WTN: Dasher & Tigger

[David M. Bueker]

Opened two dramatically different wines on Friday with my folks.

2007 Dashe Zinfandel Potter Valley l'Enfant Terrible
I had tasted this blind only 10 days earlier and was not all that impressed. Well I guess I can say that I am still not impressed, but I think I sort of like the stuff in a Paul McCartney (insubstantial but catchy) sort of way. It smells like freshly crushed grapes and berries, has bright, unrestrained acidity & is all about ripe fruit grapiness on the palate. I bet it would make a hell of a sangria, but as a table wine it will get its ass kicked by a good Beaujolais. Drink up because it's only barely sulfured so longevity will not be its strong suit.

1997 Antinori Tignanello
As usual this spoke more of its Cabernet component that the Sangiovese, except for the satisfyingly elevated level of acidity that kept it food friendly and drinkable down to the last drop. There's not a lot of complexity, but there also a lack of oak or heat. It's drinking very well now, and I really do not see it going anywhere other than holding steady for a few years then beginning a slow decline. Quite tasty.

We had the '97 Tig among a group of Itialian wins on Sat. I would agree with your note excpet that I got some unintegrated wood. It wasn't obtrusive or detracting, but nonetheless there.

Bashe the Dashe...what are you some sort of anti-hipster?

Thanks for the update on the Tig. IIRC, there's one or two of these down in the pit.

'Winger

[David M. Bueker]

I think the Dashe became hip on the basis of its production methods. Actual tasting notes have been both lacking in quantity and praise.

I think the Dashe became hip on the basis of its production methods. Actual tasting notes have been both lacking in quantity and praise.

Any word from Dashe about what he thinks about the wine now that it is in bottle and settling down?

I know he posts on some of these boards.

[David M. Bueker]

I have not seen or heard anything.

And don't get me wrong - I generally love Dashe wines. This one just did not hit the spot for me.

I think the Dashe became hip on the basis of its production methods. Actual tasting notes have been both lacking in quantity and praise.

Any word from Dashe about what he thinks about the wine now that it is in bottle and settling down?

I know he posts on some of these boards.

I am not Mr. Dashe by any stretch of the imagination but since Traci and I live very close to their winery and drop in to visit them and JC Cellars from time to time, I'll chime in. I believe they made this originally for or on the recommendation of Charles Phan of The Slanted Door in SF. They wanted a red wine to put on their menu that would work well with their cuisine. So, the picked this a little earlier than normal, aged it in huge old wooden vats and bottled with very little to no sulfur. I've enjoyed the wine the 3-4 times I have had it. It tends to work well with Pizza and some spicier foods. It's definitely not the most complex wine in the world and I do wish it were more like $15 per bottle, which I feel is a fair price for it versus the $22-25 it seems to retail for, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.

I enjoy their other Zins (Louvau, Todd, etc.) and their Potter Valley Riesling can be pretty good - although i am not a huge fan of domestic Riesling

Actually aged in rather new foudre, but for only about 5 months. It was bottled mid-April '08. One sulfur addition, early on, and none at bottling, if I remember Mike's notes correctly. I found the wine quite enjoyable, especially fairly soon after bottling. Hope to try it again sometime soon.

[David M. Bueker]

It worked ok with our burgers. Pizza might be what it is looking for.

I recently drank a bottle of the 2006 Louvau and loved it (note buried somewhere around here).

I believe they made this originally for or on the recommendation of Charles Phan of The Slanted Door in SF.

Mark Ellenbogen, SD's wine director, actually, who by his own account had been in long discussion with Mike and Anne Dashe.

Mark Lipton