The same, @vinocruz. The wines today majorly from Varner Winery, contains Varner Home Ranch Chardonnay 2006, Varner Hidden Block Pinot Noir 2005, Neely Holly's Cuvée Pinot Noir 2005. Anonther one not from Varner Winery is Michael Martella Grenache 2006.
飲酒過量有礙身體健康，未成年請勿飲酒！
Drinking too much is not good to your healthy, and you can not drink unless you are adult.
Varner Home Ranch Chardonnay 2006
[column width="44%" padding="6%"]Robert Parker 給了這支酒 93 分的評價。香氣及口感很像之前喝過的 Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005，有著明顯礦石口感與味道的勃根地風味。花香、蘋果、鳳梨、柳橙的味道在杯中與口中散發開來，同時帶有一些甜味。和 Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 比較起來，這款 Varner 的 Chardonnay 帶給我較為清淡、陽光的感覺，和 vinocruz 的老闆討論時他也這麼認為。
[/column] [column width="50%" padding="0"]This wine gets 93 points from Robert Parker. Tasted similar to Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005, mineral taste Bourgogne (Burgundy) style. Flowers, apple, pineapple and orange spread out on the nose and palate, and a little sweet. Compare to Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005, this Chardonnay from Varner gives me a more sunny and lighter feel, and the owner of vinocruz aslo agrees.
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Varner Hidden Block Pinot Noir 2005
[column width="44%" padding="6%"]Varner 有好幾個葡萄園，這款 Pinot Noir 是從 Hidden Block 來的。很漂亮的紅寶石色，同時帶有非常特殊且明顯、集中的草莓香味。口感略甜，依舊帶有草莓香氣，同時帶有一點奇妙的礦石味。另外，酒本身的香氣和酒精的味道平衡得非常好，很難想像這支酒有 14.3% 的酒精濃度。
在今天的三款 Varner 的酒當中，這款來最深的印象，主要原因是那迷人的草莓香味。而 San Francisco Chronicle (北加州最大的報社) 給了 "stunning" 的評價。
[/column] [column width="50%" padding="0"]Varner has multiple vineyards, and this Pinot Noir is from Hidden Block. Very beautiful ruby color in the glass, and you can easily find a concentrated aroma of strawberry. A little sweet taste contains consistent strawberry palate. Besides, mineral again, I guess that's because Varner use the same kind of barrels as the previous Chardonnay. The nose and palate are well balanced with the alcohol, that make me hard to believe it is 14.3% alcohol.
Among the three wines from Varner, this one impresses me most, because of the strawberry. San Francisco Chronicle comments it as "stunning".
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Neely Holly's Cuvée Pinot Noir 2005
[column width="44%" padding="6%"]Cuvée的意思是指「混合」，所以這支 Pinot Noir 就是混合款了。沒錯，它混合了 55% 的 Hidden Block (也就是前面一款酒)和 45% 的 Picnic Block 的 Pinot Noir。
比起前者顏色較深，同時黑醋栗與黑梅使得香氣與口感都要來得強烈。但仔細品嚐可以發現在強烈的口感裡頭仍可以發現前一款較為清淡的風味，也許這就是為什麼 Robert Parker 給了 90 分的評價的原因吧。
[/column] [column width="50%" padding="0"]Cuvée means "blend", so this Pinot Noir is a blending. Yes, it blends 55% Hidden Block (the previous wine) and 45% Picnic Block.
Compare to the previous Pinot Noir, this one is deeper colored, and sharper nose and palate of black berries and black currants. However, if you taste it carefully, you can find the light tastes (as the previous Pinot Noir) behind the strong smells, maybe that's why Robert Parker rates it 90 points.
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Michael Martella Grenache 2006
[column width="44%" padding="6%"]這是第一次喝 Grenache 葡萄所釀製的酒，老實說不太能給什麼評語。Grenache 需要較熱的種植環境，所以早期大多分佈在西班牙及法國南部。而大多拿來和其他的葡萄混合，製作 Rhône Style 的酒。香氣跟口感都帶有強烈的辛香，另外有覆盆莓的香味，是少見但特殊的一款酒。
[/column] [column width="50%" padding="0"]This is my first time having Grenache wine, so it's hard to wrote down some comments. Grenache needs hot plant grounds, so it usually be grown in Spain and south of French. And usually be blended with other grape varieties to make Rhône Style wines. The nose and palate contain strong spices, and clear raspberry notes. Well, rare smells and tastes.
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最後，vinocruz 的老闆說... "You are really a good noser." 😛
[/column] [column width="50%" padding="0"]At last, the owner of vinocruz said, "You are really a good noser." 😛
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