A bit of a clickbait topic, I admit, but at least it is factually true!
You see, a friend of mine has commissioned wines from multiple “make-your-own-wine” companies many, many times since 2005. When Crushpad still operated, he made lots of wines under his own Töövi label - most of which were Pinot Noirs from California (although he made also some fantastic Red Mountain Cabs under the same label as well!).
Last spring he did something he had never done before (and probably won’t ever do again, as stocks for some vintages are running dangerously low): he threw a tasting of all the Töövi Pinot Noirs he had ever made.
He was happy with the Crushpad wines: he had almost full control of the winemaking, down to how the wine was made (quite minimal intervention, but not natural) and in what kinds of barrels the wines were aged (in “partly new barriques” which were pieced together from old staves and new barrel heads). I’ve understood that the production number for all the wines was just one barrique, ie. approximately 300 bottles.
Once Crushpad ceased operations, he made a couple of wines at DogPatch Wineworks. However, he wasn’t particularly happy with the results, as he had much less say at how the wines were made and even then the wines were made in a style he didn’t like - just too much oak, no matter what he said. Tasting the wines, I can understand why he wasn’t happy with the wines.
Having left California “winemaking” behind, he turned to Bordeaux, where Lynch-Bages operated VINIV, a company where people could commission their own wines. Unfortunately the opportunities to influence the winemaking were quite minimal here - basically you were just given samples of wines from different vineyards and the wines were made to a certain style, meaning all you could do here is just try to select the best base wines for your blend - but at least he has been quite happy with the results, so there are more than just one vintage of these VINIV wines (both red and white).
And, as usual, I brought an extra blind with me to finish off the tasting!
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2011 Crushpad Marsanne Töövi Saralee's Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12.4.2022)
14,5% according to the front label, 13,9% alcohol according to the back label. Tasted blind.
Luminous yellow-green color. Fragrant, nuanced nose with subtly sweet-toned aromas of golden apples and white flowers, some juicy notes of white peach, a little bit of autolytic nutty character, light creamy tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of honeyed sweetness. The wine feels ripe and slightly round yet firm - not weighty or substantial - on the palate with a moderately full body and somewhat concentrated flavors of juicy Golden Delicious apple, some white peach, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light savory herbal tones, mineral hints of wet stones and salinity and a touch of woolly lanolin. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is clean and bright with flavors of fresh golden apple, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light nutty nuances, a hint of leesy creaminess and a touch of wool.
A very nice, fresh and sophisticated Marsanne that feels still quite youthful - perhaps even more youthful than the bottle I tasted 6½ years ago - but at the same time perhaps not that typical for the variety, as my first guess for the wine was a warm-vintage Chablis - based on the apple-driven fruit and mineral undertones. However, with my second guess I was already in Rhône varieties, so in that sense this was nothing super atypical for Rhône whites. Good stuff that combines ripeness, nuance and freshness. Most likely the wine will keep - if not evolve - for a good handful of years more.
(91 points) -
2016 VINIV Mysteri - France, Bordeaux, Graves (12.4.2022)
A wine made with Sauvignon Blanc (80%) and Sémillon (20%) sourced from Graves region; vinified in Pauillac, Médoc, making this wine eligible only for an AOC Bordeaux appellation. Aged for 8 months in a neutral barrique of 3rd use and bottled in June 2017. Alc: 13,5%.
Pale and rather neutral yellow-green color. Sweet and moderately tropical nose with aromas of passion fruit, some vegetal Sauvignon Blanc nuances of currant leaves, a little bit of creamy oak, light floral notes of apple blossom and other white flowers, a hint of savory wood spice and a juicy touch of ripe peachy fruit. The wine is ripe and somewhat broad but also quite Sauvignon Blanc-driven on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry flavors of ripe gooseberries, green currants and some currant leaves, a little bit of crunchy Granny Smith apple, light passion fruit tones, oaky hints of creaminess and savory wood spice and a touch of sweeter yellow fruit. The rather high acidity makes the wine feel firm and precise. The finish is ripe and juicy yet fresh and crunchy with dry flavors of passion fruit and ripe golden currant, some sweet notes of ripe white peach, light sharp nuances of crunchy Granny Smith apple, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of savory - even slightly sawdusty - wood.
A nice, fresh and balanced Bordeaux Blanc with some obvious Sauvignon Blanc influence - although the creamy oak tones and sweeter, more tropical fruit nuances from Sémillon tone down the greenest, most vegetal edge quite a bit. Tasting this side-by-side with the Mysteri 2015, this came across as a bit softer, lower in acidity and having more pronounced Sauvignon Blanc aromatics - something I really didn't expect, as 2015 was a warmer vintage than 2016 in Bordeaux. While I preferred the brighter, more acid-driven style of the 2015, this was nevertheless as solid, balanced and well-made Bordeaux Blanc. Most likely will continue to evolve for years more.
(91 points) -
2015 VINIV Mysteri - France, Bordeaux, Graves (12.4.2022)
A wine made from Sauvignon Blanc (70%) and Sémillon (30%) from Graves region; vinified in Pauillac, Médoc, making this wine eligible only for an AOC Bordeaux appellation. Aged for 8 months in a neutral barrique and bottled in June 2016. Only some 280 bottles made. 13,5% alcohol. The label states 3,02 g/l acidity and pH 5,0, but to my understanding the wine is 5,0 g/l in acidity (if it's in sulfuric acid equivalent, that means it's 7,5 g/l in tartaric) and pH is 3,02.
Lemon-yellow color with a pale golden core. Dry, clean and quite expressive nose of pineapple, some creamy oak, a little bit of passion fruit, light sweet notes of tropical fruit candies, a hint of fresh golden currant and a touch of ripe nectarine. The wine is wonderfully bright and precise on the palate with focused flavors of lemony citrus fruits and sharp green apple tones, some passion fruit nuances, a little bit of tangy salinity, light creamy oak tones, a sweeter hint of slightly buttery oak spice and a touch of grassy herbal character. The racy acidity lends wonderful intensity to the flavors and sense of structure to the very slightly viscous mouthfeel of the wine. The finish is lively, lengthy and firm with dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits, ripe green apples, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light buttery oak tones, a hint of ripe golden currant and a touch of steely minerality.
This is consistently a very lovely Bordeaux Blanc that is very true to the traditional style of the region: the wine marries wonderfully the tropical, ripe Sémillon fruit with the brightness, focus and sense of structure from Sauvignon Blanc, seasoning it with a very judicious touch of oak spice, which only adds to the complexity, never really obfuscating any nuances. The wine has been simply superb right from the beginning (this was my 4th time I tasted the wine is 6-ish years) and it has never been a disappointment. It's hard to say how and when it will evolve, since there has been relatively little development here - the color has lost some of its green hue and the oaky nuances have veered slightly more towards the buttery-creamy side of things, but otherwise the wine feels as lovely as always. Not that I'm complaining - it's nice to know this wine always delivers reliably!
(93 points) -
2014 Dogpatch WineWorks Pinot Noir Töövi Day Ranch Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
100% single vineyard Pinot Noir (clones 115 and 667) from Day Ranch vineyard in Anderson Valley. 14,1% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent and still quite youthful raspberry red color with a rather colorless rim. The nose feels ripe, spicy and somewhat woody with aromas of wild strawberries, some savory notes of wood, a little bit of ripe black raspberry, light sweeter notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of peppery Pinosity and a touch of boysenberry jam. The wine is ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and subtly warm on the palate with a medium body and vibrant yet gentle flavors of ripe raspberries and wild strawberries, some dark plummy fruit, a little bit of peppery Pinosity, light woody notes of oak, a hint of licorice and a touch of toasty oak spice. The moderately high acidity and quite ample yet very ripe and mellow tannins lend good sense of firmness and balance to the wine, even if the wine doesn't come across as particularly crunchy and precise. The finish is ripe, juicy and somewhat grippy with a long aftertaste of strawberries and black cherries, some licorice, a little bit of savory wood, light toasty oak tones, a hint of brambly raspberry and a touch of jammy dark berries.
A rather ripe and fruit-driven Cali Pinot that packs some toasty oak spice as well, yet still the wine feels enjoyably balanced and very drinkable. The style is obviously that of a typical Californian Pinot Noir - this is just sweeter, softer and sunnier than how a classic red Burgundy would be - but the overall impression is that of a balanced, enjoyable and well-made wine. Seeing how the wine doesn't seem to show any aged qualities, I can imagine it will continue to age wonderfully, hopefully integrating those woodier nuances in the process. I enjoyed this vintage much more compared to the softer, more round 2013 Töövi Day Ranch Pinot.
(89 points) -
2013 Dogpatch WineWorks Pinot Noir Töövi Day Ranch Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
100% single vineyard Pinot Noir (clones 115 and 667) from Day Ranch vineyard in Anderson Valley. 14,2% alcohol.
Relatively, somewhat dark and slightly evolved plummy-red color. Ripe and somewhat sweet, dark-toned nose with aromas of wizened black cherries, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of strawberry, light boysenberry nuances and a hint of licorice. The wine is ripe, juicy and slightly warm on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and moderately rich flavors of black cherries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light licorice nuances, sweet hints of wizened dark berries and boysenberry jam and a touch of salty liquorice powder. The structure relies more on the somewhat extracted and moderately grippy tannins than on the medium-plus acidity that is a bit on the soft side of things. The moderately high alcohol lends some warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, round and juicy with some tannic grip and quite rich flavors of wizened black cherries, some meaty umami, a little bit of ripe boysenberry, light woody notes of oak spice, a hint of licorice and a sweet touch of toasty mocha oak.
A quite ripe, round and juicy Cali Pinot with a lot of emphasis on the sweet-toned fruit flavors that are backed up with somewhat noticeable oak aromatics. The wine comes across as a bit extracted and conversely lacking slightly in the acid department, which is quite vital for a good Pinot Noir. All in all, it feels like 2013 was a bit challenging for Töövi Pinot Noirs - this lacks the finesse of the older Crushpad-made Töövi wines and the freshness of the 2014 vintage. Enjoyable stuff, but ultimately nothing too thrilling - perhaps a bit mundane effort for a Cali Pinot and especially for one under Töövi label.
(86 points) -
2010 Crushpad Pinot Noir Töövi Hayley Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
100% single vineyard Pinot Noir (mainly clones 115, 667 and 777 with small amounts of Pommard and Martini clones) from Hayley vineyard in Anderson Valley. Aged for 10 months in a French oak barrel (50% new). 14,2% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent pomegranate color with a mature rusty hue. The nose feels sweetish, surprisingly evolved and even slightly oxidative with aromas of raisins, some beef jerky, a little bit of woody old oak, light raspberry tones, a hint of pomegranate juicy and a rich touch of Chambord liqueur. The wine is clean, crunchy and rather tertiary on the palate with a medium body and surprisingly developed flavors of strawberries, some oxidative notes of soy sauce, a little bit of beef jerky, light woody tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of gamey meat. The overall feel is enjoyably structured with the high acidity and firm, somewhat grippy medium tannins. The long finish is juicy, somewhat grippy and moderately tertiary with flavors of crunchy crowberries, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of tangy soy sauce, light tart cranberry tones, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of beef jerky.
This wine came across as surprisingly aged and tertiary - noticeably more so than any older vintage of Töövi Pinot Noir we had in the tasting. Without another bottle for comparative purposes, it's very hard to assess if this vintage has just evolved at an accelerated pace compared to the normal (relatively slow) speed at which Töövi Pinot Noirs age, or if we had just a premoxed bottle. Nevertheless, the wine itself was wonderfully fresh, crunchy and precise with good sense of acidity and intensity. Even the fruit flavors were wonderfully bright and red-fruited - the only thing that was amiss was that rather pervasive oxidative character that had taken strong foothold in the flavors and lent a somewhat browned hue to the color. While the wine itself was still thoroughly enjoyable, it wasn't really at the level of the other Töövi wines - it was quite apparent this wine was more oxidative than it should've been.
(87 points) -
2009 Crushpad Pinot Noir Töövi Hayley Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
100% single vineyard Pinot Noir (mainly clones 115, 667 and 777 with small amounts of Pommard and Martini clones) from Hayley vineyard in Anderson Valley. Aged for 10 months in an used French oak barrel. 14,2% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent pomegranate color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels sweet-toned and somewhat perfumed with fragrant aromas of cloves and nutmeg, ripe strawberries, some evolved figgy tones, a little bit of gamey meat, light sappy green nuances of herbs and juniper, a hint of juicy black cherry and a phenolic touch of smoke. The wine is ripe, silky and sweet-toned on the palate with a medium body and rich flavors of strawberries and boysenberries, some wizened black cherry tones, a little bit of ripe plummy fruit, light licorice notes, sweetly-spiced hints of cloves and nutmeg and a subtly bitter touch of phenolic spice. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with quite ripe and gentle tannins. The finish is long, ripe and sweet-toned with rich flavors of strawberries, some clove-driven baking spices, a little bit of peppery spice, light vanilla nuances, a hint of cherry and a touch of licorice.
A nice and juicy vintage of Töövi Hayley Pinot, but this time showing some slightly atypical notes that have not been present in the wine when I last tasted it two years ago - while this has always been a somewhat sweeter and more hedonistic vintage, the emphasis here was more on the fragrant aromas of cloves and nutmeg. Furthermore, there was also this odd green-ish overtone of reminding me of juniper or something herby that hasn't been there before. This was nevertheless a nice wine and, despite showing a little bit of age, still on its way up, but I preferred the bottle we had earlier. I guess there must've been some bottle variation going on.
(89 points) -
2008 Crushpad Pinot Noir Töövi Hein Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
A part of the grapes were vinified as whole clusters. Aged for 10 months in a 50% new French oak barrel. 13,7% alcohol.
Luminous, moderately pale and quite translucent pomegranate color. Smoky, phenolic and subtly bretty nose with aromas of brambly black raspberries, some savory wood spice, a little bit of bretty barnyard and leathery funk, light wild strawberry tones, a fragrant hint of coniferous forest and a touch of sour cherry. The wine feels ripe yet fresh and rather light-bodied on the palate, yet showing some sense of concentration at the same time with its quite intense flavors of phenolic and slightly smoky spice, ripe black raspberry, some bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of ripe plummy fruit, light wild strawberry tones, a hint of tar and a touch of Band-Aid. The overall feel is pleasantly harmonious and textural with its high acidity and balanced medium tannins. The finish is ripe, rich and slightly funky with lengthy, complex flavors of sweet black raspberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of smoky phenolic character, light bretty nuances of leathery funk and barnyard, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of savory wood.
There seems to be quite a lot of bottle variation in this vintage of Töövi Pinot! Last time I tasted the wine it showed a tiny bit of CO2 prickle and it came across as softer and lighter with more sunny fruit. Although still quite light for a Töövi Pinot, this showed a bit more intensity along with more up-front structure and also a small yet perceptible streak of bretty funk that added a nice touch of rusticity to the aromas. All in all, I enjoyed this bottle much more than the bottle we had two years ago. Nicely bright, balanced and subtly funky stuff.
(90 points) -
2007 Crushpad Pinot Noir Töövi Hein Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
Aged for 10 months in a 50% new French oak barrel. 13,4% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent dark maroon color. Sweet, fragrant and rather developed nose with evolved aromas of ripe strawberries and juicy red plums, some mature meaty and gamey tones, a little bit of sweet cherry marmalade, light nuances of blueberries, dried-fruit hints of raisins or prunes and a sappy touch of stemmy greenness. The wine is dry, clean and vibrant on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of brambly raspberries and fresh blueberries, some crunchy red berries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light savory notes of developed meaty character, a hint of tart cranberry and a faint touch of dried dark fruits. The overall feel is enjoyably firm and structured with the high acidity and quite gentle medium tannins. The finish is lively and juicy with dry and still quite youthful flavors of crunchy cranberries and blueberries, some gravelly minerality, a little bit of meaty umami, light earthy notes, a hint of sappy red fruits and a touch of stemmy greenness.
The nose was quite a surprise here, because I remembered this wine was less than a year ago wonderfully fresh and precise - and perhaps even surprisingly youthful for its age. This time (or this bottle) instead the wine showed surprisingly evolved, at times even somewhat tertiary qualities with more emphasis on developed meaty nuances and dried-fruit aromas. However, on the palate the wine was as youthful as ever, showing perhaps even more nuance and sense of integration. The wine does retain that fruit-driven nature of Töövi Hein Vineyard Pinot Noirs, but all the obvious oak nuances were almost completely gone this time and the overall feel was slightly more savory and less sweetly-fruited compared to the bottle we had in summer 2021. That bottle was good and promising, this was great and definitely going in the right direction. Drink now or keep - this will continue to improve for at least a good number of years more.
(92 points) -
2006 Crushpad Pinot Noir Töövi Hein Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12.4.2022)
Aged for 10 monts in a combination of new and 3rd use French oak. 14,3% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and translucent pomegranate color. Expressive, moderately evolved and quite sweet-toned nose with aromas of nutmeg driven baking spices, some developed aromas of wizened dark berries and meat stew, a little bit of minty greenness or even pine resin, light fragrant and herby nuances of rosemary, a hint of cranberry sauce and a touch of elderberry jam. The wine feels textural, velvety smooth and somewhat evolved on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and ripe yet quite savory flavors of wizened dark berries, peppery spice, some phenolic notes of old leather and smoke, a little bit of sweet oak spice, light plummy tones, a hint of meat stew and a touch of dried aromatic herbs. The overall feels is balanced and quite structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and firm medium tannins. The finish is long, juicy and slightly evolved with savory flavors of ripe raspberries, some wizened dark berry tones, a little bit of aromatic herby character, light tertiary notes of meaty umami, a hint of minty greenness and a touch of woody oak spice.
A nice, balanced and very sophisticated Cali Pinot that feels somewhat evolved compared both to the younger vintages of Töövi Pinot Noir we had in this tasting and to the bottles of this vintage that I've tasted earlier. Back in 2019 this wine seemed to be very youthful and aging at a very slow pace, whereas this bottle seemed already quite evolved and coming across as slightly more tertiary than the surrounding vintages of Töövi Pinot Noir (2007 Hein and 2005 Brosseau). This wine shows some atypical nuances that weren't present in other vintages (namely those pronounced herby notes, even slightly minty greenness or piney notes, along with nuances of elderberries), but they really don't distract from pleasure, but instead only add to the complexity. The oak seems to be integrating quite well with the fruit, as I remembered the wine showed much more oak influence three years ago - now the woody notes seem to be nothing more than an afterthought. All in all, this is a ripe yet enjoyably fresh and harmonious Cali Pinot with some nice, distinctive aromatics. Very enjoyable now, but most likely will continue to improve for some years more.
(90 points) -
2005 Crushpad Pinot Noir Töövi Brosseau Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone (12.4.2022)
100% Pinot Noir from Brosseau Vineyard in Chalone. 70% destemmed, 30% whole cluster. Aged for 10 months in a combination of new (50%) and old oak. 14,8% alcohol.
Still surprisingly youthful and wonderfully luminous red cherry color with a subtly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose is fragrant, expressive and quite ripe with layered aromas of sweet cherries and ripe cranberries, some wild strawberry tones, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light evolved nuances of gamey meat and dried flowers, a hint of earth and a floral touch of elderflowers. The wine is ripe, concentrated and quite succulent on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and complex, subtly sweetish flavors of wizened raspberries and ripe strawberries, some meaty tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light earthy nuances, a hint of cranberry sauce and a touch of perfumed floral character. The overall feel is very balanced thanks to the rather high acidity. The ripe, textural tannins contribute mainly to the silky texture, not to the structure. The finish is long, savory and somewhat evolved with sweet-toned flavors of cherries and sweet raspberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of blueberry juice and a touch of earth.
A beautiful, textural and classically built Cali Pinot that has aged surprisingly little in the past 7 years - if I can trust my memory and my previous tasting notes. What little evolution has happened here has only been in the right direction, as the wine shows even more depth and finesse than it did previously. Even though the wine is obviously very ripe and quite sunny in character, it still retains remarkable finesse and freshness for such a solar Pinot. What's even more remarkable is how well the wine carries its high alcohol - I've always been surprised by the alc% when I check the label, because the wine never shows any obvious alcohol heat or boozy flavors. This is simply terrific stuff that will most likely keep for a long time.
(93 points) -
2008 Crushpad Syrah Töövi White Hawk Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (12.4.2022)
Aged for 16 months in a French oak (50% new) barrel. Not fined or filtered prior to bottling. 14% alcohol. Served from a magnum.
Very deep, almost fully opaque blackish-red color that still retains a tiny bit of youthful purple hue. The nose feels rich, vibrant and still surprisingly youthful with intense aromas of sweet dark berries, some juicy blackberry tones, a little bit of vanilla oak, light creamy nuances of diacetyl, a hint of meaty character, a sweet touch of raspberry marmalade and a whiff of peppery spice. The wine is juicy and silky on the palate, but also quite fresh and sleek in character with its dry taste and medium body. There are flavors of ripe black raspberries and brambly blackberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light evolved nuances of leather, a buttery hint of diacetyl and a touch of vanilla oak. The structure relies mostly on the rather high acidity, while the ripe medium tannins contribute primarily to the smooth yet somewhat chewy texture of the wine. The finish is dry, long and quite intense with ripe flavors of boysenberries and sweet blackberries, some inky tones, a little bit of plummy dark fruit, light nuances of vanilla and toasty oak and a hint of diacetyl.
A very nice, youthful and fresh California Syrah that has come together very nicely since my previous taste of the wine about five years ago. Even if the wine feels surprisingly youthful for its age, it seemed much younger back then, having much more emphasis on the new oak characteristics, while the fruit character seemed slightly sweeter and weightier. As a result the wine came across as noticeably fruit-forward, sweeter in fruit and softer in structure compared to how the wine performed now. This time the wine felt lighter, drier and more precise in character. Even though there were still some new oak nuances, the overall oak character seemed to have integrated quite nicely with the fruit, having moved from the center of the stage more into the background. As the wine seemed still pretty youthful at almost 14 years of age, it is most likely this wine will continue to age gracefully for many more years - especially in a magnum format. It's also reassuring to see that the wine is aging in the right direction as well! Enjoyable stuff.
(92 points) -
2019 Sant Armettu Vin de Corse Sartene Elegante - France, Corsica, Vin de Corse Sartene (12.4.2022)
100% old-vine Elegante (aka. Grenache) from southern Corsica. All the grapes were destemmed and cold-soaked prior to fermentation. Fermented in oak fermentors, aged in stainless steel tanks. 14% alcohol.
Translucent, luminous raspberry-red color with a brick-red hue. The nose feels exceptionally fragrant and floral, almost as if there was a dash of Muscat in the blend - with its aromas of roses, fresh red cherries, some strawberry juice, light musky notes of Gewurztraminer-like exotic spice, a little bit of sweet grapey fruit and a hint of cooked rose hips. The nose feels attractive and very youthful, but quite atypical for the variety. The wine is ripe, juicy and wonderfully lively on the palate with a moderately full body and bright, perfumed flavors of ripe raspberries and wild strawberries, some licorice, a little bit of fresh red plums, light floral notes of roses and exotic perfume and a hint of marmaladey sweetness. The texture is quite open-knit and the wine rather gentle, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and quite mellow medium tannins. The finish is long, lively and quite floral with juicy flavors of strawberries and rose petals, some licorice tones, a little bit of sweet grapey fruit, light raspberry juice nuances, a hint of garrigue and a touch of musky perfume.
A tasty and characterful Grenache that isn't really recognizable for such. The light color, somewhat modest acidity and gentle tannins do point out to the direction of Grenache, but the overall aroma profile is so perfumed and floral that I'd never guess this was a Grenache! Nevertheless, the wine is pretty delicious for what it is - although I admit I preferred the freshness and poise of Sant Armettu's superb Rosumarinu Sciaccarellu over this Grenache. Interesting stuff, but perhaps a bit expensive for the quality at 25,90€.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
