CATCHING UP ON SOME GOOD WINES - Home (8/31/2017)
Catching up on some tasting notes from some good wines consumed at home.
-
2014 Sandlands Chenin Blanc California - USA, California
Pop and pour but drank over two nights. Really not a lot of change in the wine. Light golden in color. The nose is nice with a waxy, mineral and some citrus note. On the palate, the waxy continues in flavor and texture in a good way. Some orange peel. decent acidity. There is some depth and complexity. The natural tendency is to compare it to the Loire (at least for me). This is a bit rounder than most but overall, reasonably similar. I wish it was $5 cheaper, but that applies to many wines. Its is quite good with plenty of life left. (90 pts.) -
2014 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus - USA, California, Napa Valley
Pop and pour, the plan was to drink over two night but all we managed to save was about 3 ounces for night 2. Too bad as it seemed even better. Purple in color. The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, slight gravel (think graves), a bit of graphite and a floral (violet?) note. Lush texture. Almost seamless (and the only thing making it not a 100 point wine). Deep and complex. It unwinds in the glass showing lush layers of fruit with some earth and minerals. Long finish. Just a delicious wine and while its big, it shows some restraint. Just a baby, this has decades left IMO. with a few more years i think it scores 100. (99 pts.) -
2010 Luna Beberide Bierzo Art - Spain, Castilla y León, Bierzo
I have always like this bottling and Mencia in general, this was my last bottle and I wondered if I waited too long. Nope although it is drinking mature. I wouldn’t wait more than another five years to check in on if you have any. Ruby in color. The nose has cherries, stale cigars and a bit of pomegranate. On the palate, fresh and dried cherries, a bit of cigar smoke and some forest floor. Not too dissimilar to a value Bordeaux with some age on it. Nice finish. There is a nice complexity here with enough acidity to keep things fresh. Slight but drying tannins especially on the finish. (91 pts.) -
2013 Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
This was quite good, but did not seem as expressive as a prior bottle. Perhaps it is in a bit of a shut down phase. I would hold these at this point. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, leather, some earthiness and plums. On the palate the dark fruits dominate. Plums with some cassis. An earthy/char/leather quality to the wine. It seems quite dark right now and without the energy of a bottle last fall. I save half for day 2 and if anything it was even tighter. Don’t get me wrong, it is outstanding, but I know there is more there. Like when a kid gets a B+ on a paper, but you know they could have done better. (93 pts.) -
2005 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
Great showing for this wine at 12 years from release. For me, this was better than on release. More creamy and deep if not as crisp and clean. Golden in color. The nose has really nice grapefruit. Gone are the crushed shells and verve. Now this drinks likes a very nice Chablis with perhaps a bit less chalk and more minerality. On the palate, this still have nice acidity and action. It has some grapefruit but mostly minerals. Rounder with depth. Long finish. Drank over two days (stored in the fridge) with not much change. Perhaps a bit more tart on day 2. (91 pts.) -
2009 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Outstanding Cab. Drinking great with about 30 minutes of air. Not so well with about 2 hours as the bottle was completely empty. Its that delicious. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, cherries and leather. On the palate, this is ripe but not sweet. Also has layers of fruit and forest. Long finish. Round and accessible. No heat Just a delicious wine that is also complex. No hurry but why not enjoy it now. (95 pts.) -
2007 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Gamay - France, Loire Valley, Touraine
This had gotten lost in the cellar. I was a bit concerned as it has an artificial cork. No worries. At this point, blind I would have guessed Cote de Beaune. Ruby in color. The nose has a fair amount of barnyard but also some nice cherries and slight forest floor. Light to medium bodied. Good acidity. Plenty of cherry fruit and also some earthy layering. A bit drying on the finish. Not for everyone at this point as the stink is pronounced. I liked it a lot though. Glad this was my last bottle. (90 pts.) -
2013 Turtle Rock Willow’s Cuvee Turtle Rock Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Wow. i had no idea this would be this good. My wife and I both loved it! It is a GSM blend. Purple in color. The nose is deep and lovely. Black raspberries, black cherries, spice, plums and black pepper. On the palate, this has a great, lush texture. Deep if still primary. Delicious. We drank this quickly as each sip made us want more. Black raspberries, plums and dark cherries. Long finish. I have only had a little from this winery, but I am impressed. (95 pts.) -
2013 Denner The Dirt Worshipper - USA, California, Central Coast
Wow. This was fantastic. I tasted it at the HdR Closing but with some age and with time to enjoy it, just wow. Syrah with 1% Roussane according to the label. Black raspberries, roasted meats, black pepper, and violets on a very expressive nose. On the palate, the same flavors in an almost seamless package of deliciousness. Complex. deep. Balanced. Long finish. Another wine that my wife and I both loved and practically gulped down. Wish i had more. (97 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
