Some Cali Red Samples
My Place - Washington, DC
Tasted Tuesday, June 9, 2015 by isaacjamesbaker with 502 views
Introduction
Some Syrah-based wines with some interesting blends and some random Merlots that found their way into the tasting. These Baker Lane Syrahs are seriously good.
2012 KITÁ Grenache Camp 4 Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Pale ruby color. Nose of tart red cherries and strawberries, red flowers and even some cherry blossom and potpourri notes, hints of pepper. Fine tannins, a full body but some richer and fuller notes. Elegant despite its richness, with freshness from the acid. Lovely tart red fruit (strawberries and raspberries), notes of chestnut, tobacco, pepper, a spicy herbal kick, toasted almond, hint of cedar woven in well, spiced coffee, sweet cola. Complex, showing wonderfully right now but could hold for a year or two. Long finish. Exciting stuff. All Grenache, aged 18 months in 25% new French oak.
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2012 KITÁ Spe'y Camp 4 Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Light ruby color. Nose of tart red berries, some sweeter, jammier notes, backed up by elements of baking spices, pepper, coffee and toast. Bold approach, some moderate acid, drying tannins of decent strength, alcohol gives it a thicker presence. Tart currants, dark and crunchy cherries and plums. Lots of coffee, toasted nuts, add in some sweet herbal notes, spices, cola and rhubarb. A warm, rich finish. Seems to need a bit of time, as it really opens up with air. 53% Grenache, 27% Syrah and 20% Carignane, aged 18 months in 30% new French oak.
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2012 Wrath Syrah San Saba Vineyard 91 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey
Medium purple color. Bold and plummy on the nose, some blackberries and black cherries mixed in, backed up by wet soil, tobacco leaf, black pepper and some coconut and root beer. Fleshy and forward on the palate, moderate tannins with a dusty feel, some medium-low acid. Flavors of black cherries, dark currants and juicy blackberries, the fruit is rich but shows a tart, crunchy appeal. Notes of loam, pepper, rainy day and tobacco mix with richer notes of toasted coconut, sweet teriyaki glaze and cedar shavings. Long, full, yet not overpowering. Could open up a lot over the next three or four years, or give it a good, long decant to coax out the nuances. All Syrah, 50% new French oak.
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2011 Grgich Hills Merlot 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
moderate ruby color, not exactly bright. Nose of tart raspberries, blackberries, sweet strawberry jam, notes of pipe smoke, menthol, pine needles and vanilla cola. Fleshy with moderate tannins, medium acid, chewy but tangy fruit (red and black cherries, tart blueberries). Notes of mocha, cedar, fig cookie, vanilla cola, a sense of loamy complexity. Tart fruit elements, but rich with lots of non-fruit elements. Could use a few years or some air, but it’s a beauty. All Merlot, aged 18 months in 30% new French oak.
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2013 Mason Cellars Merlot 60 North 81 Points
USA, California
Medium ruby color. Kind of like baked fruit on the nose, like a strawberry tart and raspberry donut jam, mix in some coffee grounds, toasted nuts, sweet cola. Light tannins, tart acid, the red fruit is simultaneously tart band slightly cooked down, like crunchy red currants mixed with raspberry and strawberry jam. Some notes of charcoal, coffee grounds, toasted barrel notes. Tastes pleasant, but nothing serious. Includes 6% Petite Verdot, 6% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Sirah.
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2009 Baker Lane Syrah Estate Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Dark ruby colored. I love the aromatics here: the tart blueberry and black cherry fruit is intertwined with cracked pepper, red sprinkle pepper, barbecue spice rub and grilled steak smells. Medium-bodied, moderate tannins and acid balance each other out nicely. The fruit is tangy but fully ripe (blackberries, blueberries, black cherries), again those elements come out on the palate and take center stage: black pepper, beef jerky, spice rub and crispy bacon. The fruit is pure Sonoma Coast goodness, but this could be mistaken for a Northern Rhone Syrah. Long finish with notes of coffee and iron. Complex, delicious, beautiful stuff. 13.6% alcohol, this is co-fermented with 4% Viognier and aged 17 months in 20% new barrels.
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2012 KITÁ Syrah Camp 4 Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Light purple color. Vibrant and bold on the nose. I get black cherries, currant jam, menthol, sweet cedar, violets, black pepper. Rich texture, medium-low acid, fleshy but quite firm tannins. Black currants, black cherries, some plum fruit, mixed together with menthol, eucalyptus, cedar, cherry cola, roasted coffee, black pepper. Chewy and long on the finish. Delicious, no doubt, but quite bold, perhaps it could use some time. Rich but the wine maintains this element of mystique that I find really attractive. All Syrah, aged 18 months in 30% new French oak.
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2012 Dashe Cellars The Comet Alexander Valley 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Vibrant purple color. Needs time to open up and show darker, sweeter fruit (black cherries, plums), some sweet herbal notes, herbal liqueur, toast, vanilla. Full and chewy on the palate, moderate-low acid, firm and dry tannins. Rich plum cake, black cherry cola, baked figs mixed with loamy, tilled soil notes. Add some sweet oak, vanilla and ginger snap flavors. Full, big, deep stuff, lots of body, but showing complex coffee, graphite, iron and forest floor notes. Sweet and toasty, firm drying finish. Definitely could use some time to unwind, but delicious. 67% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah and 8% Carignane. 14.1% alcohol, aged 18 months in 15% new French oak.
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2010 Baker Lane Syrah Estate Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Medium-dark ruby colored. Smells of black and red currants, some tart blueberries, more violets but also some subtle pepper and spice elements. Juicy and ripe with grippy tannins and medium acid. Jammy but smooth on the fruit (blackberries, blueberries and dark currants). I really like the accents of cracked pepper, red pepper, soy glaze and bacon fat. Juicy, forward fruit but love the spicy complexity of this wine. Hints of mineral, coffee and iron as well. Plenty of time to let those complexities evolve, the wine has a lot of stuffing. 13% alcohol, this is co-fermented with 4% Viognier and aged 17 months in 20% new barrels.
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2013 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Alexander Valley 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Juicy purple color. Smells of sweet berries (black, red, blue), but also spicy and herbal notes (pepper, ginger?). Full but not hot with chewy tannins and some moderate acid to keep it clean. Boldly fruity, dark and rich with lots of loamy and earthy accents. Coffee, sweet cola and clove last long on the finish. A powerful wine, but also showing some restraint.
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2012 Baker Lane Syrah Sonoma Coast Cuvée 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Dark ruby. Lush and exotic on the nose, the blackberry and dark plum fruit mixes with violets, rose potpourri, bay leaf, cracked pepper and roasted coffee. Firm tannins, moderate acid, the wine is big but balanced and could be elegant with time in the cellar. Tart blueberries, black cherries and blackberries, the fruit is dusted with all sorts of spices (black pepper, dried red pepper, oregano, soy sauce). Notes of loam, violets, iron and roasted coffee as well. Tons of stuff going on here, but this needs two to four years to show its true potential. 2% Viognier in here, this spends 17 months in 10% new oak.
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2013 Smashberry 87 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Vibrant red ruby colored. Vibrant, full of dark cherries, summer plums, some raspberry and blackberry jam as well, sweeter floral tones and baking spices Full but juicy, the dry tannins balance out the ripe black and red berry fruit, some jammy and rhubarb pie elements. A real sense of dark coffee, chicory and clove, the wine also shows a floral and nutty streak as well. Quite concentrated, hints of freshness underneath. It will open up over the next year or two. Impressive stuff for a $15 Central Coast red blend. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Franc.
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2012 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Florence Vineyard 89 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
Medium ruby colored. Vibrant juicy strawberries, red cherries and currants, even some red apple peel, a spicy and rich approach with notes of sweet cola, pipe tobacco and fig paste. Full-bodied but juicy, even tangy. Moderate tannins but the wine is accessible right out of the bottle. Sweet plums, raspberry and currant jams, some notes of coffee, roses and sweet green herbs. Bold but showing underlying elegance. Long finish, actually ends clean with some freshness. Approachable now, a definitely yummy wine but showing complexity and a bright personality.
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2012 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Old Vines Todd Brothers Ranch 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Dark ruby color. Dense aromas at first, but it opens up and blueberries, blackberries and roasted fig come out, backed up by violets and potting soil, some underlying pepper and clove. Full-bodied, study tannic structure but the edges are smoothed out nicely, medium-low acid. Juicy-jammy black fruit, it also has quite a saucy element to it. I get notes of black pepper, soy, roasted figs and anise, coffee but it’s woven in well to the overall package. Bold at first but it gets elegant quickly. I’d actually like to bury this for two-to-four years. Includes a 2% shot of Petite Sirah, the wine is aged in one-year-old French oak.
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2012 J. McClelland Charbono 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Dark ruby color. Deep and saucy on the nose: black cherries and dark plums, blackberries, notes of spiced coffee, black pepper, barbecue glaze, sweet violets. Medium-full bodied, dry-firm tannins, medium-low acid. Deep and chewy black fruits, hints of blueberry, a full and forward wine with smoky charcoal notes, black pepper, toasted oak and dark chocolate. Long and rich with lots of complex spice, coffee and roasted herb notes. Could definitely use some time or air, but a really exciting and gutsy wine.
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