it has been more than a year, it's been eternity.

Went to a Saturday tasting at Vendome in Toluca Lake this past Saturday for Grenache & Syrah, probably my two favorite varietals.

2007 Andrieux Jules Cotes Du Rhone Villages - good, a little green, stemmy
2005 Tres Picos Garnacha - big, smokey, surprisingly young
2004 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas - not what I wanted/expected out of a CdP junior
2005 Austin Hope Grenache - delicious
2006 Alto Moncayo Garnacha Veraton - highly regarded producer, good juice, not too special though

2006 Justin Syrah, Paso Robles - young
2005 McPrice Myers Syrah, Larner Vineyard - young & tight
2003 Clos Saron Sacre Bleu, Sierra Foothills - polarizing producer, ok. Didn't like it as much as others at the tasting
2006 Carica Syrah, Kick Ranch, Sonoma - great stuff
2003 Henry's Drive Shiraz - good, but not great

2001 6 Vinyes Del Laurona, Montsant Spain - long finish, strawberry
2005 De Lisio Grenache, McLaren Vale - meh, boring
2006 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape - very young, tannic

Best of them were the Austin Hope and Carica. hey had some other stuff open so we continued the evening...

2006 Domaine Ostertag Riesling, Muenchberg Alsace - best dry riesling I've ever had
2003 Domaine D'Orfeuilles Vouvray, "Tries de Novembre", Loire - wonderful. Sauterne-like.
2003 Tedechi Recioto Della Valpolicella "Capitel Monte Fontana" - sweet, but not port-like. no brandy. not raisiny. Good, but I'd rather have port :)
1998 Joseph's Icewine Vidal, Niagara Penninsula VQA - honey, delicious

So glad we tried these wines. The Ostertag was phenomenal, worthy of it's $70 pricetag. And the Vouvray was great as well.