New year.

Here's what I've been up to lately...
2009 Roth Estate Pinot Noir 14.5%
c- less concentrated purple.
a- raspberry, cranberry, baked cherry.
f- above with tarry rubber and slight brambly earth. m body, m finish.
89-90
2002 Ridge Buchignani Ranch Carignane 13.7%
c- almost black center to garnet edges
a- tar/rubber, dark fruits - blackberry
f- plum, slight tar. nice acid, not much fruit. oak present. m+ body, m+ finish. past it's prime i would guess.
87
2007 Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional 14.5%
c- dark very concentrated purple black to thinner rim.
a- oak, rich dark fruits, depth.
f- cedary oak, deep flavor, dark fruits. almost port like in some aspects (not surprising of course.) I wanted to try this one since it is made of one of the principal grapes used in port.
92
2004 Cabidos "Les Abesses" Petit Manseng 11%
c- bronze
a- apple, lemon, cantaloupe, earth or used oak
f- apple, citrus. sweet but with balancing acid. m+ body, m+ finish with caramel, oak, earth.
I got this because I hadn't heard of the varietal. I wish I had bought more!
91
2010 KWV Pinotage 14%
c- magenta
a- tar, earth, raspberry, strawberry.
f- manure, raspberry. m body, m finish.
85
2009 JJ Prum Riesling Kabinett 9%
c- light green, almost water.
a- peach, melon, stone/slate.
f- bright acid, lemon, peach, white flowers. lightly sweet, touch melon. m- body, m- finish
89
1992 Jadot Corton-Pougets Grand Cru 13.5%
c- garnet to brown
a- older pinot, earth, tart cherry,
f- really not much. past its prime. some acid and earth still.
80
2005 Jobard Meursault Blagny 1er cru
c- straw with green hints
a- crushed rock, white flowers, nut, peach, lemon
f- rich, round. mineral, nut, steel, opulent peach. wonderful. m+ finish, full body.
this was my last of 5 bottles, 3 of which were oxidized, 1 of which was ok, and this one was great.
92
2009 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc 13.5%
c- straw to water.
a- white flowers, melon, lemon, apricot.
f- good balancing acid, fruits confirm. marshmallowy, vanillay in the finish. m+ body, m finish.
86

The Wines of the Northern Rhone Valley.

I have been wanting to taste some of the Northern Rhones I have been reading about and studying, so I found some! These are not in the order that I drank them, but I will start to the south and head north.
First up:
1999 E. Guigal Hermitage 13% abv
c- garnet purple fading to orange rim.
a- plum, strawberry, cassis, pine herbs, animal, leather, meat.
f- plum, strawberry, currant, meat, smoke, vanilla and campfire. some spices and pine herbs. m+body and m+ finish.
91
2008 Domaine Faury St. Joseph 13% abv
c- ruby to garnet edges
a- blackberry, plum, bell pepper, animal, leather, vanilla, spices, pine herbs.
f- blackberry, plum, black pepper, animal, leather, spices, pine herbs. m+body, m+ finish
89-90
2008 Domaine Faury Cote Rotie 13% abv
c- purple/ruby with lighter rim
a- blackberry, currant, vanilla, spices, and pine herbs.
f- blackberry, currant, strawberry, white pepper, vanilla and campfire. m+ body, m+ finish.
89
The best was the Hermitage of course also the most expensive. A really great wine of depth and personality. But for my money, I would seek the Faury St. Joseph. I found it to be just as good if not even better than the Cote Rotie, which cost me a little more than three times as much. Honestly, I was disappointed with the Cote Rotie. I was really expecting more. As you can see from my notes, it was actually pretty close to the St. Joseph. I will have to try some from another producer when I can find some at a reasonable price.