Tonight, with pizza, Claire Hill 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah, Casa Vineyard. Along with Perkins-Harter, Desire Lines, and Goodfellow (arriving later this month), this was one of the new-to-me producers I decided to try to celebrate the availability of cellar space (I'll be stopping now, he said to quiet snickers from the assembled crowd, who knew better). I am really impressed. This has taut, concentrated, and vivid blue-black fruit, tapenade, and wet gravel; it picks up weight and becomes redder in impression with air, yet never becomes heavy or plodding. The two metaphors that came to mind while drinking were that the flavors were drawn with great precision and detail, and that the wine has a sense of potential energy, like a stretched (but not overstretched) elastic band. Honestly, this is one of the best young Syrahs I've had in a while, and it has the balance and substance to improve for at least a decade. I am sold.
Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! 2021 Amador County Rosé, Shake Ridge Ranch, "Summer Salters." I bought more of the 2021 than the 2022, the latter of which is now gone, but this is still going strong. Light copper color, herbaceous and salty (Andrea insists this is not just the power of suggestion from the name) with a lot of drive. A joyfully summery wine on a sunny spring day, paired with salade Niçoise. The 2023 is on its way shortly.
Frog's Leap 2014 Napa Valley Zinfandel, Gonzalez Vineyard. This was a small bottling (15 barrels) of Zinfandel (with a little Carignane and PS) from a St. Helena vineyard that’s usually incorporated into Frog’s Leap’s Napa Valley Zin. 13.9% abv according to the bottle, 13.6% according to the tech sheet. At this stage of its life, it’s an understated but delicious old-school Zinfandel, with bright raspberry and blackberry fruit still at the center and a gently spicy finish. The edges have been rounded off, but it’s balanced, tasty, and fresh, a Zin in the style of a Chianti Classico.
Weiser-Künstler 2022 Mosel Saar Ruwer Riesling. I don't know what happened here. This starts off well but turns an odd corner and becomes heavy and vegetal on the back end, with a finish that’s uncomfortably suspended between acetone and cauliflower. I’ve had this wine before, and I don't remember this. It's either flawed or it's fallen into a hell of an awkward phase. Replaced it with:
Vollenweider 2022 Mosel Saar Ruwer Riesling Spätlese, Wolfer Goldgrube (AP 06). This struck me as disappointingly flabby on first opening, but it just took a little while (and some food) to find its spine, and it when it does, it's delightful; it has some weight, and there’s a tropical and creamy note up front, but then the wine siphons your attention into a focused, zesty and spicy finish, which lengthens and gets deeper with time. I have one more and wish it were several. My first Vollenweider.