TN: Matthiasson Ribolla '14/Alban Reva Syrah '01..(short/boring)

Had these two last night w/ my beans:

  1. Matthiasson RibollaGialla MatthiassonVnyd/NapaVlly (12.2%) 2014: Med.dark gold color; some RG/white pepper/bit floral/herbal slight nutty/oxidative some complex nose; lightly tart/tangy light RG/white pepper/herbal bit earthy slight nutty/oxidative bit savory flavor; very long lightly tangy some RG/white pepper/earthy/herbal bit grapefruity/floral some savory/nutty finish; lost a lot of the fragrant RG fruit; showing some signs of age but not really evolving into anything special; sorta plodding/lurching into old age w/ a Frankenstein gait.

  1. AlbanVnyds Syrah Reva AlbanEstate/EdnaVlly (15.6%) JohnAlban/ArroyoGrande 2001: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; intense ripe/boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah very strong toasty/charred/burnt/Fr.oak/pencilly bit alcoholic/hot light black pepper/c-c bit complex nose; rather tart/tannic intense boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah/very ripe bit alcoholic/hot/fumey structured very strong charred/burnt/Fr.oak slight black pepper/c-c flavor w/ some hard/chewey tannins; very long somewhat hot/alcoholic very strong ripe/boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah bit tart very strong burnt/charred/forest fire/Fr.oak slight peppery/c-c structured finish w/ ample hard/chewey tannins; still loads of primary Syrah fruit and still very young & sorta in a state of suspended animation w/ not much complexity or evolution; typical older Alban and may never outlive the tannins.

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. Matthiasson: My recollect is that this had little to no skin-contact. Certainly showed no phenolic character.

  1. Alban: This wine is moving at a glacial pace. It shows none of the complexity or evolution you’d expect from an 18 yr old Syrah. At this point, his neighbor across the road, BobLindquist, Syrah would be hitting prime time or a bit beyond, with loads of complexity. I’m not sure what the point is in making a wine like this…that lives forever. It’s very good/intense Syrah and it leaves you in awe of how youthful an 18 yo Syrah can be…but sometimes you’d like a little pleasure to be there as well.
    Tom

Tom: “Glacial” is a good descriptor, about the same pace as Congress moves to solve important problems. I’ve been finishing my 1998-2000 syrahs and nothing is happening. I just might start drinking them on the young side; could be a more enjoyable option.

Exactly why I stopped buying Alban Syrah. More or less undrinkable when young due to reduction, then they age into . . . what you say here. Qupe WAY more interesting, even fascinating. Not to mention how expensive Albans got.

I had one excellent aged Alban wine, their '97 Grenache, which I opened during harvest for the guys at the Jaffurs winery, about 10 years ago. Terrific wine, went great with burgers, then back to work.

Yup…no doubt making the very rare Archibald Cuvee PS.
Tom

Thanks for these, Tom. My note on the 15 RG, from my visit there last July:

"2015 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla

This is estate fruit now—they grafted from Vare vineyard over to theirs. Has that fine oxidative lightly sherried nose that I am so fond of in the Gravner version. Rather pretty, replays with perfume and floral accents added."

Sante,

Mike

yep aged Alban just sucks, and it’s so undrinkable young, I wouldn’t buy any Alban if I could LOL