November 2006 Wine Tasting Notes:
2004 JanKris Riatta, Paso Robles.
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This wine is smoky garnet in color. The nose is bright with strawberry jam, raspberry, smoke and cedar and lavender notes. The palate displays broad berries, most notably strawberry as well as cherry and plumy notes. The strawberry and plum echo into the medium finish. Firm and slightly chewy ripe tannins are matched with appropriate acidity and nicely controlled alcohol levels. This medium bodied wine has a silky-smooth mouthfeel. Tasted about 2 months after bottling and it is expected to improve and gain expression with time. |
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RWB Score: 88+ breakdown 13.8% Alcohol $17.00 Retail (from winery); 1644 cases produced |
The medium bodied 2004 Riatta offers a up-front fruitiness with easy drinkability. It has a clean mouthfeel with more streamlined and focused aromas and flavors than the 2003. This may be a result of short bottle time at the time of tasting. Most important, this wine maintains a harmonious balance of aromas and flavors elegantly avoiding the somewhat clumsy flavor profile of some 2004 offerings. About 6 more months in the bottle are recommended. The wine should be at its best in 1-2 years and is expected to drink well for 3 more years after that. As with the 2003, it should go well with pastas, and meat and red sauce dishes. |
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More JanKris reviews More on Paso Robles AVA |
A blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Zinfandel and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Riatta was aged approximately 12 months in 100% neutral oak barrels.
The vision for the Riatta line is to create a Super Tuscan with an element of Zinfandel character added. The Riatta line demonstrates the great blending utility of Zinfandel. As with all JanKris wines, the Riatta is made as a 'drink now'.
The term 'Super Tuscan' is said to have been coined by an English journalist to validate the richer blends of Italian varietals with Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. As winemakers experimented, the Italian white varietals used in blending were replaced with Bordeaux reds to give the blends more body and character. Under Italy's controlled system of appellations, these blends were initially ranked with the poorest quality wines: vino da tavola ("table wine") but have since gained legitimacy.
Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the 'big five' of Bordeaux reds usually shows black currant, blackberry and black cherry flavors and can take on herbal and bell pepper, asparagus and olive characteristics - particularly with age as well as in certain climates and with some farming practices. It is also more tannic, longer lived and less approachable in youth than Cabernet Franc. Sangiovese is the staple grape of Chianti where it is generally blended with the red grapes canaiolo and colorino and the white trebbiano. The name originates from the latin: sanguis Jovis, which means: “blood of Jupiter". Sangiovese tends to give fruity, moderately acidic wines with a medium body. Most commonly expressed are aromas and flavors of strawberry, blueberry, orange peel and occasionally plums. The trick in blending Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon is to not let the latter dominate. Zinfandel is THE grape of California. Initially thought to be of Italian origins, its ancestry has been traced to the Primitvo grape of Croatian origins. While efforts are under way to make the two grapes synonymous, the offerings we have tasted are distinct. Zinfandel shows very fruity, jammy raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cranberry and black cherry - often with a prickly or briary note. Cinnamon and Licorice may also be seen. It has come a long way since its usage as the core of California 'jug wines' and some great varietal Zinfandel wines are now being produced.
The 2004 growing season was one of the shortest in the history of the state. Harvest came two to three weeks earlier than usual, at the start of August. Statewide reports of light to normal yields of excellent quality fruit with superb extraction raised anticipation of the wines to come. The wines from this vintage are proving variable by our experience. While this "crop of crops" was lauded as producing highly extracted fruit, some wines have been rather unbalanced while others were stunning an memorable. This seems to depend more on the interplay of vintage climate, AVA and microclimate. Each offering from this vintage should be judged individually and not by virtue of vintage alone.
Established in 1990 by Mark and Paula Gendron, JanKris Winery is named after their two daughters January and Kristin. The tasting room and a portion of their vineyards are in west side of the Paso Robles appellation. The winemaking philosophy binding all JanKris wines is the motto of "Fruit-forward wines with soft tannins". Another notable characteristic of JanKris wines is their price point: All their wines are below $20, making them excellent values.
Three JanKris properties, comprising the 170 acre estate, are located both in the west ('Templeton Gap') and east portions of the Paso Robles AVA. Grapes grown are: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merolt, Mourvedre, Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Sangiovese, Syrah, Viognier and Zinfandel. Sourced form old vines, JanKris wines combine the characteristics of more dense extraction and fuller body of eastern Paso wines and the age worthiness of wines from the western part of the AVA to make varietal wines and Cal-Ital styled blends such as the Picaro and crossover blends like the Crossfire, (blending the Bordeaux varietals Cabernet, Merlot and with the Rhône Syrah grape).
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4 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
3 points |
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Finish |
3 points |
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Tannins |
4 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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