2006 Copain L'Hiver (Syrah)

Copain has consistently made some of my favorite Syrahs from California. While Guthrie, the wine-maker, tends to draw on a variety of leased and contracted grape parcels from producers around the state, his style is a balanced mix of Old World (pepper) and New (blueberry/occasionally some cola flavors). The latest release of l'hiver, his budget-minded Syrah from Mendocino, shows the coolness and low alcohol of the 2006 growing season as it rings it only at 13.7% abv. And that made it fair game tonight with the stuffed salmon with garlic fries that we enjoyed with it. It worked. Great aromas of blueberry, sassafrass, and some creamy notes coming through from the oak and lees on this 06. The palate was nice, a little fat, but balanced with good acidity (thank you Mendocino). It didn't do much in the glass after 30 minutes, but that may change tomorrow...will update. Day 1: 89/100. Day 2, Thanksgiving, with lamb? 90/100 updated score. Yep, even better on the second night.

2007 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir

We enjoyed this $17 wine, but Wine Spectator's review and description of this as "slightly watery" should be taken to heart; this may be the lightest Pinot we've had in...years. The color and nose do not do much, and remain light and limpid in the glass and on the schnoz. But let the wine sit in your mouth a bit and it becomes suddenly more dense and you get some of the tart cherry and earth that is much more Burgundian than "Oregon" in nature. Best with lighter fare, we had this with seafood on one night (stuffed sole) and then lasagna the next and it worked both times. 85/100.
Bottom line: There are better Pinots for the price, but given the 07 growing season in Oregon, this one is very Burgundian.

2003 Domaine Ligneres, Aric ($22)

Wow - another winner from this producer, the vineyards we visited in 2008. Although 2003 was a scorcher in the Corbieres Mountains, as it was generally in most of southern France (Oc/Provence), this wine betrays little of that super-heat. You do have 14.5% abv, which is not exactly skimpy for a Corbieres - and technically this is a "vin de pays" because the Ligneres folks rightly take a u-turn around the silly AOC rules for strict "Corbieres" reds (and whites). Aric is a 1/3 (each) blend of C-M-S, Carignan, Mourvedre, and Syrah. It exhibits traits of each one, without showing the faults of any particular varietal. From the 115 year old carignan vines (photo), you get the lovely spicy, fruit; from the mourvedre, the herbal, plummy depths so common in the AOC of Bandol; and the Syrah chimes in with an earnest but tart blackberry fruit note that turns savory. Great nose: chocolate, red fruits, minerals. And the finish is balanced, crisp, and lip-smacking. More, please. 91/100.
Bottom line: If you can find this wine, buy it.

2007 Black Mesa Petite Sirah

Three posts in one day? Ridiculous - finally opened and enjoyed a bottle of wine from New Mexico. I had bought a sampler pack at the Vivac Winery in Dixon, as well as two Petite Sirahs from Black Mesa Winery. I remain more impressed with the latter than the former - the Sangiovese and Nebbiolo from Vivac turned out to be limpid, clear around the glass, boring ass wine reminiscent of Chianti in the 1970s. Pretty horrid - so I've used them cooking (pasta, braising spinach). But this Black Mesa Petite is not bad at all, shooting mid-80s all the way around. There's a touch of heat on this, from the alcohol, at 15.2% ABV but once it blows off a bit, there's a tart, rich cranberry aspect to this wine that is easy to like. It is different from typical Petites, and probably not the apogee of varietal "typicite" but still....enjoyable. Look for it.
84/100.
Bottom Line: New Mexico's wines...redeemed.

Do(s) and Don't(s) of Service...some amendments to offer.

I spotted this story at the Times, regarding service in restaurants, and it should be noted that this is great advice for high-end restaurants. Would I really object to someone if the wine bottle was touching on the wine glass? Not really. But it misses on two important points, that are noticeable here in Santa Fe (and elsewhere to be fair) even in fairly expensive places. 1) Serve red wine at less than room temperature. My Bordeaux, Cali Cab, especially Pinot and Nebbiolo, should not be warm to the touch. If the wine is hotter than the restaurant...shame on you!  2) Serve white wine slightly warmer than "straight from the fridge." I'd like to be able to smell and see the white in the glass. If it creates cold condensation on the interior, that's a dead give-away. The only exception to rule #2? If you're serving me s--t, say a fine Sutter Home, then yes, please ice it down so I don't actually taste it.

Even at places around S.Fe that have good selections, like SantaCafe, LaBoca (etc...), I've had the 80 degree red wine offering. If I'm paying you the equivalent of the wholesale bottle price for a glass, then it better be properly cooled (or slightly warmed)...

2005 Santa Digna Cab Sauvignon "Reserve"

We've been working on this wine for 3+ days now and it has finally loosened up a bit, despite being 4 years old. This is a nice, budget, Cab Sauv for folks who like Chilean Cabs. On the nose: cedar, currant, and that lovely, familiar, eucalyptus note. On the palate: More of the same, but with dense, almost chestnutty, hairiness to it that didn't let up for the first 2 nights. I would have shot it a 82-83 in the first two rounds by after settling on night 3, I say 85. This is solid for the $11 purchase price I found it for...good with pasta/meatballs in a red sauce, as there was enough acidity to the weight of the Cab on this. 85/100.
Bottom line: A nice, budget, Cab that will surprise...but let it open up for an hour or have over 3 days.