90+ 2004 William James Rousanne (St. Barbara County) 7/5/09 ($18)
15.3% alc
Color: Deep gold. (3.5) Bouquet: Lots of minerals combined with some honey and herbal complexity, think dill. (3.0) Body: Heavyweight with excellent acidity and fruit with some heat. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with white flowers coming forward and combining with the honey and complexity. Interesting stuff. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but heat and bitterness emerge. Still long. (2.5)
Overall: This is a very complex, full-bodied wine for the price with excellent Rousanne character, showing lots of minerals and flowers with some honey thrown in. This just got better and better as it breathed and warmed in the glass. There is some heat and bitterness, but these also integrate more with time in the glass. This already shows some mature character, but its austere components may integrate with more time. Very compelling and different. This should appeal to lovers of big Viogniers, Chardonnays or white Rhones. (15.0)
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