Booker will be “live” for allocation members March 10.
2014 Spring Release
2012 White $50
67% Roussanne, 25% Viognier, 5% Marsanne, 3% Petit Manseng
2011 RLF $45
38% Syrah, 26% Tempranillo, 18% Grenache, 18% Mourvedre
2012 Oublie $65
44% Mourvedre, 36% Grenache, 20% Counoise
2012 Vertigo $65
57% Syrah, 32% Mourvedre, 11% Grenache
2012 Remnant $65
35% Tempranillo, 25% Petit Verdot, 23% Syrah, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Fracture $70
100% Syrah
2012 Ripper $70
100% Grenache
In the letter, Eric mentioned 3 are food wines and the rest are the purple dank. I guess we’ll have to wait until the notes are posted to know which is which.
I wonder what the story is with the new wine.
I wonder as well. The Bookers that I really love are all $65 or more. That fact makes the Booker offering pretty painful if I want to feed my habit. I may have to start knocking over 7/11s to afford them. ![[whistle.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/87d24eb81ec6dc01d84f3d6c19fa9a357e90218e.gif "whistle"){kind=small}
I think RLF is a Rose but then again I know they make one just not sure what it is called.
Wow the Oublie really has a lot of mourvedre in it, don’t remember it having this much in the past. Excited to try this one.
Tasted several of these in in December. Honestly I thought the Oublie was the most interesting of the ones I tasted. It was likely more expressive at that point because of the Counoise, so that’s a consideration too. The Fracture was quite good as well, but I’ll have to dig up my notes.
2012 from my tasting seems like it will be an excellent vintage, albeit a bit more showy than the last two years. I think they naturally have structure and acid, but a bit less than previous years.
As an aside, Denner added some Counoise to their Mourvèdre this year as well (tasted from barrel) and it really does something special. More aromatic, more expressive, more detail. In Paso they seem like a very complementary pair.
I thought that My Favorite Neighbor was released in the Spring. Is that getting kicked to the fall or are they not making it this year?
Okay, I hate it when people crash these mailer threads with a bunch of snootiness hate on the winery in question, and I want to assure you that isn’t my point.
I just tried my first Booker the other day, a 2010 Ripper grenache, and I was full of anticipation. I appreciate big Paso reds in their place (Turley, Linne Calodo, Terry Hoage, Villa Creek, etc.), and I love California grenache in general. I was really disappointed in the wine, though. It seemed sort of the worst of both worlds, with substantial heat, pruniness and little character, but not really much ripe flashy fruit in the middle either. It was drinkable, but not good, and it actually seemed to go downhill over the course of the evening.
Did I get a bad bottle? Was that maybe a poor bottling and/or vintage for Booker? It was so far from what I expected that I’m wondering if I just got off on the wrong foot. Thanks.
Sounds like a bad bottle Chris. I haven’t had the Ripper, but from the times I’ve tasted at the winery I felt like there was always a freshness to them along with intensity. I thought 2010 was a great vintage for Paso so I would be surprised if that was the issue.
My only issue with Booker has been the cost. Like a lot of Paso wines (and new world wines) serving temperature impacts the perception of alcohol, but I’ve never had any prune/raisin elements. Maybe heat damage?
Being poured in their tasting room right now.
Chris, I wasn’t thrilled by any of the '11’s, but that '10 doesn’t sound like any Ripper I’ve had. I’m not that sensitive to heat, so I can’t comment on that. Prune/Raisin I associate with black fruit, and every Ripper I’ve had has been decidedly in the red spectrum. And speaking of fruit ('11’s aside), no Booker I’ve has has been short on fruit in the attack, middle or finish. There is quintessential, intense, ripe Paso fruit in every bottle (although the letter states 3 of the wines in this offer are food wines).
TB - Is the '12 MFN being poured in the tasting room, or are they still pouring the '11? It would be a shame if they didn’t make one this year. Maybe they kicked it all to the fall as an EBA - that would be cool!
Looks like it is the 2011. I believe that 2012 was pretty generous to winemakers in terms of yield. I would be surprised if they didn’t produce it again. But I don’t see it as last years fall release or this years spring release. Hrm…
Here is the most recent mailer:
2012 Oublie
44% Mourvedre, 36% Grenache, 20% Counoise
We are really dialing this wine in. We have left out the Syrah and let Oublie demonstrate something purely Chateauneuf Du Pape with Grenache, Counoise and Mourvedre. Assistant Vigneron Connor thinks that it is the best wine of the vintage. Like the Ripper, it is elegant at 14% alcohol, and has even more fruit and backbone because of the Counoise and Mourvedre. We added some additional stems that to build the structure and spice in the wine.
2012 Ripper
100% Grenache
At around 13.8% alcohol, the Ripper is the most elegant wine in the Booker portfolio. Laced with strawberries, raspberries and cherry cola, the Ripper still has the textural mid-palate and long finish that sets it apart from other pure Grenache wines.
2012 Vertigo
57% Syrah, 32% Mourvedre, 11% Grenache
I have always wanted this to be our GSM, but with a lot more whole cluster added than any of the other wines to create some exotic spice and tannin. In 2012 that all came together! This wine comes is at 14.6% alcohol with some firm tannins up front, followed by game meat and tobacco. It has a soft and supple mid palate and finishes with a generous amount of dark chocolate and cocoa. I believe this wine is ready to consume now and will drink best early
2012 Remnant
35% Tempranillo, 25% Petit Verdot, 23% Syrah, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon
At the last minute, this 13.8% alcohol wine went from 3 wines to one. It was simply a better overall wine when I added all of our “My Favorite Neighbor” and “Tempranillo” to it, so that’s what I did! The result was a dark and massive wine that was still very soft and elegant. Heavy in Tempranillo and Petit Verdot, this wine offers a glimpse into the soil and gravelly earth it is grown in. You will also find flavors of cigar box and roasted herbs with a lengthy finish of dark fruits. I believe this wine is ready to consume now and will drink best early.
2012 Fracture
100% Syrah
The more things change, the more they stay the same when it comes to Fracture. A creamy, dark chocolate-vanilla shake to start, jumping into a giant pool of squishy soft cotton for a mid-palate, and finishing with blueberries, boysenberries, and a dark chocolate Recchiuti bar that seems to go on forever. I believe this wine is ready to consume immediately and will drink best early.
2011 RLF
38% Syrah, 26% Tempranillo, 18% Grenache, 18% Mourvedre
This wine was created to commemorate one of the great men in my life, my father-in-law Randy Lee Fannin. Randy was tragically taken from us while doing what he loved, styling hair and running his Seal beach salon. He could always be found ready to enjoy a glass (or two) with a client that wanted to imbibe while sitting in his chair. Randy was proud and excited for us when we packed up and moved from the City to Paso Robles to start this journey. RLF is meant to be a finessed wine that will be a change from the regular, massive Booker wines. Like the Ripper, RLF will be made to enjoy with a steak, pork chops, or a piece of sea bass. The 2011 RLF stayed in barrel for a couple years and shows all signs of beautiful red fruits while finishing with firm, but elegant tannins. The staff wanted to charge much more for this bottle, but to me I feel the need to reward my extremely loyal list with a bottle that can be consumed 7 nights a week! Ready to drink immediately.
I can’t imagine that Booker accomplished a 13.8% alcohol Grenache in 2012 without reverse osmosis. That’s neither here nor there, but is merely an observation. Quite surprised they took the ABV so low.
Sounds like remanant, fracture and vertigo for me this year. I’ve always love, love, loved the ripper, but wasn’t crazy about the '11. I’m not happy to hear that this is one of the lightest of the '12’s. Hopefully, not a new trend, but cest la vie - plenty to love from this producer.
Really excited about the Oublie this year. Sad to see no MFN this year but it will be interesting to see what the Remnant tastes like.
Stopped in the tasting room on Sunday on the way back from World of Pinot. Only 12’ I tasted was the Fracture. Wonderful and very open for business now. I’m guessing it falls into the purple dank category.
Ouch on the Fracture allocations - 2 bottles. I’m giving the new ‘shade-clothed’ Ripper a shot, but not sure this is going to be my thing.
Any more thoughts on the 2012s? I’m a little worried that they’re all “ready to drink now” and won’t age very well. I still have my 2011s and have only opened one bottle, which I felt was too early. Are most of you diving in on the 6 pack?
Scott, you’re probably right on the 2011’s. This is the only vintage of Booker I can remember that has an aging acid profile. IMO, if you are looking for age worthy Rhones, I’d suggest a different producer. The Bookers have always been accessible and quite delicious on release. (They serve a distinct purpose in my cellar - these are my Saxum Defenders.)
I’m in for a case. I took my 2 Fractures and asked for more. I’m trying the Ripper, and filled out the rest of a case in Remnant and Vertigo.
Jody I kinda of disagree. I was out to dinner this past weekend and brought an 09 Oublie. The people I was with are extremely sophisticated wine drinkers [one was in the business for over forty years]. Everyone said/felt the Oublie was way too young to drink even after it had been decanted for over four hours [two at home and two at the restaurant].