So I feel like lately I am stuck in a rut- while my first love is a delicious Napa Cabernet, I have become a bit bored of her, and I feel like I need to branch out a little more and cheat on my #1 girlfriend. I have always enjoyed the PS varietal, but am admittedly a bit green on the grape.
Looking back at my CT notes, I realized in an epiphany that most of the PS bottles I’ve popped the cork on recently (2016 Gallica, Stag’s Leap, Ridge Lytton Estate, Kata GhostDog), I enjoyed immensely. So I decided to expand my horizons a bit, but not sure where to start.
Now this is where I need help. Does anyone have suggestions on some beauties I need to flirt with and take home to the cellar. Maybe some for near term enjoyment, longer term cellaring, some unicorn wines I need to get on a mailing list for yesterday, etc.
Retro Cellars, Howell Mountain Petite Sirah from Mike Dunn. Very much the same style as Dunn Cab - complex, savory and concentrated and very moderate ABV. Great stuff.
Thanks Matt- I have a bunch of Dunn cabernet in the cellar, so I’m sure that style will be appealing. I’m assuming they will also need a bit of slumber as well? What’s the general drinking window from release? 3-5-++ years?
Yep, you’re right that they’d likely need some time. I tasted at Dunn in 2018 and they were showing the 2012 vintage of Retro. I opened a 2012 Retro Elevation PS a couple of months ago, and while there wasn’t any shame in drinking it when I did, it was definitely still in the early stages. Here’s my note from Cellartracker:
“Two hour decant. Bright black-garnet color: Black currant, black tea, anise, allspice, leather, rosemary aromatics - tightly wound. Very pretty dark floral and black fruit on the palate, expressive, with savory spice, tapenade and leather/cedar-driven secondary depth. A densely structured core, with elegant expression. Fine firm tannins, plenty of tension and energy. Persistence on the finish. Very compelling. Will benefit from more age.”
Jaffurs.
Good young, great with time.
PS is tough. So many just don’t deliver in the short term, including IMHO some mentioned already, but Jaffurs stands out, short and long.
2012 if you can find it - Roommate opened one up a while back, and I was blown away. Looked it up online while drinking, and saw RP gave it a 100 - I see why!
James Cole makes a very tasty petite from Howell Mtn fruit. I think it’s called Il Mostro, from an old dry farmed vineyard. I remember being more impressed by it than by the $200 cabs in their lineup.