WTN : 6 from all over

Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie, 'cuvee tardive', 2002
A maturing pinot color of clear amberish cherry red. Spice stick and faded beach plum on the aroma. Salted plum, Sweetart® candy, with a tangy sour-plum finish. Woody stem tannins on the grippy finish, along with a trace of iodine. This is in a nice mature plateaux for me right now. 13% A-

Limerick Lane, Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Collins Vineyard, 2005
Medium cherry red. Raspberry and Mediterranean field aromas, while raspberry Yoplait® yogurt fills the mouth. There's lively acidity (for a zin) and a pleasant chalky tannic finish. Drinks like a Dalmatian bistro red. Light, medium weight, and not at all heavy. 14.6% B+/A-

Marisa Cuomo, Costa d'Amalfi, Furore bianco, 2007
Pear yellow color. Pear and almond biscotti nose. Pear juice with a touch of lemon, chalky-talc wash on the end, coreopsis flower, apple skin with slight vidalia onion as well. Fairly good acidity, but would probably want to drink this within the next 3-4 years. B+, but very likeable. 13.5%

Vincent Girardin, Volnay, 'les Champans', 1999
A note from one of the boards made me consider opening this. A relative disappointment after cellaring this since release. Mostly cherry-cola spice, some vanillin, figs, and a slight bit of volatile acidity (very slight, but present). 13% B I have better uses for $40 than this.

Keller, Westhofener Kirchspiel, Riesling, spatlese, 2005
Light clear, pale gold. Strange aromas for a riesling: swampgas, plant root (gentian maybe?), tapioca pudding. More typical in the mouth, but still some interesting flavor combinations of tapioca, ginseng, and 7UP®. Light, sweet pure apple juice finish, a little simple, somewhat lacking in acidity. An interesting experience. B+ 7.5%

François Villard, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodanniennes, Viognier, 'les Contours de Depncins', 2007
Whew! Now that we got that name out of the way, the wien doesn't have as much to say. This walnut-tinged, medium gold wine has light honeysuckle and lemon-mint Riccola® on the nose, and honeysuckle, dull pear, saltine cracker on the finish of the palate. Moderate alcohol (13.5%) for a viognier, this is okay, but a little too restrained and dull, like that perfectly acceptable 'nice' boy your parents keep pushing you to, but you can only say so-so. B/B+ Probably wouldn't buy again at a $28 pricetag.

Mark
Cuomo! Great to see a note on this. I don't think their wines make it to the UK, but having holidayed on the AC, have appreciated what they're doing up around Furore.
regards
Ian

[David M. Bueker]

You had better hope the Keller disciples don't see your note. Oh wait - they'll just say that 2005 was not a great vintage for Keller, but if you buy the 2008...

You had better hope the Keller disciples don't see your note. Oh wait - they'll just say that 2005 was not a great vintage for Keller, but if you buy the 2008...

David, is my note accurate/typical of what Keller may be like? I mean, I could tell it was riesling, but in a rather oddish way, sometimes how some of those new German varieties can sometimes act (like kerner, optima, etc.).

[David M. Bueker]

I am not really sure Mark. I've had a number of Keller wines, and never actually been impressed. The sweet wines do indeed seem somewhat odd & perhaps "forced", but every time I have posted a note about a sub-par Keller on eBob I have been told that I was trying a lesser vintage, with the "next" vintage being clearly superior.

I stopped trying.