Tried this last night w/ dinner:
- Neyers Syrah NapaVlly Cuvee d’Honneur (13.9%; HudsonVnyd) 2000: Very dark color w/ very little bricking; very strong smoky/pungent very roasted/espresso/NorthernRhone strong green olive/blackberry/Syrah slight peppery complex beautiful nose; slightly tart very pungent/Rhonish/espresso/Fr.roast coffee strong green olive/blackberry/Syrah smooth/sleek light charred/oak very complex Rhonish flavor; very long strong green olive/blackberry/Syrah very roasted/espresso/Rhonish/pungent complex lovely finish w/ slight tannic aftertaste; near its peak or maybe another yr or two; the same strong Rhonish character as at release but now more elegant & restrained & svelte on the palate. $48.00
Another boring BloodyPulpit:
- Another home-run by EhrenJordan tonight. The Cuvee d’Honneur is their tribute to TheirryAllemand, for whom Ehren once worked. Year in/year out it is always a must-buy for me, sight unseen. It always displays a strong roasted/classic NorthernRhone character; similar to the Allemands or the early AlainGraillot’s; along w/ the cold-climate character of LeeHudson’s Syrah. About as good as a Rhonish Calif Syrah as you’d ever want. By the next morning, sitting out overnight in the decanter, it had turned considerably browner and was showing a lot of charred/toasty oak.
Tom