Oops, probably should have published this awhile ago… found a post in the drafts queue that seems to be at least a partial transcription from some notes I took on a tour of El Dorado County’s wineries last year. For what it’s worth, enjoy.
For reference, my personal wine rating system can be described thus. Ratings of 1-3 indicate a pretty terrible wine. A rating of ‘1′ I would discard immediately, regardless of the social consequences. A rating of ‘3′ I would find a way to politely not finish it or get rid of it. A ‘4′ I would finish if it would be impolite or socially disadvantageous to discard. A ‘5′ is decent and drinkable without compliment or complaint. Ratings ‘6′ through ‘8′ are good wines, a ‘9′ is excellent, and a ‘10′ usually means I bought a case on the spot and signed up for the newsletter telling me when next year’s batch will be released.
And, for my fellow engineering nerds, I do in fact have it all in a spreadsheet. Many interesting bits of data mining can be had. But the one I will share is that, overall, there is a weak linear correlation between cost and personal rating, though the r-squared coefficient is only about 0.65.
Obscurity Cellars (Fair Play, CA) 2003 Barbera. Moderately sweet and sharp, medium-heavy body, excellent aroma. Paired it with a juicy burger. $16/bottle. Rating 7.
D’Arie (Shenandoah Valley, CA) 2006 Primitivo. Medium body, smoky but with a mellow finish. Would go excellently with any BBQ’ed meat! $20/bottle. Rating 8.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) 2007 Sauvignon Blanc. Sweet, light, and peachy; good, but not exceptional. $14/bottle. Rating 6.5.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) Loquacious Rosetta III. Very sweet, and a little tart. BRIGHT red fruit flavors. $14/bottle. Rating 7.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) Who’s Your Dude. Impressive boldness, but too sharp for my taste. $20/bottle. Rating 6.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) Red Mutt III. Slightly sharp, overall not that interesting. $24/bottle. Rating 5.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) 2006 Tempranillo. Good balance of sharp and sweet. Definitely acidic, but not overly so. Could pair with strong flavors. $36/bottle. Rating 6.5.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) Sangiovese. Moderately sweet but remains mellow on the finish. Lacking the sharpness of most Toogood wines, which is a plus in my book. Overall a good wine, but lingers a bit too long, which reduces the final positive impression. $22/bottle. Rating 7.
Toogood Winery (Fair Play, CA) 2006 Alicante Bouschet. A difficult grape to time due to the high tannins. Very bold wine with a beautiful core taste and aroma. I’d prefer it a little less sharp (my eternal complaint), but despite this a very pleasant wine. $52/bottle. Rating 8.
Château Fleur-de-Lys (Somerset, CA) 2007 Viognier. Pleasantly and slighly sweet, a delight of yellow fruit flavors. $19/bottle. Rating 7.
Château Fleur-de-Lys (Somerset, CA) 2007 Chardonnay. Subtle, elegant, dry, and the barest hint of buttery French oak. This is everything a chardonnay should be, missing only a bit more body. I bought one on the spot. $17/bottle. Rating 9.
Château Fleur-de-Lys (Somerset, CA) 2005 Mourvèdre. Medium-bodied, fruity, on the dry end with understated sweetness of black cherries and dark fruit. Rich Provençale style. Rating 8.
Château Fleur-de-Lys (Somerset, CA) 2005 Petit Syrah. A little too much on the tannins for my preference, with a somewhat flat finish. Good deep flavor though, maybe something to pair with a heavy, meaty meal. Seems like it could use a good aging to bring out more of its potential. “Many awards”??? Not my favorite. Rating 6.
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith