Firing on all cylinders at 15 years of age. Youthful pale yellow. This is a wonderful masterpiece of saline briney citrusy goodness. Very mineral and chewy and tactile. Shows the warmer riper 2009 vintage in the fruit profile but still retains its Chablis essence. Glorious bottle of wine
10 Likes
2016 Novy Zinfandel | Carlisle Vineyard
Has developed nicely with some time in the bottle.
In great shape. Lovely ripe fruits, house briar and resolving, spherical palate. Opened by Christine hence some bark floating in the bottle.
3 Likes
Over the last few nights did two 2014s:
2014 Bedrock Monte Rosso Zin: In amazing shape, still has acid to hold it together, with the fruit taking more of dried fruit note. My first zin close to this age and was impressed.
2014 Domaine de Pegau CDP Cuvee Reserve: This one is showing its age. Some bricking, tasted a bit stewed. Iâm good with savory but it was also a little tired.
2 Likes
Doesnât get much better than Grand Cru Rav with proper bottle age - nice work!
1 Like
Family member opened this on Thanksgiving while the âWine of the Nightâ was decanting (a 2011 Caymus that was horribly oxidized).
I ended up enjoying the Obsidian insteadâŚwith a short decant, really balanced and lovely. I donât drink a lot of Napa cab but thought this showed well, esp for the price.
1 Like
The âtrickâ I mentioned was according to the winery president. He may have exaggerated how much their vineyard has changed in the last few decades. In any case, their vineyards The obsidian vineyards are at 2640 ft elevation, which is ~500 ft higher than most of the higher places in Napa. That shift in elevation alone should make for a ~1.3 deg C difference year round (assuming a standard lapse rate).
Like wearing a Merino Possum jersey. Smooth, silky, soft but very lovely. Full of ripe dark plums and iron earth. Tannins are fully resolved. This is flat out delicious and at peak. Yum
6 Likes
Domaine de la Planta Viognier
Served blind by a Swiss buddy. My exact words were: âIâm stumped, this canât be Viognier because of the acidity so I donât know what this isâ. Itâs Swiss Viognier. Thatâs what this is. Peach, almond and white flowers on the nose. Round, flavorful and with a mid-palate that fits the âflatnessâ I canât from Viognier but then it finishes with bright citrusy acidity. I guess thatâs what the Geneva climate and soil provides. Bottled in 70cl.
We had the Gamay from the same winery after this (blind again) and my exact words were âthis feels like Gamay but itâs probably Swiss⌠Gamaret?â. Nope, Gamay. No picture but I enjoyed the mouthfeel on this wine because of the fine powdery tannins. Iâm not gonna rush out and buy some but this was enjoyable with a non-spicy chicken, chick peas and spinach curry.
Iâve got a 94 on tap to be opened on the 31st.
1 Like
Good stuff! 1996 and 1994 are within the top rung of my Pontet Canet favorites.
2 Likes
This is a truly gorgeous wine
Ugh. 2010 Baudry Les Grezeaux. Slightly corked. Enough to annoy, not enough to mask what is a quality wine. Moved on as I still have a lot of this wine, opened a Monday sure shot: 2014 Lanessan.
And the 14 Lanessan? Tasty? Still young and vigorous?
Too bad about that 2010 Baudry Grezeaux. Would have been interesting data point.
Iâm having a 2010 Guillot pulled from the remote storage for drinking soon
A great Pomerol estate with a great wine in a monster Right Bank vintage.
Iâm still digging it!
A grab from the cellar from the winebox labeled IT.
Brancaia Ilatraia 2012
40% Petit Verdot, CS, CF
Dark berries, spice, sweet wood, leather, a whiff of menthol. Tannins mostly absorbed, hardly any acidity. There is nothing wrong with this, but also nothing distinctive either. Polished, feels somehow soulless and interchangeable. The only intriguing thing is the glass color: brown or green container?
2 Likes