History first:
Clos Mimi is a très petite winery located in Santa Maria, California. Originally established in 1996 by Tim and Mimi Spear, Clos Mimi remains one of the rare wineries in California to produce only red wines exclusively from the Syrah variety. Tim’s winemaking resume includes internships at such esteemed houses as Tablas Creek Vineyard, Château Lynch-Bages, and Cloudy Bay–not to mention that at the age of 25 Tim landed his first head winemaking position at Justin Vineyards & Winery. Today, the monocépage wines from Northern Rhone climats such as La Landonne and Le Méal are Tim’s personal reference points for immortal Syrah. Nevertheless, a deuxième vin affectionately called “Petite Rousse” was introduced in 2001. Dedicated, “to Margot and merry daughters of centuries past,” this is Clos Mimi’s benchmark Paso Robles Syrah with a very competitive price.
Over the top Review:
“The 2004 “petite rousse” is a blend of two vineyards located in the Paso Robles appellation and one vineyard located in remote southern San Luis Obispo County: 92% 2005 Rolling Hills Vineyard 1% 2004 Rolling Hills Vineyard 4% 2005 Brave Oak Vineyard 1% 2005 Alamo Creek Vineyard 2% 2004 Alamo Creek Vineyard “If the 2003 vintage can be compared to Hermitage and the 2004 can be labeled Cote Rotie then definitely the 2005 Petite Rousse reminds me of Gevrey-Chambertin. A 14.5% alcohol Mazis-Chambertin? Pure aromas of mures and petits fruits rouges. Complex aromas of Asian spices thanks to the long hang time and delayed sugar accumulation. An intriguing note of sweet pumpkin pie due to increased seed maturity. Subtle notes of cinnamon thanks mostly to the haute futaie Seguin Moreau barrels. A very feminine floral note (violets?) possibly due to the hours of Puccini’s La Boheme and Madame Butterfly. Generous amounts of white pepper given the cool growing season. The wine finishes with a whiff of 21-day aged beef like the aging room at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa. The ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ Clos Saint-Denis-like tannins in this wine will provide excellent drinking between now and 2016.”
ANOTHER
The 2003 vintage scored 92pts from Parker with this write up: “A marvelous effort as well as a super value, Clos Mimi’s 2003 Petite Rousse (100% destemmed Syrah, 2800 cases produced) tastes like a Paso Robles version of an Hermitage with slightly more forward fruit. No shy wine, it possesses lofty alcohol as well as loads of personality and soul. Aromas of Asian spices, licorice, pepper, herbs, blackberries, and cassis soar from the glass of this smoky, fragrant red. In the mouth, it is a plush, opulent, full-bodied offering that is impossible to resist. Enjoy it over the next 5-6 years. It’s a shame there are not more high quality, personality-filled wines such as this from California. Hats off to Clos Mimi!. What can be said about the 2004 except they did it again.
MINE
Killer Syrah,big,bold and worth the money.
$19.99
