2007 TR Elliott “Three Plumes” Pinot Noir
I don’t mean the top of a mountain or anything. I mean the Pinot Noir Summit, which I attended a few weeks back. I have several Pinots from the event to review, a couple of them are blow-you-away good.
This one, while not quite that level of spectacular, was still awesome.
I tasted this wine blind, at the Summit’s Grand Tasting event, and my notes were all written before I knew what was in my glass, other than what my nose and mouth told me.
The Three Plumes is a bright red color, very pretty, very inviting. Tasting blind I realized how important the color of the wine itself is. I usually find myself perusing bottle labels as I taste, whether for enjoyment or to scoff at some outlandishness. With no label to eyeball, I was left with the juice in my glass.
On the nose, the wine stays what I called “very pretty.” There are some ripe red cherry notes here, and a spice note, very pleasant, like a cinnamon. Take a sip, and the Three Plumes shows itself to be a light, but balanced wine. There is a subtle strawberry note that peeks through, bit nothing here overwhelms. While that’s good, it left me wanting even more, and so I cannot rave about the Three Plumes.
What I can do, however, is recommend it. Without reservation, really. A very balanced, thoughtful Russian River Pinot Noir here.
Verdict: B+
2007 Jermann Pinot Grigio
The north-eastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia has a storied past. Once part of the Ventian Republic, later part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the region has seen its share of turmoil, and can count more than just Italia among its heritage.
The wine from the area can be very similar in this way. The region is pressed up against Austria and Slovenia, so wines from Friuli sometimes have a Germanic influence to them. This Pinot Grigio from Silvio Jermann (the last name doesn’t sounds Italian to me!) fits this bill.
In the glass, the wine is a light golden hue, darker than a Sauv Blanc, lighter than a Chard. The nose here is… interesting, to say the least. I liked it, but the strongly mineralistic and herbacious nose–there’s even a hint of petrol here, Sauv Blanc fans–will turn some people off.
The palate is very different, though. This is a full-bodied, but low-acid wine, better for drinking on its own than it would be with food. Certainly you’d want to pair it with light fare (grilled fish?) if anything. There are heavy citrus notes here, grapefruit and lemon and lime, nice, but a hell of a lot of it. The wine seems a bit one-note, but the note is really quite good.
My favorite Pinot Grigio? No, can’t say that it is. But it was very enjoyable nonetheless. Not the wine to hand to your wine-neophyte friends and family–that nose will turn them away–but for the adventurous type, a good example of the influences of this region on its wine.
Verdict: B-
2007 Jermann Pinot Grigio
An Aromatic White From Campania, Italia
My virtual trip-around-Italy-via-vino continues today, with a stop in the southern Italian hills above Naples, in Campania. It may be simply my inexperience talking, but I’d never heard of the Fiano grape, or of Fiano di Avellino, before trying this wine. If you’re like me in that regard, then follow my lead and give it a shot.
Maybe.
Basically, if you dig big nosed Sauvignon Blanc, or Viognier, you might like Fiano di Avellino. If your wine proclivities skew strictly red, or your idea of a good white is either a buttered oak barrel Chardonnay or an acidic, tight, structured Dry Riesling, this may not be for you. That being said, let me describe my experience.
The wine is very light in the glass, almost clear. Very much like I’m used to seeing with Sauv Blanc. On the nose is an interesting set of notes. Mostly mineral in nature (comes off like vegetable garden, or sometimes olive oil) there is a hint of an aged cheese (parmesan or pecorino) here as well. It’s interesting, and I liked it, but I can see how it will not be for everyone.
The wine is clean, crisp and light-bodied. A very easy drinking wine, the 2007 Mastroberardino still maintains enough acidity to be a food-pairing wine. The major notes are of citrus (especially like a lime zest thing going on) and tropical (pineappleesque, if you forgive my preciousness), and herbal varieties. I found the wine refreshing and enjoyable, but I have a hard time recommending it outright.
Fans of aromatic whites should run right out and get some, however.
Verdict: B-
2007 Mastroberardino Fiano di Avellino