WineLovers Discussion Group

Paolo Bea "Rosso de Vea" (Umbria) 2006. Delicious savory red wine, with rich plummy fruit and a fine texture. Not as jammy as too many Umbrian Sangratino blends (although this has more Sangiovese) Nice hint of Italian bitterness. For contrast, I also tasted a Dry Creek Valley "homage" to Paolo Bea from De Vera winery on Dry Creek Road. Richer and plummier than the Bea but with a fine mouth feel and bracing acidity. De Vera is an interesting organic/ biodynamic property that also produces incredible olive oil.

2011 Preston Family White Grenache "We will never do that again" Dry Creek Valley. Apparantly, the Prestons thought they had ordered RED grenache grapes. So they were waiting and waiting and waiting for veraison. Oops. The order form actually said "Grenache Blanc." This is a rich citrusy and almond-y white wine with a silky smooth mouth feel. A sweet core of fruit helped it complement the delicious Thai food on G Street in Davis. The Syrah is even more amazing...a wow wine with earthy smoothness, low alcohol, a tocuh of funk, meaty and black pepper notes. The Mouvedre was very nice too, with lighter fruit, earthy funk, and a bracing acidity I quite enjoyed. Preston Family is a great place. They didn't even yell at me when I knocked my whine glass over while gesticulating like an idiot about how I got paint, somehow, on my new bicycle.

2007 Campovido Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendocino County). A new discovery for me, this Hopland winery has opened a tasting room hidden away in West Oakland (Linden Street, next to the brewery off Third Avenue near Emeryville and the AMTRAK service yard). Anyway, the cabernet is from organic grapes and a very balanced, earthy Bordeaux-ish wine, with fine tannins, earthy currant fruit, and a touch of lovely green which added freshness to the wine. They also make a fine Bordeauxish red blend and a Arneis I prefer to most of the Italian versions I have tried (a limited sample, to be honest)

On my recent trip to Normandy, a physician in our group managed to knock over two glasses of wine at one lunch! In his frustration the second time it happened, he brought his fist down on the table with enough force that he almost tipped over every glass on the table. I hope he is less of a klutz in the operating room.
I like the Ponzi Arneis from Oregon.

Brian, is Nicolaysen Paso Robles still active? Just opened a big `07 P Sirah.
Awhile back found their Late-Harvest P Blanc.

Bob Parsons Alberta wrote:Brian, is Nicolaysen Paso Robles still active? Just opened a big `07 P Sirah.
Awhile back found their Late-Harvest P Blanc.

That's a new winery for me, Bob. I am not very familiar with Paso, to be honest. It's a five hour drive, and I usually stick to 60 miles on my explorations.

Good to read about Preston. I heard, that of late Preston has not been as fastidious as he used to be and this was seen as a sign of ennui.
-Shaji

Shaji M wrote:Good to read about Preston. I heard, that of late Preston has not been as fastidious as he used to be and this was seen as a sign of ennui.
-Shaji

Hmmm. I am a newcomer to the winery's delicious wines.

If by "fastidiousness" there is concern about brett, I didn't taste any. Not as "funky" as other "natural" producers at least (Donkey and Goat, for instance)

The marketing materials certainly indicate concern about careful winemaking.