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Featured Wines
Latest News February 3rd, 2012
Hospice du Rhone 22 Questions with Jeff
February 2nd, 2012
HdR 1: First wine ever made?
JC: Elderberry wine from a kit.
HdR 2: Do you have a name for your press? If so what is it? JC: No name for the press.
HdR 3: If you had to choose another region to craft wines in what would it be? JC: Martinique
HdR 4:...
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Tasting Notes Archive
2002 Frediani Vineyard Petite Syrah
"Al Frediani has owned the Frediani Vineyard since, well, a really long time. Somewhere between the Great Depression to the end of World War II, we're just not sure. One thing we do know for sure is this, it makes great Petite Syrah and has a lot of rattlesnakes. Located just outside of Calistoga, the fruit from this vineyard is a combination of 3 different blocks: Hillside, Creekside, and Corner. The Hillside and Corner being 60-80 years old, and the Creekside being 150 years old. The vineyard is head trained and dry farmed, producing a wine of deep color and concentration. The 2002 vintage is no exception. The color is so dark it literally sticks to the side of the glass." -Jeff Cohn Tasting Notes Concentrated blackberry, blueberry fruit, and cinnamon pie spice with a hint of floral aromatics. Firm yet supple tannins which will allow this wine to age over a decade or two.
An offering that will last 20-25 years is the 2005 Petite Syrah
Frediani Vineyard. Backward, with notes of blueberries, crushed rocks,
violets, and spring flowers, this dense, tannic, super-extracted effort
is still an infant in terms of development. Forget it for 5-6 years,
and drink it over the following 2-3 decades
Exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to sweet aromas of
blueberries, crushed rocks, and white flowers. Powerful, concentrated,
and amazingly intense as well as rich, it should easily evolve for two
decades or more. This grape remains the most underrated high quality
varietal in California, especially for longevity.
Beautifully crafted, rich and spicy, with exotic wild berry,
hazelnut, plum and black cherry, this wine offers lots of finesse and
polish, ending with a long, integrated finish that keeps repeating the
delightful flavor themes. Best from 2006 through 2012.
Readers should not be misled by the label which lists a modest 17%
alcohol, because it does not taste or smell hot. The color is a
saturated blue/purple, and the wine is almost painfully concentrated
and intense, but very pure. Despite what I am sure will be
protestations from the alcoholphobes, it is remarkably well balanced.
Although I would not go so far as to call it "vivacious", it is a
heavyweight example of Petite Sirah at its biggest and richest. It
undoubtedly has 20-30 years of aging potential.
This wine comes from a 60-80-year old block of Petite Syrah planted
just outside the warmer end of Napa near Calistoga. The color is an
inky/blue/purple, and the nose offers up sumptuous aromas of violets,
black fruits, crushed rocks, chocolate, and espresso. Enormously
endowed yet remarkably civilized for a wine of such mass, it reveals
impeccable winemaking along with tremendous purity as well as depth.
This is not for readers looking for lighter-styled reds as it is
full-throttle Petite Syrah fury captured in a bottle. It should age
well for 15+ years.
Petite can't get any darker - this is a surprisingly sleek and
supple youngster, given its level of tannins and fruit concentration.
The wild berry, blackberry and loganberry flavors are ripe, rich and
vibrant, ending with the tannic muscle you might expect. Drink now
through 2012.
The 2000 Petite Syrah Frediani Vineyard is a pedal to the metal,
full-throttle wine. Its opaque purple color accompanies a bouquet of
melted road tar, black fruits, and underbrush. Dense, chewy, and
moderately tannic, but not completely civilized; it should drink well
for 10-12 years.
Dark, intense, rich and offering a wealth of rip, juicy plum, wild
berry, floral and jammy blueberry pie flavors. Manages to tame its
tannins without sacrificing Petite's integrity. Drink now through 2008.
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