ATP Tasting 
11 September 2003

2001 Coast Range Chardonnay - 14.8% alcohol - all Monte Bello Ridge fruit - fairly generous in the nose with pleasant pear aromas and an almost dusty and chalk-like nuance - very pretty in the mouth with an interesting spectrum of flavors today - strong acid backbone that makes it both drinkable and ageworthy.

2001 Zinfandel Buchignani Ranch - 76% Zinfandel 23% Carignane 1% Petite Sirah 14.3% alcohol 46 barrels produced - fairly shy nose with hints of sweet red plum that can be reluctantly coaxed from the glass - pretty sweetness in the mouth with fruit flavors more in the red and purple spectrum - very nicely structured and offers a fine example of Alexander Valley Zinfandel.

2001 Grenache Lytton Estate - 78% Grenache 12% Petite Sirah 10% Zinfandel 14.4% alcohol 52 barrels produced - fruit sourced from both Lytton East (Valley Vista Vineyard) and Lytton West (Norton Ranch) - fairly jammy fruit in the nose - ripe and pleasant - just beautiful in the mouth - very interesting and shows surprising complexity for a wine of it's age - the flavors show more Grenache that anything else, with the Zin and PS adding body and depth - very, very pretty.

It seems that both this bottling and the Lytton Estate Syrah are tending to be more lush and forward in their youth.

2000 Zinfandel Jimsomare - 100% Zinfandel 13.1% alcohol 9 barrels produced - Mmmm - pretty darned jammy in the nose, particularly for a young Jimsomare - beautifully jammy, intense dark berry and ripe plum aromas - the flavors follow the aromatics and, once again, are surprisingly forward and accessible - the typical tannic structure of this property, however, is evident. Very interesting (he said in his best Artie Johnson voice) - a Jimsomare Zin that can be drunk young.

2001 Zinfandel Nervo - 95% Zinfandel 5% Carignane 14.9% alcohol 41 barrels produced - shows restrained Zinberry aromas that have a lovely ripeness and are enhanced by a touch of perfume - the flavors are nicely balanced - the tannins a bit forward right now, but polished, and should integrate nicely with a year or two in bottle - lovely flavors.

1997 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch - 88% Zinfandel 7% Mataro 3% Petite Sirah 2% Alicante Bouschet 14.6% alcohol - lovely Zinberry aromas from the glass - not quite as plush as these bottlings can often be - delicious and well balanced in the mouth with some mild tannins that need just a bit more time - not a "typical" Pagani, in that the flavors today seem to be more red and purple rather than the dense blackberry and black plum of the first few editions - slightly more restrained, but very elegantly structured and drinking quite well.

1999 Zinfandel Buchignani Ranch - rich and jammy in the nose with lots of blackberry - the flavors are very nicely balanced in the mouth, but for my palate I would give the wine another two years to completely resolve its tannins - very impressive.

2001 Petite Sirah Essence Lytton Estate - 75% Petite Sirah 25% Zinfandel 14.2% alcohol 12 barrels produced - can you say "wow" boys and girls? Fabulous aromas of tarry black fruit and fascinating perfumes that are layered, terraced and almost indescribable. I do not recall ever experiencing a wine with an aromatic profile that even begins to approach this. Eventually hints of celery seed, brandy, apple pie spice and other aromas emerge with more swirling - a dizzying olfactory experience. It shows far less on the palate right now - mostly sweetness with faint fruit flavors and appropriate tannins, but given the astounding aromatics of this wine right now, I'm confident that this will mature into something that will be completely extraordinary.

1995 Merlot Santa Cruz Mountains - 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet Sauvignon 12.4% alcohol - the nose shows a dusty minerality common to wines of the Monte Bello Ridge, layered with beautifully ripened Merlot berry fruit - this taste shows restrained but attractive fruit with polished tannins and good structure and balance - this pour was from a freshly opened bottle, and the wine may open considerably with some air time. Even given that, I think it is several years away from opening up and showing its best - I would give it at least another five years.

2001 Three Valleys Sonoma County - 50% Zinfandel 15% Petite Sirah 15% Carignane 11% Mataro 9% Grenache 14.4% - a real "field blend" - this label may eventually replace the Coast Range designation for this wine - the three valleys, of course, refers to the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys - sourced from a total of six different vineyards, and includes some young vines fruit. 40% of the wine sees two and three year old barrels; the balance is aged in three to six year old oak.

Very lush and forward Zinberry aromas that speak clearly of the wine's Sonoma heritage - ripe and friendly in the mouth despite some fairly polished tannins that will need six months to a year or a bit longer to settle down. At the price point of $18, this is a good value in Sonoma County Zin - a good candidate for a "house wine".

1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains - 76% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Merlot 4% Petit Verdot 12.5% alcohol - interestingly, there were two bottlings of this wine - the first in January of 2001, and second lot (according to the label) needed more time. Although not designated "second bottling" on the front label, it is indeed a second bottling that was released six months ago.

Dusty spice in the nose - round claret flavors in the mouth, but the significant tannins, while smooth, will require three to five years in the bottle to settle enough for me to drink it.

califusa
Left Coast Correspondent
Gang of Pour

© Allan Bree September 2003