Beauty and the Blend

Beauty and the Blend
Farpointe Cellar
Tasted Saturday, April 10, 2010

Flight 1

2006 Burge Family Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre Olive Hill (Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley) - 91 Points The nose had earth and leather, spice, and some cherry at the end. the palate had blueberry and cherry, spice, leather, and a nice pepper finish.

2004 Château de la Gardine Châteauneuf-du-Pape (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) - 90 Points
The nose had smoked meat and blackberry, coffee beans and chocolate, and some cherry towards the end. The palate was soft and juicy, with espresso and blackberry, smoke, cherry, and some dark chocolate on the finish.

2007 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Girard (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) - 90 Points The nose had fresh herbs and smoke, cherry, and some raw meat. The palate had a lot of pepper and cherry, with small amounts of smoke, herbs, and meat juice.

2007 Duckhorn Vineyards Decoy (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 89 Points The nose had mocha and blackberry, cherry, and a hint of vanilla at the end. The palate had a good amount of acid and tannins. It mainly had fruit, with just a little chocolate on the finish.

2006 Orin Swift Papillon (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 89 Points The nose was a bit tight. There was a little strawberry and vanilla, but not much else. The palate was very rich, with strawberry, cherry, spice, and a lot of tannins on the finish.

Flight 2

2007 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard (USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles) - 92 Points The nose had blackberry and spice, earth and forest floor, and a bit of pepper at the end. The palate was rich and thick, with blackberry and pepper, earth, and a big shot of oak at the end. This wine is way too young and tannic, but still tasty.

2006 Larkmead Vineyards Firebelle (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 89 Points The nose had cherry and coffee, chocolate and earth, and some vanilla at the end. The palate was a bit tannic, but did have cherry, earth, and a big hit of oak on the finish.