TN: Two from Mendocino

[Florida Jim]

2001 Copian, Pinot Noir Dennison Vineyard:

Shy aromatics that expand somewhat with air; cranberry and milk chocolate on the palate with some minerality and a touch of spice; easy textures, solid acidity and good intensity but not showing any development; medium finish. The 1999 of this bottling may have been the most impressive wine from Mendocino I have tasted but this comes up short – maybe that’s why Wells decided not to take the fruit after 2001.

2003 Edmunds St. John, Redneck 101:

All Eagle Point Ranch fruit and 14.6% abv; not for the faint of heart – big-assed aromas of jam with some southern Rhône-type accents; jam in the mouth, too, and a mouth feel more akin to Jack and coke than table wine; intense, concentrated, very powerful and pretty good length. Too much size, jam and booze for me but this is not without its attractions – it shows no wood, never goes over into a milk-shake texture and even has some complexity.

Best, Jim