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New World Blind Tasting Group $25+
Bin 75
Tasted February 14, 2015 by Rezy13 with 303 views
Flight 1 (12 notes)
Red
2006 Seghesio Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Costiera
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.
Red
2009 Lagier Meredith Syrah
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.
Red
2007 Penfolds Pinot Noir Cellar Reserve
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.
Red
2009 Elyse Zinfandel Morisoli Vineyard
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.
Red
2008 Jeff Cohn Cellars Petite Sirah Sweetwater Springs
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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Red
2009 Goosecross Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon State Lane Vineyard
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.
Red
2010 Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah
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.
Red
2002 Clarendon Hills Syrah Moritz
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.
Red
2005 Luna Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
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.
Red - Fortified
2006 Shelton Vineyards Cabernet Franc Port
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.
Red
2009 Lucia Syrah Susan's Hill
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.
Red
2005 Gaetano D'Aquino 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.
Closing
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.