaya, topped with honey and toasted nuts. Clean and bright on the palate, sharp notes of green apple peel and green melon rind, backed up by creamy honey and apple butter. A bit simple, and some bitterness on the finish, but decent.

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  • 2013 La Merika Pinot Grigio 85 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey

    Light and airy aromas, green melon and lemons mix with honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, medium acidity, a plump feel to the cantaloupe, nectarine and honeydew fruit (some lime drizzled on top), and I also get some honeycomb and green tea elements. A bit simple, but solid and would probably be a big crowd-pleaser for brunches or picnics.

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  • 2013 Gundlach Bundschu Chardonnay Estate Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Light gold color. Fresh and vibrant aromas, like green apples, limes and apricots, but also creamy, floral accents and hints of sea salt and shells. Plump fruit (yellow apples, apricots, drizzled with lime) on a creamy body with moderate acid. Nougat, honey and wildflowers mix well with elements of salted margarita and crushed sea shells. Long finish, vacillating between rich and bright elements. Very pretty stuff. Aged ten months in 20% new French oak.

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  • 2013 Swanson Pinot Grigio 86 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

    Medium straw color. Very bright on the nose, lots of white peach, mango and mixed yellow and white flowers, some honeycomb and spring breeze notes. Light-medium bodied with moderate acid, the white peach and lemon flavors mix with cucumber water, white tea and honey notes. A bit light and not too complex, but the flavors are tasty and it’s definitely refreshing and fun. Fermented in all stainless steel, this wine includes 11% Oakville Chardonnay.

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  • 2013 Arrowood Chardonnay Sonoma County 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    Light gold color. Bold aromatic display, lots of green melon, apricot, lime and bruised yellow apple, but also a nice mix of chalk and honeycomb. Medium bodied, creamy texture is balanced by moderate acid. A nutty approach, like crushed nuts and honey crumbled on top of bruised apples, apricot and honeydew melon, some custard and nougat elements as well. Yet it maintains freshness and finishes clean and bright, with apple blossom and honeysuckle notes. Bold but elegant, interesting and tasty stuff. 10 months in 80% French oak, 17% new.

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  • 2014 Landmark Pinot Gris Hop Kiln 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    Light gold color, hint of spritz. Very pretty nose: apricot jam, orange peel, honey, caramel apple and a note that reminds me of lager beer. Nice and creamy on the palate, but the acid zips in and cleans it up. The yellow apple, apricot and orange marmalade flavors are rich and full, but the wine also shows notes of white tea, chalk, nougat and raw almonds. Could be mistaken for a Chardonnay, but has a bit more tropical aspects to it. Interesting, and I’m intrigued. Fermented in half stainless steel and half oak barrels.

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Flight 2 - Pinots (4 Notes)

  • 2012 Wente Vineyards Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Riva Ranch 85 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Seco

    Light cherry colored. Tart cranberries and strawberries on the nose, some rose hips and rhubarb as well. Medium bodied, fresh acid, light tannic backbone. The strawberry and red currant fruit is fresh and tart, backed up by notes of damp soil and rose tea. Some toasted oak and mocha last onto the finish, moderate length. Fresh, easy-drinking, perhaps a bit too light for the oak, but a fun wine. Aged 20 months in 50% new French oak.

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  • 2012 Frei Brothers Pinot Noir Reserve 87 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    Vibrant clear cherry color. Bright red berry fruit jumps out on the nose, and I get cola, roses and notes of clove and cinnamon-spice. Juicy and bold fruit on the palate, black cherries and raspberry jam hits the right spot. Soft tannins, bright acid. I get notes of sweet cola, light roast coffee and a hint of red hot candies. Juicy, clean and pleasant, crowd-pleasing stuff.

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  • 2013 J Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    A gorgeous bright ruby color. Very floral on the nose, lots of roses and with some clove and baking spice notes, all of this on top of some bright red cherries and strawberries. Bright and juicy on the palate with light/dusty tannins and tangy acid. Red apple and strawberry mix with sweeter raspberry jam elements, but an overall tangy red fruit approach. Notes of cola, sage and cranberry sauce add complexity. Open and accessible now but may develop in the near-term.

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  • 2012 La Merika Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Central Coast

    Light ruby colored. Smells like black cherries, some stemmy elements along with sweet cola and vanilla. Medium-bodied, medium acid, jammy black cherries and currants on the palate, the oak muddies up the wine and there’s some stemmy, sharp elements on the midpalate. Sweet cola and burned coffee overwhelm the back end to the finish. I can’t score this wine. It’s not chemically faulted, it’s just abysmal

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