Wine of Merit: ****Keller Estate, Precioso, Sonoma Coast, chardonnay, 2005: From magnum. I admit to buying this more out of curiosity than anything…there are not a lot of wineries with estate fruit in the Petaluma Gap…and my curiosity was rewarded! Wonderful, integrated white flower, Asian pear, mission fig and lemon zest notes emerge with the perfect amount of weight and concentration. The palate is equally well balanced, gliding from front to back without effort, adding minerals, lemon curd and then nutmeg and vanilla bean. The finish is medium-long and spicy…just the right kiss of oak. Wow! Nicely done. A wine I would happily drink on regular occasion.
****Mount Mary, Quintet, Lilydale, cabernets, 1994: I am not sure I understand the controversy surrounding Mount Mary. I think it was the same kind of grudge that Robert Parker held against Diamond Creek for all of those years – completely unsubstantiated. These are expertly crafted, deep, inspired wines. As last I found the wine a bit hard and nervous, this time I decanted and gave it some time to settle down. Perfect move. This wine is regal. It offers an exhilarating convergence of Gruaud Larose complexity and nuance, Mouton black fruit and mint and Aussie intensity and grip. All laser focused and finely delineated. The palate is bright and lively, never shrill and emphasizes plum, red fruit and minerals while maintaining excellent depth and athleticism. The finish is firm and in place for the long haul. A serious, stately wine that could be featured at any special occasion.
***+Melville Winery, Clone 115 Indigene, Estate vineyard, Central Coast, pinot noir 2002: I am typically not a huge fan of the Melville house style. I find the wines over extracted and more syrah-like than pinot noir. That said this is a very fine wine that many will appreciate and like. Perhaps a bit too deep and firm for my palate, nonetheless it shows off clone 115 characteristics with verve and panache. Deep, deep red currant fruit, Malabar pepper, cinnamon stick and licorice root notes brood and waft. The palate is unapologetically big-boned and thick, the finish long, peppery but still silky, with none of the off putting heat I have experienced with Melville in the past. Expertly crafted in the bold-and-the-beautiful style of pinot. One of the better Melville wines I have had.
***+Melville Winery, Terraces, Estate vineyard, Central Coast, pinot noir, 2002: In much the same vein as the Clone 115, the Terraces bottling is full throttle and deep, nuanced this time by a sweetness, candied orange zest and allspice. With time in the glass this wine seems to converge around a pronounced wintergreen element that almost makes it one dimensional. The palate is vibrant and perhaps not quite as full as the Clone 115, still offering a base note of black cherry liquor and that can’t mistake it wintergreen note. The finish is long and spicy. Finely crafted and very pleasant to drink.
****Mount Mary, Quintet, Lilydale, cabernets, 1994: I am not sure I understand the controversy surrounding Mount Mary. I think it was the same kind of grudge that Robert Parker held against Diamond Creek for all of those years – completely unsubstantiated. These are expertly crafted, deep, inspired wines. As last I found the wine a bit hard and nervous, this time I decanted and gave it some time to settle down. Perfect move. This wine is regal. It offers an exhilarating convergence of Gruaud Larose complexity and nuance, Mouton black fruit and mint and Aussie intensity and grip. All laser focused and finely delineated. The palate is bright and lively, never shrill and emphasizes plum, red fruit and minerals while maintaining excellent depth and athleticism. The finish is firm and in place for the long haul. A serious, stately wine that could be featured at any special occasion.
***+Melville Winery, Clone 115 Indigene, Estate vineyard, Central Coast, pinot noir 2002: I am typically not a huge fan of the Melville house style. I find the wines over extracted and more syrah-like than pinot noir. That said this is a very fine wine that many will appreciate and like. Perhaps a bit too deep and firm for my palate, nonetheless it shows off clone 115 characteristics with verve and panache. Deep, deep red currant fruit, Malabar pepper, cinnamon stick and licorice root notes brood and waft. The palate is unapologetically big-boned and thick, the finish long, peppery but still silky, with none of the off putting heat I have experienced with Melville in the past. Expertly crafted in the bold-and-the-beautiful style of pinot. One of the better Melville wines I have had.
***+Melville Winery, Terraces, Estate vineyard, Central Coast, pinot noir, 2002: In much the same vein as the Clone 115, the Terraces bottling is full throttle and deep, nuanced this time by a sweetness, candied orange zest and allspice. With time in the glass this wine seems to converge around a pronounced wintergreen element that almost makes it one dimensional. The palate is vibrant and perhaps not quite as full as the Clone 115, still offering a base note of black cherry liquor and that can’t mistake it wintergreen note. The finish is long and spicy. Finely crafted and very pleasant to drink.
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