I posted on a previous bottle of the Mayacamas, which made the worst cork mess ever (it had been standing in a relatively warm, very dry place for years). I opened two bottles that had been stored properly and they were identical and excellent.
Mayacamas:
Medium gold color. The aromas feature Anjou pear, with hints of apple and cantaloupe. The palate is moderately rich, with excellent balancing acidity… the color is right for the age, the palate tastes like a wine 10 years younger. There is a lot of white spice here (ground coriander seed, hint of ginger, even some pepper), there a little floral hints, a touch of conifer, something a little fishy (this is a good thing). This is a rich, ripe, subtle, mature wine. It could never be mistaken for any kind of Burgundy, but is clearly a mountain wine. The finish is not quite as long as I expected, but this is still outstanding. Rated 92.5, fully mature.
Kenwood (out of magnum):
Healthy dark ruby color. The aromas are excellent, with red currant and black cherry, piquant, fresh, lifting, with hints of both pine and eucalyptus (a little eucalyptus goes a long way with me; this is barely noticeable). The palate is medium bodied, soft in texture, but not old or flabby, very harmonious, with the tannins resolved and enough acidity to keep this lively and interesting, even if it’s slightly less interesting than the nose. This is blatantly New World, there is some minerality but no hint of Old World earth or dirt. There are slight herbal notes towards the finish which just contribute to the subtlety. This does not have the weight or intensity of great wine, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable right now. Rated 90, fully mature. You could hold for a while, but I think it could start to fade.
Dan Kravitz
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