Testarossa Vineyards May New Releases
I picked up my wine club shipment at Testarossa, and I got to sample some of there new releases.
2003 Testarossa Vineyards, Chardonnay, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
The Sleepy Hollow vineyard is in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County. Nose had lemon, pineapple, and oak. Intense lemon and pineapple fruit flavors, with a rich, oily feel on the palette, high acid and a long fruity finish. This is a very good, well balanced Chardonnay. Just released. 465 cases produced. List price $36. My rating 93.
2003 Testarossa Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Garys’ Vineyard
Garys’ Vineyard is also in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County. Medium color. Nose had red cherry and oak. Red cherry forward fruit with hints of spices and earthiness, high acid and very soft tannins. This wine is drinking very nicely right now. The people in the wine tasting room seem to think this will open up a little more with a year or so in the bottle. I have 4 bottle or so of this so we will see. Just released. 608 cases produced. List price $54. My rating 90.
2002 Testarossa Vineyards, Syrah, Garys’ Vineyard
This was a “library” wine. Apparently a small quantity was returned from their distributor. This wine is dark garnet color. Nose seemed very tight, with hints of berries. The wine is very big and tight, with raspberry and spices in the fruit flavors and some hints of chocolate on the long astringent finish. It had high acid and high tannins. I believe I tried this wine last year when it was released. I think it has tightened up since then or it was just because of the time the bottle had been open. This wine definitely needs some time to soften out the tannins. 274 cases produced, but only a very limited quantity is still available at the winery. List price is $47. My rating 89.
They also tasted the 2003 Castello Chardonnay ($26) and the 2002 Palazzio Pinot Noir ($32). These are blends of grapes from a number of vineyards, and my tasting notes were similar to previous times I had tasted them.
2003 Testarossa Vineyards, Chardonnay, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
The Sleepy Hollow vineyard is in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County. Nose had lemon, pineapple, and oak. Intense lemon and pineapple fruit flavors, with a rich, oily feel on the palette, high acid and a long fruity finish. This is a very good, well balanced Chardonnay. Just released. 465 cases produced. List price $36. My rating 93.
2003 Testarossa Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Garys’ Vineyard
Garys’ Vineyard is also in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County. Medium color. Nose had red cherry and oak. Red cherry forward fruit with hints of spices and earthiness, high acid and very soft tannins. This wine is drinking very nicely right now. The people in the wine tasting room seem to think this will open up a little more with a year or so in the bottle. I have 4 bottle or so of this so we will see. Just released. 608 cases produced. List price $54. My rating 90.
2002 Testarossa Vineyards, Syrah, Garys’ Vineyard
This was a “library” wine. Apparently a small quantity was returned from their distributor. This wine is dark garnet color. Nose seemed very tight, with hints of berries. The wine is very big and tight, with raspberry and spices in the fruit flavors and some hints of chocolate on the long astringent finish. It had high acid and high tannins. I believe I tried this wine last year when it was released. I think it has tightened up since then or it was just because of the time the bottle had been open. This wine definitely needs some time to soften out the tannins. 274 cases produced, but only a very limited quantity is still available at the winery. List price is $47. My rating 89.
They also tasted the 2003 Castello Chardonnay ($26) and the 2002 Palazzio Pinot Noir ($32). These are blends of grapes from a number of vineyards, and my tasting notes were similar to previous times I had tasted them.
posted by mikeca | 11:05 PM
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