337 Clone Cabernet Sauvignon - Lodi

Lodi California produces large quantities of wine each year. When I think of the area the first thing that comes to mind is Zinfandel. Several of my favorite Zins year after year are made from fruit sourced in Lodi. As time goes on more and more wines of merit, made from other varietals, are also emerging from this region.

The 2005, 337 Clone Cabernet  is a good example of Cabernet grown in the Lodi region. The fruit is generally brighter and more upfront than it would be in an Old World Cabernet, or even many from Napa or Sonoma. Right after opening the nose on this Cab is a bit reticent. Forty five minutes of decanting time or so is recommended and it really starts to come into it’s own. Dark Berry fruit is apparent when the nose opens up. Once it does, the wine is pretty bold and has strong berry notes upfront. The mid palate is big, lush and mouth-filling with soft tannins. A bit of Anise is apprent on the mid-palate too along with more dark berry. Black pepper notes resonates on the finish and bites against the back of the throatA lot of it’s character comes up front in the form of all that big berry fruit.

337 Clone Cabernet retails in the mid teens. For that money it’s a decent buy. This is definitely a Cabernet to be drunk in it’s youth. It should hold where it is for a couple of years but I wouldn’t expect it to improve since a lot of it’s character comes up front in the form of all that big berry fruit.

A Couple of 2006 California Pinot Grigio’s

Over the last couple of years it seems like Pinot Girgio is finally making it’s move in the New World. In California especially, more and more wineries are producing them. As with most things the more that attempt it, the better the odds someone will get it right.

Terlato Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio was sourced in the Russian River Valley. Generally speaking grapes that do well in cooler climates thrive in the Russian River valley. As such you tend to see a lot of  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from there. It seems natural that we would start seeing Pinot Grigio sourced there too.

The Terlato Pinot Grigio has lots of citrus on the nose. The first sip reveals many of those same citrus notes as well. There is also a very present acidity in this wine. The finish bristles slightly on the back of the throat revealing a bit of viscosity. Sipped on it’s own, the Terlato is OK. The acidity is perhaps a bit too glaring for this wine to be as enjoyable on it’s own it might be otherwise. It did much better with food, pairing well with some mild cheeses and artisan breads. It’s sells for right around $18.00.

Swanson Vineyards in Oakville has been making Estate Pinot Grigio long before it was fashionable. Having had it for quite a few consecutive vintages I can say that it’s been incredibly consistent. The fruit is sourced primarily from their estate vineyard in Oakville. The 2006 has a rich mouth-feel and some citrus notes on nose. The nose also has some guava notes. The first sips reveal pear and a bit more of that citrus. The finish is long and pretty lush. Each additional sip draws you in for more and additional complexity is revealed. 

The Swanson Pinot Grigio is perfectly enjoyable sipped on it’s own. But it also pears well with quite a few foods. I found it to be a great foil for mild cheeses as well as grilled chicken and lentil soup. Like the other wines I have had from Swanson Vineyards, the best word to describe the Pinot Grigio is Elegant. Although retail price is $21.00, Wine-Searcher.com shows that the Swanson Pinot Grigio is widely available for around $15.99. In some cases it can be had for less.

The Terlato Family Vineyards 2006 Pinot Grigio is enjoyable but comparing it to the Swanson Vineyards Pinot Grigio it comes up a bit short. Swanson Vineyards 2006 Pinot Grigio is the better, more complex bottle of wine and the better value. Swanson has been making exceptional wines in Napa for the better part of two decades. The 2006 Pinot Grigio, is but one example.

Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo

Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo does a good job answering the question, “What kind of songs does Rivers Cuomo write?” The eighteen tracks that make up this release run the gamut of piano ballads, punk infused numbers and jangly guitar pop to name a few of the styles he tackles. There are also a couple of covers on the album. Most notably “Little Diane,” the Dion & The Belmont’s chestnut. It’s recorded with Sloan as his backing band.

One of the great features of this CD is the extensive liner notes that Rivers Cuomo provides. They give the sort of insight into the songs, performances and inspirations that’s usually reserved for box sets.

There are many fascinating tracks on “Alone….” One of them is “Dude We’re finally Landing.” It’s less than a minute long and performed Acapella. It works perfectly.

The last track, “I was Made For You” was intended for the next Weezer album. However the band voted on a different composition instead. It’s filled with melancholy and yearning, a tremendous closer.

“Alone…” works on several levels. On one hand it’s a fascinating look into the creative process of the mind composing Weezer’s music. Additionally it works well as a stand alone piece, even if you’re unfamiliar with Weezer.  The Tunes are fleshed out enough that this doesn’t sound nearly like nearly the demo reel it seems like it might be at first blush.

This album is a great choice for fans of melodic, well constructed pop music. Rivers Cuomo displays what can be achieved when the primary goal is writing a good song.