The sun was already beginning to set when I walked into Parker Wine Cellars this evening, as you can see from the overexposed photo of the featured wines. I'll have to either get there earlier (a good goal) or try a different angle next week.
Tonight's wines come out of the Pine Ridge vineyard with the Forefront label. All three were notable, in my opinion. Jeff, of course, says it best, and this time I printed out the newsletter and had it up on the counter while I tasted each wine because I wanted to see if I could identify the notes -- I could, too! My palate is untrained except for "like" and "don't like," but looking at the description and then swirling the wine around and kind of listening with my taste buds allowed me to appreciate the complexity of each wine.
2008 SAUVIGNON BLANC~~ A nice little surprise white that can please just about any wine lover. The fruit for this offering was sourced in two regions: 67 percent came from Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley, the balance from Napa County. This wine was fermented in stainless steel and never saw any oak before seeing the bottle. A bright offering with a nose of citrus, melon and hints of grass are present and really shine. The palate of this wine is loaded with a remarkable array of stunning fresh fruit flavors that really show up for the party. Tangerine, nectarine, honeydew, gooseberry and a hint of lemon all seem to work together that finishes in a balance of wonderful fruit and subtle acidity. (MY NOTES: I could definitely identify the citrus and melon flavors -- this is a nice dry white wine that would work well for a lot of meals or just as a refreshing drink. I'm starting to appreciate white wine more than I used to.)
2008 WILLIAMETTE VALLEY PINOT NOIR~~ A real head turner showing off what Oregon probably does best. Using fruit mostly out of the Dundee Hills, this up and comer acts like it's been doing this for a while. Seeing oak for 10 months helps this wine establish a nose of wild strawberry, hints of clay, mushroom and rhubarb that are the most prominent aromas of this young Pinot Noir. The middle palate of this wine is loaded with lean, dry fruit flavors, and bright red fruit flavors dominate -- cherry, raspberry and cranberry lead the charge. A host of mineral notes, as well as sour cherry, graphite, earth and cola, emerge on the impressively lengthy finish that makes you feel like you've found a new favorite. (MY NOTES: Yes, I definitely tasted the sour cherry, and the earthy flavor gave the wine a depth that I don't usually expect in a pinot noir. Very good wine.)
2007 CABERNET SAUVIGNON~~ This Big Boy is made predominately from fruit sourced in Napa (87 percent), with the balance coming form El Dorado (10 percent) and San Luis Obispo Counties (3 percent). In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon (78 percent), Syrah (13 percent), Merlot (5 percent), Petit Verdot (2 percent), Cabernet Franc (1 percent) and Malbec (1 percent) are also blended in to put California Cabernet in its proper perspective. Seeing 15 months in French oak really rounds out the style and grace of a young wine that is drinking well now, but might even get better for another 5 years or so. The blending of multiple varieties and appellations gives this bottling tremendous complexity. Syrah was included in the blend to deliver a modern profile for this wine, lending a luscious fruit-forward character that is a soft counterpoint to the Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa. Tobacco, leather, and dark, brooding fruit notes lead the nose of this dark purple sampling that would make Bacchus proud.. They're balanced by an underlying layer of brighter red fruits including baked blackberries, black raspberries, dark plum and some subtler rich berry fruit flavors that are all part of the persistent palate of this wine. Chicory, espresso, earth and black pepper comprise the finish, which lingers for what seems like minutes. This wine has firm but yielding tannins and good acidity that shows a balance of pure pleasure and stealthy strength. (MY NOTES: "Fruit-forward" is a good description for this wine, but it's not overpowering, just present and satisfying. I bought a bottle, intending to let it age awhile, but Jeff assured me that for $20 I may as well enjoy it now, which I'm sure I will shortly!)
Making fine wine is part luck, part chemistry, and many parts love of the craft. When the end result is as good as what I tried tonight, the process is definitely worth it.
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