by Administrator
2. February 2009 08:40
Needless to say, I taste quite a few wines every year (sometimes 20-30 a day), and some are more memorable than others. Many times, a great wine can be ruined by context, lost in translation. By this I mean that if I am brought 25 wines to try, and the second to last one is great but the first twenty-three were mediocre, it may show below its full potential by proxy. Guilt by association I suppose. This is why it's important to be diligent in evaluating wines, and not get complacent, lest I wish to deprive my customers of a real gem, or sell them a dud. That being said, I am probably much stricter on wines than most. So when a wine comes along that actually gives me pause, its worth noting. Especially when it's under $40 a bottle.
The Dutton-Goldfield Syrah Cherry Ridge 2005 I had recently was in a word, remarkable. Deep purple and unbelievably balanced, its a fantastic expression of what Russian River can do. Loads of dark fruits, slightly smoky and gamey, but never to much of anything. It is even throughout, and lingers on the palate for minutes afterwards. Kudos to the wine maker, I'm not sure this could be any better.
