Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Wines I'm Drinking: 2008 Brutocao Mendocino County Bliss Vineyard Merlot (August 22, 2012)

Moderately deep red with a hint of garnet in it. Showing a little age. Plummy on the nose at first. A little wood. Something subtly floral as well, but not identifiable. Nice acidity, giving a bright first impression. Has a fairly formidable tannic bite and the tannins linger, although they aren't harsh. Some musky, earthy undertones. Fruity on the mid-palate but the fruit falls away fairly quickly to leave the tannins exposed, giving the middle to end of the flavor profile a somewhat austere quality, but a little fruity sweetness comes back on a moderately long finish. I think this will improve with age. Still seems a bit rough around the edges, but, on the whole, nicely balanced and interesting, and with a little time in the glass, the flavors evolved. The tannins softened (allowing the fruit to emerge a bit more), the floral component became more pronounced, and the fruit began to seem more like black cherries than plums. Very attractively priced at my local Grocery Outlet for $6.99 a bottle. Regularly sells for around $24 a bottle.

Birds I'm Watching: Lake Ralphine, Santa Rosa (August 21, 2012)

I shouldn't complain about work, but I've had rather a lot in the past week, which has kept me mostly stuck at my computer. Yesterday I managed to take a quick break for a walk around Lake Ralphine, at Howarth Park. It was the middle of the day, and not much was going on--almost no birds at all, until I stopped at a secluded spot on the far side of the lake to look for the bird making what at first I thought was a Spotted Towhee's cranky call. It turned out to be a Bewick's Wren (photo) making similar sounds. Flitting over my head was a mix of small woodland birds--a Titmouse, a Hutton's Vireo, a couple of Chickadees. And then back home and back to work.

For information about bird watching in Sonoma County, see my Website Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots.
Related Posts with Thumbnails