Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/306378
74 / the tasting panel / may 2014 88 Paradise Peak 2012 Sweet Riesling, Washington ($10) Clean and juicy with smooth texture and sweet flavors of peach and apricot; tangy, bright and long; fresh and lovely. PERCEPT WINES 87 Marc Roman 2013 Syrah Rosé, Vin de France ($11) Fresh, dry and juicy with lovely spice and raspberry fruit; smooth and long. FREDERICK WILDMAN & SONS 88 Wild Meadows 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley ($11) Fresh and juicy with earth, spice and plum fruit; smooth, dense and dusty with balanced flavors and a long, lush finish. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 1% Tempranillo. PRECEPT WINES 88 Las Rocas 2012 El Renegado Red Blend, Calatayud, Spain ($14) Smooth and round with juicy plum and berry fruit; earthy, rich and charming; long and fresh. Garnacha, Tempranillo, Syrah. GALLO 88 W. B. Bridgman Cellars 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley ($14) Smooth, dense and juicy with ripe plum, cherry and oak notes; balanced, fresh and long. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 2% Malbec. PERCEPT WINES BLUE REVIEWS A Passion for Pinot Noir "I'M THE ONLY GUY WITH A SPECTROPHOTOMETER in my kitchen," says TJ Rodgers, owner of Clos de la Tech. The outspoken Silicon Valley power player—founder and CEO of Cypress Semiconductor—is also one of the most ambitious wine producers in the country. And his passion is Pinot Noir. When he first set out to make Pinot, Rodgers says he was determined to "beat DRC," referring to Burgundy's iconic Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (where in 2002 he finally got a personal tour with owner-director Aubert de Villaine after two years of petitioning). Today, after nearly a decade of experience, Rodgers realizes that California is a very different place from Burgundy, and that comparing his wines to red Burgundies is beside the point: "In California, make California Pinot Noir." The chip that's embedded in crimson wax on the crest of each Clos de la Tech bottle is "honest-to-god battle-grade silicon," straight off the production line at Cypress Semiconductor—Rodgers's way of putting his own art, i.e., computer chips, on his wines. KARMATEQUILA.COM 93 Clos de la Tech 2009 Pinot Noir, Domaine Lois Louise, Santa Cruz Mountains ($42) Dark and lush with savory notes, black cherry and minerality; spice, pepper and great length and grip. 95 Clos de la Tech 2009 Pinot Noir, Domaine Valeta Sunny Slope, Santa Cruz Mountains ($62) Plush and juicy with tangy cherry, raspberry and lots of lift; smooth, fresh and finishing with a bit of herb. 90 Clos de la Tech 2009 Pinot Noir, Domaine Lois Louise Cote Sud, Santa Cruz Mountains ($62) Silky and elegant with subtle, balanced style; juicy, bright and lovely red cherry fruit; racy and graceful with a lovely finish. 93 Clos de la Tech 2009 Pinot Noir, Domaine Lois Louise Twisty Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains ($82) Dense and big with gobs of wood, savory black cherry and sweet spice; good structure and soft tannins; rich on opening and then complex and nuanced on the finish. 96 Clos de la Tech 2009 Pinot Noir, Domaine du Docteur Rodgers, San Francisco Bay ($102) Lovely cinnamon in the nose; smooth, savory and bright with juicy, ripe cherry fruit and mouth-filling flavor ; minerals, spice and juicy, ripe flavors; long and sensuous. 88 FREDERICK WILDMAN & SONS TP0514_072-101.indd 74 4/24/14 11:00 PM