by Tom Hill

A self-admitted wine geek, Tom lives in Northern New Mexico and works as a computational physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory doing numerical neutron transport & large scale code development. He has been tasting wines since 1971, participates locally with a couple of large tasting groups in his area, and is practically a fixture at most California wine festivals, such as the Hospice du Rhône, Rhône Rangers, and ZAP. Other interests: Tom is heavily into competitive sport fencing (foil & epee), biking, cooking, basketball, skiing, backpacking, mountain climbing.

 
1. Babcock Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2000: Med.dark color; fragrant cherry/black cherry/ Pinot some toasty/Fr.oak nose; med.light smooth light Pinot/cherry/bright flavor; med. short light/bright/cherry/Pinot slight earthy light toasty/oak finish w/ light tannins;  verry nice nose but not deliver on the palate.
2. Dehlinger Russian River Valley Gold Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 1999: Med.color; beautiful/fragrant/ perfumed bright cherry/black cherry/Pinot bit earthy/Burgundian nose; tart lovely bright/ cherry/black cherry/spicy some pencilly/Fr.oak flavor; very long/lingering light pencilly/ Fr.oaked bright cherry/black cherry/Pinot finish w/ some tannins; needs yr or two or three; lots of Oregon Pinot character, lots of Burgundy character; beautiful Pinot.
3. Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques 1999: Med.dark color; strong black cherry rather earthy/dusty/Oregon-like Pinot light toasty nose; tart bit hard/tannic light black cherry some dusty/earthy light toasty flavor; med. hard/tannic light dusty/earthy light black cherry/Pinot finish; needs a few yrs; lots of fruit for RedBurg; more like an Oregon Pinot. Not worth the $65.60.
4. Frederic Magnien Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1999: Dark color; some earthy/dusty  light black cherry slight floral/fragrant/spicy nose; tart/hard bit lean/metallic light black cherry some earthy/dusty flavor; med. light earthy/dusty light black cherry somewhat hard/metallic finish; needs several yrs. Way overpriced at $108.00.
5. Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes 1999: Dark color; strong cherry/ Burgundian toasty/pencilly bit blackberry almost Syrah/gamey nose; soft bit gamey/Syrah-like bit black cherry/toasty flavor; med. toasty/pungent slight gamey light blackberry/black cherry some earthy finish; bit lacking in structure; interesting Pinot.
6. Torii Mor Yamhill County Pinot Noir Amelia Rose Cuvee 1999: Dark color; rather charred/earthy/ funky (non-corked) bit floral/tarry/minerally weird nose; somewhat lean/hard some floral/ lilac/black cherry some burnt/charred flavor; med.long hard/tannic/lean charred/toasty/ pungent some floral/lilac/black cherry finish w/ fair tannins; needs some age; rather strange/weird non-Pinot-like wine. Not worth $45.00.
7. Michel Ogier Cote-Rotie 1999: Very dark color; beautiful toasty/gamey/roasted strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah charred/espresso complex classic C-R nose; big/mouthfilling roasted/espresso/pungent rather blackberry/Syrah/green olive bit dusty flavor; very long intense roasted/espresso/gamey/toasty/pungent very spicy blackberry/Syrah finish w/ fair tannins; a beautiful classic C-R; this wine has it all, lots of roasted/espresso character and plenty of Syrah fruit. Fairly priced at $49.50.
8. A. Clape Cornas 1999: Black color; intense charred/toasty/oaked/coffee blackberry/Syrah  slight volatile/aromatic lots of fruit nose; rich toasty/pungent/charred/oaked rather strong blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry tart/structured flavor; very long tannic/tart strong toasty/pungent/charred strong blackberry/Syrah finish w/ ample tannins; lots of charred oak and reminded me a bit of a Calif Syrah in an ersatz/Rhone style; lots of Syrah fruit for a Cornas; terrific wine.
9. Pride Mountain Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 1999: Very dark color; intense Cab/blackcurranty  some smokey/toasty/Fr.oaked chocolaty perfumed talc nose; rich/intense chocolaty/blackcurranty/ Cab some toasty/charred/pungent/oaked slight dusty flavor; very long intense chocolaty/ blackcurranty/Cab rather charred/toasty/oak finish w/ ample tannins; a classic rich Calif Cab that should age well for 10 yrs or so.
10. Domaine de la Janasse CdP Chaupin 1999: Med.dark color; rather closed some toasty/pungent/ smokey slight minty/menthol/oaked bit herbal nose; soft rather herbal/earthy slight  oxidized some toasty/pungent/oaked bit funky flavor; med. funky/earthy some pungent/menthol/ oaked finish w/ some tannins; rather strange not too attractive CdP.
11. Matteo Correggio Roero Nebbiolo Rocche d'Amsej 1997: Very dark color; beautiful menthol/ oaked gamey/floral pungent very fragrant complex nose; tart rich/earthy strong menthol/Fr. oaked very fragrant/floral/lilacs/violets loads of fruit flavor; very long menthol/Fr.oak/ spicy/pungent very floral/perfumed/floral finish w/ fair tannins; needs 2-5 yrs; loads of Nebbiolo fruit w/ strong dose of menthol/oak; very international in style. Bit pricey for a Roero but worth it.
12. Giovanni Manzone Barolo LeGramolere 1996: Very dark color; somewhat funky/strange strong minerally/metallic rather pungent/dusty/earthy light floral nose; hard/tannic funky/ earthy/minerally/dusty weak floral/fruit/Nebbiolo flavor; long hard/tannic funky/minerally light floral/lilacs/Nebbiolo finish w/ ample tannins; rather strange but interesting Barolo; may be a good one w/ age.

And then a few dessert wines to again celebrate Howard's birthday:

1. Phelps Delice du Semillon (SaH:38Brix; RS:14.8%; 13.4%) 1993: Deep golden color; slight volatile very intense botrytis/Semillon very fragrant/orangey some toasty/oak complex/ Sauternes nose; very sweet soft beautiful/orangey/figgy/Semillon peachy/apricotty/ botrytis some toasty/pungent/Fr.oak complex flavor; very long/lingering botrytis/peachy/ apricotty toasty/oak complex finish; dead ringer for a great Sauternes like a Sudiraut. Killer dessert wine.
2. Kracher Welsch Riesling TBA#1 (11%) Zwischen der Seen 1995: Med.gold color; very intense loads of pineapply/R/fruit figgy little botrytis slight volatile very perfumed nose; very very sweet pineapply/R/figgy bit simple loads of grapey/fruit flavor; very long very sweet loads of figgy/pineapply fruit finish; loads of sugar & loads of fruit but a bit simple now; should develop w/ age.

TomHill

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