I was able to attend Farrell's Fall Trade Show for the second year in a row. To say that they pull out all the stops with their culinary offerings is an unforgivable understatement, and the presentation of everything from sushi rolls to every variety of creme brulee on earth is as gorgeous as the diverse tapestry of their flavors. The Equinox again proved its capabilities for handling such a large crowd, and I have to voice my gratitude to Farrell for dishing out for what is certainly an expensive space, as I hate attending trade shows where one is hardly afforded elbow room. My impressions below encompass the best 15 wines in terms of quality/price ratio:
93+ – 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clarke and Telephone Vineyard Sonoma ($30.00)
Stunnningly melds a firm, tight mouthfeel with exemplary focus, lending terrific authority to the abundance of rich, intense, complex flavors; astonishing equilibrium and personality in spades; very varietal, yet singular and distinctive; exceptional winemaking here
91 - 2007 Pine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($37.59)
Exhibits terrific balance, with a nose revealing sweet dark fruit along with compelling, evolved
secondary nuances; healthy, gorgeous acidity and integrated tannins
secondary nuances; healthy, gorgeous acidity and integrated tannins
91 – 2007 Macrostie Chardonnay Wildcat Mountain ($24.80)
A beautiful wine from start to finish, with complex, sexy notes of apples intermingling with plenty of acids to lend the wine a sophisticated, elegant demeanor; clearly from low yields and a respectful, conscientious producer with plenty of help from a superlative vintage; this is understated but memorable for its purity and healthy radiance
90+ – 2008 Macrostie Chardonnay Sonoma Coast ($15.03)
Attractively tropical, revealing fresh aromatics redolent of pineapple, pears, and flowers as well as underlying minerality; long and persistent, with even greater savory minerality emerging on the long, ingratiating finish
90 – 2007 Cameron Hughes Syrah lot 156 ($9.77)
A fine glass pour Syrah if I’ve ever seen one! This is a finely tuned, skillfully sculpted Syrah with persistent aromatics of sweet dark fruit and licorice packaged in a breezy, weightless style that features superfine tannins and gorgeous, healthy acids; at this price, the balance offered here is absurd
90 - 2001 Bodegas Ontanon Gran Reserva ($24.80)
89+ - 2004 Bodegas Ontanon Reserva ($16.53)
I am thrilled to have stumbled upon wines from the tiny estate of Bodegas Ontanon, a small family-owned estate stationed in Rioja Baja. Winemaker Ruben took over winemaking duties from his father in 2001, a vintage that Laine (Ruben’s sister and the winery’s marketing head) recalls, smilingly, as the best of the past decade. Tasting through the six wines she offered (two of which are from Ruben’s recently established subsidiary project from purchased fruit in Ribera del Duero) Ruben’s style might be summarized as one that prizes purity of fruit andaromatic complexity, and his wines are imbued with compelling, distinctive and concentrated personalities. He works with yields even lower than those mandated by the DO, and this excellent showing attests to his skill and non-interventionist approach to vinification. The Gran Reserva (2001) and Reserva (2004) are equally complete, though I happen to prefer the fresh, vivacious nature of the Reserva (2004) to the more brooding and at this stage backward Gran Reserva (2001).
90 – 1997 Kalin Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($27.81)
A seductive, alluring nose of wilted flowers, mushrooms, forest floor amidst some reductive notes; the palate reveals even greater floral character than the nose, with enough fruit to make the tertiary, highly evolved components seem attractive and intellectually satisfying rather than distracting
90 – 2007 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Petite Sirah Napa Valley ($27.06)
Conveys aromatic notions of brown sugar and tar in a swarthy, distinctive style, with nice extraction and elegance, as well as a focused attack that cuts broadly across the palate, with tannins that build gradually creep toward a forceful, virile, structured finish; this is a swarthy wine with persistent aromatics and nice depth
89 – 2008 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($26.30)
Displays lots of blackcurrant/crème de cassis in a package that was unmistakably addressed from the Napa Valley, with serious density, purity and opulence; a flashy, fruit-driven, low-acid style; good length
89 – 2006 Marchesi di Barolo Barbera Ravera ($24.05)
A lithe and supple style, with finessed tannins, yet very good-excellent concentration that houses flavors of blueberries, licorice and damp earth tones; the racy yet supple character creates a nice textural interplay; foursquare winemaking
89 – 2007 Kendall Jackson Merlot Grand Reserve ($16.54)
What’s not to like here? Medium-full bodied, full-flavored, soft, and irresistibly delicious juice produced from beautifully healthy fruit; with forward herbal/cherry flavors, ingratiating tannins and silky texture, one might further count the admittedly two-dimensional profile here a virtue, as it leaves no doubt that this is designed to simply provide its consumers enormous and pretention-less pleasure
88 – 2007 Macrostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain ($28.56)
Produces a bouquet of fresh mint intermixed with red berry fruit together with herbs and new oak (although I’m told only 20% new wood is used); attractive, vivid varietal flavors and a seamless texture throughout, though the finish drops off rather quickly; this is very fine, but lacks the completely convincing winemaking that seems more evident in the Chardonnays
88 – 2008 Ravines Wine Cellars Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes ($12.77)
In a certain sense, this was the revelatoriest wine of the afternoon for me;
reveals reticent aromas that convey a certain sexy shyness more than anything reluctant or demure; it is immediately and unquestionably clear that this is a producer working with very, very low yields, who respects his vineyards and works them thoroughly and whose results attest to his passion and uncompromising work ethic; there is no intrusive, obvious herbaceousness, nearly complete ripeness, no hard edges, and aromas and flavors of game and red fruits; healthy acid levels
87 –2009 Ogier Heritages Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc ($8.26)
Eager, lifted aromas of lemon curd as well as a hint of white pepper emerge, while the palate conveys good freshness, crushed rocks, and a pleasant texture with no hard edges
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