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Bloody Pulpit:
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PinotGrigio: A variety I just don't get. Most of the Italian versions are
pretty dull and insipid and seldom rise above the level of pleasant. The
California versions are simple and one-dimensional. Some of the Oregon
Pinot Gris are fairly attractive, though tend to be on the lean/austere
side. Only in Alsace does the variety ever rise to greatness. Wonder
hos those folks do that!!!
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Estrella River Barbera'78: Followed this wine from the very start, in the
Spring of '79. Gary Eberle was starting to get some very good press for
his Cabs and Chardonnays and to attract attention to Paso as an area that
could produce quality wines as good as any in Calif. That was of little
important to me, however. I had read somewhere that he was making both
Syrah and Barbera at Estrella, two varieties that interested me greatly.
So I made this appointment to visit Gary at Estrella in April'79, never
having met the guy, but knowing he was one of JoePaterno's linebackers,
was pretty sure he wasn't some small shrimp. He greeted me at the winery
and we visited for a bit. He poured me the standard SB, Chard, Cab
and others they had opened at the tasting bar. Then I mentioned that what
I was really interested in was his Syrah and Barbera. Gary got all bug-eyed
and looked at me like I was some nutso-case..... nobody was interested
in THOSE varietals. Only a crazy would come all the way from NewMexico
to try those. Nonetheless, he was very excited that he had an audience
and so we went into the barrel room and tried those two. It was the first
Calif Syrah that showed to me the potential of the variety, with a beautiful
fragrant/ strawberry perfumed nose; still the style he makes his Syrah
to this day. But I was also quite taken by the spicy sausage and
perfume of the Barbera. Easily the best Barbera I'd ever had from Calif.
He only made some 5 barrels or so and our group wound up ordering
some 18 cases or so; well over 10% of the production coming to LosAlamos.
It's a wine that I've enjoyed many times over the years, but haven't had
for some 10 yrs now. Gary Eberle continued his mastery of Barbera when
he continued it under his own label, using grapes from the Norman Vineyard.
He also has some planted at Sauret as well that should be coming on-line
soon. A variety that should get more respect, I think.
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Montevina Nebbiolo: Followed this wine from the very start. These were
vines that CaryGott planted at Montevina and the behest of DarrellCorti.
The first crop of Nebbiolo was sold as the CortiBros. RedTableWine '74.
It was delicious AND cheap. This Nebbiolo was the NebbioloFino clone, a
clone that doesn't produce very highly-colored wines. The wines were all
on the tart and rather astringent side when young, but they all seemed
to develop a lovely fragrance with age. The vines were pulled out
after Cary departed.
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Stolpman Vineyards: Tom&Marylin Stolpman have a number of Italian varietals
planted on their vnyd in LosOlivos. As I recall the Nebbiolo is of
the Michet clone, one of the more highly regarded clones in the Piemonte
(Lampia being the other). The wines were made by Craig MacMillan. They
were good/sound/four-square wines. I especially liked the Nebbiolo. But
the wines in barrel of the 2001 vintage, made by Sashi Moorman, are far/far
better rep- resentatives of the Italian varietals that will be coming from
this vnyd. They are worth searching out when they're released. I would
also love to see what Stolpman could do with Freisa and Brachetto as well
on that property.
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Palmina Wines: These are the Italian varietals made by Steve Clifton of
Brewer-Clifton Cahrd/ Pinot-making fame. These were my first exposure to
them. They all displayed competent wine- making. The whites were rather
ho-hum, but the reds showed much more interesting character. Nothing earth-shattering,
but good/tasty wines. They do seem to be on the pricey side, however.
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Italian Varietals in Calif: Oyyyyy.....the learning curve with these seems
so painfully slow. I continue to be perplexed by Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.
They hold so much promise and you will see occasional glimpses of greatness
from these wines; but they still seem to fall a bit short. Clearly, Barbera
is the variety that can/has made some great wines in Calif thus far. Jim
Clendennan, under his Il Podere label, seems to be the only one who makes
consistent/good Italian varietals. Toreldego looks like it has some potential
in Calif. Not yet found a Pinot Grigio I'd buy yet. So much potential,
but so far to go yet.
TomHill
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