The good, the bad and the meh, of late.

 I had some interesting wines lately, all in the very affordable range and with varying levels of success and failure. 

One I got from the Oxbow Wine Merchant. It's a delicious Rhone wine from a sub-region I was before this, unfamiliar with. I didn't get many specific notes as it was enjoyed with a meal, but it's loaded with freshness and vibrancy with lots of red and some black berry fruit, well balanced and extremely food-friendly. If you see this out anywhere, I highly recommend it. 

My local grocery store (chain) had some clearance wines, so I thought, why not? One that rather surprised me some, was Juggernaut. Given the name and the label, I went in with expectations that it would be a big, loud CA Chard loaded with ML and oak influence. It was pleasantly neither of those and rather a fair sipper. It isn't without manipulation, but it's not over the top in my estimation. It's a good value for an everyday quaffable Chard. 

Another clearance Chard wasn't misleading per se, but ended up falling flat for me. The Acid Trip, coming from cooler CA regions seemed like something that I'd enjoy with higher acid, perhaps more moderate alcohol and a leaner profile. It ended up seeming too manipulated to me. Just a guess, but it seemed like they perhaps ended up picking riper and watered it down, then re-acidulating. It just wasn't cohesive or balanced. The flavors seemed disconnected, so it for me, was meh. This unfortunately will be best used for marinating or deglazing. 

Finally, a wine that isn't in the everyday drinker price point (for most), but offers a really nice experience. Remoissenet is always a quality producer for me and this wine should satisfy the Burgundy fan and CA Pinot drinker alike. It is in a riper, bit more oaky "new World" style, but not overly heavy. It's luscious, fruity and very tasty with well balanced oak use and good acidity throughout. If you see this one, I do highly recommend it. I have already gone back for more. 

A flight of Trois Noix

 

This project was started in 2013 by Jaime Araujo, scion of Daphne and Bart who purchased the famed Eisele Vineyard in 1990 and partner in Accendo Cellars following the sale of Eisele to Pinault in 2013. It is built around wines with a focus more akin to her decades in Europe, "with the goal of making fresh and precise wines of time and place." 

They are crafted with native yeast, little to no new oak and picked for freshness and vibrancy with lower ABV. For me, they all show varietal precision and purity. For the newer wine drinker, they also offer tremendous relative value for Napa Valley wines. 

2023 Rosé of Pinot Noir- Crisp and fresh with flavors of red apple, cranberry and red currant. It's a dry expression with plenty of lift and juiciness. Loads of freshness, due to its "traditional" style of being intentional rosé.

2022 Chardonnay- From the Muir Hanna Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District. No malolactic fermentation whatsoever and neutral oak (if one single new barrel in a vintage). This is a crunchy and fresh expression of Chardonnay with no manipulation at all. Golden and green apple, Bartlett pear with a touch of persimmon flavor. It has mouth-watering acidity and is lively, perfect for a range of food. Fans of flinty Chablis will enjoy this style.

     *This was a vineyard source for fruit that Chateau Montelena used in their Judgement of Paris-winning Chardonnay, along with Bacigalupi. 

2023 Sauvignon Blanc- This is about 2/3 Musque clone, so it definitely speaks more to my style of a tropical, lush and less pithy/cat pee expression of SB. Nose of papaya, gooseberry and zested Buddah hand. On the palate, it's luscious and tropical with great acid. Lovely texture. Loads of green pear, passionfruit, lime zest, lemon and a touch of lychee. It has persistent acidity keeping it fresh from start to a lingering finish. 

2021 Merlot- A red-fruited expression with aromas of currant, red an black cherry with hints of mint and basil. On the palate, it's crisp and high-toned. Red fruits lead with some black cherry and barely ripe boysenberry. It's very dry with good minerality, all kept light with good acidity. There is a slight touch of herb without being "stemmy."

2022 Merlot- Similar in tone and style, but in a more round, slightly more luscious expression exhibiting more ripeness in its fruit and vivacity. 

2021 Rancho Pequeño Cabernet Sauvignon- It's always fascinating to taste Cabernet, pure and simple. No extraction or influence of oak at all, just the grape itself. Loads of fresh currant and cassis with a touch of blackberry and boysenberry. It has wonderful freshness and purity that is brighter leaning, even somehow on the darker fruit tones. No leafy or stemminess here at all, but sits "just ripe" retaining verve and backbone. Fans of stainless or amphora-aged wines will enjoy this style and I submit, anyone who likes food with wine vs wine-in-place-of-food, will find pleasure here. 

The wines of R.A. Harrison

 I just sent my client list an offer on Roger's wines, so thought I'd share my impressions of the current lineup here as well.

Roger Harrison spent 32 years at Beringer, at which he learned to craft the special botrytized wine direct from the Nightingales. If you have enjoyed this dessert wine from Beringer since the 90s and others, then you have sampled Roger's craft.

Upon retiring from Beringer, he began his own label, with an initial focus on this late harvest and botrytis winemaking, which I would stack up against any of your favorite Barsac or Sauternes. He now offers a range of great dry wines named Zosia, after his granddaughter, that I know will bring you great pleasure.

2023 Zosia Sauvignon Blanc- Cool fermented in stainless steel for crispness, then finished in neutral oak for added texture. Think Bordeaux Blanc. Aromas of apple, pear, lime zest and ginger candy. Rich texture without being heavy. Peach, oragne zest, pear and green apple flavors. It's crisp and luscious. 

2021 Cabernet Franc (Coombsville)- In a riper Chinon style. A purple, floral nose with a touch of star anise, cassis, plum and clove. It's dark on the palate and nicely ripe without being flabby. Flavors of black currant, plum and blueberry along with black cherry and a licorice note. Wonderfully ripe with good balance and lively acidity.

2021 Sonoma Red- A red fruited nose with hints of mint, cedar and sandalwood. A touch stemmy with some green herbs and more tart, just-ripening fruit. It's a lighter wine on the palate, dominated by red fruit. Easy drinking and very food friendly. 

2021 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon- A nose of pure cassis along with some pine needle and turned earth. Some black cherry meets the cassis on the palate. This wine has nice focus and polished, though grippy tannins. It exhibits an interesting resinous quality. Well balanced.

2021 Kotka's Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon- This has a more reserved nose at the moment with oak spice and a mossy underpinning. Some black cherry, currant and plum. It has a very polished texture and tannin balance, with herb-tinged black and purple fruit. Youthful, drying tannins, so best with food or extended cellaring. 

2021 Petit Verdot (Rutherford)- The nose is cherry and 5-spice. Some plum with loads of clove and cinnamon. Hints of graphite. On the palate a lot of red and black cherry and berry with nice acid and moderate tannin. Mellow spice throughout. It has nicely interwoven minerality, ginger, clove and baking spice. I don't generally enjoy PV on its own, but this one, I quite enjoyed. 

Late Harvest Semillon- Candied orange peel, ginger, apricot, citrus and lemongrass on the nose with a touch of hazelnut. Rich texture with moderate acidity,. Flavors of wildflower honey, beeswax, apricot brandy, lemon curd and candied ginger. Very nice. 

2014 Nobility- This is his botrytized wine of 50/50 Sauv Blanc and Semillon in the Sauternes style. This one had a fairly oxidative nose. Aromas of sultana and oak spice. Loads of dried apricot and candied orange peel along with hints of lemongrass, toffee, honey. Good balance of acid to mitigate the sweetness.