winegeist

To those who have inquired, thanks for reading. For those who have prodded, you’re absolutely right: tweeting review fragments and restaurant recommendations is not the same as writing new posts. And since too much work is a dubious thing about which to complain these days, I’ll just say that I had locked myself into a specific format for this blog, which initially gave it focus, but quickly became limiting. So, while I’m sure I will use said format for some future posts, it will no longer be the only way. I hope the reviews, the wine notes, and the prose continue to be worth your time.

So, while they may be free form, I assure you, posts will again be far more frequent than they have been since Halloween. Also, the flash card that held all of the images that correspond to my last dozen wine notes came up corrupted. So please forgive the low res, makeshift, and/or borrowed images that may be here (there and everywhere) attached.

Time to dig into the back log of tasting notes, in no particular order.

Here’s one:

Byron Chardonnay Nielson Vineyard 2007: I am of the belief that 2007 Nielson Vineyard Pinot Noir is amongst the most underrated in a much heralded vintage. Byron made a particularly compelling Nielson Pinot in ’07 and I look forward to following its development for some years to come. And while I drank through quite a few bottles of Byron’s introductory level chard from that vintage, I only acquired 2 or 3 bottles of the ’07 Nielson and had yet to taste one until very recently.

In the glass, the Byron Chardonnay Nielson Vineyard 2007 is pale, but brilliant gold. Both in color and in form, the wine is at the same time piercing and yet unimposing. There’s an upfront presence of citrus and pineapple, but this chard is also deep with stone fruit, particularly white nectarine. There also exist secondary notes of crisp Anjou pear, wild herbs, a hint of mildly creamy vanilla, and just the slightest dusting of pink peppercorn. A firm, but forgiving acidity lends taught backbone, food friendly integration, and a weight to age gracefully for a further handful of good years. This is beautiful American Chard, at any tariff. Scoop some up, if you can find any.

Happy hunting,

WineGeist