Deep red.
Deep, spicy, grilled meat, A-1 sauce nose. Cherry jam underneath.
Really plush/packed spicy cherry jam in the mouth. Great mid-palate flesh, with acid-driven, sulphide/mineral/tannic edge increasingly dominant. Loaded. Very young. Like CdPapes, this needs air in the worst way.
Day 3 - Deep truffle/earth action on the nose, Amarone-esque. Rocks. Deep, thick and loaded in the mouth too. Just huge, cherry jam, length. Some spicy action too. Jesus. Complex? A bit. Likely more so with several years of bottle age. Strawberry as the dominant, very late finishing flavor. I love Clos des Papes' purity, but the guts/concentration here are on another level.
Day 5 - Now showing some oxidation/muddied character.
$70
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Clos des Papes, Chateauneuf du Pape 2003
Light red.
Red cherry jam, earth/truffle, iron, garrigue nose.
Round and plush in the mouth, very "filled-in". Great depth and chew, but also very finely rendered. Lots of flavor, but a bit muddled at the moment. Tight finish, iron-dominated. This certainly needs air. When opened, this seemed to have residual CO2, though no physical evidence.
Day 3 - More generous nose - deep, plush red cherry coulis, earth/hazelnut/truffle. Killer. Round and plush in the mouth as well. Better purity today, iron as a undertone. Still has strong acid-driven structure, but red fruit just sails on. FK.
Day 5 - Similar to day 3, but even more delineated. Beautiful stuff. Structured to age for many years.
$65
Red cherry jam, earth/truffle, iron, garrigue nose.
Round and plush in the mouth, very "filled-in". Great depth and chew, but also very finely rendered. Lots of flavor, but a bit muddled at the moment. Tight finish, iron-dominated. This certainly needs air. When opened, this seemed to have residual CO2, though no physical evidence.
Day 3 - More generous nose - deep, plush red cherry coulis, earth/hazelnut/truffle. Killer. Round and plush in the mouth as well. Better purity today, iron as a undertone. Still has strong acid-driven structure, but red fruit just sails on. FK.
Day 5 - Similar to day 3, but even more delineated. Beautiful stuff. Structured to age for many years.
$65
Marcassin "Bondi Home Ranch" Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2002
Deep, murky red. Some rim evolution.
That deep, sumptuous, evolved "Marcassin PN at its best" nose - fennel, savory meat/duck fat, cherry sauce, earth, hazelnut liqueur ...
Round, deep and sweet texturally. Slight heat, but sails on, with great mid-palate depth. There's an acid edge riding though it all, probably elevated VA involved, that keeps everything in check. But also a bit abrasive. Great (cherry) length. We'll see if air time brings everything together.
Day 3 - Still sumptuous on the nose. Better integration in the mouth also. VA still is a bit discordant, but I don't really care. Does not have the flavor complexity of the best bottlings, but very few people will mind.
$90
That deep, sumptuous, evolved "Marcassin PN at its best" nose - fennel, savory meat/duck fat, cherry sauce, earth, hazelnut liqueur ...
Round, deep and sweet texturally. Slight heat, but sails on, with great mid-palate depth. There's an acid edge riding though it all, probably elevated VA involved, that keeps everything in check. But also a bit abrasive. Great (cherry) length. We'll see if air time brings everything together.
Day 3 - Still sumptuous on the nose. Better integration in the mouth also. VA still is a bit discordant, but I don't really care. Does not have the flavor complexity of the best bottlings, but very few people will mind.
$90
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tablas Creek "Cotes de Tablas" Paso Robles 2005
Deep red.
Deep, slightly baked, black cherry, earth, slight licorice nose. Open-knit, very attractive.
Ditto in the mouth, very expansive/plush. No real complexity and some heat, but I could drink quite a bit of this. Acid/mineral structure quietly coats the front teeth.
Day 4 - Deeper and more sumptuous on the nose. Totally satisfying on the palate, though finishes a bit short. Still finishes with mineral/acid chew, now on the side teeth.
$25, 43% Grenache, 24% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah, 15% Counoise
Deep, slightly baked, black cherry, earth, slight licorice nose. Open-knit, very attractive.
Ditto in the mouth, very expansive/plush. No real complexity and some heat, but I could drink quite a bit of this. Acid/mineral structure quietly coats the front teeth.
Day 4 - Deeper and more sumptuous on the nose. Totally satisfying on the palate, though finishes a bit short. Still finishes with mineral/acid chew, now on the side teeth.
$25, 43% Grenache, 24% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah, 15% Counoise
Clos St. Michel "Cuvee Reservee" Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005
Deep red.
Cherry jam, clay/earth, garrigue, iron and brown spices.
Broad and round in the mouth, slight textural sweetness. Deep spicy cherry, earth and herb spice flavors. Decent length. No new oak showing. Very pleasant stuff. Medicinal herb finish.
Day 4 - Another killer nose. Not nearly as concentrated as CdP or Usseglio, but possibly the smart buy in a cash strapped world.
$28, 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre
Cherry jam, clay/earth, garrigue, iron and brown spices.
Broad and round in the mouth, slight textural sweetness. Deep spicy cherry, earth and herb spice flavors. Decent length. No new oak showing. Very pleasant stuff. Medicinal herb finish.
Day 4 - Another killer nose. Not nearly as concentrated as CdP or Usseglio, but possibly the smart buy in a cash strapped world.
$28, 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Bastide Blanche "Longue Garde" 1998 Bandol
Deep, murky red.
Smoke, embers, iron, wilted herbs, iodine, savory meat nose. A bit of horseshit, too, for purists.
Round and plush on entry, dense and concentrated. Grainy texture typical of B-B kicks in on the mid-palate and doesn't let up. Licorice and smoke on the chewy, tannic, finish. Thank God for wines like this. Where's the lamb cassoulet?
$35
Smoke, embers, iron, wilted herbs, iodine, savory meat nose. A bit of horseshit, too, for purists.
Round and plush on entry, dense and concentrated. Grainy texture typical of B-B kicks in on the mid-palate and doesn't let up. Licorice and smoke on the chewy, tannic, finish. Thank God for wines like this. Where's the lamb cassoulet?
$35
Friday, December 26, 2008
Saxum "James Berry Vineyard" Paso Robles 2005
Purple.
High-toned nose of brown spices, licorice, black olive.
Plush and very deep/sweet in the mouth. A bit of heat, though, as strong acidity cuts into the finish. Ultimately seems to lack an extra textural dimension to cover the alcohol. I've under-estimated these wines before, however. They often need significant air time to strut (long lees aging).
Day 4 - Deep, saucy aromas - A-1 marinated steak, licorice, earth. Wildly sweet and broad in the mouth, with alcohol showing. Mineral action kicks in on the dis-jointed finish.
$65, 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache
High-toned nose of brown spices, licorice, black olive.
Plush and very deep/sweet in the mouth. A bit of heat, though, as strong acidity cuts into the finish. Ultimately seems to lack an extra textural dimension to cover the alcohol. I've under-estimated these wines before, however. They often need significant air time to strut (long lees aging).
Day 4 - Deep, saucy aromas - A-1 marinated steak, licorice, earth. Wildly sweet and broad in the mouth, with alcohol showing. Mineral action kicks in on the dis-jointed finish.
$65, 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache
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