***+ Chez Ray Petite Sirah (PS4), 2004, Lodi, CA - Review and Rating

Original Review, March, 2009: The 2004 Chez Ray Petit Sirah comes from Lodi, CA, fresh grapes. In the glass, it is a deep red, almost opaque in the middle, moving to medium red at the edges. Quite unusual for such color after a few years in the bottle.

Aroma is oddly piquant, bringing your nose into what seems like a massive explosion at a perfume factory housed in a barnyard. Weird stuff indeed. The perfume is flowery and violet, but like you're actually inside the flower, not smelling its aroma.

On the palate, this is a rounder, richer, gentler version of the aromas, rolling and gliding along your tongue. Few acids; fewer tannins. But the pure concentration causes this to linger.

I want to try it again, so that is three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale. A plus is added for its exquisite oddity.
-----------------

Updated Review, over a year later, now 6 years from vintage date, July, 2010:  Consistent color and aroma.  The palate is so round I am concerned it will fall over to senility soon.

Following long decant, two days under vacuum in partially-filled bottle:  Just enough to cause it to roll-over, now crossing over pleasant to the "vegetable-y" side of taste.  

Chez Ray Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel, 2002, "Kit Wine"

Tasting notes courtesy of Todd:

Chez Ray Old Vines Zinfandel 2002: Young jammy nose with evident alcohol; Fruit forward on palate with grape jam flavor & lively acidity. Bark & alcohol in medium finish.

Earlier description of this wine here.

Review and Rating: ****+ Chez Ray M5 Las Brisas Merlot, 2005, Carneros, Sonoma County CA

Original Review, July, 2008: This is a newer vintage Chez Ray wine, vinted from Brehm frozen grapes from Sonoma county. This pure-breed merlot was first sampled here and its making was described here.

Let's see what it brings to the table: In the glass, it is a deep magenta with dark purple tinged highlights. The aromas is beefy, sweet, fruity, oaky, chocolate and slightly dark - a nice combo! On the palate, the first note is an extracted, lightly acidic plum, pushed along by the deeper cocoa notes. Finish seems to fade, but comes back on a substantive rebound. I do believe this could use another 2 years of age; still, I would stay with it for an entire tasting - thus four stars out of five.

---------------------------
Updated review, February, 2009: Now medium dusty red in the glass. Beguiling aroma has the same characteristics as above. On the palate, a sweet, full, just-slightly-tangy front, laden with full fruit and sizable tannin blast. Wow, extracted, lengthy finish, bringing back chocolate cherries. Outstanding. Still good for time in the bottle. Showing its stuff very well. Still four stars.

---------------------------
Updated review, January, 2010: Now just about three years from bottling.  Comparable color.  Now thick beef blood comes through first and brilliantly on the nose.  Awesome.  The palate shows a more viscous start, thick chocolate-coated ripe plums.  Tannins and acids move to the cheeks for a long close.  Excellent, and yet still evolving.

----------------------------
Updated review, July, 2010:  five years from vintage date, three and a half years since bottling.  Comparable color and aromas to the recent January tasting - brilliant and thick.  Even more chocolate now on the palate. Fabulous - a plus added to the four stars for residual power.

*** Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend, 2004, Lodi, CA

Original Review, November, 2008: The 2004 Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend (B4) is a mix of 2004 cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes from Lodi, CA. In the glass, it is medium/deep red, showing purple and brick at the edges.

Aroma is strong, fruity and oaky. Robust and simple - think pizza wine aromas. On the palate, there is a bit of an old-world style; it hits to the back of the mouth, with a bit of smoke and tannin. Not much fruit up front, in contrast with the aroma. The bit of gritty tannin is unexpected, but nice. It allows for a rolling, lengthy finish, where the fruit finally arrives with a bit of shy wave: "Here I am, after all..." it says.

Three stars out of five on the Spirit of Wine scale.

---------------
Blend: I added 40% 2005 Chez Ray Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon to create a rounder middle. Stong blend! The Woodbridge added a middle; the Bordeaux Blend gave the front and back. Nose picks up some licorice and cherry.  Fruiter middle, but still a good pounce at the tail.
---------------

Updated Review, a year and a half later, July, 2010, now six years from vintage date (that is the date of photo):  Mid red now in the glass, brick at edges.  Still pizza-wine aromas in the Lodi grape Bordeaux-style blend.  It is lighter now.  The palate shows a balanced, dry, mid-red style - fairly shy on fruit, with some mineral and acids lacing an older-world dryness.  Solid for food, though I do not believe this has grown more attractive with time.  Believe it would complement a round wine in a blend - similar to what I described above with the Chez Ray Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon.

Actually, right now I'm mixing up a few blends of 2/3 Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend 2004 (B4) with 1/3 Chez Ray Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (WC) and calling it Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend 2004 (BB4).

**** Chez Ray Summer White Wine Blend 2007/8

This Chez Ray Summer White Wine Blend is a mix of one-half 2008 gewurztraminer (G8) and one-half 2007 22-degree botrytis chardonnay and chenin blanc (fermented dry from 2005 frozen grapes), combined with 2.5 teaspoons sugar per 750 ml bottle.

In the glass, it is light yellow with glints of green.  The nose has grass, hay and hints of sweet lemon.  On the palate, a tangy sweet middle shows first, with elements of grass and botrytis blending as it moves up into your cheeks.  The finish is clean and crisp, with moments of tropical fruit blending in with the mild, sweet acids.

Really, something to stick with on a pleasant summer's evening - four stars on the Spirit of Wine scale.