TNs: Some California Pinots and Syrahs

[Michael Malinoski]

A friend and I recently attended a concert together and decided to do a little tailgating in the parking lot before the show.

2006 Inman Family Wines Pinot Noir Russian River Valley. There are a lot of toasty brown spice notes on the airy and pretty nose of this wine, with some sassafras and autumn leaf accents to support the dark and persistent rhubarb and dark cranberry fruit core. In the mouth, it’s pretty and gently spiced, with an effortless balance and easy weight to the birch, toasty stem and mushroom elements that are nicely offset by the bright purple berry fruit flavors. It’s fun and elegant at the same time, drinking nicely right now.

2006 MacPhail Pinot Noir Goodin Vineyard Sonoma Coast. The nose here is wide open and full of life, loaded with fun toasty spices, layers of cherry paste, wild raspberries and faint mushroom aromas. It’s delicious to drink, again showing a lot of spicy character to go with a nicely concentrated core featuring flavors of cherry, sweet raspberry and other mixed berries. It has a wonderful mouthfeel to it, and it’s drinking fantastically right now for my tastes.

2002 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Hyde Vineyard Carneros. This bottle bears very little resemblance to the last three I’ve tasted—exhibiting none of the wildly exotic or sexified aromas I’ve come to expect. Instead, this presents an earthy nose of grape stems, mushrooms, spice and purple berry fruit. In the mouth, it has some angularity to it, which is something I never thought I’d ever say about this wine. There’s still a good dollop of dark berry fruit and a rich creamy texture, but I’m thinking this is now pretty much on the downslope.

2001 Renard Syrah Unti Vineyard Dry Creek Valley. The aromas of this wine are kind of meaty, with cooled bacon fat, blackberry fruit and soft cedar wood taking central roles. In the mouth, it’s really easy-sipping. The fruit is fully-resolved, warm and pliant—carreid along by the creamy texture and sublte acidity. It’s not overly-complicated with its tasty black fruit, but you find yourself drinking a lot of it without really realizing. It was a nice little surprise, I’d have to say.

2002 Chalone Vineyard Syrah Estate Grown Chalone. This was a mixed bag, really—probably more bad than good. It smells sort of cooked or stewed on the nose, with aromas of baked cherries, stewed tomatoes and a bit of limestone. It’s warm and spicy on the palate, with baked red fruit, caramel and funky notes showing mellow and forgiving, but seemingly over the hill.


-Michael