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 Ray Coursen,
winemaker and owner at Elyse Winery,
moved from the East Coast some twenty three years ago so he and his wife Nancy
could turn their dream of starting their own winery into a reality. The first
few years were tough, but eventually Ray was able to secure a little hands on
practical experience at Whitehall Lane Winery
working under winemaker Art Finkelstein. In
1987 the family moved on and produced their first wine, under the Elyse label, a
mere 286 cases of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard.
The winery, named after their daughter Elyse, opened in 1997. It is located deep
in the heart of Napa Valley lowland.
Elyse Nero Misto 2004 $26.00
Nero Misto means mixed black in Italian. Although the principal component is
Petit Syrah, there is Barbera and Primitivo added to give the wine a Euro boost.
It is rich and floral, brimming with violet and lavender aromas. There is a
smoky layer of spicy meat, then a waft of blueberry and blackberry fruit. It is
drinking well now and should hold nicely for a few years to come.
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 Elyse Eagle Point Ranch Mendocino Zinfandel 2004 $30.00
This is a one-time only wine from the Eagle Point Vineyard in Mendocino County.
The wine has aromas of lavender, black raspberry, black liquorish, thyme, and
mineral. The palate is rich with spicy dark fruit, bramble and pepper. The wine
shows well and has wonderful balance.
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Elyse Pinot Noir Wild Horse Valley 2004 $N/A
A light styled Pinot that shows pretty notes of raspberry, thyme, plum and
cherry with too much heat on the finish for my taste.
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Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Tietjen Vineyard 2001 $70.00
The 2001 Tietjen Cabernet Sauvignon shows a massive extraction of fruit. It has
a warm earthy aroma that is backed up with layer after layer of ripe and creamy
notes of mocha and vanilla. It spent 22 months in French oak. I would strongly
suggest if one owns a bottle of this wine to hold on to it for a few years as it
really needs time to develop.
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Jacob Franklin Mon Chou 2002 $70.00
The Coursen’s have a younger son named Jake. Poor Jake. Once the reality struck
that his older sister was always in the limelight due to her name being that of
the winery, young Jake got a little pissy. In turn he demanded his own label
too. Understandable from my point of view! Consequently the Jacob Franklin label
first appeared in 1998. This Bordeaux blend is comprised of 60% Cabernet Franc
and the remainder is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. The
wine lets out aromas of dried leaves, tobacco and cedar. It has a tasty layer of
red raspberry fruit, some plum, blackcurrant, clove and a teeth coating layer of
tannin that suggests lay this baby down and wait.
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 Jacob Franklin Hoffman Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 $N/A
This reeks of Aussie like aromas of eucalyptus with layers of sweet red fruit,
spicy plum and a touch of pepper. It has a silky palate of dark fruit sorbet, a
spicy tingle and lots of black fruit acid on the finish. A totally different
style in comparison to the other wines made at this property.
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Elyse Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $37
The Morisoli Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty intense and right now it appears to be
showing its stuff. The fruit is dense; there is a nice layer of spicy mineral,
blackcurrant and blueberry with a kiss of vanilla on the finish. It is quite a
remarkable bottle of wine.
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Reporting from the valley,
CZ
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