27 February 2008

Big California Reds: The Report

NB: Reviews employ Broadbent 5-star scoring system.

2006 Folie A Deux Menage a Trois
This is 60 percent zin, 20 percent Cab Sauv, 20 percent Merlot. Dark wine right to the rim. Limpid, almost too-soft mouthfeel - the Cab helps prevent it being flabby - with sweet cherry flavors and aroma first. Then a nice lusciousness, lighter than most Zins. Decent structure, some Cab elements sticking through, Merlot adds body. More, tons of, berries and some cassis on a pleasant if not dramatic finish. Nice, easy-drinking red, about 14 percent alcohol. Nothing dramatic or special, but if you like Zins but don’t like that heavy Zin aftertaste or high alcohols, this could be for you. Good with grilled meat, could even handle bĂ©arnaise or the like on meat, excellent hamburger wine. $11 in state stores. Big hit with the customers, several asked where to get it. *** (of its type)

2004 Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Alto Vineyards
Sangiovese. 13.9 alcohol. I had low expectations here ($9 at state stores and they won’t sell it in the specialty shops, only in the neighborhoods, so one wonders what they are hiding ...) but was delightfully surprised. More raisiny and racy than any Chianti, also lacked heaviness and bitterness of low-level Tuscan reds. Pale color, almost Pinot Noir-pale. Pleasant aroma. Earthy, hearty initial flavor, some raisiny fruit mid-palate, a hint of depth, some oak but not bad, refreshing, clear-the-palate finish. Maybe a touch baked overall. But for the price, not at all bad. Good with old-fashioned red-sauce Italian dishes, or Meditteranean foods. We served with broiled portobellos topped with mozzarella and red pepper. Customers enjoyed it but few remarks **1/2

2005 Edna Valley Syrah Paragon Vineyard
Paragon of everything I dislike in California wines, that is. Too hot (14.9 percent), rampant vanilla, strawberry and raspberry, oak assault, deadening to the palate, even smelled too heavy. Then add in Syrah’s natural aggressiveness to the winemaking style and the result was, well, a leaden fruit bomb. “Wine as cocktail”; I deliberately did not serve food with this one. One customer called it a “flat wine” and had me POUR OUT their glass (!); flat, dull, too heavy were other words I heard. Some customers liked it, but most did not. I left some in a glass and came back to it an hour later - now just harshly boozy and oaky. Yuck. $15 in state stores. 1/2*

2000 Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Actually more like a Bordeaux blend, 78 Cab Sauv (Calif wine law allows use of varietal name if wine is 75 percent or more that grape), 13 merlot, 7 Cab Franc, 2 Malbec. The most divisive wine of the night. Some raves, some pans, everything in between. Wonderful spicy and floral aroma, easily the best aroma of the night, got better with air (lots of swirling). Decanted 80 minutes before serving and served at old-fashioned room temp (P&P heater on last legs). Of course no Bordeaux earthiness and none of that magic aroma and flavor of a Left Bank wine, but nice cassis and fruit, flowery fragrance, rich and deep mid-palate with nice structure (classy winemaking shows) and some tobacco (not enough for me) but a bit lumpy on the finish, odd aftertaste to me, strange. Then another sip or two, again, lovely at first, less so on finish. Left some in glass 2 hours, not all that much different. There may have been bottle variation here as some people adored it and some really violently did not. One customer shrugged their shoulders and said “OK”. Many shocked at pricing. Served with high-grade meatloaf; we thought about small steaks but too expensive. Good wine, but somehow a tad lacking ... *** 1/2 (just)