Fedway Tasting

The Palace, Somerset, NJ
Tasted Wednesday, September 23, 2009 by RajivAyyangar with 815 views

Introduction

A weird clash of crass and class. Example: string quartet playing arrangements of pop songs. Food pretty good, but there was no neutral bread! Whites were all iced, which really, really pissed me off (again, can't blame the pourers). This was a rush job - about 45 minutes total - but I think we identified some good candidates.

Flight 1 - Turnbull Wine Cellars (2 Notes)

  • 2006 Turnbull Old Bull Red 75 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Heavy hand with the oak, but there's a little integration. Full, rich, and a bit hot/sweet.

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  • 2005 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label 76 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Some light olive on the nose showing incomplete flavor ripening. Based on the nose, I was expecting a certain restraint on the palate for this Bdx blend, but it was rich and sweet. This might be some people's cup of tea, but I think you can get this sweetness and oakiness at much lower price points.

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Flight 2 - Flowers Vineyard and Winery (5 Notes)

Some interesting things... not feeling it that much though.

Flight 3 - Clarence Dillon (2 Notes)

A branding venture by the makers of HB. Claim that the winemaking team at HB makes this. Not as impressed as I'd hoped, given that the story would make for a good sell.

Flight 4 - Ridge (3 Notes)

It's Ridge! Paul Draper is legendary, and these wines didn't disappoint. The quality was superb - these easily outclassed the other stuff I tasted, and I don't feel justified in reviewing these wines, as I'm sure I missed a world of nuance in each.

  • 2007 Ridge Lytton Springs

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    Nose: dark red fruit. This is a nose of depth and complexity. P: perfect balance. med body, med/med+ acidity, med tannins. I would like to spend some more time with this. It was too good to be judged under these conditions. At least 85-6pts, probably higher.

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  • 2006 Ridge Chardonnay Monte Bello

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Served shamefully cold. This had great aromas of pear, creamy peach, and burnished wood. In the mouth it dripped satiny elegance, with medium body, superb acidity, and a long finish. Too good to judge under these conditions. At least 88-9, probably 90+

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  • 2005 Ridge Monte Bello

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    An intriguing nose that initially smells of olive/faint IBMP, but has an undercurrant of red raspberry jam. In the mouth it is perfectly balanced (Yay paul draper, or whomever made this!!!). With med+ chalky tannins (not green, but similar... and good). Again, way too good to judge under these conditions. At least 87-8, probably in the mid-90's!!!

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Flight 5 - Honig (4 Notes)

Not impressed.

Flight 6 - Dr. Loosen (5 Notes)

Some good things, especially the Beerenauslese. But a disturbing amount of frizzante. Sure it's nice, but was it intentional or just carelessness? Why does it matter? Because intent matters, and because it interfered with my perception of the flavors/structure. It got quite annoying.

  • 2007 J. L. Wolf Pinot Gris 70 Points

    Germany, Pfalz

    Strong frizzante. off-dry. light. Acid deficient.

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  • 2006 J. L. Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling Kabinett 81 Points

    Germany, Pfalz

    Good petrol note, light sweetness with good malic acid. Lemony.

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  • 2007 Dr. Loosen Riesling Blue Slate Kabinett 75 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Sweet, strong frizzante. Some moscato-like detergent/tropic fruit. Sure the sweetness + frizzante is pleasant when the wine is cold, but the fact that three of the wines are frizzante makes me wonder about the vinification. As a wine, this just doesn't cut it- acid isn't strong enough, flavor isn't intense enough. As a beverage, delightful. As a product, too expensive.

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  • 2007 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese 88 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Notes of citrus, ginger, saffron, and petrol. Light frizzante. Sweetness is balanced by flavorful acidity. The frizzante is just annoying me at this point, though probably if three of the previous four wines hadn't been frizzante, I wouldn't mind it. Nevertheless, this is good stuff.

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  • 2006 Dr. Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese 89 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Immediately a whiff of green tea, with undercurrents of saffron creaminess. This is good, good, good juice. Well-balanced too.

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Flight 7 - Sebastiani (2 Notes)

Not impressed.

  • 2007 The Crusher Viognier Wilson Vineyard

    USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg

    Served frustratingly cold, all I could get on the nose is vague detergent and cheap perfume. In the mouth, a little hollow with some flower flavors, but super, super, super bitter. I'm not sure if this is my palate (I tasted this in a hurry after a quick bite, but I retasted this about 4 times, and it was super-bitter each time. We're talking 50-60 IBU's, perhaps. Yipers. No official score, because of the conditions, but my impressions didn't look good. 50-60.

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  • 2008 The Crusher Petite Sirah 65 Points

    USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg

    Sweet, rich, almost hints of brown sugar. Oak. I'm not impressed. Could be a good example of PS, though.

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Closing

Overall:

The Clarence Dillon Rose (think about it for next summer) and maybe the graves blanc.
Several of Dr. Loosen's stuff - The Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling Kabinett, and the Dr. Loosen Spatlese. The beerenauslese of course.
Ridge- it's a great brand to have. It's a Lauber brand.
Honig: Rutherford Sauv Blanc, maybe the bartolucci cab.
Some of the Flowers stuff.

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