No I get that.
I’ve heard the Monte bello tastes like an ashtray. That’s very different from ‘flutters of campfire’.
Got it. Doesn’t appear it was blind, he mentions spending the day with Jefferey and Reid Patterson. I’ve also heard campfire as a positive/oak influence but generally my humble it is a negative, and seems this reviewer was not using it as a positive. Either way, not a warm and fuzzy if one is considering a purchase.
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I’ve had the 2020 Mount Eden and didn’t pick up on smoke taint. IF smoke taint is there, it’s tertiary - non-existent to my nose/palate.
My personal opinion is that if you search for anything hard enough, you’ll convince yourself it’s there. Then again, maybe my nose/palate are inadequate.
Either way, I think it’s an excellent left bank style Bordeaux wine at an excellent price. It’s worth every bit of the $39 ask but needs another 2-3 years to mellow the tannins.
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Seems like a lot of people, including some non-Decanter professional reviewers, have had good experiences with the wine.
But it’s unarguable that the grapes were exposed to a good amount of smoke, right? I’m not interested in buying because I wouldn’t be able to stop searching for a wisp of smoke. Also, $39, to me, is simply not a no-brainer price.
I think your point is fair. Based on what I’ve read here, there isn’t debate regarding smoke exposure. It’s a thing.
If you drink this bottle open-minded, without prejudice, it’s enjoyable. If you’re going to search for smoke, it’s an easy pass. I think it’s really that simple.
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Just got notice that they shipped out part of my order from NY today. Weather at the origin of the package is high 26/low 0…
Why, after sitting on packages for so long did they ship them out on a Friday turning an insane cold snap. Couldn’t possibly wait till Monday?
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I’ve drunk a lot of Mount Eden Cabernet. To my personal taste, it is never even close to mature before 20 years, with 30 - 40 the sweet spot and I’ve enjoyed them at the half-century mark.
YMMV and I am old enough to know I will be not able to enjoy this, or any other Mount Eden vintage currently less than 20 years old at maturity.
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That’s way longer than I would have anticipated, but extremely interesting. Thank you for the feedback.
I bit on 4 bottles. The 2020 pinot noir was drinking very well, so I thought it worth the $39 to chance on some cabs.
Sean,
I’ve had the '73 at least a dozen times.
I put it into a blind horizontal tasting with Robert Parker in 1988, among a dozen '73s (Mondavi, Martha’s, Montelena, Mayacamas &c).
It tied for first with Martha’s; Mayacamas just barely behind.
In 2019 it was part of a vertical hosted by Mark Golodetz of this board, the oldest vintage offered. I assumed it would be dead. Tied for first again.
I knew I’d never have it again. Two years ago I hosted a charity vertical of Mount Eden Chardonnay (5 decades worth). Somebody brought a bottle again. Vigorous in middle age.
And that’s not a distinctive vintage. A '78 last winter was as vibrant as ever.
Great Cabernet may not be immortal, but it comes pretty damned close.
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I know there are mixed opinions on the Stags Leap Artemis but Firstbottlewines.com has the 2022 available for $36.96 if you purchase 2 bottles. If you’re an Artemis fan, this seems like a good deal.
Their pinot was harvested prior to the fires/smoke in September. The cabernet was not.
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Maybe Matthew Luczy has it in for Mount Eden, he says this of the 2020 pinot:
89 points Matthew Luczy
“The 2020 Pinot Noir Estate leads with aromas of roasted coffee grounds and black tea melded with faint traces of smoke due to the conditions at harvest. The palate is svelte and impressively pretty, propped up with balancing acidity and mellow tannins. The finish is savory but short, taking on herbal qualities with aeration. While I cannot say that this wine is entirely sound, it is an impressive showing from a difficult vintage where it was nearly impossible to win.”
Dom Eden publishes tech sheets for all their wines; it’s not hard to find this information.
Pinot Noir harvest dates: August 19th- 25th, hand harvested.
Cabernet harvest dates: September 27th- October 11th, hand harvested.
The day the sky turned orange was Sept 9.
CZU fire impact? Started August 16. Although seems they were somewhat out of the way. Dunno. No dog in the fight, just throwing that out there.
Yes. CZU smoke didn’t really get bad until September. I live here. SCM PN wouldn’t have been affected.
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Its easy to call smoke taint on 2020 CA wines when you dont taste them blind. Confirmation bias 101.
“This is a 2020 CA wine so I will look for smoke”
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Maybe, but with all the greay wine out there why take the risk of buying and cellaring something for 20+ years?
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100% agree. But I think the illness might be slightly overdiagnosed.
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Similar to some people drinking 2003 Bordeaux non blind I think