Brought '22 Anne to NYC February 11 - Noel’s send-off party: Great American Wine - Event Planner - Online or Offline - WineBerserkers.
This time, found it shut down and we ran it through the whole evening. Maybe entering a sleepy phase. Curious for other recent impressions, though, regardless, I do plan to let my last 3 sit for a while.
A different evening, popped '23 Verte PN and was in a very good spot: Red fruit and berry. Some earth and good acid.
Working my way through the BD16 Chardonnay exploration 6pack over the last couple weekends.
2022 Sojeau Chard - Fine, not a repurchase for me. Not a ton of reduction. Generally just a little flat and came across not as flabby per se but just not very bright or precise.
2022 Freedom Hill Chard - Excellent, really compelling, would buy more if I could find them easily. About the max level of flint/steel/toasted sesame reduction that I personally would want before calling it a flaw or something that needs a lot of time to settle down, but it stays just below that level. Loads of citrus aromatics incl. tangerine and lime peel, some graham cracker, minerally, electric, dense, bright. This seems like it has a long life ahead of it.
The Freedom Hill bottlings in recent years (‘21, ‘22) have been very high reduction, with 2023 being a touch lower. I love them, and find your tasting notes to be spot on for me.
Sojeau is a curious wine. I agree there’s less reduction, but what I’ve found with that site is that it really benefits from a lot of air. It can get pretty tightly wound, and on pop and pour may seem like it’s not giving much. But, give it a day and it evolves to show an awesome mineral side with much more giving aromatics. I love it, personally, but can see how it might not show great for some depending on situation.
Just got my Wolfpack shipment. Any thoughts on the ‘23s that are drinking well early?
Almost all of the whites were performing extremely well in my opinion. I like x-novo better with a few years on it to fill out the middle, but I also thought it was outstanding when I tasted through all the ‘23 SVDs. The reds I’d put down for a few years at least, but they’re still pretty great young (just very fruity and primary right now).
We followed up the 2023 La Combe Verte with the same from 2021. Less reduction, more concentration. Another excellent wine, though I think I preferred the 2023.
Ironically did the same two last night ('21 and '21 La Combe Verte Chardonnay). Liked both, preferred '23.
These chards are so good I got to experience one for the first time (see pic), the layers of flavor and aromas were so crazy good, overdelivers for the price. I’m hooked.
Popped the 23 Witness Tree tonight. First year as a SVD for Walter Scott I believe, so I have been excited to try this. Overall a great wine. Planned on an hour decant but turned into 2 with toddler struggles. Likely for the the best for the wine. Out of the gates this had the vivid lemon lime note that I have come to recognize from top Eola sites. Really great crushed rock mineral note. Oak was a touch clunky and reduction notes there but not nearly what other WS can have, especially at this age. Right at hour 3 this transformed into a really great and cohesive wine. Everything really in balance. Quite impressed and will definitely grab a few more
Plan on popping a 22 xnovo tonight.
Post notes!
I might open up the X-Novo Aligote tonight
I opened a ‘23 aligote a couple weeks ago. Fun wine. Well made (as you’d expect), but it didn’t wow me quite the same way the SVD chards often do. Still very enjoyable though.
Great to hear it drank well. Just received my BD pack a few days ago. Never had WS before so excited to try some bottles in the coming weeks!
The ‘23 X-Novo Aligote is a really nice wine. A little reductive on opening and definitely improved with air. I’d love to compare this with other top aligotes and see what happens. Otherwise, well made, fun to drink and not meant to be taken too seriously.
2022 Hyland Chardonnay is excellent. Fancy reduction but it remains in check, mostly in the toasted sesame vein. Limestone and salt minerality, lime and tangerine peel, lemon pith, dense and long.
I had the ‘19 aligote last week and ‘fun to drink’ is a perfect summation of the wine - light, bright, and still very fresh. I wish I had more!
We had the '18 Rock Salt from an old Berserker Day offering last night. It’s starting to open up and show really well now, especially with a little air. I’m glad I have a couple of bottles left, I’ll probably wait a year or two for the next one.
Opened a 22 Xnovo 2 nights ago. Great wine, no doubt. I did like the 22 Koosah better at this point, but I’m sure the Xnovo will continue to get better.
Opened my second to last 2020 Walter Scott Chardonnay Cuvee Anne last night. Reduction, lemons, oak, rich, and concentrated. A bit spoofy, but excellent. Certainly to best 2020 Oregon Chardonnay I’ve had (edges out Goodfellow Durant).
