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Wine Recommendation
Delicato Family Vineyards
2005 Irony Pinot Noir(Monterey)
Irony was originally conceived of as a Napa Valley brand by Chris and Jay Indelicato of Delicato Family Vineyards, now known as DFV Wines. (The name “Irony” has to do with the fact that the brothers worked for a time outside the family business but have returned to it; Chris, in fact, is CEO of DFV.) They branched out from Napa to find more suitable places for Pinot Noir. And what better place than Monterey County, where the family owns San Bernabe Vineyard, so immense that it has its own AVA? In this vineyard — the source of this wine — are seven blocks of Pinot, each with different soils, rootstocks, clones and trellises.
At $16, this is a very attractively priced Pinot Noir, especially considering the quality. The wine is bright and fruity up front, with raspberry and rhubarb flavors. There’s a nice purity to the fruit. Then the tannins firm up toward the finish. The wine was aged for nine months in French and American oak barrels, both new and used, and the oak isn’t at all intrusive – rather, it gives the wine a nice roundness and a little spice. Try it with grilled salmon or roast chicken.
Reviewed September 19, 2007 by Laurie Daniel.
Other reviewed wines from Delicato Family Vineyards
 2005 Night Owl Riesling, San Bernabe Vineyard (San Bernabe)Laurie Daniel 8/18/2006 |
The Wine
Winery: Delicato Family Vineyards |
The Reviewer
Laurie Daniel
Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, has been reviewing wine for more than 10 years. She doesn’t use numbers, preferring to describe her recommended wines and let consumers decide for themselves. Laurie believes that bigger isn’t necessarily better; she’s partial to wines of balance, finesse and character. Her particular interests are Pinot Noir (versions that really taste like Pinot, that is) and aromatic whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. |