Updated Tasting Notes: *** Chez Ray Rodger's Vineyard Syrah, Mendocino CA, 2008 (SR8V)

By way of background:  This is Chez Ray Rodger's Vineyard Syrah, Mendocino CA, 2008 (SR8V).  Grapes, yeast and process are described here.

Original notes, December, 2011:

In the glass: Dark magenta, opaque from about a half inch from the edge. 

On the nose: Poured cool without a decant and swirled vigorously, shows a soft and furry, lightly oaked fruit nose. 

On the palate: The first element on the palate is round ripe fruit compote, a mix of black and red berries.  It is soft and turns aromatic after a few seconds, bringing some violet aloft.  Finish is brief, but full and clean.

In summary: Overall, a soft, solid, mid-palate experience, generating three stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale.
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Updated notes, over a year later, March, 2013: Consistent color.  Light nose, perhaps lightly corked.  Fresh, full and fragrant fruit remains.  This particular bottle is slightly corked, however, tarnishing the experience, which does seem that it would be otherwise quite solid.

Updated Posting: 2009 Mendocino Zinfandel Arrives; and Reviews (ZM9A, ZM9B, ZM9C)

Original posting, October, 2009:  This weekend, four crates of zinfandel grapes arrived from Lucchesi Vineyard from Potter Valley in Mendocino County, CA. They come from older vines on St. George root stock. They look to be in great shape, and are delicious fresh. They will comprise the Chez Ray Mendocino Zinfandel, 2009, vintage.


Similar to the Lanza merlot, I will ferment in separate batches with different yeast in each, accordingly:


Lalvin ICV-D254
Mendocino Zinfandel (ZM9A)

Lalvin ICV-D80
Mendocino Zinfandel (ZM9B)

Lalvin BM45
Mendocino Zinfandel (ZM9C)

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Updated posting, March, 2013, almost 3 1/2 years later, tasting of ZM9C (made with BM45 yeast):  Deep red in the glass, with some brick notes at the edge.  Deep, bold red and violet aromas, both husky and bright.  Full and fresh on the palate, with a distinct overtone of laundry that has been airing in the sun.  Three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale, with a plus for potency.  Tasting of ZM9A (made with ICV-D254 yeast):  Consistent color and aroma to ZM9C.  Sweeter on the palate, with cleaner aromatics.  Tasting of ZM9B (made with ICV-D80 yeast):  Consistent color, perhaps a bit more brick.  Lighter aromatics, bright red fruit.  Dry and sleek on the palate.  Overall, BM45 yeast seems to impart the "biggest zin" elements; ICV-D80 a more sleek, classic envelope; and ICV-D254 splits the difference.  Subtle differences, but still there after almost four years since vinting.

Review: **** Chez Ray 2008 Stage Gulch Syrah, Petaluma Sonoma CA (SG8V 731-08SGS)

By way of background:  This is Stage Gulch Syrah made with VQ-15 Rockpile yeast.  High hopes for it based on past experiences both with the grape and newer experiences with the yeast.

Color: Deep magenta, opaque from about a quarter inch in.

On the nose:  Deep, funky, smoky.

On the palate:  Full, lush, deep, bold, gritty.  Shows smoky essence along with deep bold blackberry.  Fresh, lingering, full finish.  Four stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale.

Updated Review: ***+ Chez Ray Yakima Valley Merlot, 2006, from 2005 grapes, Prosser WA

Original Review, August, 2008: The 2006 Chez Ray Yakima Valley Merlot is made from 2005 vintage frozen grapes from Brehm Vineyards, but vinted in 2006, using an unusual cool-fermentation technique.

In the glass, this merlot is rudy red, quite translucent, suggesting a wimpy red wine. The aroma, however, is bright and bold, of fiery red cherries. On the palate, there is a clean, bright, aromatic front note, layered in light but silty tannins. Quite charming. It glides to the mid-palate with a touch of oak, and even, layered finish.

This is not a blockbuster, but a charmer of a red. Far more happening than the color would have ever hinted. Three stars with a plus for insane accessibility.
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Updated review, about four and a half years later, March, 2013:

Light red, with brick overtones now.  Aromas show both red brightness and oaky depths.  An intriguing shoe-polish element.  On the palate, this is still light and aromatic up front, yielding to a clean red finish.  Remarkable that its accessibility has held up to almost five more years of age!

Review: ***+ *** Chez Ray Cabernet Sauvignon / Zinfandel Blend, 2011 - CZ11 and CZ11W

Background: We are sampling today the Chez Ray cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel 2011 blends described here.
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CZ11W is a blend consisting of:

Paso Robles "Dos Robles" Cabernet Sauvignon - Code CP11 (25 brix)
Paso Robles "Dos Robles" Old Vine Zinfandel - Code ZP11 (26 brix)

Both fermented warm, they were created based on this recipe.

In the glass CZ11W is pink to light brick, a bit muddled in tone.  The nose shows a bright, pink and sweet tone, also showing some white pepper.

On the palate, fruity and tasting, with some oak showing.  Brights a light core of light black raspberry with some light red cherry showing through as well.  Clean, bright, friendly in its finish.

On the Spirit of Wine scale, I'd offer three stars.  Just a little too light to sport a plus for pleasantness.
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For CZ11, here are the base grapes:

Lodi "Super Cab VSP" Cabernet Sauvignon - Code CL11 (24.5 brix)
Paso Robles "Dos Robles" Cabernet Sauvignon - Code CP11 (25 brix)
Paso Robles "Dos Robles" Old Vine Zinfandel - Code ZP11 (26 brix)

There were four equal parts to the blend:  VSP Cabernet, Paso Robles Cabernet, Paso Robles Zin fermented warm, and Paso Robles Zin fermented cool. 

CZ11 shows consistent light/muddy pink/brick color in the glass, just a touch darker than the CZ11W formulation.  Shy, but deeper, darker and more evocative nose.  Seems purple and dark.

The palate shows a deeper, fuller, more aromatic quality, showing violets and blueberries along with the lighter red fruit of CZ11W.  Depth shows in the hints of charred oak and a finish that crawls up into your cheeks.  Picks up an easy + on top of the three stars, and moves into close proximity to the four star mark.  The VSP (vertical shoot positioned) cabernet sauvignon certainly seems to make a difference, along with the cool fermented zinfandel.  

Updated Review and Rating: **** 2006 State Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville, Napa, CA

Original Review, November, 2008: The 2006 State Lane Cabernet Sauvignon from Yountville, Napa, CA, is from a batch of frozen grapes from Brehm, fermented cool.

In the glass, this is medium ruby red. Aromas are bold and fragrant, well-perfumed of a deep fruit, hints of inky purple. On the palate, a pleasant front and middle - the tannins tap the front and roof of your mouth. Clean, fresh, bright, but no real acid bite at all. Light, fresh, subdued red cherry finish. Three stars out of five, using the Spirit of Wine scale.
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Updated Review, two years later, November, 2010, now four years from harvest date:  Still medium ruby red, with hint of brick at the edge.  Poured cool with a brief decant, a fleshy and earthen midtone red.  On the palate, an impeccable, lithe red fruit balance.  Silky fruit with gentle tannins and acids carrying aromatic currants through and across your mouth, lightly lodging in your gums for a long and enticing finish.  Light weight, akin to a pinot noir, but excellent concentration. Now four stars with the extra age and brief decant.
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Updated review, more than two years later again, December, 2012:  Consistent color and aromatics.   The palate is all about subtle, earthy balance, showing mud brown fruit, hints of red currant, precariously balanced on the edge of youth and middle age.  Clean finish..  Drink up now.

Chez Ray Red Meritage, 2008

Here is the blend that I believe comprises Chez Ray Red Meritage, 2008:  Z8, M8, CL8, SG8A, MS8.

Review: **** J&S Applejack

By way of background, opening thoughts:  Applejack is a little-known apple-based liquor, dating back to the days of Colonial America, traditionally brewed by freeze distillation, but in recent days more often manufactured with traditional liquor brewing techniques accompanied by flavorings. Today we are sampling J&S Applejack, brewed by a proprietary freeze-distillation process, harking back to the more traditional processes.

Original tasting and review : This is J&S Applejack, finished at an unspecified, but estimated 30-35% alcohol.

In the glass: A clear, light scotch color, quite clean and elegant.

On the nose: Poured cold and swirled vigorously, shows light, tangy crisp apple fruit, very crisp and clean.  From the aroma, seems like this will be more light than sweet, more aromatic and flavorful than deep.

On the palate: The primary elements on the palate are in fact bold, soft and fragrant on the mid-palate, bringing substantial alcohol to your nose, but accompanied by full and fresh essence of the underlying apples.  It is more liquor than cider, carrying all the appropriate potency, but retains the energy and vitality of the underlying fruit.  Quite different from calvados or most other distillates in that respect.  Tangy and deep finish that hugs your cheeks for almost a full minute.

In summary: Overall, rates a powerful four stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale.  I'd stay with this for an entire evening.  Congrats J&S!!

Review: **** State Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, California. 2008 (CS8B)

Review, September, 2012:  This wine was vinted from 705-08SLCS - 2008 State Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa CA (CS8B) grapes obtained from Brehm Vineyards and fermented with BDX yeast.

Now, four years from vintage date, let's see what we've got:  Deep ruddy red in the glass.  Fragrant, aromatic and actually still bright on the nose.  The palate is yielding, bold, soft and aromatic with plums, red roses and blackberries.  Four stars on the Spirit of Wine scale. 

Updated Review: *** Chez Ray Rosso Grande "Kit" Wine, 2002

Original Review, December, 2008: This is one of my earliest fermentation ventures, made in 2002 from a kit Rosso Grande, now marketed by a firm called Cellar Classic.

The kit comes in the form of a bag of juice concentrate with tannins and other additives, along with required yeast, preservatives and the like. Although composed for six gallons, I made a five gallon batch, concentrating the flavors and adding more alcohol to the end result.

In the glass, it is dark magenta, virtually opaque. Looks like a young wine, despite its six years of age. Aroma has that sweetness which is characteristic of these kit wines.

On the palate, it provides a round sweet middle, brightened by a flash of everything cherry: black cherries, cherry cough medicine, cherry candy. The sweet cherry essence lingers for a bit, creating a modest finish. I'll give this three stars out of five. Not complex, but enjoyable. Doesn't need age, but I am curious about what age will do - it shows no bricking or thinning of flavor or anything that would suggest it is on the cusp of old age.

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Updated review, almost four years later, now a full 10 years from vintage date, September, 2012:  Medium muddy red in the glass.  Remains sweet, bright purple and aromatic on the nose.  The palate carries all the cherries found in the earlier tasting.  Fun, soft aromatic - some will find it more reminiscent of a liqueur than a wine, but so be it.  Friendly, bold and soft.  Will keep for years and years. 

Made a 50/50 blend of Rosso Grande 2002 and Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend 2004 (B4):  Soft nose with a hint of helium funk.  Balanced attack of bright fruit, deep cherries on the middle and a soft oak finish.  Works pretty well as a friendly alternative to either of these separately.