A couple nights ago, the team I work on flew into town and I hosted them for dinner. I opened the two wines below as part of the meal and after dinner, threw in the corks and tossed them back into the cellar for 2 days until I was able tonight to re-taste them. The notes below represent the wines as tasted tonight, which is roughly 2 days and some change from when I pulled the corks on them. The RM is drinking fine, quite approachable. The SR, it’s a crusher of dark fruit, depth and for a mild winter night after dinner, quite perfect for watching some hockey and firing off this post. I’m very aware that some folks don’t like petite, the higher ABV, and I am not shy about critiquing high ABV wines that I find to be out of whack. Yet for petite, I expect higher ABV and for SR, I know what I am getting and yet I look for color, balance, the guts to hold all that oomph together. This 2012 does it, and well. We had a mag of this 2012 SR petite in the Falltacular auction this past weekend, and I kick myself for not taking it down. For the generous guest that won it, enjoy it and I hope you see my note below when at some point you yank the cork out of it. Thanks for reading.
-
2011 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Gioia Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (2/26/2015)
Opened two nights ago, which also included a splash decant (not because of structure but to cool off the wine as I left the damn thing in the fridge too long). So, given the splash and wine being open that long, take my note accordingly. Serving tonight perfect temp, alongside some salmon and turkey meatloaf. Decent depth here, with some razzy fruit (which I recall from the first night was pretty tart, far less so tonight). Light pine needle and cranberry, even some spicy, cola nut that frames the fruit. Middle weighted, nothing burly here but plenty of fruit impression that seems ready to drink (flagging again my comment earlier). Spicy finish with a nice shading of the tart cranberry again. I enjoy this tonight and it seems to have held up fine with the aeration. My last one, as well. -
2012 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (2/26/2015)
Well, I seem to be the only guy drinking these right now so I trust these notes will help those who start thinking about drinking their first bottle. This is my second since release, and I opened this bottle on Tuesday, today is Thursday. The bottle has sat under open cork since we opened it (no decant), when we drank only half of it two night ago. At that time, I found the wine not only with some heat but also pretty tight. Tonight, the wine has a slight chill, serving temp about 68. Listed at 16.5%. Darkly colored, Switchback opaque, really. The wine tastes significantly better today as opposed to 48 hours ago, with a much better depth of fruit. Bitter chocolate fruit and tightening some on the finish, which I enjoy. I put another pour into the glass…man, this stuff is so dark, classic SR petite. Inky, iron and full of dark fruit, with a roasted, coffee espresso note, the red fruited quality that I find in really good brewed espresso. Even some acidity here, which lies underneath the dark fruit. The heat tonight? I don’t find it like I did 2 nights ago, even with this level of listed ABV. As this sits, as it unfolds, this starts to remind me a lot of the 2005, which has been in my view the best SR petite made since the first vintage in 1999. This may rally that vintage for depth, color and polish. As for drink window, I’d say decant this really well. This bottle has been open about 2 1/2 days and shows no sign of any fade, and in fact, it is better with this level of air, which to me speaks to its aging ability. I still think for what petite can be and what I want for it, that Switchback is the best CA petite out there.
Posted from CellarTracker