I’ve had both those Ludes very recently and agree with your observations. Just something missing. Was hoping for more intensity. They seemed over the hill a bit
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2013 Spottswoode Lyndenhurst. Tannins have resolved from the big 13 vintage. Fruit is still a little dark with a 3 hour decant and then an hour or two in the glass.
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1997 V. Sattui Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
I took a chance on this on Wine Bid and I am glad I did. Opened with my Durand and the cork came out in one piece with only 1/4" of the cork soaked. Poured through strainer into decanter.
Still had primary fruit, but there were plenty of tertiary aromas as well. Cherries, mushrooms, and cedar on the nose with cherry cough syrup, tobacco, graphite, pepper, and a hint of caramel on the palate. Had a nice acid streak that gave it some lift along with a slight tanni cgrip that gave a nice texture through the long finish.
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My pilgrimage through the landscape of French viticulture continues with another vintage of Château Pontet-Canet. I previously tasted the 2006 vintage, and though I enjoyed it, the 2019 provides an entirely different tasting experience that very closely matches my conceptual ideal of what a Bordeaux should be.
The 2019 Pontet-Canet bursts with black currant, plum, and dark chocolate. Notes of tobacco and cedar gently penetrate the base of dark fruit in the long finish. The wine possesses an uncanny lightness on the palate despite exhibiting intense, rich flavors. Interestingly, this wine’s most unique aspect may be how it effortlessly navigates this apparent contradiction. The tannins are slightly sharp and decoupled, but I’m not surprised, given the youth of this vintage. Given a decade in the cellar, the 2019 Pontet-Canet may be close to perfect.
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Awesome note! And i agree, this is a great wine that will obviously improve significantly in the years to come.
Funny thing is, a recent TN called the wine ‘watery and thin’!?!? Definitely not what was in my glass the couple times that i drank it.
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My guess is the other taster may have found that lightness on the palate that I described offputting. It may be a difference of stylistic preference, but I don’t find it thin given the intense flavors and that the actual viscosity in the glass is good. It’s more of a perceived trait of the wine. It actually made the wine less tiring on the palate than it may have otherwise been.
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Blast from the past, first winery that I ever visited!
I think around 1991.
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I’m glad I was able to refresh some memories. 1991 Napa Valley was a lot different than today! I wish I could have seen it. I graduated high school in ‘91 and didn’t start my wine journey until 2007.
I was a law clerk in San Fran, went to Napa every 2-3 weekends. A fantastic summer. Was around 23 or so years old.
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2021 Arnot-Roberts Zinfandel Kirschenmann Vineyard Mokelumne River
The vines here were first planted in 1915, predominantly Zin with a little Carignan, Cinsault, and Mondeuse mixed in. The vineyard is sandy, owned and dry farmed by Tegan Passalacqua of Sandlands fame.
I really enjoyed this bottle. My best way of describing this would be a Zin for lovers of Loire Cab franc. There’s a mix of dusty zinberry fruit and something green like dried herbs, maybe from whole cluster. There’s good acidity for a Lodi Zin, and the wine feels a bit fresher and lighter then a typical California Zinfandel. The abv is listed at 13.5%. It went great with grilled burgers topped with roasted Hatch chili peppers. Pretty unusual for a Zin and probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. If you like Arnot-Roberts style I’d recommend trying this to see what they do with Zin from this old vineyard.
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Didn’t taste like Gamay at all. Dry herbs, more herbs, moss, forest floor and a very slight touch of TCA. Muted to nonexistent fruit. The color is amazing; deep and dark as I’d expect from a young Beaujolais. This one is not young. Not sure what to make of it - flawed or showing as expected for the vintage. Only have one random bottle, so nothing to compare it to.
Went well with ratatouille.
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Thanks for the thoughts and comments Brad and Dennis. The 08’s, and most of my wines, are helped by some air (or a lot of air). Storing the wine standing neck side up can help give it small bits of air over a long period…the best option if it’s possible, usually it isn’t tho. I do my best to give them standing up time prior to shipping, but it’s hard to give them enough.
I just opened a 2011 Nash Mill Pinot to have tomorrow at a blind tasting group. Hope it opens up properly in time! The aromatics reminds me of a good Nebbiolo.
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Just decanted a 2003 Shafer Hillside Cab to have with dinner in a couple of hours.
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A lot of good wine. But the standout was the 2009 Mugnier. As close as I have been to a wow moment from a Burgundy.
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I’ve never had a Thivin older than a 2017, but if I tried a 2015 and got a touch of TCA, I’d assume it’s a bad bottle.
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It could be flawed, but based on comments in another thread, the 2015s don’t seem to be aging well.
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Top notch line up, I would trim the edges though. Nice Louis Poulsen lamps too.
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