Andy Lardy

15 wines • 15 followers • 5 following

Justin Vineyards & Winery

Justification Paso Robles Cabernet Franc-Merlot 2010

8.2

Aroma: at room temp, a bright cassis explosion blows off instantly. Too bad because all that's left is raisin...ugh. Black raspberry pokes its head out periodically. Touch of dusty green bean. Taste: Ripe ripe ripe black fruit. Raisin. Green bitterness on the finish growing stronger. The Cab franc is waking up...lets give this some time and I'll chill the next pour. — 12 years ago

With more air, the cassis/currant bud thing is returning, now wearing some floral perfume. Intoxicatingly cute and fleeting, I wish there was more of this...yearning for 100% Cab franc I suppose. Palate is dustier than before - yes, the Cab franc has risen. The raisin is more of a date thing now; less intense and bothersome.

A bit jammy but it's not a deal breaker. Color is muddy, a shade more purple than crimson. Slightly acid deficient for my taste. Tannin is mellow but present. Interesting stuff...kind of a scavenger hunt to find the sweet spot.
tannin is mellow but I'd chill this pretty strongly, past cellar temp, and give it 30 min of air.

Marchesi de' Frescobaldi

Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 1999

9.4

Wow. Peaking right now. — 12 years ago

Oberon

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

8.1

Nose: Insipid immediately after opening - nothing here save a bit of barnyard, which diminishes. Is she corked? Where are the wine aromas? <-- generally suggests cork taint. With a good bit of swirling and time I find faint dusty black currant bud. No, not corked, just lame. Some alcohol on the nose, maybe just because I'm inhaling so damn hard trying to find something here. — 12 years ago

Mouth: Fairly grippy tannin, not offensive. Moderate-high astringency, my cheeks are sticking to my teeth by the end of the glass.

This just needed some air. The nose is bigger now. Rich meaty/earthy flavors are coming out. This is punching well above its weight class at $21.99. Score upgraded.

13.7% alc. That doesn't sound right...it's a little hotter...but it's definitely less ripe than most Napa cab. No raisin flavor, hallelujah.

Ancient Peaks

Renegade Margarita Vineyard Syrah Blend 2010

9.3

Hello again friends. Simple review tonight. 51% syrah/25% malbec/24% petit verdot. There's purple fruit (boysenberry? black raspberry?) in here. Minerality kicks you in the throat. I hate to admit that because this vineyard is touted as an oyster graveyard, "therefore mineral character, of course..." I did a lit review on minerality in wine and nobody seems to understand it - it's certainly not as simple as calcium in the soil. But this bitch pushes the mineral button for sure. Hell of a deal at $17.49. Opened yesterday and had a glass, refrigerated, absolutely crushed the remainder tonight w/ grilled scallions smothered in romesco. — 12 years ago

Saman liked this

Trio Infernal

No. 1/3 Priorat Grenache Blend 2004

8.1

Licorice, vanilla, black fruit, perfume, candy on the nose. Ripe red fruit, oak, licorice on the palate. Moderate to high acid, grippy tannin, astringency draws the palate a fair bit. Warming alcohol but not particularly hot...more like 14.5 than the 14% alc. declared. That'll drink. I still prefer cooler climate Grenache. — 12 years ago

The mid-palate and finish on this crashed and burned with a few hours of air/overnight in the fridge.

L'Aventure

Estate Paso Robles Rosé Blend 2011

8.4

This one is being real tricky with the volatile sulfur compounds (hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans)...those rotten egg to natural gas to rubber to cabbage and garlic nasties. In the right concentration/setting these same compounds can be fun so I'm letting this play out slowly. It had a sewage like funk that blew off fast when I tasted at the winery in Oct...but they probably had the serving parameters down pat. Hoping the sulfur didn't get too deeply integrated... — 12 years ago

So an hour or two later the offensive sulfur has mostly diminished into a pleasant flinty/mildly sweaty character. There's a mushroom note and some zesty spice on the back end. Acid is moderate but there's enough. The chicken just came out of the oven, making it kinda hard to nose the wine...perhaps that's the secret. Open early in the evening and serve around 45F.

False. No Cab in this... 70% Syrah 20% Mourvèdre 10% Grenache 13.9% alc.

And 5 hours later it's singing. Can't believe this can take so much oxygen...truly the best vineyard in Paso Robles, not a single bad grape to date.

Hangar One

Mandarin Blosson Vodka

9.9

Hangar One Mandarin Blossom Vodka Negroni. Bliss. The only time I'll sub out gin for vodka. Try this vodka, then mix a Negroni w/ it. Should've given this a 100. Bliss. — 12 years ago

Cripes this app is buggy...not a 100, a mere 98!

Shafer Vineyards

Napa Valley Merlot 2009

8.2

Tart cherries, floral, oak, and alcohol on the nose. Cool climate alert, almost hitting the Pinot button. Rich cherry pie on the palate - bright fruit, strong french oak, increasingly alcoholic. Good acid tannin and astringency. 15.1% is not what I want to see, but I do like this. Opened late night for inspiration as I'm applying at a Stags Leap winery. — 12 years ago

Stags Leap Winery Merlot makes my favorite merlot (cool and earthy). it was a bargain at $20. But I haven't found it on the shelves anywhere in months... Best of luck on your interviews bro!

Spottswoode

Napa County Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2011

9.2

Dynamic Sauv blanc - reminds me of cloudy bay w/ a little less acid and green character. Nose starts as pure guava and passion fruit, yielding to increasingly more grassy aromas as it warms (from green bean to grass to green bell pepper). Acid is moderate. More guava and pineapple on the palate, grass is moderate...definitely there but pleasantly dialed in for me. A touch bitter. Surprisingly fat for a Sauv blanc. This is a fun one if you keep her cold. — 12 years ago

How long have you been drinking Cloudy? I've had it recently, but apparently it's changed dramatically over the years.

I've only had recent vintages. My local wine god worked a vintage there...he shakes his head in disgust and agrees with you. I like anything NZSB that's tropical cold and grassy as it warms, for what it's worth.

I guess I would put this more in the direction of cat piss than green bean and bell pep. Need to recalibrate my palate with some cat urine, it's been so long...

Epoch Estate Wines

Paderewski Vineyard Sensibility Red Rhone Blend 2009

9.7

Nose: red fruit esp strawberry, strawberry shortcake, rhubarb, floral...gorgeous — 12 years ago

Mouth: suede-like tannins, fair amount of astringency but balanced. Just the right amount of grip w/o going too far.

A gorgeous feminine wine...the anise renders her somewhat exotic...punchy enough to beat you up. More please.

Producer is Epoch Estate in west Paso Robles. 76% Grenache 21% Mouvedre 4% Syrah, 15.6% alc. but feels like 14.5%.