Yet another post in the series of reports on tastings thrown by @AskoKassinen.
This was the third and last session on wines Asko has “made” himself, ie. commissioned from the “make-your-own-wine” projects Crushpad and VINIV of Lynch-Bages fame. The previous reports can be read
here: Stuff Asko makes us drink: Töövi wines
and here: Stuff Asko makes us drink: His own wines
This final session was on the more burly wines: a lion’s share was on Bordeaux reds, but we also had two Washington Cabs from the 00’s.
Asko’s St. Töppö Bordeaux reds have been always made in two styles: although both the wines typically contain grapes from both sides of the river, Ne Panique Pas is made in a style reflecting the classic blends of the Left Bank, whereas Quarante-Deux nods towards the Right Bank.
Normally I’m more of a Left-Bank kind of guy, but curiously I find Quarante-Deux often performing somewhat better than its “Left-Banker” peer.
When it comes to the Töövi Cabs, I’ve had that 2007 vintage only once before - and it wasn’t particularly impressive back then. Now things were really different and the wine was one of the best of the evening. However, the real star is the 2008 vintage, which was simply outstanding the first time I tasted it almost 10 years ago - and it has remained constantly amazing to this day. It’s a wine made in a style that perfectly epitomizes Asko’s aesthetics: new world fruit made in an old world style. I wish there were more Washington Cabs available that were made in a style like this!
Anyways, if you have more in-depth questions on these wines, I’m sure Asko will read those and can answer those much better than I can!
We also had a fizzy blind as a starter and a magnum of Roussillon Carignan for the food. As for the fare, I went again with the Restaurant Carelia classic, ie. a steak tartare with rustic fries. Always a winner!
And the wines:
- 2012 Jean Moreau Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (28.3.2024)
A blend of Pinot Noir (approximately 3/4) and Chardonnay from Ambonnay. Vinified at the Union Champagne co-operative. The lot number is L20080 - perhaps that means the bottle is disgorged on mid-March 2020 (i.e. the 80th day of 2020)? 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale lemon-yellow color. Attractive aromas of ripe golden apples, some autolytic notes of yeast and white bread, light nutty notes of slivered almonds, a little bit of chalk dust, fragrant hints of citrus rind and orange blossom, a touch of creaminess and a sweet, evolved whiff of Sultana raisins. The wine feels ripe, savory and balanced on the palate with a medium body and slightly evolved flavors of sweet Fuji apples, some leesy notes of autolysis, a little bit of creaminess, light steely mineral tones, a savory hint of umami and a touch of chalk dust. Nice high acidity and a persistent, voluminous mousse. The finish is ripe and fresh with a rather long aftertaste of sweet yellow apple, some wizened yellow fruit tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light leesy and bready notes of autolysis, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
A sophisticated and enjoyably autolytic Champagne that has developed into a less fruity, more savory direction with age. The fruit flavors have started to develop a somewhat more evolved, sweeter edge, but the emphasis is slowly moving towards the leesy, bready and creamy notes of autolysis and chalky minerality. The dosage feels a little bit, accentuating the sweetness of the fruit, but the high acidity and ample, soft mousse keep the overall feel balanced and enjoyably savory. Although the wine is starting to show some age, it feels like it is still some ways away from its plateau of maturity. At just 24€ this has been a steal.
(93 points) - 2015 VINIV Mysteri - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Cabernet Franc (15%) from Graves and Merlot (35%) from Côtes de Castillon and Fronsac. 14% alcohol.
Moderately opaque and somewhat evolved plummy-red color with a subtly maroon hue. The nose feels open, juicy and quite sweet with dark-toned aromas of sweet dark plums and bilberries, some chocolatey mocha oak tones, a little bit of cassis, light toasty notes of smoke and sweet oak spice, a hint of vanilla and a touch of blueberry jam. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite polished on the palate with a full body and quite rich flavors of dark plummy fruit and black cherry, some toasty notes of sweet oak spice, light crunchy notes of fresh bilberries and blackcurrants, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, a hint of chokeberry bitterness and a touch of red licorice. The overall feel is pretty firm and balanced with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, juicy and moderately grippy with a somewhat polished aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and bilberries, some toasty notes of sweet oak spice, light crunchy notes of red plums, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a hint of mocha oak and a woody touch of cigar box.
I have now followed this wine for seven years, tasting it every 3-4 years. In the beginning the wine seemed quite youthful and a bit polished, but showing good promise with its firm structure. I hoped the wine would integrate the oaky tones and emerge as a somewhat more sophisticated, savory Bordeaux with some age. Well, after a few years it seemed the wine had evolved in the opposite direction - while not as youthful anymore, the overall fruit profile seemed to be only sweeter and the toasty oak tones seemed to have gained more presence. Now, some four years later, the wine seems to have continued on that trajectory: this seems quite similar to the previous taste. Maybe a bit more evolved now, compared to the still relatively youthful overall feel of the previous taste. Now the wine was only even sweeter in fruit and showing more toasty oak qualities than before. I'm starting to doubt this wine is going anywhere nice - or then it needs to age much, much longer than I anticipated. At 8½ years of age the wine doesn't really show as much promise as it did when it was still young.
(87 points) - 2014 Crushpad St Töppö Ne Panique Pas - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Ne Panique Pas is known also as "Cuvée Rive Gauche", i.e. made more in the style of the Left Bank, instead of Quarante-Deux, which is made more in the style of the Right Bank. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from 40-yo vineyards on the Left Bank (60%), Merlot from 34-yo vineyards in Canon-Fronsac and Castillon (30%) and Cabernet Franc from the Left Bank (10%). Aged for 18 months in an old French oak barrel. 13% alcohol.
Deep, dark and rather opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels quite open and expressive with pretty fragrant aromas of ripe red plums and Bing cherries, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light cassis tones, a little bit of sweet oak spice, a juicy hint of strawberry and a developed touch of wizened dark fruits. The wine feels firm and balanced on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some crunchy notes of tart red plums, a little bit of juicy bilberry character, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a sweeter touch of toasty mocha oak and a touch of brambly black raspberry. The wine is enjoyably structured with its high acidity and firm, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe yet savory and moderately grippy with a long, sinewy aftertaste of juicy blackcurrants and tart red plums, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light toasty notes of mocha oak, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a crunchy touch of fresh bilberries.
A balanced, firm and harmonious Bordeaux. Maybe still showing a bit too much oak, but evolving in the right direction. The combination of high acidity and firm tannins make the wine come across as pretty sinewy and enjoyably structure-driven, yet not particularly tough or aggressive. Most likely the wine needs another 5-10 years before reaching its peak - maybe even more. One of the best vintages of Ne Panique Pas, perhaps even the best - time will tell. At least the wine shows good promise.
(92 points) - 2013 Crushpad St Töppö Quarante-Deux - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Quarante-Deux is known also as "Cuvée Rive Droite", i.e. made more in the style of the Right Bank, instead of Ne Panique Pas, which is made more in the style of the Left Bank. A blend of Merlot from St. Émilion satellites (70%) and Cabernet Franc from St Émilion (30%). Aged for 18 months in what was supposed to be a used oak barrique, although I'm told to take this with a pinch of salt, because often the wines are aged in whatever vessels happen to be available. 12,5% alcohol.
Luminous, slightly translucent and subtly evolved cherry-red color. The nose feels surprisingly understated with vague aromas of ripe red fruits and a little bit of wood. The wine feels dry, somewhat reticent and a bit dull on the palate with a medium body and rather understated flavors of dark berries, some tobacco, a little bit of creamy oak or other lactic notes, light gravelly mineral nuances, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of toasty wood. Due to the rather underwhelming flavors, the high acidity and moderately grippy tannins are pretty much to the fore, making the wine feel pretty stern and tightly-knit. The finish is dry, somewhat grippy and quite long with a bit understated aftertaste of crunchy dark berries, some woody tones, a little bit of licorice, light toasty oak nuances and a hint of sour cherry bitterness.
In a tasting of almost all St. Töppö wines made, this wine was an outlier - the wine was just light in taste and underwhelming in intensity. The only thing the wine was not left for wanting was the structure - although the structure might've come across as a bit pronounced due to the light, reticent flavors. A textbook example why 2013 was so dreadful a vintage in Bordeaux.
(86 points) - 2012 Crushpad St Töppö Quarante-Deux - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Quarante-Deux is known also as "Cuvée Rive Droite", i.e. made more in the style of the Right Bank, instead of Ne Panique Pas, which is made more in the style of the Left Bank. A blend of Merlot from St. Émilion satellites (60%) and Cabernet Franc from St Émilion (40%). Aged for 18 months in what was supposed to be a used oak barrique, although I'm told to take this with a pinch of salt, because often the wines are aged in whatever vessels happen to be available. 13,5% alcohol.
Slightly translucent and somewhat evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels juicy and a bit savory with layered aromas of ripe dark berries, some cherries, light meaty tones, a little bit of wizened redcurrant, a woody hints of pencil shavings and savory oak spice and a touch of forest floor. The overall feel is undeniably that of a classic Bordeaux. The wine feels dry, sinewy and enjoyably chewy on the palate with flavors of red plums and ripe redcurrants, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light woody nuances, autumnal hints of leafy forest floor and a touch of tobacco. The wine is high in acidity with firm, moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is savory, sinewy and moderately grippy with a long aftertaste of red plums, some tobacco, light crunchy notes of redcurrants, a little bit of blood, a woody hint of pencil shavings and an evolved touch of meaty umami.
A stylish, classically styled effort that seems to be heading in the direction labeled as "proper claret". Although the wine is starting to show some developed signs, I think it is still too early to say for sure, but this might turn out to be a terrific wine with some age. It is pretty darn lovely already now - much better than the somewhat austere and understated 2012 Ne Panique Pas. A fine, harmonious wine that punches above its weight.
(92 points) - 2012 Crushpad St Töppö Ne Panique Pas - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Ne Panique Pas is known also as "Cuvée Rive Gauche", i.e. made more in the style of the Left Bank, instead of Quarante-Deux, which is made more in the style of the Right Bank. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from 40-yo vineyards on the Left Bank (60%), Merlot from 34-yo vineyards in Canon-Fronsac and Castillon (30%) and Cabernet Franc from the Left Bank (10%). Aged for 18 months in an old French oak barrel. 13% alcohol.
Deep, slightly translucent black cherry color with a subtly purplish hue. The nose feels surprisingly restrained and understated with light aromas of dark forest fruits, some forest floor, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of cigar, a touch of fresh bilberry and a faint whiff of vanillin. The wine feels dense, savory and chewy on the palate with a moderately full body and slightly restrained flavors of tart blackcurrants and crunchy redcurrants, some fresh dark plums, a little bit of woody oak spice, light bitter notes of sour cherries, a hint of earth and a developed, meaty touch of salt-cured beef. The wine is high in acidity with quite ample and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and rather grippy with a slightly understated aftertaste of dark forest fruits, some tart blackberries, a little bit of crunchy red plum, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of tobacco.
A sophisticated but also somewhat understated and austere Bordeaux that shows impressive sense of structure and quite a bit of nuance, but is also lacking a bit in the fruit department, making the wine come across as a bit hollow. I guess the wine might just be in a somewhat awkward spot right now and call for additional aging, as the wine didn't feel particularly evolved at the moment. I hope further cellaring will make the structure resolve a bit and make the wine come across as more expressive if the understated fruit notes get gradually replaced with more prominent tertiary elements. For current consumption, the 2012 Quarante-Deux is miles better than its "Left-Bank" counterpart Ne Panique Pas.
(87 points) - 2011 Crushpad St Töppö Quarante-Deux - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Quarante-Deux is known also as "Cuvée Rive Droite", i.e. made more in the style of the Right Bank, instead of Ne Panique Pas, which is made more in the style of the Left Bank. A blend of Merlot from St. Émilion satellites (70%) and Cabernet Franc from St Émilion (30%). Aged for 18 months in what was supposed to be a used oak barrique, although I'm told to take this with a pinch of salt, because often the wines are aged in whatever vessels happen to be available. 14% alcohol.
Dark, somewhat translucent cherry-red color with a slightly evolved dried-blood hue. The nose feels ripe, brooding and dark-toned with attractive, fragrant aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some green minty nuances, a little bit of juicy dark plum, light blueberry nuances, a cooling hint of eucalyptus, a touch of crunchy redcurrant and a faint whiff of savory wood spice. The wine feels ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and still relatively youthful on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of tart red plums and herbaceous minty tones, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of juicy blackcurrant and ripe bilberry, light black cherry notes, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a woody touch of savory wood spice. The rather high acidity lends great sense of balance and intensity to the wine whereas the somewhat resolved medium-plus tannins still retain quite a bit of grip and firmness. The finish is long, savory and rather grippy with a dark-toned aftertaste of black cherries and dark plums, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of tobacco, light bilberry nuances, a hint of minty greenness and a woody touch of pencil shavings.
A very sophisticated, balanced and intense Bordeaux. When I tasted the wine for the previous time (some 8½ years ago!) I said that like a good old-school Bordeaux, this wine needs time and should be kept for another 5-10 years. Well, seeing how remarkably youthful and relatively tightly-knit the wine still is, I maybe under-estimated the aging capabilities of the wine! This is still going on an upward trajectory and I'd say there's still some way to go before the wine reaches its plateau of maturity. Although the wine does show some sense of ripeness with a tiny bit of sweetness in the fruit, the overall feel is nevertheless pretty firm, fresh and savory. Great stuff, definitely among the best vintages of the St. Töppö range.
(93 points) - 2011 Crushpad St Töppö Ne Panique Pas - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Ne Panique Pas is known also as "Cuvée Rive Gauche", i.e. made more in the style of the Left Bank, instead of Quarante-Deux, which is made more in the style of the Right Bank. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from 40-yo vineyards on the Left Bank (60%), Merlot from 34-yo vineyards in Canon-Fronsac and Castillon (30%) and Cabernet Franc from the Left Bank (10%). Aged for 18 months in an old French oak barrel. 14% alcohol.
Deep, moderately opaque and still relatively youthful blackish-red color. The nose feels brooding, dark-toned and nuanced with somewhat understated aromas of tobacco and ripe bilberry, some cedar and toasty wood tones, a little bit of juicy blackcurrant, light evolved notes of wizened figs, a hint of forest floor, a touch of smoke and a whiff of roasted bell pepper. Thew wine feels firm and sinewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and slightly understated flavors of ripe blackcurrants and fresh bilberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of tobacco, light oaky notes of cedar and savory wood, a hint of forest floor and a touch of crunchy redcurrant. The wine is high in acidity with firm yet somewhat resolved and quite silky medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy, gently grippy and rather long with a dark-toned, slightly reticent aftertaste of blackcurrants, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of forest floor, light woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a hint of minty greenness and a developed, savory touch of meaty umami.
An enjoyable and balanced but also relatively understated vintage of Ne Panique Pas. Tasted next to the 2011 St. Töppö Quarante-Deux, this wine felt similarly ripe and juicy, but slightly lighter in body and higher in acidity. While those qualities in themselves are something I prefer, this wine turned out to be otherwise a bit understated and reticent in nature, making the overall feel a bit underwhelming. All in all, this is a nice and enjoyable Bordeaux, but at least at the moment the wine feels like it is holding a bit back. As the wine still comes across as pretty youthful and it seems to hold some promise for future development, I guess there's potential for this wine to become something more interesting with age. However, I'm not sure if the wine has enough stuffing to ever surpass its "Right-Bank" sibling.
(91 points) - 2010 Crushpad St Töppö Quarante-Deux - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Quarante-Deux is known also as "Cuvée Rive Droite", i.e. made more in the style of the Right Bank, instead of Ne Panique Pas, which is made more in the style of the Left Bank. A blend of Merlot from St. Émilion satellites (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) from the Left Bank and Cabernet Franc from St Émilion (20%). Aged for 18 months in what was supposed to be a used oak barrique, although I'm told to take this with a pinch of salt, because often the wines are aged in whatever vessels happen to be available. 14% alcohol.
Quite deep, dark and moderately opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels quite ripe, dark-toned and pretty fragrant with juicy aromas of blackcurrants and black raspberries, some cedary oak tones, a little bit of sweet cherry marmalade, light boysenberry notes, a sweet hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of sweet smoke. The wine feels quite ripe and dark-toned yet pretty dry on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of tart red plums and juicy boysenberries, some brambly black raspberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light toasty notes of mocha and sweet oak spice, a hint of old leather and a touch of cedar. The structure relies a little bit more on the high acidity than on the ample yet ripe, somewhat resolved and quite supple medium tannins. The finish is juicy, long and somewhat grippy with a dry aftertaste of fresh blackcurrants and red plums, some old leather tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light brambly notes of raspberries, oaky hints of cedar and toasty spice and a touch of tobacco.
A tasty, harmonious and balanced Bordeaux. Try to the vintage, the wine shows great flavor intensity and nicely high level of acidity, but conversely the ripe, supple tannins are quite gentle for the vintage. When I tasted the wine for the last time three years ago, it was still surprisingly dominated by oak flavors. This bottle, on the other hand, seemed to show a good deal of oak integration: while the toasty notes are still there, they aren't as obvious anymore and the emphasis has shifted more towards the intense and still quite youthful and vibrant fruit flavors. The wine is definitely evolving in the right direction. I think that maybe at the moment 2010 Ne Panique Pas might be a bit more impressive wine of these two (although just by the nose, the more expressive Quarante-Deaux would be the winner), but I wouldn't be surprised if this wine turns out to be the better wine in the longer run. Good stuff.
(91 points) - 2010 Crushpad St Töppö Ne Panique Pas - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
This Ne Panique Pas is known also as "Cuvée Rive Gauche", i.e. made more in the style of the Left Bank, instead of Quarante-Deux, which is made more in the style of the Right Bank. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from 40-yo vineyards on the Left Bank (60%), Merlot from 34-yo vineyards in Canon-Fronsac and Castillon (30%) and Cabernet Franc from the Left Bank (10%). Aged for 18 months in an old French oak barrel. 14% alcohol.
Dark quite opaque and still relatively youthful blackish-red color with a deep pink rim. The nose feels savory, slightly restrained and pretty attractive with layered aromas of ripe blackcurrants and dark plummy fruit, some brambly notes of black raspberry, light evolved nuances of something meaty, a little bit of savory wood spice, hints of licorice root and pipe tobacco, a touch of campfire smoke and a faint whiff of balsamic VA. The wine feels rather ripe yet still savory and relatively airy on the palate with a full body and vibrant flavors of juicy dark plums and black raspberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light licorice nuances, a hint of fresh blackcurrant and a developed touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is still pretty firm and structured, thanks to the quite high acidity and rather grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is quite ripe yet savory and rather grippy with a long, bold aftertaste of juicy blackcurrants and dark plummy fruit, some black raspberry tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light leathery nuances, a savory hint of meaty umami and a woody touch of cedar.
This has always been a pretty terrific vintage of Ne Panique Pas and it has always held good promise for development. Although the wine has evolved wonderfully over the years, it still feels like the wine is on an upward trajectory and will continue to improve for a good handful of years more. At the moment the wine feels more impressive than the 2010 Quarante-Deux, but I have a hunch that there's a possibility that the slightly lighter-weight and more nuanced Right-Bank sibling might take over in the longer run. Whatever the case, both these wines are terrific now and will bring joy for many years more.
(92 points) - 2009 Crushpad St Töppö - France, Bordeaux (28.3.2024)
A "right bank" blend of Merlot from lieux-dits Pey-Labrie in Canon-Fronsac (50%) and Le Ruisseau in Côtes-de-Castillon (20%) along with Cabernet Franc (30%) from lieu-dit Côte Sud in St. Émilion. Aged in a used barrique for 18 months. 14% alcohol.
Deep, dark and rather opaque blood-red color. The nose feels rich, deep and slightly sweet-toned and somewhat evolved aromas of wizened red plums, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of old leather, light sweet nuances of black cherries and dried blackcurrants, oaky hints of cedar and pencil shavings and a touch of smoke. The wine feels ripe, dense and silky on the palate with a full body and somewhat concentrated flavors of tart dark plums and wizened blackcurrants, some developed savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light notes of gravelly minerality and leafy forest floor, a hint of old leather and a faint touch of minty greenness. Balanced, high acidity and ample yet ripe and quite powdery tannins that feel quite supple at first, gradually piling up on the gums, slowly turning the wine quite grippy. The finish is long, ripe and rather grippy with a dark-toned, somewhat concentrated aftertaste of dark plummy fruit and ripe blackcurrant, some developed notes of wizened black cherries and meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral tones, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a faint touch of minty greenness.
A ripe and somewhat voluminous but also very balanced, firm and serious Bordeaux that is starting to exhibit some developed signs, but is yet to reach full maturity. The wine feels slightly more evolved than the other St. Töppö wines we tasted, but is still slowly climbing uphill. Most likely the wine will reach its plateau of maturity somewhere around its 20th birthday and will keep there for another while. It's hard to say whether some other St. Töppö red will turn out to be even better with additional age, but I'd say this wine has been the best St. Töppö wine I've tasted thus far and this bottle was at least as terrific as the bottle I tasted some 7½ years ago.
(93 points) - 2007 Crushpad Cabernet Sauvignon Töövi Kiona Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (28.3.2024)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Kiona Vineyard in Red Mountain AVA. Aged for 24 months in a French oak barrique assembled from new (50%) and used (50%) oak staves. 14,9% alcohol.
Slightly translucent blackish-red color with a subtly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, complex and slightly meaty with attractive aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some loose pouch tobacco, a little bit of juicy dark plum, light stony mineral notes, woody hints of cedar and toasted spices, a touch of dried red berries and a whiff of meat stew. The wine feels juicy, somewhat evolved and quite open-knit on the palate with a moderately full body and layered, subtly sweet-toned flavors of wizened black cherries and tart red plums, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco and old leather, light oaky nuances of cedar and toasty spice, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of pruney dark fruit. The combination of pretty high acidity - especially for such ripeness - and quite grippy medium-plus tannins make the overall feel very firm and balanced. The finish is juicy, savory and rather grippy with a long, layered aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and wizened black cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of leather, light savory notes of meaty umami, a sweeter hint of pruney dark fruit and a touch of cherry pit.
When I tasted the wine four years ago, it seemed still relatively youthful for its age - but also quite a crowdpleaser with its somewhat pronounced oak aromatics. This time the wine is stylistically much closer to the less woody 2008 vintage as the overall profile comes across as more developed than before, which seems to have helped in integrating the oak notes. There are still some oaky nuances, but this time they're not at the front, but nicely in the background. All in all, this wine has matured wonderfully - it seems the wine has gained much more in the last four years than it had in the preceding twelve years! While still not at the level of the 2008 vintage, this is still a pretty darn nice Washington Cab in its own right.
(93 points) - 2008 Crushpad Cabernet Sauvignon Töövi Kiona Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (28.3.2024)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Kiona Vineyard in Red Mountain AVA. Aged for 24 months in a French oak barrique assembled from new (50%) and used (50%) oak staves. 14,8% alcohol.
Quite deep, rather opaque and beautifully luminous black ruby color. The nose feels rich, dark-toned and somewhat sweet with seductive aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some autumnal notes of leafy forest floor, a little bit of minty greenness, light stony mineral tones, sweeter hints of boysenberries and plum compote, a woody touch of pencil shavings and a whiff of inky character. Lots of everything going on here. The wine feels dry, dense and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a full body and remarkably intense flavors of juicy blackcurrants and black cherries, some tobacco, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of minty greenness, a hint of autumnal leaves and a developed touch of gamey meat. The overall feel is very firm and sinewy, thanks to the high acidity and still quite assertive and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, rich and quite tannic with a long, somewhat concentrated aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and dark plums, some tobacco, light minty green tones, an autumnal hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of savory wood spice. The high alcohol lends a touch of warmth to the aftertaste.
This continues to be the single best Töövi wine there is, every single time. Although starting to show some evolved qualities, the overall feel is still remarkably youthful for the age and I'm sure this wine will continue to mature beautifully for many, many more years. Unlike the previous bottle I tasted (about 2½ years ago), this wine didn't show any bretty notes - instead it came across as more or less similar than the bottles I've tasted before that, only with a little bit of more age. All in all, this continues to be probably the best Washington red I've tasted. An absolutely fantastic wine that marries new world fruit with old world sensibilities so beautifully. I wish all the Washington and Cali Cabs were built like this.
(96 points) - 2020 Le Roc des Anges Côtes du Roussillon Villages Reliefs - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (28.3.2024)
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 from a magnum.
Youthful, slightly translucent and quite dark ruby color with a blueish hue. The nose feels very fruit-driven, somewhat lactic and a bit wild with aromas of boysenberries, some primary candied notes of raspberry jelly, light inky tones, a little bit of blueberry yogurt, a hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of chopped herbs. The wine feels youthful, juicy and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright, almost primary flavors of fresh boysenberries and brambly raspberries, some crunchy blueberry tones, a little bit of herby spice, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a lactic touch of blackcurrant yogurt. The wine is quite high in acidity; the light, supple medium-minus tannins contribute just a little bit of the texture. The finish is juicy, youthful and slightly grippy with a medium-long aftertaste of raspberries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of boysenberry marmalade, light lactic notes of blueberry yogurt, a primary hint of cherry jellies and a touch of stony minerality.
A pleasant, youthful and clean wine that feels more like a simple Beaujolais red than a rustic Languedoc Carignan. The wine is eminently drinkable, but has very little in the way of character - and most of its personality is still overwhelmed by the sweet, candied primary fruit notes that still persist as strong as ever at 3½ years of age. I guess the wine might evolve into something a bit more interesting once those estery primary notes disappear, but I have no idea how much longer one has to age this wine for them to go away. A few years ago my estimation was 3-5 years, but as the wine is still so primary, I might revise my assessment to be still another 3-5 years. All in all, a fun but quite simple and not particularly ambitious little red.
(86 points)
Posted from CellarTracker