2003 Medici Vineyards Block I, II

2003 Medici Vineyards Block I, II

Some neat leafy notes here that mirror the autumn color of the wine. I like it and kind of don't at the same time. It reminds me of an overly complicated dessert in that there is fruit, but there is also some burnt stuff, some savory, and some weird acid and zingy fruits that make it all taste like kick-ass garbage. This sounds gross. I'm sorry. Its kind of awesome. If they told you the last five minutes of "The Abyss" were going to suck so bad at the start of the movie it would make the movie totally, unapologetically bad. But they didn't. So when it comes on cable at 1:45 am you suffer the whole bloody thing before you scan the room to see if anyone was looking at you cry when Ed Harris types, "we knew this was a one way trip." That is also this wine.

Tasting Tags: ed harris

2005 Cirrus

2005 Cirrus

First off, a lush, inviting color, and waterbed viscosity were a welcome change from the rusty syrah I have been seeing of late from SA. The nose was plummy, peppery, and a bit like squashed pennies on the railroad tracks; lots of ferrous minerals. The tannins were velvet and smooth, a pretty muscular wine, really. It is only in the persistent iron and minerals that one gets a sense that this wine might not be from the US or Australia. A sense of place is hard to grab in this bottle, but who cares. The wine has richness, fluid, silky tannin, a warm mouth feel, and enough junk in its trunk to stand up to bold flavors in food, or loud mouth dudes that "only drink red wine." It is red. It is 14% alcohol. It might get you laid. How's that?

Tasting Tags: hummer-driver iron plums

2005 Andrew Rich Pinot Noir Cuvée B

2005 Andrew Rich Pinot Noir Cuvée B

Grapes (I know), leather, and sage leaves. Can I be more straightforward? It's bloody delicious. I like this wine very much with a distinct chill on it. It is refreshing and breezy in that fall afternoon way. In that crisp, cold, leafy, autumnal way that exists for but a fleeting moment in pictures and memories. How sappy! Sappy, but true. A well balanced wine that makes me ache for charcuterie and a warm baguette for an early supper.

2005 Boedecker Cellars Pappas Wine Co. Pinot Noir

2005 Boedecker Cellars Pappas Wine Co. Pinot Noir

Has anyone heard of this stuff? I hadn't. Man, what a pleasant surprise. Some gamey notes and some pine/ juniper on the nose are so mildly integrated in this stew of cherries, cranberries and white plums, I had to scratch my head to figure it out. It reminded me of summers in northern Idaho. Its hot, but the scent of pine, barbecue and fresh water pervade. Fresh, deep and rich, this is a wine that will become somewhat of a household name real fast. At least at my house.

2005 Raptor Ridge Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir

2005 Raptor Ridge Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir

I tried this recently in the .375 format which was nice, if a bit warm for serving temp. I so love the 1/2 bottle. Of course it does alter the aging process a bit, but for this vintage it might be a bit much to quibble. The wine was very full, smoky and jammy. Not in that shrub fruit zinfandel way, but more of a concentrated fresh tree fruit way. The spices were mild but present in a cinnamon & nutmeg sense, not cloying. The fruit was ripe. Red apple skins, mulled cherries, sage and roasted meats lingering. Man, I'd love this wine with my Thanksgiving dinner.

2004 The cat bottle

2004 The cat bottle

I am equally surprised at how bad AND good this wine is. It is only a 500ml bottle and if it contained even one more ml I would probably acquire type 2 diabetes from the overwhelmingly dominating sugar content. This is more a feast of Halloween over-indulgence (sweet tarts, razzles, smarties, skittles, sour patch kids, spree (the chewy ones), and gummi animals of all shapes and sizes) than a potable beverage. Yet...I cannot reasonably stop myself. It is enchanted with some ancient magic; Some element has been thrust upon my senses and I am unable to resist its guile and capital charms. A foul temptress. The siren at the rocky shoals. Funnel cakes. All of the evil black holes at their confluence; Here. In this cat shaped bottle. Of alleged riesling. I've said too much.

Tasting Tags: cat pink