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. Domaine La Remejeanne Les Genevrires Cotes du Rhone-Villages Ouhai et Remy Klein (14%) 2000: Med.color; fragrant some CM/BeaujolaisNoveau some strawberry/Grenache simple nose; tart spicy/ strawberry/Grenache pleasant flavor; med.short strawberry/Grenache CM/Beaujolais/whole-berry finish w/ little tannins; simple uninspiring Beaujolais quaffer.
2. La Cabotte Cotes du Rhone-Villages M.P.Plumet (13%) 2000: Light color; slight dishwater/earthy/ rustic little fruit nose; soft/fat/flat rather earthy/rustic little fruit dull flavor; short weak strawberry somewhat earthy flat finish; dull but at least not unpleasant.
3. Ch. La Canorgue Cotes du Luberon (12.5%) EARL J.P. et M.Margen; 1999: Med.color; earthy/dusty bit smokey/Rhonish slight roasted nose; tart bit metallic/thin some Grenache/strawberry rather earthy/rustic flavor; med. earthy/rustic slight smokey finish w/ little tannins; rather dull & ordinary.
4. Ch. La Canorgue Cotes du Luberon (13%; Syrah/Grenache) Vendanges de Nathalie 2000: Med.dark color; deeper more roasted/pungent/toasty/oak Rhonish some blackberry/Syrah nose; rather pungent/toasty/newFr.oak light blackberry/Syrah some Rhonish flavor; med.long pungent/smokey/ toasty/oak some blackberry/Syrah finish w/ light tannins; the oak sure perks this wine up but still pretty underwhelming.
5. Andrew Murray Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley Grenache (EG; 13.9%) 2000: Med.color; strong Grenache/strawberry quite volatile/acetic/hot/fumey grapey nose; hot/fumey/volatile strong Grenache/strawberry flavor; med.long hot/fumey strong strawberry/Grenache finish w/ some tannins; good Grenache fruit but badly marred by a raging volatility.
6. The Fifteen Grenache Vin de Pays de Pyrennes Orientales (15%) 1999: Med.dark color; pungent bit smokey some dusty Grenache/strawberry bit perfumed talc interesting nose; soft/fat some pungent/smokey rather big/strawberry/Grenache lots of fruit flavor; med.long big/pungent/ smokey strong Grenache/strawberry finish w/ some tannins; lots of Grenache character but rather overpriced at $32.00.
7. Robyn & Ross Trimboli hazyblur South Australia Baroota Shiraz (15%) 2000: Very dark color; intense vanilla/Am.oaked intense blackberry/Syrah/licorice/peppery classiv intense Oz/Shiraz nose;  soft big/rich/pungent very licorice/blackberry/Syrah intense vanilla/oak some peppery flavor; very long bit hot/fumey intense licorice/blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah loads of Am.oak finish w/ some tannins; needs several yrs; loads of fruit & Am.oak; classic Oz Shiraz; good value at $28.35 
8. Tyrell's Wines Rufus Stone McLaren Vale SA Shiraz (13.5%) 1997: Dark color; very strong blackberry/ boysenberry/Syrah some vanilla/oak nose; tart ripe/lush loads of boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah some vanilla/bourbon flavor; med.long ripe loads of boysenberry/Syrah/fruit some vanilla/oak finish w/ some tannins; not as interesting as #7 but a classic Oz fruit bomb w/ good structure.
9. Henry's Drive Padthaway Shiraz Longbottom Family Vineyard (14.5%) 2000: Very dark color; light minty/ menthol/eucalyptus some licorice/boysenberry/Syrah slight pungent nose; rich blackberry/licorice/ Syrah/boysenberry/jammy light vanilla/menthol/oak flavor; long intense boysenberry/blackberry/ Syrah some menthol/eucalyptus finish w/ some tannins; classic/terrific Oz Shiraz at a very good price. $25.00
10. Henry's Drive Padthaway Shiraz Longbottom Family Vineyard (14.5%) 1999: Near black color; more complex/pungent intense blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/licorice some toasty/smokey/oak nose; rich menthol/toasty/oak Dr.Pepper/black cherry/blackberry/cherry cola/boysenberry/Syrah complex fairly tannic flavor; very long tannic black cherry cola/blackberry/Syrah some toasty/oak finish w/ fair tannins; needs 2-5 yrs; bigger more interesting but bit pricey at $41.50.
11. Longoria Santa Barbara County Syrah Reserve (TW) 1999: Med.dark color; rather toasty/pungent/ RedBurg/oak some blackberry/Syrah some complex nose; very tart/lean toasty/pencilly/Fr.oak  light blackberry/Syrah bit herbal flavor; med. toasty/pencilly/oak RedBurg light blackberry/ finish w/ light tannins; interesting nose; tastes like a Syrah made by a Pinot producer.
12. Serenindad Shenandoah Valley of Calif Syrah (14.1%) 1999: Very dark near black color; very intense minty/menthol intense taosty/charred/Fr.oak strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/Dr.Pepper/cola exotic/complex flavor; soft/huge/rich very intense minty/menthol very intense toasty/charred/ burnt/Fr.oak coffee/blackberry/boysenberry exotic/bizarre flavor; very long tannic intense charred/Fr.oak/burnt/toasty mocha/blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah finish w/ ample tannins; certainly a wine w/ intensity of everything; very unusual almost bizarre Syrah that I found lots of things to like about; interesting to see how it ages.
13. Sierra Vista 25th Anniversary El Dorado Syrah (EB; 13.5%) 1999: Dark color; very strong blackberry/ Syrah/boysenberry some Fr.oaked slight ElDorado/earthy nose; very tart/lean/hard rather blackberry/ Syrah bit toasty/Fr.oak flavor; med.long hard/tart/acid blueberry/Syrah finish; very attractive but pretty hard & lean on the palate; needs age.
14. Sierra Vista Syrah El Dorado 5*Reserve (EB; 13.0%) 1997: Very dark/black color; beautiful coffee/ espresso/pungent slight funky/bretty/Rhonish strong blackberry/boysenberry bit earthy nose; big/rich earthy blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry rather toasty/espresso/coffee/roasted very Fr.oak/ toasty slight bretty/funky flavor; very long toasty/Fr.oak/pungent rather espresso/coffee/ roasted strong blackberry/Syrah/blueberry some Rhonish finish w/ fair tannins; needs 3-6 yrs of age; John's best Syrah yet but a bit on the pricey side. $60.00
15. Niero-Pinchon Condrieu Coteaux Cheri 1994: Med.gold color; fragrant/floral/aromatic slight perfumed/butterscotchy/nutty light oak complex nose; soft/round/lush spicy very Roussanne-like  floral/perfumed slight nutty flavor; very long/lingering floral/perfumed/hibiscus slight nutty/ oxidized some peachy/Viognier finish; a lovely fully-mature complex Condrieu. Howard&Rhoda's mystery wine.
16. Ch. Cabrieres Chateauneuf du Pape Tete de Cru Prestige 1988: Med.color; older/complex CdP tobaccoy/earthy slight funky/dishwater nose; soft bit dried out/tannic roasted/cigar box/ robaccoy earthy some complex flavor; some interesting things therein but a bit tired & dried out. Howard&Rhoda's mystery wine.

And some dessert wines for a BD Celebration:

1. Stony Hill Napa Valley Semillon de Soleil (13%) 1997: Dark gold color; very intense grapey/Semillon/ figgy raisened complex nose; intense pineapply/grapey/figgy butterscotchy/toasty/toasted coconutty caramel complex nose; quite sweet caramel/butterscotchy/toasty intense grapey/ raisened/figgy some complex flavor; very long quite sweet raisened/figgy/grapey toasty/caramel finish; lovely complex passito wine.Bit pricey at $30.00/hlf.
2. Bodegas Toro Albala Pedro Ximenez GranReserva (17%) 1972: Black color; very intense/complex raisened/pruney/creasote beautiful/intense nose; very sweet fat/soft intense grapey/raisened flavor; very long very intense raisened/toffee/grapey/creasote finish that goes on forever. A steal at $17.30/hlf.

1. Serinidad: Keep your eyes on these folks. I was pretty impressed with this Syrah and their two Cabs. Probably the most exciting new winery started in Amador in a fair number of yrs.

TomHill

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