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Wine Tasting Notes
Most Recent Tasting notes:
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2008 Main Street 97% Napa, 3% Monterey, Pinot Noir $10 Score: 84.0 Dry, with forward scents of sandalwood and cherry. Lean and dry on the palate, with slight astringency and strawberry-cherry flavors. |
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2006 Main Street 80% Monterey, 8% Santa Barbara, 7% Napa, 5% Lake, Merlot $10 Score: 87.0 A lovely Merlot with aromatic black cherry fruit, faint notes of black pepper and vanilla, soft tannins, and classic structure. Dry, with some delicacy, this is a fine antidote to the port-like fruit bombs currently passed off as Merlot. |
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2006 Main Street 54% Lake County, 24% Monterey County, 22% Santa Barbara County Cabernet Sauvignon $10 Score: 83.0 The dominant flavor of this light to medium-bodied Cab is black cherry, the oak is subtle, the tannins moderate, and there is a mineral edge to the finish. Pleasant enough, though the least varietally distinct of the Main Street line; it might be mistaken for a Merlot. |
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2008 Main Street 82% Santa Barbara, 18% Monterey, Chardonnay $10 Score: 89.0 Buttery, with appley fruit and a hint of caramel, velvety texture, full bodied, yet with pleasant acidity and a hint of mineral character. I?m astonished at the price of this wine, which delivers so much more than you?d expect at the price. Best served slightly chilled. |
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2008 Main Street Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc $10 Score: 92.0 This is one terrific SB, full bodied yet tart, with citrus and gooseberry flavors, a bit of classic ?cat piss? (if you have to ask, ignore the descriptor), subtle dried herbs and a long lemony finish with a mineral edge. Fine aromatics and balance. |
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Mosby Lucca Santa Barbara County, Red Table Wine $14 Score: 90.0 The more I taste this wine, the better I like it. It's a non-vintage (call it cross-vintage) blend of red varietals with a core of Primativo (i.e. Zinfandel). The aroma is a melange of cranberry, rhubarb and raspberry that follow to the palate with a smooth texture, a hint of cocoa and a pleasant sour berry finish. It will last another 5 years, but I suggest you drink it while the fruit is still vibrant. 450 cases produced. At $14 it's an absolute steal. |
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2009 Mosby Santa Barbara County, Traminer $20 Score: 88.0 Proof that you don't need high alcohol to have good aromatics (this one is a reasonable 13.5%). Dry and silky with subtle flavors that are hard to define --- perhaps a core of slightly bitter grapefruit with edges of white peach and lavender. Tart and minerally in the finish, it would make an ideal seafood wine. Only 140 cases produced, and only available through the winery's wine club. So go online and sign up! |
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2006 Mosby Winery & Vineyards, Santa Barbara County, Teroldego $15 Score: 93.0 For the life of me I can't understand why more producers don't make this marvelous varietal. Even in Northern Italy, Teroldego is usually relegated to the role of a blending wine. Here, as a single varietal, it excells in delivering a full bodied, silky red wine with layers of rhubarb, pomegranate, plum and brown spice. Complex and satisfying, with a long spicy finish. |
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2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Sonoma County Fumé Blanc $12 Score: 92.0 Emphatic varietal definition of tart grapefruit, melon rind and subtle thyme with mineral overtones. Bone dry and refreshing, the finish lingers for a full minute.The quintessential wine to serve with shellfish, pasta with olive oil and garlic, or smoked salmon. |
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2008 Stemmari Feudo Arancio, Sicily Italy Syrah $12 Score: 91.0 Mezzacorona winery in northern Italy owns a large estate (2,000+ acres) on Sicily, where they produce 10 different varietals, some Italian and some French varieties. The Syrah is exceptional, proving that the variety is perfectly suited to Sicily. Neither as jammy and alcoholic as Australian Shiraz, nor as lean and restrained as many Rhones, the Arancio Syrah has classically firm structure, moderate alcohol, and strawberry-cherry fruit with chocolate and spice accents. Excellent value. |
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2005 Uvaggio Lodi, Barbera: $18 Score: 90.0 Lodi is the perfect place for Barbera. This one has a lovely restrained nose, and great varietal definition with its plum and chocolate notes and crisp acidity. A very correct Italian-style Barbera. |
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2008 Uvaggio Lodi, Moscato: $14 Score: 93.0 A lovely and refreshing wine with intense honeysuckle and hawthorn blossom character, crisp acidity yet silky texture. |
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2008 Uvaggio Lodi, Vermentino: $14 Score: 88.0 Uvaggio is the largest California producer of Vermentino, a white variety grown on Sardinia and in parts of Tuscany. This version shows subtle floral notes and melon rind aromas and flavors. Only 100 cases produced. |
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2005 Lucas ZinStar vineyard Lodi, Zinfandel $35 Score: 94.0 After spending a year in French oak and four years in the bottle, the 2004 offers intense raspberry and allspice aromas and flavors. Light, lively and ridiculously intense. |
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2006 Lucas Lodi, Chardonnay $30 Score: 94.0 Just released, the 2006 displays bright grapefruit and pippin apple aromas and flavors, with crispy acidity, silky texture and a long finish. It?s amazingly aromatic. points. |