The Tasting Panel magazine

May 2012

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BLUE REVIEWS 88 Columbia Valley ($13) Fresh and juicy with minerals and tangy acidity; smooth and balanced with depth and good length. STE. MICHELLE WINE ESTATES Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Pinot Gris, 88 87 Coast ($15) Silky and crisp with pleasant, ripe pear fruit, notes of toasty oak and a juicy, smooth finish; clean, balanced and bright. CONSTELLATION WINES U.S. Clos du Bois 2009 Chardonnay, North ($11) Dark, rich and fleshy with decent, ripe fruit and good balance; long and intense. 88 90 Bogle Vineyards 2009 Petite Sirah, California Greg La Follette: Ascent of a Master Riondo 2009 Rosso Veneto, Italy ($15) Smooth, lush and dense with ripe plum, black raspberry and tangy acid structure; fresh, silky and supple with notes of spice and licorice; balanced and long. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot. RIONDO USA Groenekloof, South Africa ($14) Bright, crisp and tangy with pure flavors of citrus and peach; silky, fresh and focused; long and balanced. Neil Ellis Wines 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, AFTER TRAINING AT U.C. DAVIS and stints at Beaulieu Vineyards (where he was research viticulturist/ enologist under André Tchelistcheff), Yarra Ridge in Australia, Jarvis, Kendall-Jackson and, very notably, Flowers, on the rugged Sonoma Coast, Greg La Follette had become a master winemaker, known for handling California fruit with Burgundian technique and style. In 2001, he founded Tandem to produce small-lot Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Eight years later, when Greg met Pete Kight, proprietor of Quivira in Dry Creek Valley, he saw an oppor- tunity to partner, giving him unpar- alleled resources for producing world-class wines from cool-climate Pinot and Chardonnay. Tandem was renamed La Follette, and Greg has continued his astounding series of successes, as my notes from recent tastings show. VINEYARD BRANDS SPIRITS 90 90 93 92 91 Voli Lemon Vodka, France ($25) Soft and smooth with sweet vanilla and notes of tangy lemon and lemon zest; mellow, lush and long. PALM BAY INTERNATIONAL 91 92 92 64 / the tasting panel / may 2012 La Follette 2010 Chardonnay, North Coast ($20) Aromatic and juicy with fresh floral notes and charming,, elegant fruit; minerally and lovely. La Follette 2010 Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Vineyard, Sonoma Coast ($40) Creamy and lush with wild fruit flavors and rich texture; ripe and complex with great structure and depth; exquisite. La Follette 2009 Chardonnay, Manchester Ridge Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge ($50) Dense, rich and spicy with lush texture, ripe fruit and soft, sweet oak; complex, elegant, firmly structured and deeply expressive. La Follette 2010 Pinot Noir, North Coast ($20) Sweet red fruit and tangy acidity; structured, elegant, long and beautifully Burgundian. La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir, Van der Kamp Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($40) Racy and crisp with bright cherry, raspberry and spice; fresh and lively with pure, elegant flavors. La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir, Manchester Ridge Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge ($50) Smooth and spicy with depth, flesh and lovely elegance; complex, spiced, juicy and nicely structured; vibrant and harmonious. La Follette 2009 Pinot Noir, DuNah Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($50) Silky texture and racy acidity with ripe cherry, pomegranate and hints of green, mineral and earth; complex, elegant and beautifully restrained. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LA FOLLETTE

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