Full Tasting Notes from National Wine Marketing Conference (74 wines / 14 states)

This is the full summary of pretty much everything I tasted at the National Wine Marketing Conference. There are a few other things I tasted, but didn’t properly note. My dominant interest is in wines that express their place of origin, so I have no tasting notes (and usually didn’t try) wines whose grapes did not come from the winery’s state.

A few brief comments about my notes :

- I am a tough grader. ‘OK’ means a pretty decent wine, but I am ever more stingy going above that. To be ‘good’ or better, a wine has to express something beyond its mere fruit.

- I don’t like apparent oak. I don’t like un-apparent oak where the treatment has clearly been to the detriment of the fruit and, most importantly, structure of the wine. Particularly in cold-climes or with high-acid grapes, I find way too many of the wines ruined by the intrusion of oak. A word to the wise – the fashion for oak flavors is a trend well on the wane.

- While my notes reflect my personal tastes, I also try to remove that and note where wines that I may like are not going to other’s tastes.

- Given the nature of the conference, most of the notes are brief and dominant impressions. In general, I look for and write about structure, balance and integration far more than the usual litany of taste descriptors.

In a further post, I will make more general comments about the wines, the states and my collected impressions from the two years I’ve attended this meeting.

Lastly, a big thanks to all the states and wineries for being so generous of their wines and their time. It is always the biggest treat to talk with them and feel their passion for what they do.

 

Idaho

• 2009 Cinder Viognier - USA, Idaho, Snake River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Odd. Fresh cabbage nose and palate which has a charm, but also is not typical or even expected at all. I liked it, but it is tough to recommend.
• 2008 Vale Riesling Idaho - USA, Idaho, Snake River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Crisp and transparent fruits. Nice quality here and remarkably consistent with a year ago. Well done.
• 2008 Cinder Syrah Snake River Valley - USA, Idaho, Snake River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Modern in body and nose with plush extracted too-ripe fruit. Noticeable oak. Underneath is a charm and vibe though.
• 2006 Bitner Vineyards Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, Idaho, Snake River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Modernly sculpted. Jammy fruits.

Illinois

• 2009 Lynfred Winery Seyval Blanc - USA, Illinois (4/13/2010)
  Fresh, ripe veggies on the nose, high-toned Sauv B-like. Slight sweet on the palate. A bit thin on the body. Nice.
• 2007 Fox Valley Chardonnay Reserve - USA, Illinois (4/13/2010)
  Oak and malo on the nose. Palate follows suit. Can't escape it. No.

Indiana

• N.V. Butler Vineyards Cayuga Vineyard Select - USA, Indiana (4/13/2010)
  Correct and does dry Cayuga well. Nice enough.
• 2008 Butler Vineyards Chambourcin - USA, Indiana (4/13/2010)
  Thin, but correctly Chambourcin then oak intrudes. OK.
• N.V. Easley Traminette - USA, Indiana (4/13/2010)
  Nice floral nose. Hits an odd wheaty sweet vibe. Some floral on the palate. Medium finish and persistence. Nice.
• N.V. Mallow Run Winery Traminette - USA, Indiana (4/13/2010)
  Muted floral nose with some bitters that follow on the palate. Good balance and middle. Slight medicine on the finish. OK.
• 2009 Oliver Winery Traminette Creekbend - USA, Indiana (4/13/2010)
  Nice volume on the floral nose. Granny Smith apple crispness on the palate. Vanishing finish, but a good overall presence. Very nice.

Iowa

• N.V. Tassel Ridge St. Croix In The Dark - USA, Iowa (4/13/2010)
  Messy and lacking structure or a center. Poor fruit. No.
• 2009 Tassel Ridge LaCrescent - USA, Iowa (4/13/2010)
  Sickly sweet with no acids or body. No.
• N.V. Summerset Winery Caba Moch - USA, Iowa (4/13/2010)
  Pink apple juice on the nose and palate. Good acid spine gives this some interest. Well done in the style and deserve note for hitting its mark very well.

Kansas

• N.V. Holy-Field Chambourcin - USA, Kansas (4/13/2010)
  Does the variety well with nice fruit and good acids. OK + .
• N.V. Holy-Field Cynthiana - USA, Kansas (4/13/2010)
  Has much of the failings of the variety and doesn't deliver the charm.
• N.V. Holy-Field Seyval Blanc - USA, Kansas (4/13/2010)
  Starts nice with good fruit then falls into an iffy finish - thick and off-floral.

Maryland

• 2007 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Comus - USA, Maryland (4/13/2010)
  So-so. Heavy hand of treatment dulled out the fruit.
• 2005 Fiore Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Maryland (4/13/2010)
  Raw nut skins on the nose. Light with a good bite and dusty notes. Nice.
• 2004 Fiore Cabernet Franc - USA, Maryland (4/13/2010)
  Interesting. Oddly medicinal bitter notes which I liked - in a tasting amount - but are not going to appeal to many.

Michigan

• N.V. Fenn Valley Vidal Blanc 42˚ Ice Wine - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (4/13/2010)
  Nice mangoes and flowers. Kind of trails off on the finish and a little weak on acid structure. Still a nice dessert wine at a great price point.
• 2005 St. Julian Winery Chancellor Braganini Reserve - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (4/13/2010)
  Of type with correct fruit. Nice.
• 2006 Black Star Farms Pinot Noir Arcturos - USA, Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula (4/13/2010)
  This wine exceeded its 2006-ness in the past, but that has caught up now. Thin, hollow, acidic. Some bits of nice fruit left.
• 2007 Longview Winter Ice - USA, Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula (4/13/2010)
  Sweet honeycomb on the nose. Maple syrup and orange elements. Way sweet. Not my thing, but undeniable quality and charm.
• 2008 Forty Five North Pinot Noir Rosé - USA, Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula (4/13/2010)
  Better than in tastings last fall. Nice crispness followed by softer fruit. Good bead.
• 2007 Gill's Pier Cabernet Franc - Merlot - USA, Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula (4/13/2010)
  Nice nose with brambles and fruit. Great cut and persistence. Some mocha notes. Brawny structure. Really good.
• 2007 Brys Estate Pinot Noir Artisan Series - USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula (4/13/2010)
  Nice nose with flower dust and dark fruits. Good body, nice integration and a sappy appeal. Yummy. Much improved from Fall '09.
• 2007 2 Lads Cabernet Franc Reserve - USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula (4/13/2010)
  Has grown in stature with deeper strains of dark fruit, a nicely-rounded body and an overall integration. Lurking power and a perfumed-finish.

Missouri

• N.V. Les Bourgeois Vidal Blanc Late Harvest - USA, Missouri (4/13/2010)
  Nice interplay of floral, sweet and fruit. Enjoyable, nice clarity. Good.
• 2008 Mizzou Cellars Norton - USA, Missouri (4/13/2010)
  True to type in the fruit. Solid. A little too much on the treatment though. Too bad.
• 2008 St. James Winery Chambourcin - USA, Missouri (4/13/2010)
  Sour Patch on the palate. Interesting and charming.
• 2008 Les Bourgeois Vidal Blanc - USA, Missouri (4/13/2010)
  Nice nose with a good floral depth. Very clean and precise. Nice stuff.
• 2005 Stone Hill Brut - USA, Missouri (4/13/2010)
  Simple and square, but nice and correct. Definitely enjoyable.
• 2007 Les Bourgeois Norton Premium Claret - USA, Missouri (4/13/2010)
  Nice balance of tart and inner sweet on the top, but the treatment reared its ugly head.
• 2005 Mount Pleasant Norton - USA, Missouri, Augusta (4/13/2010)
  Good kind of volatile nose. Some EtOH. Cool funk. Some annoying oak, but restrained. Good delivery. Nice.
• 2008 Montelle Vignoles Dry Vignoles - USA, Missouri, Augusta (4/13/2010)
  Good funk on the nose. A little disappointing on the palate as too inert. OK.
• 2006 Stone Hill Chambourcin - USA, Missouri, Hermann (4/13/2010)
  Nice age-y nose with dusty cherries and clay. Expressive of variety. Medium finish continues. Solid and good.

New York

• 2008 Red Newt Cellars Riesling - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (4/13/2010)
  Correct off-dry Riesling though simple and somewhat flat. OK.
• 2008 Heart & Hands Wine Company Pinot Noir - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (4/13/2010)
  Really nice cold climate Pinot with floral undertones, slight stemminess and light finish. Nice + .
• 2007 Red Newt Cellars Gewürztraminer Sawmill Creek Vineyards - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (4/13/2010)
  Lovely nose of oranges. Nice interplay of the bitter and spicy of the varietal. Solid structure and orange-peel charming finish. Very good +.
• 2008 Knapp Seyval Blanc - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (4/13/2010)
  Gunsmoke on the nose. Thin, extruded. No.
• 2007 Knapp Vignoles Estate - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Cayuga Lake (4/13/2010)
  Nicely done with good acids and restrained vibe. OK +
• 2008 Damiani Cabernet Franc - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake (4/13/2010)
  Basic colder-clime CF without going outside or above. OK.
• 2008 Leonard Oakes Estate Winery Blanc d'Orleans - USA, New York, Niagara Escarpment (4/13/2010)
  Nice. Crisp, a little sweet. Slight vegetal. A bit thin on the end.

Ohio

• 2008 Debonné Riesling Reserve - USA, Ohio, Grand River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Nice apricot on the nose. Clean, mineral and slight edge of sweet. Balanced. Nice.
• 2008 Ferrante Chardonnay Signature Series - USA, Ohio, Grand River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Melon on the top. Creamy and thick then oak just totally blasts it. Shame as there is some nice stuff inside.
• 2008 Debonné Vidal Ice Wine Express Estate - USA, Ohio, Grand River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Hits exactly the vibe and presence this style of wine should. Nice in small doses.
• 2008 Ferrante Riesling Grand River Valley - USA, Ohio, Grand River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Good nose with peaches and citrus. Lighter body. Overall nice.
• 2008 Hermes Vineyards Nebbiolo - USA, Ohio, Lake Erie (4/13/2010)
  Slight florals on the nose, but too anemic body. Some good fruit. Disharmonious finish.
• 2008 Valley Vineyards Cabernet Franc - USA, Ohio, Ohio River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Nice vegetal aromas. Plums. Nice stuffing. Persistent oak spicing annoys. OK, could have better.
• 2008 La Vigna Proprietary White Wine - USA, Ohio, Ohio River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Previously experienced nice cut which has faded on this now. Some good fruit. Lack of precision and somewhat mute though.
• 2007 Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc - USA, Ohio, Ohio River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Consistent with previous - dark fruits, some earthy veg notes. Dark. Licorice too.
• 2007 Meranda-Nixon Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, Ohio, Ohio River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Very consistent with previous notes - dark fruits, mocha edges softened, velvet textures and a nicely brooding presence. Very good.
• 2008 Valley Vineyards Vidal Blanc Ohio River Valley - USA, Ohio, Ohio River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Nice for what it is and hits it mark, but not exceeding that.
• 2006 Kinkead Ridge Révélation - USA, Ohio, Ohio River Valley (4/13/2010)
  Also showing the signs of 2006-ness with a thinning middle and seams showing. Opened bottle was better next day with some of the acids sloughed off and the overall muting helped. Still some nice fruit.

Oklahoma

• 2006 Chapel Creek Winery Muscat - USA, Oklahoma (4/13/2010)
  Toothpaste nose. Slightly sweaty sweet. Florals. Good.

Pennsylvania

• 2007 Galen Glen Chambourcin Stone Cellar - USA, Pennsylvania (4/13/2010)
  Nicely done in the context of the variety. Clean and well-delineated. OK + .
• 2007 Crossing Vineyards Cabernet Franc - USA, Pennsylvania (4/13/2010)
  Nicely correct and holds a center. Good green. OK.
• 2007 Chaddsford Winery Chambourcin Miller Estate Vineyard - USA, Pennsylvania (4/13/2010)
  Starts with nice Chambourcin dusty cherries on the nose and palate, but then the oak blasts it apart. (Oak flavors boasted on the label - always a bad sign.) Ultimately a no which is a shame as the fruit behind had promise.
• 2008 Penns Woods Traminette Penns Woods - USA, Pennsylvania, Central Delaware Valley (4/13/2010)
  Resolutely Traminette with floral aromatics, light body and zero finish. Still nice.
• N.V. Conneaut Cellars Pinot Noir - USA, Pennsylvania, Lake Erie (4/13/2010)
  Good funk on the nose. Light and transparent in color and character. (11.5%abv). Some woody and green notes. Elegant. Hits a good vibe for me.
• 2008 Presque Isle Sauvignon Blanc - USA, Pennsylvania, Lake Erie (4/13/2010)
  Decent nose with some herbal. Nice enough overall.

Texas

• 2008 Inwood Estates Palamino - Chardonnay - USA, Texas (4/13/2010)
  Light leather on the nose. Nicely tart with crispness. Short on the finish and a bit mono-dimensional. Good.
• 2007 Alamosa Wine Cellars Scissortail High Valley Vineyard - USA, Texas (4/13/2010)
  Light floral and more acidic than expected from white Rhone varieties. Very linear and straight forward. Nice.
• 2007 Inwood Estates Tempranillo-Cabernet - USA, Texas, Texas High Plains (4/13/2010)
  Good. Nice open structure, some oak apparent. Good fruits and balance. Good.
• 2006 Inwood Estates Magellan - USA, Texas, Texas High Plains (4/13/2010)
  Plums and spice on the nose. Good tannins. Tight. Very good.
• 2005 Alamosa Wine Cellars Syrah Tio Pancho Ranch - USA, Texas, Texas Hill Country (4/13/2010)
  Nice meaty nose. Good Syrah fruit with some treatment. Good + .
• 2004 Alamosa Wine Cellars El Guapo - USA, Texas, Texas Hill Country (4/13/2010)
  Nicely evolved from a year ago with leather, orange peel. Good structure and textures. A bit of funk. Nice finish. Really good stuff.
• 2006 Stone House Vineyard Norton Claros - USA, Texas, Texas Hill Country (4/13/2010)
  Nicely on the vibe of the variety. Good.

Virginia

• 2006 Veritas Vineyard Othello - USA, Virginia, Central Region, Monticello (4/13/2010)
  Light on the nose and palate which lifts the sweetness. Good acids and a slight leather and mocha element. Very nice.
• 2007 King Family Vineyards Meritage - USA, Virginia, Central Region, Monticello (4/13/2010)
  Solid Meritage with structure, nuts and properly moving fruit. Really good stuff.
• 2007 Barboursville Vineyards Cabernet Franc Monticello - USA, Virginia, Central Region, Monticello (4/13/2010)
  Nice ++ . Solid fruit, round structure with a plushness. Soft finish with some edges. Balanced.
• 2008 Pollak Vineyards Viognier - USA, Virginia, Central Region, Monticello (4/13/2010)
  Acceptable white with resolutely middle tones and doesn't deliver Viognier special qualities.
• 2005 Albemarle Meritage - USA, Virginia, Northern Region, Blue Ridge Foothills (4/13/2010)
  Light nose with good fruit. Light weight, slight EtOH intrusion, some spice. Good finish with fruit that grows. A nice basic red.

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