Tried this last night w/ my SantaFe group:
- FirestoneVnyd JohannisbergRiesling TheAmbassador’sVnyd/SantaYnezVlly SlctdHrvst (RS: 17.6%; SaH: 44%; 9.7%) 1985: Dark murkey brown color like PX; very intense botrytis/apricotty/peach syrup classic old TBA quite complex nose; quite tart very sweet intense botrytis/apricotty/peachy/peach syrup/fruit cocktail very intense complex old TBA flavor; very long/lingering sweet/sour/tart intense botrytis/TBA/apricotty/peach syrup very sweet complex finish; a classic Calif TBA that should go another 10-20 yrs.
A wee BloodyPulpit:
- Most of the tasters were turning up their nose at this wine when they saw the dark brown/PX-like color. But once they smelled & tasted it, they soon changed their tune. For some reason, Calif BA/TBA’s go very dark sooner than their German counterparts. Maybe the SO2 levels during winemaking and at bottling??
Tom