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.

 

California/French Rhones
Tasted last night some Calif/French Rhones:
Alban Vineyard Central Coast Viognier (14.1%) '97: Med.gold color; attractive fragrant floral/pears/peaches some toasty/charred/oak slight minerally; soft ripe lush strong pear/Viognier some peachy toasty/oaked slight earthy/ metallic flavor; very long lush peachy/Viognier/pears slight minerally rather toasty/oaked finish; big soft fat lush classic Calif Viognier (of the Dolly Parton genre) w/ slight minerally character.
Alban Vineyard Edna Valley Alban Estate Vineyard Viognier (14.3%) '97: Med.gold color; strong very perfumed rather minerally lush/pear/Viognier bit earthy/smokey very light toasty/oak nose; tart/lean/hard yet very rich rather minerally very pear/peachy/Viognier light pungent/toasty/oaked bit earthy/complex flavor; very long lingering lush/ripe rather minerally very pear/Viognier light toasty/pungent/oak finish w/ an underlying hard/lean/tart character; lots of minerally/Condrieu character w/ lots of Viognier fruit; terrific Calif Viognier & perhaps John's best Viognier yet.
Cuilleron Les Chaillets Condrieu Vielles Vignes (14%) '94: Med.dark gold color; beautiful complex very aromatic/perfumy very minerally some Kansas hay loft/nutty earthy/dusty slightly oxidized incredible nose; huge rich very lush pear/Viognier complex/nutty bit toasty/oxidized flavor; incredible long lingering very intense/lush pear/Viognier very minerally very complex some nutty/oxidized earthy bit toasty/pungent finish that goes on and on; showing a bit of oxidation but a huge very complex mature Condrieu; tremendous Viognier, everything great Condrieu should be.
Cuilleron La Petite Cote Condrieu (13.5%) '97: Med.dark gold color; very intense perfumed/floral very peachy/pear/Viognier strong minerally very lush aromatic nose; tart very rich very lush fragrant very peachy/pear/Viognier rather minerally/bacon fat very spicy flavor; very long lingering minerally very fragrant pear/peachy/Viognier light toasty/earthy very spicy some tart finish; could use a yr or two age if it develops into something like the '94; incredible classic young Condrieu.
Pride Mountain Vnyd Sonoma County Viognier (13.0%) '97: Med.gold color; lovely floral/peachy/pear/Viognier some spicy light minerally dusty nose; very tart lean very acid light pear/peachy/Viognier bit metallic/ minerally flavor; med.long very tart/acid peachy/pear/Viognier light earthy/ minerally finish; a really lovely Viognier nose but a very shrill/grapefruity character on the palate destroys this wine for me.
Tablas Creek Vnyd Paso Robles White Wine Tablas Blanc (Marsanne, Viognier, Roussanne; 13.5%) '97: Med.gold color; intense fragrant/smokey/toasty very spicy cinammon/apple/apple pie perfumed talc some almondy/nutty/Marsanne nose; soft fat spicy/cinammon/apple pie/candied apples very spicy almondy/ Marsanne flavor; very long soft fat apple pie/candied apple/cinammon perfumed talc finish; a bit on the soft side but a very nicely made very interesting White/Rhone blend.
Horton Vnyds Cotes d'Orange Orange Cnty VA RedWine (Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Viognier; 13.1%) '95: Med.light color; dusty/ smokey/earthy some Rhone-like bit plastic/hybridy nose; tart lean earthy/ pungent/smokey/oaked some plastic/hybridy/metallic flavor; med.short dusty/ earthy/oaked/smokey finish w/ little tannins; bit on eccentric side.
Hanna Alexander Valley Syrah (13.5%) '96: Med.color; very highly volatile/EA/ pickle juice some vegetal no Syrah nose; hot sharp volatile/pickle juice little fruit no Syrah flavor; an ineptly made wine w/ no Syrah character and with no redeeming features.
Ferrari-Carano Alexander Valley Syrah Tre Monte Vnyd (13.7%) '94: Very dark color intense blackberry/Syrah/licorice rather pencilly/oaked Cab-like nose; tart rather strong pencilly/oaked some blackberry/Syrah/licorice rather tannic/ hard flavor; long hard/tannic/rough light blackberry/Syrah/licorice finish w/ lots of pencilly/oak; very much like a big version of their Cab; may develop into something interesting.
Wellington Vnyds Russian River Valley Syrah Alegria Vnyd (13.5%) '96: Dark color; strong blackberry/Zinberry/dusty/earthy rather strong Am.oaked nose; tart bit tannic/lean rather toasty/Am.oaked blackberry/Zinberry dusty/earthy flavor; lean/hard/tannic low fruit light blackberry/Zinberry strong Am.oaked finish w/ ample tannins; very much like the Marietta Zin or OldVineRed in style; sort of rough & rustic.
Young's Vnyd Shenandoah Valley Calif Syrah (14.7%) '96: Dark color; very strong Amador/briary/blackberry/earthy very ripe nose; soft very licorice strong black- berry/briary/brambles rather oaked flavor; long very strong Amador/briary/ blackberry/licorice strong oaked slightly hot/volatile finish w/ ample tannins; needs some age; lots of very ripe Amador/blackberry character; more like Amador Zin then Syrah; good wine for the $14.00.
Alban Vineyards Edna Valley Syrah Alban Estate Reva (13.6%) '96: Black color; bit reduced/ pungent nose that clears to very spicy intense blackberry/blueberry/Syrah some dusty/bacon fat toasty/Fr.oaked/smokey nose; tart very spicy intense blueberry/ blackberry/Syrah dusty smokey/toasty/Fr.oaked slight herbal/complex flavor; very long intense lackberry/ blueberry/ Syrah/herbal lush toasty/Fr.oaked/smokey pungent complex/dusty very spicy some gamey finish w/ ample tannins; needs 3-7 yrs of age; a beautiful intense Syrah w/ lots of toasty Fr.oak but in balance & plenty of fruit to support the oak; terrific stuff at a very good price. $21.00
Alban Vineyard Edna Valley Syrah Alban Estate Lorraine (13.6%) '96: Black color; rather stinky/skunky/reduced nose clears to beautiful very intense blackberry/blueberry/ Syrah strong toasty/charred/Fr.oak some dusty/roasted/espresso/pungent nose; big huge intense blackberry/boysenberry/blueberry/Syrah extracted toasty/charred/ Fr.oaked black cherry cola complex dusty/espresso flavor; very long very intense extracted blueberry/blackberry/Syrah very tannic charred/toasty/Fr.oaked pungent/ espresso dusty/complex finish w/ plenty of tannins; probably a 15-20 yr Syrah; a bit reduced/stinky in the nose but man is this wine packed w/ flavor; a world- class Syrah.
Lewis Syrah (U&U; 14.4%) '96: Black color; bit volatile very intense charred oak/ toasty/pungent blackberry/Syrah/chocolaty/licorice nose; hard tannic very intense toasty/ charred/ pungent/ Fr,oaked/pencilly very extracted blackberry/Syrah bit hot flavor; long very extracted/tannic/hard intense charred/pencilly/Fr.oaked some blackberry/Syrah finish w/ mouth-searing tannins; not a pleasant wine now but one you'd want to see where it goes; tastes like the first Syrah from a big-name Cab producer (which it is); more like their Cab than a Syrah; could perhaps be a great red wine someday.
Sean Thackery Orion Old Vines Calif Native Red Wine (13.9%; mostly Syrah) '96: Black color; very intense minty/menthol/toasty/oaked very intense blackberry/Syrah/ boysenberry dusty complex pungent/smokey nose; big rich intense very complex dusty/ pungent minty/menthol/toasty/Fr.oak intense blackberry/Syrah some gamey/black cherry cola flavor; very long lingering dusty/complex strong minty/menthol/toasty/ oak intense blueberry/Syrah/blackberry some gamey/pungent finish; the characteristic Thackery minty/menthol oak but loads & loads of intense Syrah fruit w/ lots of dusty/old vine character; killer wine.
Chapoutier Le Monier de la Sizeranne Hermitage '89: Med.dark color; strong pungent/ smokey/roasted/ espresso/complex slight musty/bretty nose; tart strawberry/ spicy earthy/ dusty/roasted/ smokey/espresso bit lean/hard flavor; very long tart roasted/pungent/smokey/dusty/earthy light strawberry/spicy finish w/ fair tannins; lots of roasted/Northern Rhone character but drying out a bit; probably near its peak.

And a bloody pulpit in case Bernie is watching:
Calif & French Viognier: I've been very impressed w/ the increase in the quality of the Calif Viogniers over the last few yrs. They are no longer just a "something else but Chardonnay" wine but truly fine wines within their own right (same story on Roussanne, too). As the first Viognier winemakers in Calif sorta thrashed around trying to figure out how to make them, they tended to be on the sorta of soft/fat/mono-chromatic character or too heavily oaked Chardonnay-wannabees. Especially the Viogniers from the SantaBarbara area (Alban; Qupe; Jaffurs; Cold Heaven) are showing more of that complex/ minerally character of Condrieu; lots of richness but a good acidic backbone. And especially in comparison w/ many of the cheap dull insipid Viogniers from the Languedoc/Pay d'Oc area. And then..... sigh.... I taste something like these Cuilleron Condrieus and realize that Condrieu is still the "gold standard" when it comes to Viognier. These are/can be stunning stunning wines. Too bad about the prices. Calif has come a long way w/ Viognier.... but the journeys not over yet, alas!!
The folklore/traditional viewpoint is that Condrieu/Viogniers don't age; you drink them up when they first hit the shelves. To that, to plagarize the late, great, but not-forgotten, Opus; I say ..... "thwpppt"!! The Cuilleron '94 was a stunning wine w/ all the complexity that you would want from a wine that's been aged. I've had John Alban's first Estate Viognier at 6 yrs of age that was just beautiful; lots of complex/toasty aged wine character. I've had a Calera Viognier at 6 yrs of age that was as youthful & lively as when it was released. JUst because a white wine shows some oxidation character in it does not mean it's "bad". Perhaps it's an aquired taste??
The Tablas Blanc '97 was probably the first WHITE Rhone blend that I've been impressed with (save a few of the Bonny Doon Le Sophistes) as being of equal quality to many of the Red Rhone Blends from Calif. This is a joint operation up in the Santa Lucia Mtns above Paso Robles of Robert Haas and the Perrin family (Ch. Beaucastel). It has seemed a bit slow to me getting off the ground for some reason, only completing their wnry up there less than a yr ago. The first release was rather underwhelming (most people's reaction to them was "where's the brett"??). The '96 Rouge blend was rather closed & underwhelming upon release, but a recent bottle was just an awfully nice- drinking red/Rhone blend. I was even more impressed w/ the '97 barrel samples (both Blanc and Rouge) at July's Raisin'Rhone festival. Now at release, this '97 TablasBlanc is a very well-made very tasty very interesting white. Not Hermitage Blanc or Chateauneuf Blanc, but a very good Calif white blend. They have a lot of different varieties & clones planted up there at Tablas Creek and it's going to be very interesting to watch this property and its wines evolve. An operation to to keep your eyes on definitely.
Paso Robles: To me, Paso Robles is really the birthplace of the Calif/Rhone movement that we are finally enjoying the fruits thereof. In the early '70's Gary Eberle offered to help Harold Olmo prune this tiny plot of Syrah at the experimental vnyd in Davis. And of course, Gary being the fastidious guy that he is, had to stay behind & clean up all the debris. Which was then planted down at Estrella River in Paso Robles; from which most of the Syrah vnyds in Calif have evolved (the "Eberle" clone). I tasted Gary's first Syrah from barrel around '78 & was most impressed; a beautiful perfumy aromatic strawberry/fragrant wine (w/ a bit too much new French oak). It was at that point that I KNEW Calif would, someday, make great Syrah. Nonetheless, Paso Robles has not yet, to my judgement, made really world- class, top-tier Rhone wines of the level of Alban, Qupe, Edmunds StJohn, Thackery, Jaffurs, etc. The best I've had has been a Wild Horse Syrah '95 from the Cherry Vnyd. The Eberle Syrahs are good.... nay, very good, but just don't to me have the power & extract I'd like from Syrah. The Eberle Viogniers have been very good, but have a fat Pillsbury dough- boy character to them, sorta like orangutangs gallumping across the palate in combat boots. Plenty of intensity, but just not the liveliness of the SantaBarbara or Edna Vlly ones. With Tablas Creek coming on line, new vnyd sources for Gary Eberle, and other new Rhone plantings in the area; you want to keep your eye on Paso.
Alban Vineyards: A stunning showing of John Alban's wines tonight. The Viogniers are some of the best in Calif; very intense & aromatic but very good acidity to them. His Roussannes are equally impressive (to be tasted later). The Syrahs are definitely world-class. The Reva was his first one, named after his mother. I sat by his Mom at a Raisin'Rhones tasting and was absolutely charmed by her; not a character/off-scale/wings of the bell curve type like Randall's mom; but one of the nicest ladies you'd ever want to meet. His father, Seymour, is also a gem of a person. The Lorraine, named after his bride of last year, comes from a smaller more Southernly block of his Syrah just below the winery. The first was his '95, but apparently most of it was consumed at his wedding party, so little got out into the retail market. Presumably John did not have another wedding party this year so more of the Lorraine is available at retail; a recent release. It's as fine a Syrah as ever produced in Calif. John has a vnyd named Seymour's Vnyd, planted mostly to Grenache way up on top of the property, so, presumably, we'll see a Seymour Grenache sometime in the future. And w/ a little one in the hatching chamber, probably ther'll be another vnyd designate something (Roussanne?) a few yrs down the road. John has been selling fruit to a number of folks (Morgan Torel/Cold Heaven; BobLindquist/Qupe; Steve Edmunds/EdStJohn; Manfred Krankl/SQN) who have also been making some very impressive wines. They all rave about the quality of the fruit that comes from his vnyd. With some other plantings of Rhone varietals in the Edna Valley area; we Rhone freaks have much to look forward to.
The Young's Syrah: My first exposure to their wines was their '94 ShenandoahVlly/ Amador Zin. Putrid putrid stuff smelling very fecal/dirty diaper pail in character. Never did bother to try more recent ones, though had heard much better reports on them. I was pleasantly surprised by this Syrah; quite a well-made wine. Like most of the Amador Syrahs, it has a lot of Amador Zin character; speaks more of Amador County than of Syrah; it is, nonetheless, a very good Syrah at a good price. Maybe I'll have to throw away my past prejudices & pay more attention to them!!
Sean Thackery: I've liked his wines from the very first ones I've had; not just the Syrah but all his others too. The first Syrahs, from an old vnyd now owned by Swanson, seemed to be dominated by the minty/menthol/oak character almost to overwhelm the fruit but a style that I really liked. The last 2 Syrahs seemed to have been toned down a notch on the minty/menthol character but ratcheted up a notch on the fruit category. A producer w/ a unique style that I really like. Too bad there is so little to go around.