http://www.creovino.com Wine Making, Recipes and General discussions about wine. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:10:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1812 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1812#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:10:37 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#072910B ]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1812/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1811 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1811#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:10:36 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#072910A ]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1811/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1810 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1810#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:21:00 +0000 Ben Todd:

Chez Ray Old Vines Zinfandel 2002: Young jammy nose with evident alcohol; Fruit forward on palate with grape jam flavor & lively acidity. Bark & alcohol in medium finish.

Earlier description of this wine here.

]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1810/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1808 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1808#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:04:09 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#072310A ]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1808/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1809 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1809#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:04:09 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#072310B Free PC Services. I have been working on it for three months – probably no less than 4 hours a day (12 hours some days) since late April – and decided to publish it even though it isn't anywhere near where I wanted it to be when I debuted it. The web site is a selective cataloging of free programs for your desktop, laptop or notebook computer. Read more....]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1809/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1806 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1806#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:56:07 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#071910A ]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1806/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1807 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1807#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:56:07 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#071910B ]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1807/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1804 http://www.creovino.com/archives/1804#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:53:04 +0000 Jack Keller's WineBlog http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#071410A ]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/1804/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/549 http://www.creovino.com/archives/549#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:01:00 +0000 Ben here and its making was described here.

This is one of two Carneros merlots I made from 2005. The other one is reviewed here.

Let see what this one is like: In the glass, it is a medium magenta with purple highlights. The aroma is intriguing: "eau de helium" is how I would characterize it; actually seems like you are sniffing inside a balloon! Not a bad aroma, just odd. Let's see, here's the balloon knot, hmmmm, very smooth sides, etc...

Now let's see what the inside of a helium balloon tastes like: most of what you notice first are an onslaught of acids across the palate, this is backed by a tannin finish that further puckers after you're already puckered from the acids. My face is a sorry sight at the moment.

This definitely has structure and acids, but no fruit and no classical aroma of note. I would recommend laying down for a few years. My fingers are crossed, but I'm somewhat dubious. One star out of five on the Spirit of Wine scale, with a plus for hope for the future.

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Now a year later, late May, 2009: Mid-deep red - serious blood color. Aromas are not helium any longer - deep, serious, subdued black fruit. On the palate, a lifted acid and solid tannic core, but a solid fruit is squeezing up from out of the depths. The combination is taking on a serious, tough sweetness. Clean finish. Quite intriguing. Time will still help. Now three stars. Good promise for future.

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Updated Review, July, 2010, about five years from vintage date, and three and a half years since bottling; just over one year from last review (picture is from this tasting):  Consistent color and serious black cassis on the nose.  An acid-driven, but full tannin and fruit-backed structure on the palate.  Excellent "fur" and sweetness on the long-lasting palate, with tongue-prickling acids at the end.  Still a strong three stars.  May even grow to a higher level with more time.

]]> http://www.creovino.com/archives/549/feed 0 http://www.creovino.com/archives/269 http://www.creovino.com/archives/269#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:45:00 +0000 Ben here and its making was described here.

Let's see what it brings to the table: In the glass, it is a deep magenta with dark purple tinged highlights. The aromas is beefy, sweet, fruity, oaky, chocolate and slightly dark - a nice combo! On the palate, the first note is an extracted, lightly acidic plum, pushed along by the deeper cocoa notes. Finish seems to fade, but comes back on a substantive rebound. I do believe this could use another 2 years of age; still, I would stay with it for an entire tasting - thus four stars out of five.

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Updated review, February, 2009: Now medium dusty red in the glass. Beguiling aroma has the same characteristics as above. On the palate, a sweet, full, just-slightly-tangy front, laden with full fruit and sizable tannin blast. Wow, extracted, lengthy finish, bringing back chocolate cherries. Outstanding. Still good for time in the bottle. Showing its stuff very well. Still four stars.

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Updated review, January, 2010: Now just about three years from bottling.  Comparable color.  Now thick beef blood comes through first and brilliantly on the nose.  Awesome.  The palate shows a more viscous start, thick chocolate-coated ripe plums.  Tannins and acids move to the cheeks for a long close.  Excellent, and yet still evolving.

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Updated review, July, 2010:  five years from vintage date, three and a half years since bottling.  Comparable color and aromas to the recent January tasting - brilliant and thick.  Even more chocolate now on the palate. Fabulous - a plus added to the four stars for residual power.

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