Laura called it beautiful and full-bodied. Jan said it was very nice with a great nose and balance. Kim loved the nose and softness, but not the $45 price. I loved the violet color and mouthfeel. Jim called it a keeper. It scored better than four stars.
She wanted to feature sparkling wines that represented a sense of terroir. She re-paid the loan as soon as she could so she could make the winery uniquely hers.
We went back to Australia for the fifth wine of the day, 2010 Graffigna Malbec reserve. At $13 this wine spun some heads in our group. The color was deep dark and I picked up chocolate and cherries on the nose.
From Napa Cellars we tasted the 2009 Dyer Vineyard Carneros Syrah. "From the first sip it's a wow!" said Tony. He found it excellent from start to finish and rated it 5 out of 5.
I had seen Phil Baily earlier and he sent me off with a bottle of his Baily Winery 2008 M & M, 60% Merlot/40% Malbec blend. Tony wasn't shy with his opinion: "Super great nose!Awesome taste! Drinks like a $100 bottle."
From Sonoma County we meandered to Spain via the 2010 Robaliño Albariño from Rias Baixas. Albariño is a delightful Spanish varietal and this one didn't disappoint.
A first time for everything I'm at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla and Craig Camp from Cornerstone Cellars Napa has just poured us a 2009 Sauvignon...
