Tuesday at Michaels on Naples

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Have missed the last few monthly tasting at Michaels due to conflicts. This will probably be the last one for this year as the holiday season will be upon us, way to soon. In the lobby I ran into a wine rep I had dinner with a few months ago. Then upstairs was Bennett who used to work at the Wine Country.

I will say I was totally under whelmed with the wines. Winery was "Habit". Never heard of them altho I did find out that they did a tasting at Wine Country recently. Met the wine maker/owner. Jeff Fisher. Nice enough guy. Seems they source their grapes from the central coast / Santa Ynez area.

We strated out with a 2014 Habit, Jurassic Park Vineyard, Chenin Blanc. Weak, no back finish, slight grapefruit taste to it. Priced at $30 a bottle. No way. One, I would not ever buy this wine and no way was it worth that kind of money. You can get a really good bottle of French Chenin Blanc for $15 a bottle.

Next we were poured a 2014 Habit, Santa Ynez Valley, Gruner Veltliner. These grapes come from a vineyard off of Fig Road. They grafted onto Merlot root stock several years ago. Again a very weak wine with no finish. Might be because of the new vines but again I was not impressed and again at $30 a bottle. I can buy Baker and Brain Gruner for less money and it is a very good wine.

The best wine of evening was put into our glass. A 2013 Habit, Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir. Actually a good Pinot. Light but nice balance and nice finish. Price was $48 which is OK because I know what tonnage of pinot goes for in that area. But I can buy several better made pinots from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA at that price and maybe a few dollars more that are far superior.

Last wine poured was a 2014 Habit, Santa Ynez Valley, Cabernet Franc. Why too light.  Blind tasting I would not have taken it for a Cab Franc.  At $30 a bottle it was not a bargain.

Disappointing tasting. Did have a nice plate of mushroom ravioli and a glass of 2010 Saladini-Plastri, Rosso Piceno. Slight, soft tannins, opened up after awhile.