I’ve got a lot of weird wines in the cellar…wines that are too risky to try on friends at tastings or dinners…and I need to weed them out. These are wines that I thought would be cool to own…unique and obscure wines…some might very well be the only bottles left in existance? But…I’m pretty sure that the majority are destined for the drain. Thought I’d post a running thread when I open one of these freaks or macabres…but who knows…maybe a wonderment! First up…this…
1995 Turley Sauvignon Blanc Turley Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/25/2023)
Believe it or not, Turley SB was a thing back in the beginning…first vintage was 1993…and Larry was NOT a fan of the white! And…what’s up with the weird distorted shaped bottle?? Well…this 1995 is horrid! Oxidised bruised apple, sweaty dirty socks, moth balls…there still is some somewhat nice lemon sour…some crushed stones…green tea…but more along the lines of cold sweet n sour soup, stinky tofu, and a nasty old oxed Sauternes that has no sweetness. Couldn’t even swallow a sip. yuk! (66 pts.)
My little buddy @Marc_Frontario writes the best, most comical notes, but this one has always amused me, partly because I was there when he drank and saw his face on that Raffault - “circus boy with the lobster hands”:
the blind: 1999 Thunder ‘F’ing’ Mountain cab franc…where the hell have you been all my life? I guessed old world…WRONG! Where the hell is Cienega Valley and why isn’t anyone producing Cab Franc from there? (Insert Bee Gees song TRAGEDY), such an interesting/unique profile…WhoTF makes this stuff(winemaker)??? Great wine
The White: 2010 Edmund Vatan Sancerre Clos la Neore…holy sweet mother of baby Jesus…this was the money shot (sorry) Steely ‘dan’ flint-like minerality, crisp acids, fresh citrus fruits, light, seamless, elegance, class, sophistication. One of the best white wines I have ever tasted. WOW
1993 Olga Raffault Chinon Champ-Chenin
The freak…This wine was like when you go to the circus and pop over to see the boy with the lobster hands.
Honey infused beeswax, gramps old closet sweater action, tangy dry lemon rind, funk, racy acid…u know it! Really interesting
Indeed, I did miss that! Don’t know how I did, but you are right, solid gold thread. Would love to see more of this. I suspect a lot of us have these oddball misfits in our cellar, and are looking for an excuse to open them, if only as a science experiment.
NV Heitz Cellar Ryan’s Red - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/26/2023)
Named after Joe Heitz’s grandson, probably from the 80’s, and from an article written in 1988…sold as a $5 cheapo…one third Cab Sauv, one third Zin, and one third whatever else they had on hand at the time! It’s NOT horrid! Nice aged Burgundy color…nose of dried cherries, potting soil, pencil shavings…somewhat thin and slightly maderized…the fruit is still there…still some sweetness…probably from the Zin…tart plum skin sours…cherry pixy sticks, dried tobacco leaves. Tannins are dusty and quite smooth…reminds me of the 94 Pinot I had last year…does show a little compost bin and electrical fire at times though, making sure you know this is NOT a Martha’s! Intriguing wine! I’d say a success from what it probably was meant for…Ryan should be proud! (85 pts.)
1997 Caymus Pinot Noir Œil de Perdrix - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/17/2023)
Actually LOVED this wine back in 2006…rated it 94pts! Calif fruited Pinot Noir meets Provence…with oak. Loved oak back then…and Caymus wasn’t shy about using it! Remember their Sauv Blanc…it actually had sticks of wood in it, it was SO oaky. Well back to this wine…it is NOT a 94ptr today! While not a first sip dumper…it is very advanced with Sauternes like density of fruits…apricot, baked apple…not terribly oxidised, cuz there is a TON of wood in this embalming! It almost drinks like a Bourbon! Charred oak barrel, alcohol heat(14.3), burnt sugar, orange bitters, tea bag…really zero Pinot elegance and finesse here…more like an aperitif or savory late harvest wine…with oak! Intriguing…not totally disgusting…but not at all like the wine I remember in 2006. Some might say…“why the hell did you save a wine like this?”…1997 is our wedding year…and I have a bunch of stuff from that year…wife will be thankful I didn’t take this out for one of our anniversaries! Chalk this one up for science. (79 pts.)
