Winter Passport Day 1/16/10

Richard, Ginny, Sandy and I went over to the Surf City Vintners neighborhood to do some tasting. It's nice to have so many wineries grouped together. There are some other businesses in there, including Bonny Doon's excellent restaurant, where we lunched, and a bakery, where we took a coffee break.

Odonta '08 Chardonnay Peter Martin Ray Vineyard (SCM)
Nose - deep, rich, complex, integrated, spiced persimmon.
Zingy, zesty, persimmon, lemon, nutmeg. Tight. So complex and lovely. Moderate oak. Needs time. Drink '12-'15 91 pts

Odonta '08 Grenache (Alta Mesa)
Nose - lovely, white spiciness, persimmon bread, candied lemon zest.
Lovely spice, strawberry freezer jam, lime zest, smoky, savory. 93 pts

Ondonta '07 Malbec St. Olof Vyd. (North Coast)
Nose - really nice high toned spices, dark plum, raspberry.
Pert, rhubarb pie, raspberry, lime, full spice, thinner fruit, plum. 88 pts

Odonta '07 Durif (McDowell Valley)
Nose - dark plum, spicy oak, nice.
Tobacco, ashy, Lemon zest, black currant. 90 pts

SCMV '06 Pinot Noir Branciforte Creek (SCM)
Nose - warm, slightly rustic, plum, cranberry.
Tart, bay, dusty/peppery tannin, savory, mature seeming fruit. 91 pts

Quinta Cruz '07 Tempanillo Pierce Ranch (Monterey County)
Nose - boysenberry, lemon curd, sandalwood.
Tart, excellent French oak spice, touch of tobacco, plum, blackberry. 91+ pts

SCMV '07 Grenache (McDowell Valley)
Nose - smooth, spiced plum, mango curd, white pepper, French oak spice.
Lovely tobacco, pepper, plum, French oak spice, mango curd, fig. 92 pts

SCMV '06 Cabernet Sauvignon Luchessi Vyd. (SCM)
Nose - moderate barnyard and tobacco, black currant.
Funky black currant, dusty wood, some zing. Tobacco on the finish. 88 pts

SCMV '06 Syrah Fairview Ranch (Santa Lucia Highlands)
Nose - lovely, smooth, creamy, white pepper, boysenberry.
White pepper, red peppercorn, plum, mandarin zest, smoky, savoy, bay. 90 pts

Quinta Cruz '07 Graciano Bokisch Vyd. (Lodi)
Nose - nice raisin, plum, touch of vanillin, very full.
Spiced plum with a touch of raisin and dried plum, pepper. 89 pts

Quinta Cruz '05 Rabelo Pierce Ranch (Monterey County)
Nose - sultry spiced plum/raisin/dried cranberry/marachino.
Sweet clove and nutmeg, marachino, black plum, raisin, cinnamon, peppery spice. 92 pts

Sones '08 Cancion del Mar (California)
Blend of Viognier, Torrontes, Pinot gris, Sauvignon Blanc
Nose - lovely lemon, white peach.
Underripe peach, some pith, hint of mandarin. 87 pts

Sones '08 Zinfandel Wiedeman Vyd. (SCV) barrel sample
Nose - raspberry/jujube/raisin
Sweetish, some heat, marachino, plum, zest, dark tannin. 84 pts

Vino Tabi '06 Chardonnay Silver Mountain Vyd. (SCM)
Nose - shy lemon, black sevillano olive, dried mango, touch of that SCM signature.
Pithy, underripe peach, touch of resin/solvent, musty oak, green mango. 83 pts

Vino Tabi '07 Syrah (Central Coast)
Nose - warm, smooth, sandalwood, spicy dense dark fruit, vanillin.
Spicy tobacco, dark fruit, charcoal filtered black plum. 86 pts

Bonny Doon '07 Cinsault DEWN (San Joaquin County)
The Cinsault is from a 125 year old Vineyard in San Joaquin. There's also 15% Pinot Noir from Monterey County
Nose - smooth, shy, hint of tobacco, blackberry, pithy tangerine.
Tobacco, red currant, black plum, blackberry, touch of rhubarb. No structure. 86 pts

Silver Mountain '06 Pinot Noir Miller Hill (SCM)
Nose - shy peppery tobacco, vanilla custard, intense mineral, sweetish oak, hint of berry.
Intense, tart, smoky, berry, dried herb, bitter stemminess. 87 pts

Silver Mountain '06 Pinot Noir Muns Vyd. (SCM)
Nose - sweet flat oak spice, shy berry.
Simple berry, bitter tobacco, peppery feel, dried herb, touch of green, lemon and lime zest. 85 pts

Silver Mountain '06 Pinot Noir Estate (SCM)
Nose - ripe, sweet, boysenberry, marachino.
Sweet, touch of heat, disjointed berry fruit, orange fruit and zest, bitter finish. 80 pts

Silver Mountain '05 Syrah Weideman Vyd. (Central Coast)
Nose - sweet tobacco, savory, some dried herbs, spicy plum.
Sweetish, disjointed, some prune and herb, bitter char, berry. 81 pts

Silver Mountain '05 Cabernet Sauvignon Weideman Vyd. (SCV)
Nose - plummy/pruney, sweet.
Sweet red currant, tobacco, touch of black currant, lemon zest, dusty tannin, a bit savory. 87 pts

Hillcrest Terrace '07 Sauvignon Blanc Cedar Lane Vyd. (Arroyo Seco)
Nose - lemon, zest, grass, sweet pea.
Sharp acidity, bright lemon zest, pea, grapefruit, some minerality. 87 pts
Too acidic for some - needs food.

Hillcrest Terrace '08 Chardonnay (SCM) - Corralitos fruit
Nose - nice warm oak spice, savory, smoky, citron.
Oaky, flat, savory, citron. 86 pts

Hillcrest Terrace '08 Chardonnay Regan Vyd. (SCM)
Mount Eden Clone. Recently bottled.
Nose - smoky, pear, vanilla cream.
Spicy oak, lemon custard, savory, bay, meyer lemon. 89 pts

Hillcrest Terrace '08 Pinot Noir Regan Vyd. (SCM)
Nose - clean, fresh, pure berry fruit, excellent spice, savory smoke, dried herbs.
Zesty primary fruit, some char and green peppercorn, peppery mouthfeel, savory, pithy. Definitely needs time. 86++ pts
Has potential to dramatically improve.

Hillcrest Terrace '07 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)
Nose - savory, leathery, dark smoky berry, tobacco, very nice.
Leathery feel, horsey leather, tobacco, dark berries, dried herbs, sage, hint of zest and roasted plum. 89 pts (if you don't mind brett)

Hillcrest Terrace '07 Cabernet Sauvignon (Carmel Valley)
Nose - pure blackberry and black currant, touch of tobacco.
Firm black currant, lime, peppery tobacco, dusty tannin. Needs 2 years. 89-91 pts

Equinox NV "Harmony Cuvee" (SCM)
71% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir
Nose - savory, dark toast, brett?
Fine bead, dark toast, brett, touch of lemon. 86 pts

Trout Gulch '07 Chardonnay "Le Pecherie" (SCM)
Nose - citron marmalade, smoke, dried mango.
Smooth citron, zest, meaty, touch of apricot. 88 pts

Trout Gulch '07 Pinot Noir "La Source" (SCM)
Served too cold!
Nose - savory, dried basil, rhubarb and blackberry.
Blackberry, dried basil, fennel, cranberry and rhubarb, tangerine zest, peppery tannin. 88 pts

Trout Gulch '07 "Les Trianon" (SCM) Bdx blend
Nose - intense black currant, tobacco, hint of cedar, SCM signature note.
Tobacco, barrel char, black currant, dusty tannin, lighter body. 87+ pts

Bartolo '07 "Minerva" (SCV)
47% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre. Mann Vyd.
Nose - full, light oak resin, raspberry, blackberry.
green pean and blackberry, spicy oak, touch of jujube. 86 pts

Bartolo "Cioppino Rosso" (Central Coast)
61% Syrah, 20% Chardonnay, 19% Mourvedre. Mann Vyd.
Nose - pure boysenberry, with raspberry and a touch of zest and smoke.
Raspberry, lemon zest, jujube, touch of tobacco. 87 pts

Bartolo '06 Syrah (Central Coast) Mann Vyd.
Nose - black currant, plum, cedar.
Cedary boysenberry, blackberry, black currant, dusty tannin, vanilla, orange zest. 89 pts

Bartolo '06 Merlot (SCV) Mann Vyd.
Nose - Cedar, black plum, touch of black currant and tobacco.
Tobacco, black plum, peppery, cedar and black currant, lime zest, mandarin, dusty tannin with smooth fruit. Nice. 90 pts

Copious Winery '07 Mourvedre (Sierra Foothills)
Nose - warm, meaty, dried sage, summer savory.
Meaty, dark Mourvedre fruit, sweet jujube, raspberry, char, somewhat rustic. 87 pts

Copious Winery '07 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sierra Foothills)
Nose - creamy smooth fruit, raspberry, candied zest, black plum, black currant.
Clean raspberry and black currant, limeade, dusty tannin. 89 pts

Copious Winery '07 Petite Sirah (Sierra Foothills)
Nose - dark, restrained purple fruit.
Primary dark purple fruit, char, smoke, mandarin zest, firm tannin - very grippy. Needs a few years. 87+ pts