2005 SeaSmoke Pinot Noir Southing

I still get rather strong oak on the nose of this wine, even with 2 hours being open, but I also get stereotypical central coast cola and Five Spice over some dark fruits such as ripe plum. The mouthfeel is extraordinary, to be sure - very silky and rich. I get some bacon, strawberry sauce, some kind of berry liqueur, but still a lot of harshness and heat - this is where I just don't understand all the incredibly glowing remarks this wine gets at such an early age. To me, it just doesn't cut it at this stage, not at all, and I don't think even a few more hours open would help - it needs years in the cellar. I sense what it can be, but it's very hot yet, and the oak has not integrated. My best guess is that this was open for business right after release, but shut down and is now sleeping for a year or more.

2002 Scherrer Pinot Noir Fort Ross Vineyard 'High Slopes'

I'm a huge fan of Fred's wines, but this one disappointed me, as did the standard 'Fort Ross Vineyard' bottling of the same year - perhaps just not my style. While there is a nice core of blueberry and fresh strawberry, I'm finding too much oak and a bit of astringency, which surprises me for a pinot noir of this vintage, at nearly 6 years aged. Bodyfeel is very silky and nicely weighted, but I'm still getting some heat on the tail end of the flavor profile and the finish, and that is not something I expected, particularly considering the price and skill of the wine maker.

2005 Gainey Riesling Limited Selection

For this price, it is an excellent QPR and a wonderful match with brown sugar and cognac glazed Easter ham. Just the right amount of dryness on the palate, and a short but clean finish

2006 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard

This is a very elegant pinot noir - the nose has a perfumed hint of oak, but surrounded by cola, baking spice, and white chocolate covered berries of all kinds. Nothing is overwhelming, and even the heat is perfectly proportioned, especially considering the youth of this wine. An immediate blast of sweetness hits your palate as you put the wine in your mouth, but it's not really a sweetness in flavor, more of sensation. Silky bodyfeel (in a couple of years, this will be liquid silk) with a hint of steminess around fresh strawberries, a bit of fresh beef, toasted vanilla, and strong cola. After a couple of hours, the sweet fruit comes out, and strong hints of RRV spice. On the second day, it revealed even more of its great balance, particularly with acidity - in 2-3 years, this wine will really shine, and I"m looking forward to it.

2006 Babcock Pinot Noir Rita's Earth Cuvee

Very Central Coast in nature, quintessential SRH pinot in a very good QPR. There's a bit of funkiness on the palate, something like sweaty socks, but it's fleeting and hard to detect. I bet after another hour or so it will be gone altogether. Rich mouthfeel, dark cherry, mushroom, pepper, and some heat on the finish. For the price we paid, I wish we had more - nothing this price comes close.

2005 Dehlinger Chardonnay

Toasty vanilla oak, fresh spring water, baked apple, Kiwi fruit, citrus, and fantastic minerality, surrounded by some nicely balanced acidity. Very silky mouthfeel that stays smooth all the way to the finish, which is unusual for CA chardonnay, from what I recall. On the finish, charred sugar, and the roasted oak turns to mushroom, which is very pleasant, and the finish is quite long lasting throughout. There is no question this is a very high quality wine, and the next bottle in the cellar will be enjoyed a year or more from now.

2005 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Decanted for one hour, then rebottled. Consumed over 2 more hours, and this wine really developed a fantastic personality while just aerating in the glass. About the end of nearly 3 hours out, this wine transformed into a beautiful, elegant, sweet fruit and cola Sonoma pinot. The finish was long and rich, with kirsch and more cola. The acidity really held the wine together well without overpowering it, and pairing it with grilled duck breast with cranberry-pinot sauce was absolutely divine. I have not yet been disappointed in W-S pinots - only disappointed myself in not ordering from this past mailer (darn mailer season!)