WTN: 05 Gouron, 05 Ghost Block CS & 04 Pintia

2005 Domaine Gouron Chinon Terroirs - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (10/11/2008)
Aromas remind me of cool climate Cab. Also a good amount of sweet cedar. Overall slightly dull on the nose. On the palate, this was steel covered fruit. Medium/high acid that caught me of guard. Nice silky texture. The fruit is nice but you will need to enjoy the vegetation that comes along for the ride. The wine was the same on the second day. A very nice wine that works well with food. (87 pts.)

2005 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (10/7/2008)
I enjoyed the nose here quite a bit. At first I thought it may just be an oak shake but the bright red fruit combined with the oak to make something interesting. Plush mouth-feel. Bits of herbs but mainly ripe fruit and oak followed by unsweetened chocolate. I like the complexity and the finishing acid keeps it from turning in to mush. The tannins are smooth and sweet. Should age fine for the mid-term but I do not see much reason to wait. (92 pts.)

2004 Bodegas Pintia (Vega-Sicilia) Toro Pintia - Spain, Castilla y León, Toro (9/17/2008)
Seems like some VA showing on the nose. From the nose to the front palate, this wine has something dark about it. Through the middle, there is rich fruit with solid finishing acid and tannin. On this night, I was looking for the fruit to punch through the oak and tannin but it didn’t happen. Needs lots of time. (90 pts.)

Cheers,

Jason

[David M. Bueker]

Does Ghost Block keep away Ghost Horses?

Chinon..Aromas remind me of cool climate Cab.

That's what it is!

Does Ghost Block keep away Ghost Horses?

I think The Todd would have his gun toting way with this wine.

There does seem to be a lot of "Ghost" wines popping up.

Chinon..Aromas remind me of cool climate Cab.

That's what it is!

Well yes, but not what I meant. I didn't remind me of a cool vintage Chinon (CF), but rather a Cali cool climate CS ... which by some standards would not be that cool

Anyway ... smells like a Chinon with nice ripeness

J

Good point. Cool climate CA equals ripe Chinon. That's what I've been trying to tell people all these years, the 'cool' stuff in CA isn't really that cool.

Or is it that the ripe stuff in France isn't really that ripe..

Good point. Cool climate CA equals ripe Chinon. That's what I've been trying to tell people all these years, the 'cool' stuff in CA isn't really that cool.

Or is it that the ripe stuff in France isn't really that ripe..

Exactly ... it is all relative.

Jason