2013 Sauvignon Blanc Wines

A short musing commentary on 2012 vs. 2013 Sauvignon Blanc wines.
With the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc wines having an average score (NHWM) of 90.5 points, 2012 was a wonderful vintage of domestic Sauvignon Blanc.
However, the 2013 vintage is lagging behind with an average of 89.1 points.
Whether this is meaningful or not is and will probably be of no consequence, for I might just have to find better wineries to taste from. Either the 2012 was better, or I'm not tasting the same quality SB, but the game is on, and I'm having considerable fun with this.

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Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast 2013 Sauvgnon Blanc

 

 

 

Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast 2013 Sauvgnon Blanc, $12.75-$14.99, 86 points, appeared a bold polished gold color.
The aroma was a simple, but lovely lemon/lemongrass with a crisp honeydew melon note.
Light-plus bodied with mouth watering acidity, and flavors of tart un-ripened peach, lemon, and a hint of vanilla.
Finished fair on the trailing palate with a hint of the 13.9% alcohol, hibiscus, and ginger.

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Kuleto Frog Prince Napa Valley 2009 Red Wine

Kuleto Frog Prince Napa Valley 2009 Red Wine, $18.69-$39.99, 90 points, boasts a non-subordinate position, but a frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG).
Let's take a look: poured core black trending crushed black currant with some bricking at the clear rimmed glass wall.
I was greeted with a warm welcoming aroma of black currant, cedar, and roses.
Full bodied with mouth-watering acidity and powerful-not yet resolved and enduring tannin ushered along a very dominant floral presentation with plum, licorice, coffee syrup, and black currant flavors.
Finished long with a well integrated 14.1% alcohol, plum-wine, and an intense marriage of spicy tannin.
(FROG)? You could say that!

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Frog's Leap Napa Valley 2013 Sauvignon Blanc

Frog's Leap Napa Valley 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, $17.84-$22.99, 92 points, poured a very pale lemon/lime color, but trended slightly gray toward the glass wall.
The aroma was an excellent peach with a hint of honeysuckle and fresh cut hay.
Light-plus body, crisp with mouthwatering acidity, carried a wonderful balance of citrusy tangerine and grapefruit, a touch of lemongrass with a lovely peach.
Finished long on spicy ginger, a trailing palate, and the well integrated 12.4% alcohol.
On this hot summer's afternoon I paired this cold Sauvignon Blanc perfectly with a Yellow-fin tuna-roll.

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Parducci Mendocino County 2006 Petite Sirah

Parducci Mendocino County 2006 Petite Sirah, $10.99-$12.99, 84+ points, appeared almost entirely black trending maroon.
The nose was a rather bland caramel, coffee, and plum.
Full bodied with good acidity and pleasant, but still powerful and enduring tannin.
Flavors of plum, earth and leather were just okay for me.
Finished well with hints of mint, plum, coffee syrup, spice notes, and the well integrated alcohol.

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Waterstone Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Waterstone Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16.99-$22.99, 92 points, poured nearly black at the core, and trended crushed black currant toward the leggy glass wall and clear rim.
Seldom do I recommend decanting, but with quite a bit of sediment, you might want to do so with this Waterstone.
The aroma was a lovely red and black cherry with black currant, anise, cedar, and a hint of lavender.
Full bodied with good acidity and luscious rich and sweet tannin.
In addition to the flavors reflective of the aroma, tobacco and blueberry notes made for a lovely complexity on a rather smooth velvety texture.
Finished fair on the trailing palate, plum, mint, mild spice notes, and a well integrated 14.5% alcohol.
I highly recommend this Cabernet Sauvignon, one that could easily cost between $30-$60. My Waterstone Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon paired perfectly with a barbecued Porterhouse steak.


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Bonterra 2012 Viognier

Bonterra 2012 Viognier, $11.89-$16.99, 86 points, appeared a dull burnished brass color at the core and trended gray toward the glass wall.

While cold the dominant aroma was Granny smith apple, but warmed to a primary apricot with a hint of vanilla.

The body was medium with fair acidity which carried a good but rather one dimensional flavor of apricot and mildly creamy vanilla. However the finish was quite long with white pepper, ginger, and a hint of the 13.8% alcohol.

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Spellbound 2008 Petite Sirah

Spellbound 2008 Petite Sirah, $10.19-$15.99, 87 points, appears almost black trending maroon toward the clear rim.
The nose was intense violets with hints of saltwater taffy, licorice, and leather.
Medium-plus body carried good acidity with moderate-plus tannin.
Flavors were faithful to the nose, and finished fair with tart pomegranate, blueberry, spearmint, spice, and a well integrated 13.5% alcohol.

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Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Plum Label 2007 Petite Sirah

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Plum Label 2007 Petite Sirah, $14.99-$17.99, 86 points, poured with a very broad transparent rim and deepened from maroon toward an opaque ruby.
A pungent caramel, saltwater taffy, and leather on the nose was only okay for me.
Medium-plus bodied with good acidity managed to keep in check and complement the rather tight tannin.
Flavors were faithful to the nose with noticeable licorice, and trailed into the long finish of violets, spice, spearmint, and a well integrated 13.5% alcohol.



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EOS Estate Winery Paso Robles 2009 Petite Sirah

EOS Estate Winery Paso Robles 2009 Petite Sirah, $6.79-$14.99, 90 points is not only the winner of my Petite Sirah blind wine tasting, but is probably the best valued red wine I've had this year! Now don't forget that I said: "the tannins were tenacious, but I like a good backbone to my red wine." Also, you might want to know that the wine descriptors on the back label are very different than mine.
The color was a deep ruby trending maroon with a broad clear rim.
Aromatic cedar, blueberry, and black licorice were lovely.
Near full bodied with good acidity, the tannins were tenacious (typical for this varietal), but I like a good backbone to my red wine.
Flavors mirrored the aroma with a hint of tart pomegranate.
Finished quite long on the trailing palate with spice, spearmint, and a touch of the 13.9% alcohol.

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Remembering that cute Petite Sirah

See no evil, hear no evil, taste no. . .???

Things as they are (crazy), and a rare visit to vinostatic-Petite Sirah, or Syrah if you will,  has egged me on, and please don't shoot me, I have my hunter's orange on.

Vinsanity's Petite Sirah Saga touches upon this enduring grape.

 

Petite Syrah/Durif Wines

 

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Rosenblum The Great American Wine Company 2012 Red Blend

Rosenblum The Great American Wine Company 2012 Red Blend, $9.99-$18.99, 85 points, appeared deep maroon with a bright clear rim.
The aroma was a very good red grape, coffee, plum, and blackberry.
Texturally, this red wine was juicy on a medium-plus body with fair acidity and mild-plus tannin.
Flavors mirrored the aroma, but were a bit green, and carried over long into the finish with a hint of licorice, the 13.5% alcohol, and black currant.
Varietals were (are) Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon.


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Frei Brothers Russian River Sonoma County 2013 Sauvignon Blanc

Frei Brothers Russian River Sonoma County 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, $12.74-$16.99, 87 points, poured a very light transparent brass color trending a bit gray toward the glass wall. 
The nose is an okay grapefruit, lemon, and cantaloupe with a floral note.
Good acidity with tart citrus, mostly grapefruit with hints of tangerine, highlighted this light bodied crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
Finished fair with citrus and a touch of the 13.9% alcohol.
Paired well with a vegie pizza and fried Sea scallops.

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Santa Margherita D.O.C.G. 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva

Santa Margherita D.O.C.G. 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva, $19.49-$26.99, 88 points, poured dense ruby trending rosewood red toward the broad clear rim.
The strawberry and red cherry aroma was just okay for me.
The medium body was a bit rough, acidic with moderate tannin, flavors of red fruit and cardamom.
Finished long, a bit astringent, spicy, and with a well integrated 13.5% alcohol.
Santa Margherita D.O.C.G. 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva is a true red table wine (Drink with typical Italian cuisine), but not one I would want to drink alone.




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Ridge Geyserville 2011 Zinfandel

Ridge Geyserville 2011 Zinfandel, $31.44-$39.66, 93+ points, poured a deep maroon/purple with a clear rim at the leggy glass wall.
The aroma of earth and blackberry with a floral component had subtle hints of tarragon, savory, and fennel.
Medium to medium-plus body carried mouth-watering acids, bright and persistent tannin, and flavors that mirrored the aroma with a touch of espresso.
Finished very long with pomegranate, spearmint, chipotle, and some warmth from the 14% alcohol.
The 2011 Geyserville is classified as a Zinfandel wine, because it is made-up of 78% Zinfandel grapes, while the 2008 Geyserville (the last one I tasted) had 72% Zinfandel grapes, making it a red wine (75% of a varietal is required to be classified as a single varietal in California).


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Silverado Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Silverado Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, $36.54-$54.99, 91+ points, appeared a deep opaque purple/red with a thin ring of bricking before the transparent rim.
The nose is a rich blend of licorice, cedar, and loads of black fruit with a hint of the 14.7% alcohol.
With a moderately smooth texture, this Cabernet carries good acidity with manageably persistent tannin.
Flavors of black currant, blackberry, black cherry make for quite a fruity red wine, but savory, oak, and coffee notes add complexity.
Finished on a trailing palate, warm earth, and spice.






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Frog's Leap Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Frog's Leap Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, $35.82-$42.99, 93 points, pours core black trending crushed blackberry with a clear rim at the leggy glass wall.
A lovely warm earth, black fruit, blueberry, subtle violets, cedar and cinnamon aroma opens upon a bit of swishing and swirling.
The silky smooth near full body carried good acidity with layered moderate tannin and flavors that mirrored the aroma plus black currant and a hint of pomegranate with licorice.
Finished very long on the trailing palate with good warm spice notes, mint, and a well balanced 13.9% alcohol.
Somehow, when so many Cali wines seem bent on high alcohol, Frog's Leap manages gorgeous wines with a more modest level. 

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Hahn 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Hahn 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, $10.19-$14.99, 88 points, began in the glass as a bright ruby trending cranberry red with the broadest of watery circumferential rims.
I was pleased with the complex aroma of earth, leather, blackberry, and cedar.
The medium-plus body carried good acidity and surprisingly easy-relaxed tannin that escalated in intensity toward the finish.
Black currant, blackberry, licorice, and subtle hints of red and black cherry with cola notes were excellent.
Finished well on the trailing palate with some warmth from the 14.5% alcohol.
This is a high value (QPR) Cabernet.


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Eroica (Chateau Ste Michelle-Dr. Loosen) 2012 Columbia Valley Riesling

Eroica (Chateau Ste Michelle-Dr. Loosen) 2012 Columbia Valley Riesling, $14.44-$20.99, 93 points, poured a light brass/lime green color and trended clear toward the rim.
The aroma was a near perfect amount of petrol and wet stone.
Sleek and refreshing, this white wine from Washington State carried a bounty of subtlety within its light-plus body of good acidity.
Pome flavors with hints of citrus, lemon and lime with slate notes were beautifully balanced with its slightly sweet early palate which transitioned toward dry late and into the long finish of mouth watering acidity, the well integrated 12% alcohol, just a hint of ginger, and its mouth coating of minerality.
This has always been my favorite American Riesling, and though I haven't tasted it for four years, I expected and received nothing less than excellence. The price is less than four years ago, and that's very unusual and appreciated!


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Joel Gott 2013 Sauvignon Blanc

Joel Gott 2013 Sauvignon Blanc,, $9.34-$12.99, 89 points, appeared near clear with hints of very light gold and lime green colors.
The aroma is a lovely sweet apple and honeysuckle.
This Sauvignon Blanc has a crisp light body with very good acidity and flavors of Granny Smith apple, grapefruit, lemon zest, and hints of green melons.
Finished long on the trailing palate with a good amount of granite minerality, the 13.9% alcohol, and ginger.





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Sebastiani Sonoma County 2010 Zinfandel

Sebastiani Sonoma County 2010 Zinfandel, $8.49-$18.99, 89 points, appeared purple/red with a transparent rim at the leggy glass wall.
Aromatic soft floral blackberry and earth were excellent!
The near full body carried fair acidity with moderate tannin.
Flavors of wild blackberry, licorice, coffee, and plum with just a hint of violets were well balanced.
Finished long with a touch of warmth from the 14.5 alcohol, eucalyptus, and paprika spice.
This is an excellent value Zinfandel red wine for the barbecue.





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SIMI Sonoma County 2013 Sauvignon Blanc



SIMI Sonoma County 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, $12.74-$17.99, 86 points, poured with just the slightest fizz with a very light lemon/lime color and trended quite clear toward the glass edge.
The nose was honeydew melon, spearmint, and citrus.
The very grassy flavor with lemon zest and tart grapefruit was distinctive and powerful.
Finished fair on the trailing palate with a touch of the 13.5% alcohol and lemon oil.

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Rombauer Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Rombauer Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, $33.99-$42.99, 92 points, poured a deep crushed black currant color which terminated in a bright red ring before the broad clear rim.
I was very pleased with the aroma of coffee, cedar, blackberry, black olive, earth, and plum which carried nicely onto the palate with cola and licorice flavors.
Near full bodied with good acidity and smooth moderate tannin.
Finished long with hints of licorice, red cherry, mint, a well integrated 14.5% alcohol, white and cayenne pepper.

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