Interesting reads. I’ve been dying to find TN or reviews of Memento Mori’s 2020 vintage. Only time can tell if the 2020 events were blown out of proportions.
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Your final score on the Sea Slopes is an 86? That’s what is bolded. Even though it became undrinkable?
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I take the highest score. The wine got much worse over a few days. Sometimes the highest score is day 3, sometimes day 2 and day 1.
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I think it would be best to refresh one of the original threads, like this one: Smoke Taint 2020 Northern California.
It has a lot of nuance and context, with extensive winemaker participation.
As far as personal experience is concerned, I’ve had about two cases of 2020 wines by now from winemakers I trust (half white, half red/rose), and have tasted as many more reds all over California. I have yet to detect smoke taint in any of them. Some were just OK, some were downright spectacular, like 2020 Geyserville.
I realize that this streak will end sooner or later, especially if I failed to detect and laid down manipulated wines where taint will emerge later.
The '20 Memento Mori is fantastic. I tasted it in a flight, alongside the '17, '18, and '19, and it certainly held its own. Some of the experienced tasters in our group even preferred it to the '18 or '19.
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Added and good call.
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I’ll post more detailed notes after my vacation is over, but for now, I’ll just say I had a wonderful tasting with Leah and Mike Smith. We tasted quite a few Myriad and Quivet 2020 Cabs, from the NV to the Beckstoffers, and they were all various levels of great. My group detected 0 smoke taint and nothing out of the ordinary or concerning with the wines. We all bought some 2020s and are excited to have them. I’m not at all surprised given who made the wine, but it was nice to finally have a hands on experience with 2020 Napa Cabs.
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Thanks for posting!
I’ve opened one of my 2020 Myriad Napa Valley Cab and no issues that I noticed.
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No issues on this one!
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2020 Pax Syrah North Coast - USA, California, North Coast (11/19/2022)
Day 1: Very similar in style to the Result of a Crush Syrah wines which are a bit cheaper but not by much. Green olives, sour cherry, spice, white pepper, underbrush, minerals and floral notes. Medium plus finish and quite nice overall. For sure a buy at this price. 92 points
Day 2: While it has some of the same characteristics of day 1 on day 2 gets a little more intense featuring dark berries, smoke, black pepper, spice, floral and underbrush. Went from a Rocks clone to a Barossa wine over the course of two days. I like it and one of the more interesting transformations of the year. 91 points
Day 3: More rustic on day 3. Underbrush, earth, black pepper, tar, dark fruits and spices. Intensity is up on day 3 so this wine has plenty left in the tank. 91 points
Recommendation: This really can be drunk now or over the next 8 plus years. (92 points)
Got an email from Jancis Robinson with access to her column this week concerning 2020 Napa vintage. Nice to see a second major critic weigh in on the vintage. She is pretty positive about the samples she tasted, indicated that some wineries like Harlan harvested earlier than usual. 2020 may turn out to be a real sleeper year in the long run. She did hint that the 21’s may be back to the lush, heavily fruited style. 2020 is sounding more and more interesting. John Williams at Frogs Leap gets some love, and his prices are not insanity.
I am planning to dip my toe in the water, could be a very interesting year…