Honeyed, with fleshy melon and apricot flavors that are ripe and appealing. Notes of orange zest and white chocolate linger on the detailed finish. Drink now. 190 cases made.??–MW??Region: California / Edna Valley Select to Add

Fleshy and ripe, this presents a succulent mix of nectarine, melon and peach notes that are bold and expressive, mixing in details of vanilla pudding, nutmeg and dried honeysuckle. Refreshing acidity elevates the flavors, allowing them to linger on the finish. Drink now.??–MW??Region: California / Edna Valley Select to Add

2010 年份的 Viognier 象征著 Alban 一個(gè)新的發(fā)展方向。該酒從開始到余味階段都十分精致優(yōu)美，極具品味。該酒以礦物味為主，活潑清新，十分迷人。很難說(shuō)該酒是否很好地反映了 Alban 在葡萄栽培和釀酒工藝上所花費(fèi)的心血，但不可否認(rèn)的是，這是一款一流的葡萄酒。預(yù)期成熟時(shí)間：2012 年至 2016 年。

The 2009 Grenache explodes from the glass with layers of silky, expressive fruit. Most of the wine’s charms are in its up-front, juicy personality. Overall, I find a little less complexity and length than in the 2008, but some of that may be because the wine was only bottled four weeks before this tasting. There is an immediacy in the 2009 that should allow it to drink well upon release. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. This is a fabulous set of wines from John and Lorraine Alban. Quite simply, I was blown away by what I tasted. As I noted last year, the whites are increasingly made in a more energetic style, not a bad thing as the fruit is already so expressive from the start. Over the years, a similar evolution has taken place with the reds. The inky, black color of the Syrahs is now gone. Today, Alban favors lengthy barrel aging for his top reds, a technique he compares to “braising” in cooking, which requires softer and gentler fermentations at the outset. Beginning around 2006, Alban started doing fewer pump overs and in general encourages longer, slower fermentations. The wines used to go into barrel with some sugar still left to ferment, while today they go in drier than in the past. Over the years, new oak levels have also come down. Most of the current releases are 2008s, a vintage Alban describes as characterized by a spring frost, drought and cloudy days with less heat and sunlight than is typically the case. Readers may want to check out my video interview with John Alban for more on current and upcoming vintages. Tel. (805) 546-0305; www.albanvineyards.com