So, @AskoKassinen throws wine tastings every now and then. Quite often, actually. Typically they are verticals or other tastings with a very specific focus.
However, this tasting was one with a somewhat broader focus: a handful of Petite Sirah bottlings from Retro Cellars plus a bunch of older wines from California thrown in for a good measure. We went through a number of pretty nice wines, but also some that were already quite DOA.
- 2006 Marketta Vineyards Hand Made - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder (8.11.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%), Malbec (21%) and Merlot (20%) from estate vineyards on Mt. Veeder. I guess this must be made with Chateau Potelle fruit, since I've understood that Marketta Vineyards was founded in 2008. Fermented spontaneously. 14,3% alcohol, 6,4 g/l acidity.
Luminous, slightly translucent and somewhat evolved blood-red color. The nose feels fragrant, dry and stylistically rather close to a classic aged Bordeaux with attractive aromas of ripe blackcurrants and wizened dark berries, some tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of dried dark fruits, a hint of balsamic VA, a touch of earth and a herbaceous whiff of leafy greenness. The wine feels ripe, silky and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and layered flavors of juicy blackcurrants, some cherry marmalade, light leafy green nuances, a little bit of tobacco, woody hints of pencil shavings and a touch of raisiny dark fruit. The structure relies more on the quite high acidity than on the supple medium-minus tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is savory, gently grippy and slightly warm with a long aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants, some cherry marmalade tones, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of balsamic VA and a touch of tobacco.
A very attractive, sophisticated and deftly crafted Bordeaux blend that has a very Bordelais bouquet, but has a more Californian overall feel on the palate. While the flavor profile is a tad sunny with a somewhat sweet fruit presence, the wine still manages to retain great sense of balance and freshness - mainly thanks to its bright, high acidity. A classy wine at its peak. I really don't see the wine gaining much from additional aging, so better to drink sooner rather than later. Good value at 46,20€.
(93 points) - 2012 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Single Block - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder (8.11.2023)
14,5% alcohol.
Deep, almost fully opaque black cherry color. The nose feels dry, pungent and somewhat oxidative with aromas of soy sauce, some beef jerky, light raisiny tones, a little bit of dried figs and a hint of old leather. The wine feels dense, chewy and quite aged on the palate with a full body and moderately tertiary flavors of sweet dark fruits, some oxidative notes of soy sauce, a little bit of raisiny fruit, light spicy notes, a hint of soft dark plums and a touch of beef jerky. The overall feel is rpetty firm and muscular with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is tired, quite dry and somewhat grippy with a rather long and moderately oxidative aftertaste of beef jerky, some wizened dark plums, a little bit of savory oak spice, light earthy notes, a hint of soy sauce and a touch of raisiny dark fruit.
It feels like the wine has been on a downhill for quite some time. The overall feel is tired and oxidative with flavors of dried fruits, soy sauce and beef jerky. The structure feels still pretty unresolved, so I can imagine this could've been quite an impressive wine, had the fruit still been alive. I wonder if the wine is already falling apart, or if we just had a dud bottle? Holding my rating until I know better. - 2006 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (8.11.2023)
The wine is made of fruit selected from different sources (Bancroft Ranch (32%), Steinhauer Ranch (24%), St. Helena Home Vineyard (19%), the remaining 25% from Rancho del Oso, Chabot Vineyard, Marston Ranch and Lampyridae). 14,6% alcohol.
Deep, quite opaque and rather evolved blackish-red color with a tertiary maroon hue. The nose feels old, evolved and dusty with aromas of dried cherries, some oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of prunes, light leathery tones, a hint of soy sauce and a vague hint of toasty smoke. The wine feels ripe, velvety and quite evolved on the palate with a full body and rather old flavors of prunes and raisins, some beef jerky, a little bit of tobacco, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of wizened blackcurrants and a touch of smoke. The flavor department is starting to come across as rather tired, but the structure is still full of life: the acidity comes across as quite high and the medium-plus tannins feel still pretty grippy. The finish is rich, warm and moderately grippy with a bold, long yet pretty tired aftertaste of prunes, some raisins, light oxidative notes of beef jerky and soy sauce, a little bit of earth, a hint of roasted game and a touch of tobacco.
A tired and somewhat oxidative Cab that isn't holding up particularly well. The structure is there for sure, but the fruit department is feeling quite senescent and oxidative. Perhaps our bottle was not showing its best? Not that I'm expecting a 17-yo wine to feel young anymore, but this is already borderline dead. Refraining from rating the wine now, in case this was a prematurely oxidized bottle. - 2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County (8.11.2023)
A blend of Syrah (97%) and Viognier (3%). Both the varieties were co-fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, 20% of Syrah was destemmed. Aged in predominantly old oak barrels - six barrels made in total. 14,7% alcohol.
Dense, fully opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved dried-blood hue. The nose feels restrained, somewhat evolved and a bit meaty with somewhat reticent aromas of dark plums and dried mulberries, some fragrant gingerbread tones, a little bit of ripe figs, light blueberry tones, a balsamic hint of VA and an oxidative touch of soy sauce. The wine feels dense, bold and moderately evolved on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of game and earth, some wizened figs and ripe dark plums, light balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of dried dates, an oxidative hint of soy sauce and a touch of juicy blackberries. The moderately high acidity brings good balance to the wine, while the ample and quite grippy tannins lend great sense of firmness to the texture. The finish is ripe, evolved and savory with flavors of gamey meat, some ripe figs, light earthy notes, a little bit of juicy blackberry, oxidative hints of beef jerky and soy sauce and a touch of dried figs.
A vibrant and surprisingly evolved but still very balanced and thoroughly enjoyable Syrah. Although packed with fruit, concentration and structure, it seems the wine is starting to reach the end of its life: some oxidative tones have already started to set in and I think the wine must've been a bit more vibrant and expressive a few years ago. Maybe a tad heavier than I'd want my Syrah to be, but a tasty, enjoyable structure-driven effort all the same. Good stuff that's starting to suffer a bit from the age.
(88 points) - 2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah X-Block Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (8.11.2023)
100% Syrah from the X-Block in Bien Nacido Vineyard that was originally planted to Riesling in 1973, then grafted to Syrah in 1987. Harvested on October 18th. Fermented spontaneously in multiple, small open-top vats, in which the destemmed portion ranged from 0 to 80% - average cluster inclusion between all the lots is about 60%. Aged in old, neutral and almost neutral demi-muids. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, slightly translucent ruby-red color with a purplish hue. The nose feels very youthful and still strikingly primary with aromas of blueberries and blackberry marmalade, some candied raspberry jelly tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light funky notes of kombu kelp and a hint of floral aromatics. The wine feels youthful, focused and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of brambly blackberries, some primary blueberry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of fresh black raspberries and a touch of tart lingonberry. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity, whereas the tannins come across as very fine-grained and supple. The finish is lively, long and crunchy with a dry aftertaste of black raspberries, some blueberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light primary notes of blackberry marmalade and raspberry candies, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of meaty funk.
A wonderfully fresh and tasty Syrah that is still surprisingly primary and all too young for its own good. I was expecting a heftier, weightier and more fruit-forward Syrah, but to my delight, this turned out to be a remarkably bright, delicate and acid-driven effort that seems to nod deeply to the direction of Crozes-Hermitage and the likes. Seeing how remarkably primary the wine still is, after 4 years, I'd say this wine is built for the long haul. Most likely it needs to be at least 10 years old before it has moved on from its youthful phase, and probably many more years before it really starts to develop some tertiary complexity. Maybe still a bit linear and too primary at the moment, but this is nevertheless a fun and very drinkable Syrah with lots of upside.
(91 points) - 2006 Arcadian Syrah Hommage à Max - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (8.11.2023)
100% Syrah. 14,5% alcohol.
Dark, luminous and moderately translucent pomegranate red color with an almost colorless rim. The nose feels fragrant, expressive and moderately evolved with aromas of juicy dark berries, some floral notes of violets, light sweeter nuances of ripe black cherries, strawberries and blackberry juice, a little bit of developed gamey character, a distinctive earthy hint of something almost like Burgundian Pinosity, a touch of peppery spice and a whiff of smoke. The wine feels quite ripe, textural and moderately evolved on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and layered flavors of sweet blackberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of prunes, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of roasted game and a touch of ripe raspberry. The overall feel is quite resolved and silky with the high acidity and ample, ripe and gently grippy tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat grippy and moderately evolved with a long, richly flavored aftertaste of juicy blackberries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light gamey tones, hints of earth and old leather and a touch of wizened red fruits.
A beautiful, harmonious and wonderfully evolved Cali Syrah with so much depth with so many layers of flavors. Compared to the bottle we had a month earlier, this felt a bit more evolved and slightly more resolved with the tannins retaining somewhat less grip now. However, I'd say that the wine wasn't any less impressive despite its slightly softer, gentler structure - this is all about those rather ripe yet still wonderfully fresh and savory flavors, all wrapped around a surprisingly brisk acid core. While the previous bottle was still some way from its peak, I'd say this bottle was closer to its apogee. However, even if further evolution might be somewhat limited for this wine, it is still not going to fall apart anytime soon. Drink or keep. As said before: not the cheapest Syrah out there at 75€, but delivers for the price.
(94 points) - 2002 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Pickett Road Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (8.11.2023)
14,5% alcohol.
Dense, somewhat evolved and quite opaque blackish-red color with a developed maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, dark-toned and somewhat meaty with aromas of blueberries, some green minty tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light woody notes of savory oak spice along with subtle nuances of dill, a hint of balsamic VA, a toasty touch of sweet oak spice and a whiff of dried figs. The wine feels ripe, firm and juicy on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of blueberries and wizened dark fruits, some minty green tones, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light lifted nuances of balsamic VA and nail polish, a hint of wizened figs and a touch of cassis. The overall feel is quite muscular and tightly-knit with the rather high acidity and still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, somewhat grippy and quite juicy with a little bit of alcohol warmth and a long aftertaste of wizened dark fruits, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of dried figs, light balsamic notes of VA, faint green-toned hints of dill and crushed mint and a touch of cassis.
A rich, somewhat toasty and pleasantly evolved Petite Sirah. Unlike the bottle we tasted earlier this year, which was somewhat younger but noticeably more oaky and toasty in overall character, this bottle seemed more evolved but also less oaky with more emphasis on lovely, evolved savory complexity. Structurally this is still a very firm and quite tightly-knit wine and I don't see the wine softening up considerably in the near future. I guess there must be some bottle variation at this age, seeing how these two bottles were at quite different phases, but based on this more evolved bottle, the wine really seems to have benefited from aging. Although the oaky nuances still show, the toasty qualities do seem to have integrated quite well with the fruit and that fruit department, in turn, still retains quite a bit of life and vibrancy despite the age. This was a quite lovely effort rather close to its peak. Solid value at 29€.
(92 points) - 2008 Retro Cellars Petite Sirah Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (8.11.2023)
100% Petite Sirah from vineyards in Napa Valley. 14,5% alcohol.
Dense and quite opaque blackish red color with a still somewhat youthful blueish hue. The nose feels brooding, somewhat youthful and quite savory nose with aromas of crunchy crowberries and mulberries, some meaty tones, a little bit of elderberry juice, light charred smoky tones, a hint of licorice and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine feels quite youthful but also a bit anonymous on the palate with a full body intense flavors of ripe chokeberries and elderberries, some black raspberry tones, a little bit of licorice, light blueberry tones, a hint of sunny dark fruit and an evolved touch of gamey meat. The medium acidity comes across as quite soft, so the structure relies mostly on the still rather assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately grippy with a medium-long, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of blueberries, some licorice tones, a little bit of sunny plummy fruit, light evolved notes of wizened cherries, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of game.
A nice and enjoyably tannic Petite Sirah with some age. However, the wine is lacking in acidity to some degree and the overall feel is somewhat anonymous, coming across as just very generic Petite Sirah with very little of anything that would add interest. Most of the other Retro Petite Sirahs we tasted showed a bit more depth and character. Maybe a bit pricey for the quality at 33,50€.
(87 points) - 2007 Retro Cellars Petite Sirah Old Vine - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (8.11.2023)
100% Petite Sirah from multiple old-vine vineyards in Howell Mountain AVA. Aged for 30 months in French oak barrels. 14% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and slightly translucent maroon color with a pale blood-red rim. The nose feels surprisingly understated - even reticent - with somewhat evolved aromas of sweet dried dark berries, some pruney tones, a little bit of licorice root, light woody notes of savory oak spice and a hint of wizened black cherries. The wine feels rich, silky and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and slightly evolved flavors of wizened dark plums, some licorice tones, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of juicy black cherry and a touch of crunchy forest fruits. The overall feel shows nice sense of balance and structure with the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is rich, somewhat grippy and slightly sweet-toned with a long, ripe aftertaste of black cherries and dark plums, some licorice tones, light sweet spicy notes of toasty oak, a little bit of pruney fruit, a hint of wizened dark berries and a touch of fresh blackcurrant.
A pleasant, enjoyably structured and vibrant Petite Sirah with some nice aged complexity. Compared to the 2008 Retro Cellars Napa Petite Sirah, this wine showed more depth, complexity and better acidity, resulting in a more interesting wine. However, the overall feel was also a bit more underwhelming and maybe a tad too oaky for my preference. Nothing too overt, though - that amount of oak is still something that might disappear with additional aging. All in all, this was a nice wine that seems to have been evolving in the right direction, but still not really a bullseye. Most likely the wine will benefit from some additional aging - I'd say it can be kept for another 5-10 years.
(88 points) - 2013 Retro Cellars Petite Sirah Elevation - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (8.11.2023)
Some sources say this is a varietal Petite Sirah, others say this is a blend composed mainly of Petite Sirah with a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. 14,3% alcohol.
Dense, fully opaque black cherry color. The nose feels very open, ripe and sweet-toned with intense aromas of bilberries and elderberries, even blueberry pie, some dark plummy notes, a little bit of oaky vanilla and cloves, light inky tones, a hint of licorice, a touch of balsamic VA and a whiff of raisiny dried fruit. The wine feels dense, ripe and quite chewy yet dry on the palate with a moderately full body and intense flavors of dark plums and juicy blueberry-driven forest fruits, some dried dark berries, a little bit of toasty wood spice, light evolved notes of raisiny dark fruit and beef jerky, a hint of elderberry juice and a touch of inky character. The wine comes across as pretty muscular with its high acidity and rather ample and grippy tannins, yet the wine doesn't come across as particularly heavy or extracted. The finish is ripe, dense and quite grippy with some alcohol warmth and a dry aftertaste of juicy dark fruits, some wizened dark berries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light evolved notes of beef jerky and raisiny dried-fruit character, a hint of blueberry juice and a touch of vanilla oak.
A vibrant, wonderfully intense and enjoyably structured Petite Sirah. At 10 years of age, the wine is still very youthful, which - combined with the still somewhat noticeable oak aromatics - make the wine feel a bit glossy and anonymous. There is definitely a fine and deftly crafted wine somewhere underneath, but it is yet to reveal itself fully. However, seeing how the wine feels like it is built to age and it still comes across as pretty young, I'm pretty sure this wine will get only better with additional aging. Expect the score to go up as the wine ages.
(89 points) - 2015 Retro Cellars Petite Sirah Los Abuelos Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (8.11.2023)
A blend of Petite Sirah (85%) and Peloursin (15%) from a vineyard planted in 2004 or 2005 next to the Dunn winery building with cuttings from the old Park Muscatine Vineyard. 13,6% alcohol.
Youthful, opaque, purplish-black color. The nose feels youthful, rich and quite sunny with dark-toned, sweetly-fruited aromas of blueberries, some raisiny tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light black cherry tones, a somewhat stuffy hint of yeast and a touch of licorice root. The wine feels youthful, ripe and somewhat polished on the palate with a moderately full body and flavors of juicy forest fruits, some crunchy crowberries, a little bit of fresh black cherries, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a sweet hint of dark plums and a touch of yeast. The overall feel is still pretty tightly-knit with the high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, dense and quite grippy with medium-long flavors of dark plums and blueberries, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit fresh cherries, light yeasty notes, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a touch of licorice root.
An enjoyably fresh and structured Petite Sirah that comes across as otherwise somewhat unfocused and a bit yeasty. Although not a bad wine per se, the wine lacked the depth and purity seen in other Retro Cellars Petite Sirah wines we tasted at the same time. Especially the odd, yeasty notes did distract a little. Feels somewhat overpriced for the quality at 49€.
(86 points) - 2015 Retro Cellars Petite Sirah Old Vine Park Muscatine Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (8.11.2023)
I've understood this is mainly Petite Sirah with some Peloursin from the Coyote block in Park Muscatine Vineyard, originally planted in the 1890's, then replanted in the 1980's. Purchased by the Dunn family in 1991 and replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 2016, effectively making this the swansong vintage of this specific cuvée. 13,3% alcohol.
Almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a youthful purplish hue. The nose feels surprisingly reticent with dark-toned, sweetly-fruited aromas of juicy dark plums, some savory meaty notes, a little bit of smoky roasted character, light inky tones, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of licorice root. The wine feels dry, dense and a bit restrained on the palate with a moderately full body and clean, nuanced flavors of ripe dark plums, some brambly black raspberries, light woody tones, a little bit of licorice root, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of gravelly minerality. Although the wine doesn't feel extracted or heavy, the overall feel is still pretty stern and chewy with its high acidity and stern, assertive tannins. The finish is dry, clean and grippy with a long, somewhat restrained aftertaste of dark forest fruits, some ripe dark plums, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a brambly hint of fresh black raspberries and a touch of licorice root.
A surprisingly closed and restrained Retro Cellars Petite Sirah that opened up a little bit with some air, but never really came around during the evening. However, the overall style in this wine was still much better than in any other Retro Cellars Petite Sirah we tasted - although the aromas were pretty reticent and the flavors lacked a bit intensity, the fruit profile was wonderfully clean and precise; the overall feel was more fresh and savory rather than oaky and sweet; and the wine felt impressively structured yet not too tough or austere at any point. Definitely the most serious and ageworthy Retro Cellars wine we tasted. I want to believe we just opened the wine more than a decade too early and it will grow up into a fine old wine, if given enough time. At the moment the wine is pretty grumpy, but the pieces are definitely in there. Maybe a bit on the pricey side at 59€, at least at the moment, but perhaps with enough time the wine will be worth the price.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
