Tasting on 5-30-08

Present were Uncle-E, Piroca, Jimmy and Uncle-N (who stayed barely long enough to taste all three wines). All the wines are blind-tasted as usual. Winepath was still absent on vacation.

1. Mara Dolinsek Zinfandel 2004, score=2+

The nose is very fragrant with black cherry, raspberry and hint of chocolate. The palate is also fruit loaded with mixed red (raspberry, cherry) ad black fruits (blackberry, blueberry). The finish has some acidic, lemony, citrusy kick. Tannin is good but not assertive. Overall, this is a good wine. The tasters did not have a clue as to what varietal this is. Cali cab, South American (Chilean or Argentinean) red blends (may be Cab + Malbec) were suggested. This happens to be 100% Zinfnadel from Russian valley. According to the winery; “The vines from this Old Vine Russian River Valley vineyard are maintained with the emphasis of low yields and intense fruit…As always a very small amount of cases are produced from an average of less than 1/2 ton per acre. Hand crafted cases are 386”

2. Larkmead Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, Score=3

The color has brown tinge indicating the age. The nose is nice with predominant black fruits scent with slight earthiness. The palate is certainly not a fruit bomb but good fruits and well-integrated tannin and nice long finish with earthy or slightly smoky note. This is a new world wine but very well made and bridges new and old world. Everybody liked this one and suggested Cali cab or Cab-blend.
This is Larkmead Cab 2001! Fairly early in our tasting history, we all were wowed by this one and considered this as our definitive “favorite”. Piroca stored this in his Eurocave during these years and brought it up. I do not say I could recall the taste of this wine precisely when we first tasted it but I thought this was a much more fruits forward wine. Bottle aging may have intergraded fruits in a much more subtle way. We went thorough our cycles of taste changes but this kind of well made wine after some bottle aging is more appreciated at present than say several years ago. Does this mean our palates are getting sophiscated???

3. Kosta Browne syrah 2004, Score=2 ~ 2+

The color is black. It has a black fruits nose with hint of sweaty feet smell (probably indicating malolactic fermentation). On the plate, Wow, this is not the kind of wine Uncle-E should bring. Totally new world! Sugarfied fruits bomb big time. All kinds of fruits coated with sweetness like skittles or assorted lifesavers. Highly extracted. Thick glycerin mouth feel. We say Syrah, either Califronia or Australia.
The wine is made by Kosta Browne (famous for Pinot which we have tasted few examples in the past). The grapes are from Amber ridge Vineyard in Russian valley.