Had some bottles yesterday in the backyard with some bbq. Good mix of things here, mainly new world. I know we had a few other things, notably a Benoit Dehu Initiation bubbly and another Rose, which I failed to grab notes on. Actually, most of what is written up below, aside from the C-T, is from retasting I did tonight, with a fresh palate and no food. Just me, the granite counter top, a spit bucket and the ocean breeze, accented too by the 8 month old Sheltie puppy running through the house and backyard barking at the garbage trucks. I mean, hell, that rounds it all out, doesn’t it? ![[help.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/4030a9a60185376a7393a78002ce3ec0176e975e.gif "help"){kind=small}
Thanks for reading.
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2013 Rhys Pinot Noir Porcupine Hill - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (7/15/2019)
I wanted some Rhys yesterday and this ended up being the bottle I pulled. So, this has been open a full day now, with the remnants of the bottle sitting under cork in the fridge overnight. I let this warm to what I find to be the ideal PN temp before crafting this TN. 12.7% ABV. For me, this shows what I define as the Bearwallow terroir–savory cherry and red apple, pepper, soil and spice, all assembled into a juicy plate. This vintage does have acidity, which is most dominant in the finish, ending with some tannin that is still poking through, along with an herbal note. And I want to say this seems like some oak tannin, some wood that is blocking or not complementing the fruit yet. This is my guess, as I just don’t see the wine as yet integrated and it doesn’t for me have the Rhys purity and balance that drive me as a Rhys fan. Just seems like the stems, wood and fruit are battling a bit with each other. -
2014 Pisoni Pinot Noir Estate - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (7/15/2019)
First bottle of three that I purchased. Funny enough, I gifted this bottle to a buddy, and he brought it yesterday in a decanter, walking in my front door with the wine already decanted. His wife gave the wine away accidentally before we could guess it. And, I had put this on syrah when I first tried it from the decanter, as it had a smoky, charry profile that led me down the wrong road. Blah blah. I put the leftover of the wine in a shiner last night and kept it in the fridge until now. So, it’s had plenty of decanted air and is ready for a good taste at a nice cool temp. This is concentrated stuff. Bit of brewed coffee in the aroma, with a deep tones of juicy blue and black fruit, with some acidity that reminds of a cranberry, too. So, I’d say all three colors have made an appearance. All of the fruit and intensity pushes a long finish, too. This is not of the delicate camp, but one that is for the senses, making me pay attention. I like this vintage of Pisoni, and it will be one that I’d suggest be drank earlier. Some structure here but more about the pleasure of the fruit for me. -
2017 Carlisle Compagni Portis - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (7/15/2019)
Opened yesterday. Drinking today with a nice chill on the wine. What I really dig about this wine is the aromatics, which come through powerfully–a mix of honeysuckle and other florals. A suave, kind of oily texture of pear, honeydew, lemon and a finish that shows lots of spicy acidity, I presume from the Gewurz, which lengthens the finish lasting 15-20 seconds. Lovely wine that exhibits a great deal of character and complexity. -
2005 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (7/14/2019)
Damn it. Between my last note from 2017, when I thought the bottle was probably hitting the apex onto the downhill side, and along with the last 4 TNs on this wine from other users, I thought I better get this opened. It’s perfect. Paid $25 for this back in 2012 from Envoyer. Absolutely zero premox or advanced markers of any kind in my bottle today. Opened about 15 mins ago, with the cork just falling apart into a mess of pieces. I got the inner 1/2 out cleanly, then poured the wine. Such a beautiful melange of peach, honey, citrus pith and a big blast of acidity in the finish. Damn it. This could fool me for a wine that is less than 5 years old, and in comparison to a 2015 Chidaine Choisilles I recently opened, it has the livelihood of that wine which is a decade younger. This is a cracking great bottle of Huet Bourg that drinks like it is connected to an electrical current. Damn it, what an awesome bottle of wine…retasted 24 hours later, the honeyed aspect to this has come forward, as has some notes of pineapple. The texture is a little fatter and the acidity less bright. What a cool wine for 15 years old. -
2013 Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Chemin de Reims - France, Champagne (7/14/2019)
First time with this plot. Disgorged December 2018, 5 g/l and 100% Chardonnay. Distinctly smell the apple on the aromatic. Zesty with green and yellow apple, with tangerine and some light oxidized notes and a chalky finish. I like it.
Posted from CellarTracker