detlef Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 This is a California project started by the owners of Domaine Romanee Conti that produces Chardonnay, Syrah, and a Bordeaux blend. I've always enjoyed their wines and between last night and this afternoon was lucky enough to try the whole lineup +. Last night we opened the 2002 Syrah because I was in a sh#$ty mood and felt like drinking something cool. (BTW did another bottle of the 2002 Nigl Riesling Privat which was, once again, freaking stellar one of you wine geeks needs to get on board with this. Carolina Wine Co. ships nationwide and sells this for way less than you'll ever find it otherwise. In fact, they're a great resource for amazing wines at super low prices). At any rate, the 02 Syrah totally reminded me of Cote Rotie, which is something I almost never find in CA Syrah. Delicious blueberry jam flavors with a nice earth backbone and firm but yielding tannins. Today the guy who reps them happened to be in for lunch so I started talking about having tasted it last night, blah, blah and dude said, "I've got the whole lineup in the car" So I urged him to fire it up. They make a declassified Chard from the younger vines (which are actually 8-12 years old, so they're not exactly young) which reminded me of a good Macon Villages. Green apple flavors and not too much oak. Frankly, since you can get a good macon for less than the $22 wholesale that this thing cost, I'll pass. The HdV Chard, on the other hand was freaking lovely. Great balance, beautiful apple fruits, and a very subtle layer of toasted bread that just cut through the middle. A remarkable wine indeed. Not cheap however at about $40 wholesale. The 04 Syrah was impressive and will likely flesh out to be the wine I had last night. I love the combination of finesse and power that these wines have. The Bordeaux blend is rather like a Pomerol as it is nearly all Merlot. Great structure and nuance. Vibrant and friendly fruit and a lingering finish. I really dug this wine. At any rate, if you don't mind partying with some digits, these are really worth a look. Tuesday is the day most of my reps visit me, so I'll try to make a point of sharing some of the highlights. Probably the other star of the day was the 2003 Chateau de Pez St. Estephe Bordeaux. Surprisingly easy to drink considering the young age. Not breathtakingly profound but a very good reference for what Bordeaux should taste like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 So, you're saying I can purchase wine from the Carolina Wine Co.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted October 3, 2006 Author Share Posted October 3, 2006 So, you're saying I can purchase wine from the Carolina Wine Co.? Yep, I used to work for those guys and we shipped all over the states. They have a rather interesting gig. Most of what they bring in is grey market wines that they DI from Europe, often at unreal prices. They don't have a particularly broad selection but what they have they've got a lot of. They typically have a pretty fat selection of Australian reds (most of the Rbt Parker darlings) and right now they've got a pretty nice selection of Austrian whites. I mean, they also have a nice sampling of other regions but they just pick their spots. I recall when I was there the 97 Brunellos were being released and they made a big purchase on a few of the top producers. It's not uncommon for them to be well below market price on a few of their skus. Be careful if you sign up for their e-mail list because you'll be bombarded daily with specials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driveby Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Last night we opened the 2002 Syrah because I was in a sh#$ty mood and felt like drinking something cool. You maniac you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted October 4, 2006 Author Share Posted October 4, 2006 You maniac you. You can't hope to stop me, you can only contain me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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