Two verticals at one go!
First we had some Chardonnays from Morgan Winery - most of them with age - and then a straight vertical of Windchaser Pinot Noirs from 2015 to 2019 - plus a “Solera-style” consisting of vintages all vintages from 2015 to 2020 (although I’d argue this really isn’t made in a Solera style, but it’s a perpetual blend instead).
We also had a few extras, all served blind.
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2017 Santini Collective Champlitte - France, Vin de France (27.9.2022)
A naturalist VdF made with fruit sourced from an organic producer located in Champlitte, a village somewhere between northern Côte de Nuits, Aube, Jura and southern Alsace. The wine is composed of Pinot Noir (75%) and Chardonnay (25%), co-fermented in tanks. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale, translucent and very slightly hazy raspberry red color. Fragrant, lively and very slightly lifted nose full of Pinosity; brambly aromas of raspberry-driven red fruits, some apple, a little bit of lingonberry juice, light spicy notes and a hint of gravelly minerality. The wine if fresh, playful and rather light-bodied on the palate with bright, dry and crunchy flavors of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some fresh red apple, a little bit of spicy Pinosity, light brambly raspberry notes, a coniferous hint of pine and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The overall feel is very balanced and the structure relies entirely on the high acidity as there are no tannins to speak of. The finish is lively, fresh and crunchy with a quite long aftertaste of tart lingonberries, some brambly raspberry-driven red-fruited flavors, a little bit of crunchy red apple, a hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
Although the wine was technically very different from the 2019 I had tasted earlier (which was a blend of carbonic Gamay (75%) and Chardonnay (25%), unlike this Pinot Noir-Chardonnay blend), the overall style was very similar: this was a light, fresh and delicate red wine with a quite noticeable "white wine" component even if one might overlook it if not paying enough attention. However, the wine smelled so very Pinot Noir right from the get-go that I thought it was a Pinot from Loire. Tasting it, taking notice of its zippy freshness and light body, I was quite confirmed that Burgundy this wasn't, but a Loire it might be. Well, it turned out that I wasn't that far off, but still far enough to be quite off the map. In any way, this is a terrific and thoroughly smashable little red wine - the 1-liter bottle is completely justified for a wine this lovely and so drinkable. Drink now or within the next handful of years.
(88 points) -
2020 Domaine Le Roc Des Anges Côtes du Roussillon Villages Reliefs - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (27.9.2022)
The Carignan sourced for this wine comes from two biodynamically farmed vineyards planted in 1911 and 1944. I've understood this is a varietal Carignan wine, but some sources say there might be a little bit of Grenache and Syrah in some vintages. Fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks, aged for 9 months in foudres. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind from a magnum.
Youthful, slightly translucent ruby red color with a purplish hue. The nose feels very primary and fruit-forward with juicy aromas of raspberry candies, some maraschino cherry, light inky tones and a little bit of blueberry juice. The wine is juicy, fresh and rather primary on the palate with a medium body and vibrant, youthful flavors of blueberries and raspberry candies, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of chokeberry bitterness, light sweet notes of raspberry marmalade and blackcurrant jam, a hint of herbal spice and a touch of ripe boysenberry. The structure relies mainly on the high acidity, as the ripe medium-minus tannins mainly contribute to the texture. The finish is fresh, juicy and slightly sweetly-fruited with primary flavors of raspberry candies and boysenberry jam, some chokeberry juice, a little bit of tart lingonberry and a hint of bilberry.
A nice, tasty and fresh little red. Nothing too ambitious or challenging, just an approachable and eminently drinkable wine. My biggest problem with it was its noticeably primary overall character - both the nose and the taste were dominated by these very sweet, candied fermentation ester notes, rendering the wine rather bubblegumey and perhaps a bit "cheap". It feels like there's a nice little wine underneath, but I'd say the wine needs another 3-5 years before it really starts to show its best. This is not a wine to be aged for extensively, as it feels like it isn't a wine built to age, but there's some upside to aging this wine at least for a handful of years more. Nice, but not yet really in its drinking window.
(86 points) -
2004 Morgan Chardonnay Double L Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (27.9.2022)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the Double L Vineyard planted in 1997. Fermented and aged for 9-12 months in French oak barrels (typically approx. 1/3 new, the remainder once or twice used). 14% alcohol.
Deep and quite intense neon yellow-green color. Evolved, rather toasty and still quite harmonious nose with rich and beautifully developed aromas of grilled pineapple, some vanilla custard, a little bit of apple jam, light salty liquorice powder tones, a hint of honeycomb and a touch of marzipan. The wine feels broad, rather oily and quite toasty on the palate with a full body and bold flavors of creamy oak and apple jam, some vanilla custard tones, a little bit of toasty wood, light sweet notes of overripe apricots and grilled pineapple and a robust hint of exotic spices. There was also a touch of something metallic with the first few sips, but it disappeared quite quickly, so it might've been just something I had eaten before or something in the glass. The acidity feels quite high - not high enough to offset that rich, viscous texture, but high enough to lend the wine sense of balance and structure. The finish is rich, juicy and slightly sweet-toned with complex flavors of apricots, some sweet oak spice, a little bit of tertiary nuttiness, light vanilla tones, a hint of apple jam and a touch of honeydew melon.
Normally I'm not the biggest fan of the big, fat Californian Chardonnays. However, here things seemed to work together remarkably well, even if the wine was quite typical of the Californian style - rich, full-bodied, even somewhat viscous and with obvious new oak influence. This is because the wine had enough acidity to keep the things in balance, alcohol didn't push through at any point and age had blurred the lines between the developed, rich fruit, evolved nutty flavors and toasty oak tones enough so that the wine didn't seem overdone, but instead wonderfully complex and thoroughly enjoyable. It's hard to see the wine evolving much from here, but most likely it will stay here, at its plateau of maturity, for a good handful of years more. Drink or keep - but preferably drink sooner rather than later. Good value at 39€.
(94 points) -
2005 Morgan Chardonnay Double L Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (27.9.2022)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the Double L Vineyard planted in 1997. Fermented and aged for 9-12 months in French oak barrels (typically approx. 1/3 new, the remainder once or twice used). 14% alcohol.
Deep and quite intense neon yellow-green color. From the nose you can tell this is an oaked Chardonnay with some age, but there's some musty cellar character that renders the nose unpleasant enough so that you don't want to dig any deeper than that. The wine is fat, dull and very viscous on the palate with dull flavors of damp earth, some papier-mâché, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak and a hint of penicillin. Moderately high acidity. The finish is dull, earthy and short with flavors of cardboard and sweet, toasty oak.
Most likely corked. The wine didn't exhibit any obvious TCA aromas but instead some other, almost identical and similarly dull aromas that made everybody declare the wine corked. It's definitely possible the wine was corked with other chemical compounds than the classic TCA - or then the cork taint was subtle enough to render the wine dull and faulty, but not enough to come through with obviously corked aromas. This was 39€ down the drain.
(NR/flawed) -
2015 Morgan Chardonnay Highland Santa Lucia Highlands - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (27.9.2022)
100% Chardonnay from Santa Lucia Highlands - about 2/3 of the fruit came from organically farmed estate vineyards, 1/3 was purchased fruit from other farmers in SLH. Fermented and aged for 8 months in oak barrels (32% new, 68% once and twice used barrels + some older casks). 90% of the barrels underwent MLF. 14,2% alcohol, 6,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,24.
Medium-deep, youthful and somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. Quite youthful and moderately toasty nose with rich and quite complex aromas of ripe golden apples and zesty citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of toasty nuttiness, light nuances of honeydew melon, a hint of sweet vanilla-driven oak spice and a touch of salty liquorice powder. The wine is broad, ripe and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of peach and apple jam, some vanilla custard, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of salty liquorice and a touch of butter. The wine shows some sense of weight, but the rather high acidity keeps the wine in balance with some nice sense of structure. The finish is broad, rich and complex with bold, lengthy flavors of apple jam, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sweet oak spice, light saline mineral nuances, a hint of buttery character and a touch of ripe pineapple.
A rich, balanced and complex Cali Chardonnay. This bottle was very similar to the one I tasted earlier this spring, but perhaps this time around slightly fatter and weightier, although not lacking one bit in the depth of flavor or complexity. I'd say I favored the wine I tasted earlier a bit more, when it seemed to have a bit more zip and freshness - although this wine never is a light, brisk and mineral white - but still this is a terrific effort that is drinking mighty well right now and will continue to improve for years more. In our tasting of six Morgan Chardonnays, I preferred the older vintages that showed more nuance and complexity, whereas this younger vintage emphasized more up-front ripe fruit, but many other attendees considered this wine as the best of the whites we had. I guess it just boils down to preference? Nevertheless, this is a great example of a complex and enjoyable new world Chardonnay; a great purchase at 26,90€.
(92 points) -
2000 Morgan Chardonnay Monterey - USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey (27.9.2022)
The European importer's label says the wine is 13,5%, the original back label says just 13%.
Pale-to-medium-deep amber color. The nose is, simply put, horribly oxidized. A miasma of oxidized reek not just wafts out of the glass but jumps at you with dull odors of rancid nuts, something perhaps dead, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light grainy notes of stale bread and a hint of rotting wood. I've had tons of both oxidative and oxidized wines that have been light-years away from this kind of malodorous monstrosity. The wine is fat and moderately full-bodied on the palate with dull, very unpleasant and fully oxidized flavors of damp porcini mushrooms, some rancid nutty tones, a little bit of grainy malt, light nuances of stale bread and a hint of wet paper. The wine is moderately high in acidity. The finish is extremely long with horribly stale flavors of rancid nuts, grainy malt and rye bread.
This has completely fallen apart. The wine is so dead that it must've been past its peak already 10 years ago. Avoid at all costs. 22,40€ down the drain.
(NR/flawed) -
2006 Morgan Chardonnay Double L Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (27.9.2022)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the Double L Vineyard planted in 1997. Fermented and aged for 9-12 months in French oak barrels (typically approx. 1/3 new, the remainder once or twice used). 14,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep neon yellow-green color. Ripe, sweet-toned and somewhat evolved yet not old nose with complex aromas of juicy nectarine, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of honeydew melon, light floral notes, a hint of beeswax, a touch of overripe pineapple and a smoky touch of toasty oak. The wine is broad, complex and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and nuanced flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and sweet oak spice, some vanilla custard tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light buttery nuances, a hint of overripe pineapple and a touch of savory wood. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance and gives it some sense of structure, although doesn't feel high enough to offset the oily mouthfeel. The finish is long, rich and complex with somewhat evolved flavors of savory wood spice, some sweet pineapple tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light buttery tones, a hint of vanilla and a touch of saline minerality.
A rich, viscous and somewhat evolved California Chardonnay that surprisingly felt somewhat more youthful than the rather evolved 2006 Double L Hat Trick, which otherwise showed more finesse and precision but seemed to be at its peak. This wine, however, seemed like it could actually improve a little bit more from here. It's hard to say whether this will ever reach the complexity of 2006 Hat Trick, but on the other hand, I almost preferred this regular Double L more for its great combination of evolved complexity and vibrant fruit. I wouldn't say either 2006 Chardonnay was as great as 2004 Double L Chardonnay, but all three wines were superb all the same. Good value at 39€.
(93 points) -
2006 Morgan Chardonnay Hat Trick Double L Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (27.9.2022)
This wine is a selection of best barrels of Double L Chardonnay, which is 100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the Double L Vineyard planted in 1997. Fermented and aged for 9-12 months in French oak barrels (typically approx. 1/3 new, the remainder once or twice used). I have no idea what is the percentage of new oak in Hat Trick, because the annual production is only 40-50 cases, which translates to about two barrels. 14,5% alcohol.
Quite deep and somewhat evolved golden yellow color with subtly neon-green highlights. The nose feels toasty, evolved and moderately tertiary with aromas of ripe red apples, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of juicy nectarine, light woody notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of overripe pineapple and a developed touch of earthy spice. The wine feels more concentrated, more evolved and slightly lighter on the palate than the regular 2006 Double L Chardonnay that was tasted alongside, with a moderately full body and complex flavors of ripe pineapple, some overripe apricot, a little bit of creamy oak, light buttery notes, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of vanilla. The mouthfeel is round and slightly viscous, yet the rather high acidity keeps the wine balanced and quite structured. The finish is long and complex with evolved, slightly sweet-toned flavors of pineapple and apple jam, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of overripe apricot, light vanilla tones and a hint of stony minerality.
Seeing how this is more or less the same wine than the regular 2006 Double L Chardonnay, tasting them side-by-side revealed how markedly different wines they were. This Hat Trick seemed not much yet still perceptibly more evolved with less vibrant fruit flavors and more emphasis on tertiary and oxidative notes of nuttiness and earth. Body-wise the Hat Trick seemed slightly lighter, leaner and more focused as opposed to the regular bottling, which seemed slightly bigger but also somewhat softer and fatter. However, ultimately it was very hard to say which I preferred more - I certainly liked the lighter and slightly more firm overall character of Hat Trick, but even if I love tertiary complexity, I think I favored the regular bottling more, since it showed a great amount of developed qualities yet also quite a bit of vibrant fruit, whereas this Hat Trick was getting very tertiary and thus starting to lack a bit on the fruit and freshness department. I'd say both the wines were more or less equally great, but in the end I preferred the slightly fresher style of the regular bottling, which made me think that it might still have a bit of mileage in the tank, while this 2006 is on its last drops - it won't take much before this wine starts to go downhill. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 59€.
(93 points) -
2015 Windchaser Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (27.9.2022)
Low-intervention Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,7% alcohol. Tasted in a Windchaser Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2015-2019 vertical.
Translucent, slightly evolved blood-red color with a pale rim. Nuanced and somewhat spicy nose with aromas of red-fruited Pinosity led by notes of ripe cranberries and light raspberry tones, a little bit of gamey character, a hint of something smoky, a touch of savory wood spice and a whiff of meat stew with herbs. The wine is juicy, harmonious and moderately umami-driven with a light-to-medium body and bright flavors of ripe cranberries and brambly raspberries, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of beetroot, light ferrous notes of blood and a hint of spicy Pinosity. Nice, fresh and structured acidity with supportive ripe medium tannins. The finish is lively, fresh and quite savory with flavors of ripe cranberries, some meaty umami, a little bit of beet root, light sanguine nuances, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of earthy spices. The ripe tannins make the wine end on a gently grippy note.
A very nice, savory and harmonious Pinot Noir made in a dry and fresh cool-climate style. The wine does show some ripeness that can be expected from a Cali Pinot, but that fortunately does not translate to sweetness or softness. The wine has developed some nice, enjoyably meaty and savory notes with age, but the overall feel is still quite youthful and I can see this wine continuing to improve for some more years. Probably hitting its peak somewhere around 10 years from the vintage, but will keep for some time longer. A nice, sophisticated and thoroughly enjoyable example of North Coast Pinot Noir and probably my favorite vintage in the vertical. Priced according to its quality at $38.
(92 points) -
2016 Windchaser Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (27.9.2022)
Low-intervention Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,85% alcohol. Tasted in a Windchaser Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2015-2019 vertical.
Quite translucent, slightly evolved blood-red color with a pale rim - almost identical to the 2015 vintage, only ever-so-slightly darker in color. The nose feels savory and spicy with rather dry aromas of game, some sanguine notes of iron, a little bit of savory oak spice, light herby notes reminiscent of garrigue character, a hint of cranberry sauce and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine is silky and quite ripe yet still dry on the palate with savory flavors of ripe cranberries, some meaty umami, a little bit of fresh black cherry, light raspberry tones, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of peppery spice. The wine is high in acidity with soft and easy tannins. The finish is ripe and silky in texture yet dry in taste with a pretty lengthy aftertaste of ripe raspberries and cranberries, some fresh red cherry tones, a little bit of blood, light umami notes of gamey meat, a hint of savory old wood and a hint of gravelly minerality.
This wine was very similar to the 2015 vintage - at times almost identical - with the only exception that this 2016 felt subtly softer, easier and showing a tad more ripeness, resulting in 2015 being somehow more interesting and, simply put, just better to my taste, even if the wines were so very similar to each other. Nevertheless, this 2016 is a very lovely, harmonious and delicious cooler-climate Pinot with emphasis on finesse and savory non-fruit nuances instead of ripe, sweet and impactful fruit or heavy-handed oak. Fine stuff. Priced somewhat according to its quality at $38.
(90 points) -
2017 Windchaser Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (27.9.2022)
Low-intervention Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,3% alcohol. Tasted in a Windchaser Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2015-2019 vertical.
Luminous, translucent pomegranate color with a clear, pale red rim. Ripe, sweet-toned and yet quite noticeably meaty nose with aromas of ripe raspberries, some pomegranate, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gamey notes, a hint of beetroot, a touch of allspice and a sunny whiff of stewed red fruits. Although the wine feels appropriately rich and juicy on the palate after the somewhat sunny nose, the taste is surprisingly savory and very umami-driven instead of sweetly-fruited, showing complex flavors of gamey meat and roasted beet, some wild strawberry tones, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light earthy notes, a hint of licorice root and a touch of minty lift. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, whereas the ripe, supple tannins contribute to the texture of the wine. The finish is long, dry and slightly evolved with complex flavors of crunchy cranberries and fresh wild strawberries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of roasted beet root, light tart notes of pomegranate, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of game.
Although this vintage seemed at first slightly more ripe than the 2015 and 2016 vintages, it came across as remarkably savory and umami-rich in style, showing as much those meaty and gamey notes as fruit. Very distinctive in the lineup, but at the same time coming across as very balanced and harmonious. I'd say my favorite was the classically styled 2015 vintage, which was probably the closest to a classic cool climate Pinot Noir made in an old world style, but this was a close second, coming across as very characterful, firm, enjoyably savory and showing nice complexity and depth of flavor. A fine wine that is drinking mighty well right now, but will continue to improve for a good handful of years more. Worth the price at $38.
(91 points) -
2018 Windchaser Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (27.9.2022)
Low-intervention Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14,4% alcohol. Tasted in a Windchaser Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2015-2019 vertical.
Quite dark yet very translucent raspberry red color. Ripe, perfumed and rather sweet-toned nose with aromas of juicy dark berries and black cherries, some herby spice, a little bit of licorice root, light sweet notes of soft strawberries, a hint of alcohol, a floral touch of violets and a whiff of gamey meat. The wine feels ripe, silky and slightly soft on the palate with a moderately full body and juicy flavors of ripe red cherries and raspberries, some savory notes of meat stew with Mediterranean herbs, a little bit of licorice root, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of blood and a touch of strawberry. The structure feels quite supple and gentle, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and ripe medium-minus tannins. The finish is soft, juicy and slightly warm with medium-long flavors of strawberries and ripe black cherries, some licorice root, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light spicy notes of aromatic Mediterranean herbs, a hint of raspberry juice and a touch of meaty umami. There is no tannic grip to speak of.
After three very savory and stylistically pretty "cool-climate" vintages, this 2018 came across as markedly different in style, coming across suddenly as softer and more fruit-forward, exhibiting more obvious ripeness and higher alcohol. While enjoyable and thoroughly drinkable, this vintage came across as much easier and more mundane in character, lacking the playful freshness and savory complexity that made the vintages 2015-2017 so thrilling. Instead this 2018 was very similar to the 2019 vintage, but coming across as slightly softer, fruitier and more linear in character. A nice wine, but ultimate didn't reach the level of the other vintages we tasted. Feels somewhat pricey for the quality at $38.
(87 points) -
2019 Windchaser Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (27.9.2022)
Low-intervention Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14,3% alcohol. Tasted in a Windchaser Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2015-2019 vertical.
Quite translucent ruby-red color with a subtly blueish hue. Youthful, sweet-toned and quite fruit-driven nose with aromas of juicy black cherries, some inky tones, a little bit of earth, light floral notes of violets, a hint of ripe black raspberry, a touch of dusty old wood and a whiff of alcohol. The wine is balanced, silky and harmonious on the palate with moderately ripe, slightly sweetly-fruited flavors of ripe black raspberries, some juicy black cherries, a little bit of earth, light woody notes of savory old oak, a hint of tart red plum and a touch of meaty umami. The wine is moderately high in acidity with firm, somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy, savory and quite long with flavors of ripe black raspberries and black cherries, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of licorice root, light earthy notes, a meaty hint of umami and a touch of floral lift. The tannins lend a little bit of grip to the aftertaste.
A youthful and still very fruit-driven Cali Pinot with some good promise. This vintage felt very similar to the 2018 vintage; they were both softer, noticeably more fruit-driven and slightly sweeter than the older vintages which felt stylistically drier, more savory and slightly more "cool-climate" in their overall character. However, part of the sweeter, fruit-driven nature here must come from the still somewhat primary fruit - I can imagine that the taste of this wine will become less exuberant and sweetly-fruited once the wine ages. Although quite similar to the 2018 vintage but with more youthful primary overall character, I still enjoyed this vintage a bit more, thanks to its slightly sturdier structure and sense of firmness, which made the wine feel more promising from the perspective of aging. Perhaps the wine is a bit pricey for the quality now, at $38, but I imagine things'll change once the wine ages and drops some of that baby fat.
(88 points) -
NV Windchaser Pinot Noir Solera Style - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (27.9.2022)
This is an odd bird. Started off as a topping tank for 2015 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir which was later blended together with the topping tank for 2016 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. With the 2017 vintage the wine was moved to age in a barrel. By the 2020 vintage the multi-vintage wine had grown to three barrels. At this point two barrels were blended together and bottled, so currently there is only one barrel remaining consisting of vintages 2015-2021 - whereas this wine that we tasted is composed of vintages 2015-2020. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14,3% alcohol.
Dark, somewhat translucent and quite deep cherry-red color with a slightly evolved rusty hue. The nose feels characterful, a bit sweetish and subtly lifted with slightly aged aromas of cherry marmalade, some stewed herby notes, a little bit of wizened black raspberry, light volatile nuances of balsamic richness, a hint of ripe redcurrant, a touch of earthy spices and a whiff of hoi sin or soy sauce. The wine is silky, textural and somewhat evolved on the palate with a medium body and very savory flavors of wizened black raspberries, old leather, some balsamico tones, a little bit of earth, light sweeter notes of cherry marmalade, savory hints of game and meaty umami and a ferrous touch of blood. The structure relies mostly on the rather high acidity, as the somewhat resolved medium-minus tannins seem to contribute to the texture rather than to the structure. The finish is complex, savory-sweet and slightly grippy with a quite long, textural aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and redcurrants, some evolved balsamic notes of Va, a little bit of wizened black cherries, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of earthy spices and a touch of soy sauce. The alcohol lends a tiny bit of warmth towards the end of the aftertaste.
An interesting wine - and in the positive sense! This is definitely an experiment, but rather successful at that. The wine is definitely quite different from the Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs we tasted at the same time (quite rarely you get to taste a multi-vintage red wine and - apart from the most recent vintage - all its components at one go), as the overall feel was somewhat more aged and getting ever-so-slightly volatile and oxidative with the balsamic and soy sauce notes that were absent in the vintaged Pinot Noirs. However, that is perfectly understandable, seeing how a portion of the wine had been aging in a barrel already for 5 years! We were told this was not supposed to be a serious wine, but I'd say that this was definitely a serious wine in the sense that it definitely wasn't an easy, approachable and simple wine! On the contrary, this wine showed great complexity and the more evolved or volatile nuances worked really well with the savory, dark-toned overall taste. I wouldn't say this is sum of its parts, thus being better than any of the vintaged Pinot Noirs we tasted, but instead the average of its parts, where the lesser vintages cut the highs of the best vintages, but conversely the best vintages filled out what the lesser vintages were lacking in. A distinctive wine that exists not only to quench academic curiosity, but to be a thoroughly enjoyable Pinot Noir with its own, idiosyncratic quality. Fun and stimulating stuff, I guess worth the tariff at $38.
(90 points) -
2013 Othello - USA, California, Napa Valley (27.9.2022)
The 3rd wine of Dominus Estate. Made with organically farmed fruit from the famous Napanook vineyard, mainly from younger vines and fruit that doesn't go into the flagship wine or the 2nd wine. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (82%), Cabernet Franc (11%) and Petit Verdot (7%). 15% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very dense and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. Somewhat evolved and noticeably Bordeaux-like nose with complex aromas of wizened blackcurrants and leather, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light smoky nuances of toasted oak, a little bit of game of crisp bacon, a hint of forest floor and a touch of ripe dark fruit. The wine feels dry, dense and textural on the palate with a moderately full body and somewhat evolved flavors of wizened blackcurrants and ripe dark plums, some leathery notes, a little bit of savory old wood, light sweeter nuanced of toasted oak spice, a meaty hint of umami and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is still quite firm, muscular and somewhat tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and still rather assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is dry, long and savory with moderately grippy tannins and complex, somewhat evolved flavors of wizened blackcurrants, some earthy notes, a little bit of old leather, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of forest floor and a touch of ripe dark forest fruits. The high alcohol lends a somewhat noticeable streak of warmth towards the end of the aftertaste.
A surprisingly stern, serious and stylistically quite old-school Napa Cab that made almost everybody think of Bordeaux at first (a rather warm vintage, mind you - perhaps 2009?). When it was revealed it wasn't a Bordeaux, people went to a Merlot-driven Italian wines instead. After we were told it didn't have any Merlot yet it was a blend, people were quite lost and it took quite some time before we finally ended up guessing Cab-driven California wines! I was positively surprised how serious and structure-driven the wine was. Perhaps due to its stature as a 3rd wine, the wine wasn't that heavily oaked, which let the savory, somewhat evolved fruit flavors shine through so nicely. The rather high alcohol was also surprisingly well hidden - at least before the aftertaste, in which the heat became more apparent. All in all, a very enjoyable wine that reminds me more of classic, structure-driven Bordeaux than a typically softer and fruitier style prevalent in Napa. Seeing how the fruit seemed somewhat evolved now, I don't see think the wine is going to be capable of aging for extended periods, and most likely the firm, assertive tannic structure will outlive the fruit. However, I still think the wine will continue to improve for a handful of years more and keep just fine for even longer. Good stuff.
(93 points) -
2020 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Bournais - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (27.9.2022)
100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from a 4-hectare parcel in Montlouis-sur-Loire where the vine age ranges from 5 to 20 years. Fermented spontaneously, aged for approximately a year on the lees in 600-liter demi-muids. No MLF. 14,5% alcohol.
Youthful, medium-deep yellow-green color. Juicy, zesty and moderately sweet-toned nose with aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some stony minerality, a little bit of honeydew melon and youthful pear character, light waxy notes, floral hints of apple blossom and honeysuckle, a saline touch of ocean air and a whiff of hay. The alcohol shows a tiny bit as well. The wine is ripe, juicy and quite rich on the palate, despite being technically dry. The overall feel is broad, full-bodied and quite substantial, yet not particularly heavy at any point. There are flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and cantaloupe, some honeyed tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light waxy tones typical of Loire Chenin, a hint of poached pear and a touch of honeysuckle. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance and lends it some sense of structure, although does nothing to offset the rich, slightly viscous mouthfeel. The finish is rich, juicy and slightly sweetly-fruited with a long and slightly warm aftertaste of golden apples and honeydew melon, some waxy tones, a little bit of ripe and zesty citrus fruits, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of poached pear and a touch of tangy salinity.
A rich, bold and quite substantial Chenin Blanc with quite a bit of fruit, body and alcohol. I poured the wine blind and it took people some time to guess correctly it was a Chenin Blanc and even then the first guesses went to South Africa and California instead of France (and from France the first guesses went to Savennières. Although the wine is sort of recognizable for the variety, it isn't that typical for Loire Chenin, showing much more body, fruit and concentration than one might expect from the region. If one is expecting a brisk, lean and mineral Chenin, a disappointment might be in order, but when one compares this to the complex and impressive top-notch Chenin Blancs from South Africa, this is at the very same level. Good stuff with a lot of stuffing. I have a hunch that due to its ripeness, high alcohol and relatively moderate level of acidity, this is not going to be a particularly long-lived vintage, but I'm guessing it will still develop favorably at least for another 5-8 years, if not more. Pretty much worth the price at 31€.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker