Aug
30
2008
Brian
2006 Palmaz Vineyards Muscat Canelli Florencia - Palmaz web site
(USA, California, Napa Valley)
Nice soft Palmaz desert wine. Not over the top but good quality. The color was almost like water… I guess that would be no color. No… it had a hint of light yellow. We tasted this wine at the Palmaz vineyard and by the way, I highly suggest a visit if you can get in. The facility is very different and beautifully. A unique approach to making wine in an 8 story building carved into the side of a mountain. The Palmaz palate had Loads of pear and apple that were balanced well. Tannins were light and in the background where they should be. Clear and refreshing. This Palmaz is a quality desert wine and one that is not too expensive and has the qualities of more expensive muscat. Its worth a try.
From Palmaz site:
The Muscat Canelli grape is a joy to work with. Venerated for its historical value in Napa Valley, this varietal was planted in abundance in the late 1800’s. Today there is very little Muscat left in Napa Valley and we feel fortunate to be able to secure a contract for a small amount each year.
This floral and fruit forward wine has yielded some fun and interesting wines to enjoy in the last few vintages.
Made primarily for our personal consumption the production volume on these wines are very small and available only at the winery.
Tags: Desert wine, Palmaz, Palmaz Vineyards Muscat Canelli Florencia, white wine
Apr
27
2008
Brian
DOLCE Far Niente 1998 - 89 points
How sweet it is. I tried this also in Atlanta. Really smooth desert wine. Lots of peach and plum on the nose and a very sweet smell. Really gold in color. The pallet was great. Hits of plumb with a touch of grapefruit. Not too sweet for a desert wine and a very long finish and transition. Just the right about of sugar. This is a solid wine. I’m going to get more. Simple, balanced, and how it should be.
From their site:
Exotic, tropical, apricot and melon notes combine with hints of honeysuckle on the palate. While undeniably sweet, the signature texture and long finish lead to a mouthwatering finish that is perfectly balanced and clean. More subtle flavors of toasted almonds, fig and pear integrate nicely with notes of brioche and bread pudding.
Dolce is grown in the cool foggy Coombsville area to the east of the city of Napa. It is here that the fruit can get to full ripeness before getting concentrated by the actions of botrytis cenerea, a mold long associated with the world’s greatest dessert wines. We only harvest the best clusters or parts of clusters. Of course, this means that most of the grapes we grow never make it to the winery.
The resulting juice is so concentrated that yeast have a hard time fermenting. Greg, our winemaker, often is following fermentations well intl March or April of the next year. He then oversees their slow development as the wine ages for 30 months before he determines the final blend and bottles the wine.
Tags: Desert wine, DOLCE Far Niente, napa, white wine
