From Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
http://www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer
2009 Dehlinger Winery Zinfandel Guadagni Vineyard Dry Creek Valley
(blended with 13% petite sirah): Glass-staining purple. Exotic, expansive aromas of boysenberry and candied plum, with pungent herb and dried violet nuances adding complexity. Very rich but lively on the palate, offering sappy dark berry preserve flavors and subtle smokiness. Shows very good structure but no hard edges and finishes broad and plush. 90
2009 Dehlinger Winery Petite Sirah/Zinfandel Guadagni Vineyard Dry Creek Valley
(a 60/40 blend): Lurid purple. Highly expressive, room-filling bouquet of boysenberry and blueberry, along with strong floral and incense qualities. Lush, creamy and broad, with deep black and blue fruit preserve flavors and a seamless texture. For all its richness this wine is almost shockingly agile, finishing smooth and sappy, with excellent floral persistence. 92
2008 Dehlinger Winery Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Bright gold. Ripe pear and nectarine on the nose, with complicating notes of hazelnut and dried fig. Deeply pitched orchard fruit flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity, showing very good clarity and a touch of spiciness. The spice character carries through the sappy, persistent finish, which features a subtle honeyed nuance. This wine has the power to handle richer foods but its light touch allows it to work with more delicate fare. 90
2008 Dehlinger Winery Chardonnay See's SelectionRussian River Valley
Bright yellow-gold. Melon, pear, pungent spices and flowers on the ripe nose, along with suggestions of dusty minerals. Densely packed and supple, with a restrained sweetness and a strong spicy overtone to its orchard fruit flavors. Finishes long and strong, with assertive spiciness and an echo of sweet melon. There's a good portion of the musque clone of chardonnay in here, Dehlinger told me. 90
2008 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Goldridge Vineyard Russian River Valley
High-pitched aromas of strawberry and raspberry are complemented by notes of Asian spices and fresh rose. Silky in texture and broad on the palate, offering juicy red fruit preserve flavors and a deeper note of bitter cherry. The finish repeats the floral note and lingers with excellent tenacity. This wine's balance and clarity are impressive. 91
2008 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Estate Russian River Valley
Bright ruby-red. Deeply pitched black raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a floral nuance that becomes more pronounced with air. Juicy, penetrating dark fruit and bitter cherry flavors are given spine by tangy acidity and become sweeter on the back half. Rich but lively pinot with excellent closing thrust and lingering florality. By all means give this wine some bottle age. Dehlinger told me that this bottling was made from fruit from his highest-altitude vines. 92
2008 Dehlinger Winery Syrah Estate Russian River Valley
Dark violet. More restrained than the Goldridge Vineyard bottling, displaying brooding dark berry and fruitcake aromas and slow-mounting spiciness. Then more animated on the palate, with deep blackberry and mulberry flavors complicated by an exotic floral pastille quality, Becomes smokier and spicier with air and finishes on a vibrant, peppery note, with excellent clarity. By all means decant this for an hour or so if you plan on opening one soon. 92
2008 Dehlinger Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Russian River Valley
Bright purple. Sexy, floral-accented aromas of blackberry and cassis, with a spicy quality that gains intensity with air. Bright and focused on the palate, offering lively dark berry flavors and a candied rose nuance. Fine-grained tannins add shape and structure to an impressively long, sweet finish. I like this wine's marriage of power and finesse. 91
2008 Dehlinger Winery Claret Russian River Valley
Bright ruby. Highly aromatic nose combines red- and blackcurrant, dried flowers and pipe tobacco, plus a hint of mocha. Sappy and precise, offering gently sweet red and dark berry flavors and a hint of bitter chocolate. Shows good depth of flavor with no excess fat. The gently tannic finish offers very good clarity and an echoing blackcurrant note. Dehlinger told me that all of the fruit that normally goes into his East Ridge bottling was included in this year's Claret. 90
2008 Dehlinger Winery Syrah Goldridge Vineyard Russian River Valley
Bright purple. Highly expressive aromas of black raspberry, candied violet, incense and black pepper, with a hint of five-spice powder in the background. Deep, savory and precise, with spicy dark berry flavors that stain the palate and gain flesh with air. Quite Old World in style, finishing with intense spiciness and a late jolt of bitter chocolate. This is balanced to age. 91
2007 Dehlinger Winery Chardonnay Estate Russian River Valley
Pale gold. Smoky, mineral-driven nose hints at apple butter, iodine, jasmine and buttered toast. Juicy and tight, with bracing acidity and a distinctly saline, iodiney character to its fresh orchard fruit flavors. A refreshingly bitter lemon pith quality adds lift and cut to a long, smoky, penetrating finish. 92
2007 Dehlinger Winery Chardonnay See's Selection Russian River Valley
Bright yellow-gold. Fresh Meyer lemon and green apple aromas are complemented by dusty minerals and quinine. Plump and juicy on entry and through the middle, then tightens up on the back end, displaying sweet citrus and melon character. Offers a suave blend of fat and structure, with very good finishing spiciness and cut. 90
2007 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Estate Russian River Valley
Deep, bright red. An alluringly perfumed nose displays raspberry, strawberry, Asian spices and wisteria. Suave and silky, with mineral-driven, gently sweet red berry flavors and a touch of cola. More delicate and pure than the Goldridge. Not a powerful wine but focused, vibrant and very seductive already. Tannins arrive late and allow the subtle finishing flavors to fan out impressively. 92
2007 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Reserve Russian River Valley
Saturated red. Captivating, nuanced aromas of black raspberry, Asian spices, cocoa powder and potpourri. Silky and sweet on entry, then brilliantly vibrant and delineated in the middle, with explosive floral pastille and mineral qualities lifting the flavors of crushed red and dark berries and blood orange. The wine's pungent minerality gives it a weightless impression and extends the long, juicy finish. You could drink this now but it really deserves another five years of patience.93
2007 Dehlinger Winery Syrah Goldridge Vineyard Russian River Valley
Inky purple. Blackberry, cherry-cola, fresh herbs, pepper and licorice on the nose, plus hints of dried flowers and spice. Smooth and suave in the mouth, with a distinctly juicy quality and very good intensity to its fresh dark berry and floral flavors. This vinous, focused wine finishes with silky tannins and very good length. 91 points
2007 Dehlinger Winery Syrah Estate Bottled Russian River Valley
Glass-staining purple. Youthfully wound-up aromas of blackberry, cassis and bitter chocolate, plus a strong note of licorice. Deeply pitched dark fruit flavors are given a bitter edge by a dark chocolate quality and are framed by chewy tannins. The finish is firm, gripping and intensely spicy. Distinctly potent syrah with excellent potential: no way I'd be opening this one anytime soon. 92(+?)
2007 Dehlinger Winery Claret Russian River Valley
Deep, bright ruby. Sweet, inviting aromas of cherry, plum, mocha, chocolate and tobacco. Juicy and shapely, with good energy to the blackcurrant, bitter cherry and smoke flavors. Offers a suave blend of ripeness and lift and finishes with fine, palate-dusting tannins and very good length. An immediately accessible wine that's also balanced to age. 90
2007 Dehlinger Winery Cabernet Sauvignon East Ridge Russian River Valley
Inky purple. Powerful, high-pitched aromas of boysenberry compote, blackcurrant and dried flowers. Lush dark fruit flavors possess liqueur-like depth but are surprisingly lithe, with gentle mineral lift and cut on the back half. Seductively sweet and expansive cabernet, finishing with impressive breadth and penetration. (JR) 91
2007 Dehlinger Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Russian River Valley
Opaque purple. Blackberry, cassis and cherry-vanilla on the nose, with hints of tobacco and cedar adding complexity. Pliant and sweet on the palate, with primary dark berry and bitter cherry flavors and a good whack of vanillin oak and spices. Supple tannins build with air and add definition to the long, sappy finish. Showing its 50% new oak right now but the fruit seems more than up to it.90
2006 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Goldridge Vineyard Russian River Valley
Bright medium red. Alluring perfume of strawberry, raspberry, potpourri and incense, along with a bright mineral overtone. Precise red berry flavors are deepened by smoky minerals and notes of candied rose and cinnamon, with fine-grained tannins adding support. Very sexy pinot, with excellent finishing clarity, spiciness and lingering sweetness. 92
2006 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Estate Bottled Russian River Valley
Vivid red. Deep red and dark berry scents are complicated by smoky Indian spices, black tea and dried rose. Weightier than the Goldridge, and more powerful as well, offering dense, chewy red berry compote and cherry flavors. The finish repeats the cherry and spice notes and lingers impressively, with gentle tannins adding grip. I marginally prefer the Goldridge today, for its suavity and vivacity. 91
2006 Dehlinger Winery Claret Russian River Valley
(100% cabernet sauvignon) Bright red. Pinot-like aromas of redcurrant, raspberry and rose, with a vibrant mineral undertone. Sweet, tightly focused red fruit flavors are framed by dusty tannins and given lift by a tangy mineral quality. A suave, understated, nicely balanced wine that finishes with very good clarity and tangy berry skin notes. 90
2006 Dehlinger Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Russian River Valley
Deep, bright red. Spicy red- and blackcurrant on the nose, with slow-building floral and smoky mineral notes adding complexity. Fresh red fruit flavors are firmed by tangy minerals and take on a refreshingly bitter cherry skin quality with air. Puts on weight in the glass and finishes with excellent focus and lingering floral character. This is one of the few cabernets still made from vines in the Russian River Valley. (JR) 91
2006 Dehlinger Winery Pinot Noir Reserve Russian River Valley
Bright red. Deep black and blue fruit aromas are complemented by dried rose and cola. Candied blackberry and blueberry flavors coat the palate and are firmed by fine-grained tannins. The cola note gains strength on the finish, which is alluring sweet, sappy and very long. For a big wine, this is precise and graceful. 92
2006 Dehlinger Winery Syrah East Face Russian River Valley
Glass-staining purple. Powerful, pungent blackberry, cassis, candied violet and black olive aromas. Sappy dark berry flavors firm up with air, picking up sweet cola, sassafras and candied floral qualities. Leaves spicy red and dark berry notes behind on the sharply focused, gently sweet aftertaste. 92
2006 Dehlinger Winery Syrah Estate Bottled Russian River Valley
Inky purple. Classic syrah scents of cassis, black raspberry, violet, smoke and olive tapenade. Sharply focused red and dark berry flavors are complicated by cracked pepper and candied flowers, with supple tannins adding support. The floral note gains strength on the pure, sweetly persistent finish. This energetic wine is delicious now but I'd give it at least another three years of aging. 91
2005 Dehlinger Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Russian River Valley
Saturated ruby. Brooding, powerful cassis and blackberry aromas
complicated by cured tobacco and mocha. Deep and chewy, offering spicy
dark fruit flavors, solid but harmonious tannins and good mineral lift.
Much more backward than the claret but with greater depth and richness.
Finishes sweet, broad and long. This wine is made exclusively from
Dehlinger's hilltop vines.
91 |
