Oh Joe Davis, you are killing me since I discovered your Arcadian label!
Rich, ripe, wild strawberry-to-raspberry, with some earth. Bordering the more elegant descriptors of “framboise” or “sous bois,” but I’ll stick with the strawberry and earth for simplicity.
A hint of spice, great depth and complexity, although highly integrated. A super-soft mouthfeel and long, lingering finish. In short, minus the accompanying wine-speak (which I am not very good at), this wine hits all the spots. What a pleasure.
I’m going to bump this. I watch people write tasting notes that go un-noticed or certainly without comment. And then some kid comes marching along and says “Look at me!” - and it gets a thousand views. Thread and thread again.
It’s ok, folks, but not really. You are not interested in what I am drinking or posting about? Ok. I get it. But why does everyone who comes to share wine with me want to know what I like and what I am drinking? Big disconnect.
This sounds awesome. I’ve been eyeing Arcadian for a while but the price (especially the pinots) is just a smidge outside my comfort zone. Maybe I need to readjust my zone . I’ve had a couple of syrahs and loved them.
If you don’t mind my asking, how much did this cost? Did you get it from the wine club?
As to your other point, I agree I’ve tried to figure out how to say it, but I like your way.
OK … I’ll bite. I think this wine may be too ancient for many of our members to comment.
However, being ancient myself, I have this wine queued up to drink tonight. Was out of the cellar before I read your bump.
Remember, Joe’s wines are built for the long haul and really need 8-10 years to really strut their stuff. Consequently, those with enough patience to comment, haven’t drunk them yet. CT says I have 98 bottles of Arcadian in my cellars with an average vintage of 2004. I have just begun to drink.
I really like Joe’s wines. He has a great sense of the important elements that come from the areas that he uses for his wines. This one is a blend if I am correct of some of his very best barrels from the year. Sounds really nice. I have Steve’s problem with Joe’s wines. I have several of them and am still waiting on most of them.
I emailed Arcadian a few weeks ago asking them to recommend a 6-pack. Crickets… Regardless, I still want to try these wines as they sound like they’re right in my wheelhouse.
Merrill - are you in their club or just buying singles off their site? What’s offered online seems so varied and across many vintages, so hard to select. Also, they are pricey, but I suppose you’re paying for some of the aging.
And last but not least, I read and respect your notes - a real compliment when an actual wine maker is recommending the wine! Please keep them coming.
I would love to address Merrill’s second post, but that requires more time than I have right now. I just want to quickly say to Scott, that I have had several frustrating interactions with the business end of Arcadian. They are really nice people, and Joe makes fantastic wines, so I put up with it. My suggestion is for you to ask the board for recommendations as to what you should order to get a good sampling of the style. Again, if I had more time right now, I would supply that information. I will come back to this and see if I can help out, but consider getting some older wines in addition to the new releases.
Great note, but I would be more interested in knowing what gets the ‘look at me’ status that so gets your radar up. Just curious.
The posting of notes and the disappointment at the ‘no reply’ is a topic that interests me. After many hundreds of notes posted myself, I want to stay connected and understand what’s in others heads about such things. I can tell you that Napa Cabs usually get more action in general and since that is your line of work, this question is even more interesting. Cheerios!
Count me as someone who simply didn’t see your note until now — I comment on nearly all Arcadian threads … as long as I see 'em!
It’s too bad I didn’t see your note earlier — I went to my offsite yesterday and pulled an '02 Francesca’s — I would have gone with a bottle of the '03 instead, had I seen your note earlier. I’ll grab an '03 next time.
re: your {bump} post: I have the same questions/curiosities as Mike.
Scott - this bottle and the other Arcadians I have posted about in the past 6 months were given to me or shared with me. I have not purchased any. I do know they came direct from the winery, and most of the Arcadians I have had have been very good to outstanding!
Mike - my personal rule of thumb is that I do not post notes on wines of other winemakers unless they are positive notes. The winemaking industry is very visible here in Napa Valley and extending to Sonoma and beyond. We are a very small population, and I just personally consider it bad form to post negatively about my colleagues’ efforts. It would be nice if I could be a “layperson” in this instance, but I clearly am not.
But I have absolutely no problem posting a note on any wine that thrills me. I don’t think the notes from Charlie Luhta’s dinner party last week ever made it over here, but I did post some thoughts on my favorite wines of an extensive lineup. One was the 2010 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet - I absolutely loved that wine, could not keep it out of my glass, and posted on eBob that I wished I had made it! And I do.
And that might be . I find it pretty unrewarding to post on the “what did you open today” thread. The posts go by so fast and with so little content that, to me, it becomes unrewarding to participate in that manner. Same with what are you listening to. Without the discussion of what is being opened, read, or listened to, I just find there are other things that provide more satisfaction.
I had both a Pinot and a Syrah by Joe this weekend…
I think his Syrah at ten years old is by far the best value in wine I can find (so far).
I second the customer service thing with them, even with the new person it still leaves much to be desired.
All I can say is eventually after a few emails or a phone call or two they do seem to respond. Oddly enough I have found messages on fb to be the most effective way of getting attention.
. I’ve had a couple of syrahs and loved them.
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. I find it pretty unrewarding to post on the “what did you open today” thread. The posts go by so fast and with so little content that, to me, it becomes unrewarding to participate in that manner. Same with what are you listening to. Without the discussion of what is being opened, read, or listened to, I just find there are other things that provide more satisfaction.