Sometimes One “Wow” Is Not Enough
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you perfectly know by now that I have a tendency to get overly excited in my reviews (and if you are not a regular reader and just came across accidentally, you know it now). It is entirely possible that you also noticed that I have a soft spot towards Field Recordings wines. Based on this preamble, you probably figured out that I plan to talk about a wine from Field Recordings.
The wine which had me completely blown away a few days ago was 2011 Field Recordings Jurassic Park Vineyard Chenin Blanc Santa Ynez Valley (13.1% ABV). Opened the bottle, poured in the glass, sucked the air – and was blown away. Complex, multi-layered aromatics, which each smell showing slightly differently, and my emotional response (or rather, vocal), rotating between “wow” and “omg” with each and every breath. White stone fruit, apricots, fresh flowers, endless meadows – all coming separately, but together. Andrew Jones, the winemaker at Fields Recordings, is clearly the master of aromatics with his wines. Pretty much any of his wines I tried, have mind-boggling, intense aromatics – here is my post about red wine call Fiction by Field Recordings, read it for yourself.
The palate didn’t disappoint as well. Bright, open, succulent white fruit, more continuing that an apricot theme, with the touch of vanilla and apple, no sweetness whatsoever. Definitely a Chardonnay-like experience, except it is not chardonnay at all! Firm structure, refreshing acidity – each sip of the wine is begging not to stop – just one more sip, pleeease? Drinkability: 8+
The words don’t do this wine enough justice. Your best bet is to find this wine and to taste it. And yes, it is okay to repetitively “wow” all the way through. Cheers!
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Talk-A-Vino 
I’m getting a bottle!
This wine is also a great value – it costs under $20, which is outstanding for what it is. See if anything is available at Field Recordings web site, if you can’t find it – send e-mail to Andrew Jones, the winemaker – he will be able to help.
I’m on it! Salud!!
Great! Will be curious to compare notes : )
I love a good Chenin Blanc but don’t see a lot on the shelf, but maybe that’s my fault. I don’t shop a lot for wine – but that’s going to change with the wine bar going in! Cheers!!!
That will be fun : )
Great tasting notes, Anatoli: reading your repeated and excited posts about the Field Recordings lineup is getting me excited, probably to the point of overcoming the clunkiness and lack of user friendliness of their Web site and order system! 😉 You have made me salivate enough and I want to try them out too! 🙂
The ordering system is not perfect, but works just fine. Do yourself a favor and order some wines, you can thank me later : )
Alright, so I did it: I am in now. Now I look forward to receiving the first shipment and trying them out (although it is going to be a while)! 🙂
wise decision, my friend : ) I’m sure you will not regret!
Fantastic label!
Field Recordings has great labels and great stories behind every bottle. Take a look at their web site, it explains the meaning of the labels – those are artistic drawings of different patterns created by the flock of starlings in flight.
love the name too… you should pair it with the movie for a movie night.
I guess you are referring to the Jurassic Park name – I’m curious who and why would name a vineyard like that…