Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Haiku tasting notes for autumn 2021

Shorter than twitter
haiku tasting notes capture
the feeling of wine

I have been keeping haiku tasting notes for a few months since claiming I could do it. In most cases I took traditional tasting notes and then wrote the haiku. Some of these wines and sakes I have written about elsewhere; for others this will be my only memory, save the ephemeral grace of drinking and enjoying them.

These are all unedited, which any critic will tell you is rare for tasting notes. But a haiku is supposed to capture a moment in time, so it feels wrong to come in months later and change a word.

I used the classic haiku definition of 5-7-5 syllables. It is with deep regret that I did not always include a seasonal reference as all good haiku should. Please accept my contrition.

The links lead to places you can purchase the wines and sakes.

I also gave scores
But will keep those to myself
Haiku must suffice


Accendo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 14.8% alcohol

Graceful blackberries
Delightful seamless texture
not overstated

Accendo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 14.8%

Intense berry fruit
smooth tannins but abrupt finish
Not ready open

Ameal Vinho Verde Loureiro 2020 11.5%

Fresh and floral
Better with food than solo
Great typicity

Ca' Lojera "Riserva del Lupo" Lugana 2017 14%

Lemon with sea air
Crisp, salty and refreshing
I want some fried smelt

Cameron Hughes Lot 35 Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 13.8%

Mature aroma
Fresh and dried black and purple
assertive then grace

Capezzana "Trefiano" Carmignano Riserva 2015 14.5%

Smells like Cabernet
Fortunately it tastes like
ripe Sangiovese

 Capezzana Villa di Capezzanaarmignano 2016 14.5%

Smoked red plums and ham
Fresh on you right away then
spreads medium body

Carlo Zenegaglia "Montefluno" Lugana 2020 13%

Fresh spring citrus breeze
Awake lingering sandy
we had with wrapped fish

Caruso & Minini Sicilia Catarratto 2020 13%

Wanted dinner white
It did that job perfectly
And it's so much more

Caruso & Minini Terre Siciliane IGP Frappato Nerello Mascalese 2020 13.5%

Spiced berry bouquet
Tastes forest, wild, great texture
big cat leans on you

Casa da Tapada "Superior" Vinho Verde Alvarinho & Loureiro 2018 13%

Citrus up front
your lips smack, then smooth finish
Simple great with food

Château de la Crée "La Confrérie" Santenay 2018 13.5%

Smoked cherry open
Good freshness; cedar finish
It's agreeable

Donnafugata "Sul Vulcano" Etna Rosso 2017 14%

Nicely balanced wine
red plums are good but I want
More mineral notes

Esporão Bico Amarelo Vinho Verde 2020 11.5%

Lemon pith sea air
cream aroma opens quite fresh
taut lemon hint bloom

Faust "The Pact" Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Herbs and dusty slate
Just ripe purples nice texture
lush yet not too rich

Fleur de Mer Côtes de Provence Rosé 2019 13%

Elegant simple
pale orange color fruit driven
Intense cantaloupe

Gillmore Mariposa Maule Valley País 2019 13%

Hibiscus berry
Light red hue of Christmas ball
Light but not lightweight

Grace Family Vineyard "Grace Family Blend" St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Grace, the vineyard name
is descriptive too. Balanced
complex, elegant

Granbazàn "Etiqueta Verde" Rias Baixas Albariño 2020 13%

Lemon growing stone
Fresh light citrus, some structure
Terrific fish wine

Harbor Winery Amador County Mission del Sol 1984

Great use historic
variety it's tawny
fresh caramelized

Heiwa Shuzou "Kid" Junmai Ginjo Haru no Kinpu Nama

(I wrote this one in Japanese)

春ののように見る
飲む 生きる

(It's not great Japanese but it does have a seasonal reference. Here is the translation)

Spring nama sake
gentle sunset fog I see
Drinking it's alive

Hudson Ranch "Trillium" Los Carneros Chardonnay 2019

Toasted coconut
lemon pith and salt water
Serious party

J. Bucher Bucher Vineyard Russian River Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir 2019 13.5%

Pretty pink light red
Fruity cherry, light citrus
Close to red border

Kosta Browne "Bootlegger's Hill" Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2017 13.5%

Sloppy drunken kiss
Lemon curd on fresh baked bread
Luscious and not shy

Kosta Browne Cerise Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2017 13.4%

Cerise describes the
Potent cherry aroma
Fresh and assertive

Kosta Browne Giusti Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 14.2%

In the past this brand
was enormous but now this wine
it is delicate

Kuro Kabuto Junmai Daiginjo (black koji) 720 ml

Peachy and milky
Exuberant at first Hey!
Withdraws, dries up. Yep.

Kutch Signal Ridge Vineyard Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir 2016 12%

Deep forest berries
Fresh, buoyant, bit muscular
Nice low alcohol

Le Morette Lugana Riserva 2017 13.5%

Taut, fresh, citrusy
Hints of chalk and white flowers
Cries out for shellfish

Louis Roederer Collection 242 Champagne 12%

Chalk toast citrus nose
Opens fresh then broadens toast
Expansive finish

Marchesi di Gresy Barbera d'Asti 2018 14%

Juicy red plum
Fresh open then adds some weight
Nice tangy food wine

Montonale "Montunal" Lugana 2019 13.5%

Familiar flavors
citrus and sea salt take me
to lakeside seafood

Nicolas Jay "L'Ensemble" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2018 13.5%

Assemblage in blue
Made for texture and balance
Non-complex blue fruit

Sangiro Pieknierskloof Pinotage 2017 13%

Abandoned vineyard
Nursed back to life reveals spring
with vibrant flavors

Tasca d'Almerita Tenuta Regaleali "Lamùri" Sicilia Nero d'Avola 2016 13.5%

Straightforward and fresh
Red berry fruit, not complex
Very drinkable

Tenuta Capofaro "Didyme" Salina IGT Malvasia 2019 13%

Perfumey lemon
with a hint of pungency
Fresh with nice saline

The Vice "Brooklynites" Napa Valley Orange of Semillon 2020 13.7%

Distant sunrise hue
grips your tongue like a light red
Fruit like a ripe white

The Vice Sauvignon Blanc Rosé 2019 12.8%

Pale yellow hint pink
citrus aroma feral
rude, vegetal white

Tierra Roja Vineyards "Years for Peace" Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($283)

Freshly picked black fruit
smooth, rich, lush with good balance
Classic style Oakville

Trump Reserve Monticello Brut 2014 12.5%

Expect competence
This winemaker delivers
The owner did not

Tsukasabotan "Senchu Hassaku Reika Nama" Junmai Nama sake 720 ml

Alive in your face
Intense fruity nectarine
then cereal beer

Ventisquero "Enclave" Pirque Maipo Andes Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 14%


syrupy open
dark fruit rich finishes fresh
Integrates slowly

Ventisquero "Grey" Single Block Las Terrazas Vineyard Valle de Leyda Pinot Noir 2017 12.5%

Light bodied red brown
Dried cherries cedar leather
Elegant texture

Zulal Vayots Dzor (Armenia) Areni 2018 13%

Spicy, peppery
Aromatic and its taste
Promises delivered

Zulal Vayots Dzor (Armenia) Voskehat 2019 13.5%

Jaunty fruity nose
Weighty dried stonefruit springs warm
Nice bitter finish

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