Pizzaioli 01/12/10 tasting: California Classic Varietals
Provenance 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Rutherford: $ 15.00
Bright and lively, our 2007 Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc shows a mélange of lemon, peach, tropical fruit and grapefruit notes. Elusive hints of mineral and wildflower—enticing signatures of the Sauvignon Blanc grape—mingle with the fruity aromas and flavors. The creamy texture and lemony custard finish come from hand stirring during sur lie (on the yeast) aging.
La Crema 2007 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast: $ 15.00
WA 90pts. – It exhibits plenty of tropical fruit and honeysuckle along with a touch of spice, full-bodied, rich flavors, and a subtle note of oak. This wine was 100% barrel-fermented and was put through 100% malolactic fermentation, but the oak is kept in the background. – Bursts with enticing aromas of citrus, floral notes, butterscotch, lemon peel and a slight spicy quality. In the mouth, flavors of citrus, pear and honeysuckle combine with subtle toast and caramel, adding richness and texture to the long, lingering finish.
Husch 2007 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley: $ 22.00
Winemaker Notes – The 2007 Pinot Noir shows aromas of Bing cherry, black raspberry, molasses, flint, dried herbs and rhubarb. Cherry, dried herbs, tobacco and pencil shaving mingle on the palate. Focused bright acidity highlights the cooler growing season and frames the silky texture of this vintage.
Freemark Abbey 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley: $ 27.00
According to Robert Parker: The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (a blend from various sites) is a soft, sexy combination of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. A big, sweet nose of Asian spices, smoky oak, and plenty of black and red fruits, are followed by a lush, round, generously constituted wine with medium to full body, decent acidity, and velvety tannins. Enjoy it over the next 8-10 years.
Cambria 2006 Syrah Santa Maria Valley Tepusquet Vineyards: $ 15.00
Syrah: One of the few grapes to really be a global success. Syrah combines a meaty core of ripe berry fruit with tones that range from herbal to peppery in a package that tends to be medium bodied with good acidity and softer tannins. With age the wines can gain lovely leathery and black olive notes that make them a great match for savory and gamy dishes. The Tepusquet Vineyard Syrah, typical of its cool-climate origins, is deep, rich, earthy, spicy and peppery..
Buehler 2008 Zinfandel Napa Valley: $ 16.00
Dry-farmed for over a decade, our 4.5 acre estate block consists of mature thirty-six year old vines which typically give us around 3.0 tons/acre of beautiful hillside zinfandel fruit. Interspersed among the head-trained vines are a handful of Petite Sirah vines representing perhaps 5% of the total vines in this block. A traditional field companion to Zinfandel in pre-prohibition California vineyards, Petite Sirah contributes pepper, color, and tannin structure to the wine.is a very pretty, refined wine with a perfumed inner sweetness in its dark fruit, spices and herbs.
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