WTN: The craziest wine I've ever tasted

From a Cote-Rotie dinner in NY (full notes will follow soon). Robert Dentice brought a couple of Scholium Project whites to start the evening, and this one left my head spinning.

2008 Scholium Project Naucratis Lost Slough Vineyards from California, apparently all Verdelho.
This is just absurd. Absolutely crazy nose with a ton of honeydew melon, tropical fruit and bright floral notes with an intense minerality that makes you wonder whether a rock quarry somehow got put through the press along with the grapes. Explosive fruit flavours on the palate with an intensity and power that brings Zind-Humbrecht to mind and an incredible dynamic mouthfeel that's liquid velvet for the first few sips before the minerality suddenly kicks in to the point that it feels more solid than liquid with shards of metal and rocks grinding in the back of the mouth. Finishes very long with perfect balance - pretty much everyone at the table was shocked to see the label and find out this is 16.3% alcohol! A really amazing, unique experience.

After the Cote-Roties we returned to this wine and it had changed considerably with the fruit taking a back seat and the metal/rock/other mineral flavours dominating even more, particularly on the aromatics - both Robert and I commented that the nose was more reminiscent of a Smaragd from Austria. Unbelievable wine (and best of all the price is in the $20 range - this is something I really need to hunt down, lack of cellar space be damned).

I tasted an enomatic pour of this last month in NY and had a very different experience in terms of intensity (much less explosive), but was intrigued enough by the complexity and originality (not to mention price) to pick up a bottle to bring down to Brazil. My only gripe was insufficient acidity for the fruit.

was intrigued enough by the complexity and originality (not to mention price)..

Especially because I believe many of his other wines are so expensive, no?

[David M. Bueker]

Scholium wines are by no means price leaders. They are not cheap, but in context I would not call them expensive.

was intrigued enough by the complexity and originality (not to mention price)..

Especially because I believe many of his other wines are so expensive, no?

Yes, it seemed like an inexpensive way to gain a glimpse into an expensive club, though David's comment about price-to-quality being reasonable may very well hold true if this is any indication of quality. I just hope the acidity is there, though.

It's my understanding that elevage involves no topping or racking. Can anyone confirm if this is accurate and if it involves all the wines under the label?

[David M. Bueker]

Gregg,

Based on the following quote (from the winery) I think that's not quite the case (though it could be in some cases):

"...undisturbed elevation of the wine in barrel. No sulfur is added in barrel, the wines are topped seldom, and they remain in barrel until they develop a ripeness that is peculiar to wine, not fruit."

Thanks David. Sounds like recipe for disaster, though I guess they have some success. The whites seem to be something I'd like to try.

Got to love Abe Schoener. Here's a winemaker who really does march to the beat of his own drum...even when it leads him over a cliff.

It's my understanding that elevage involves no topping or racking. Can anyone confirm if this is accurate and if it involves all the wines under the label?

This particular wine (2008 Naucratis) is made slightly different than the other wines as it is a lower price point and intended to be drunk young. I think Abe uses a small amount of S02 to retain the freshness and to prevent oxidation. I don't know if it is topped but my guess is given the color and overall profile that it is topped. Abe does not top or rack some of his other wines (both white and reds) and this creates for some crazy twists and turns in the winery - some wines have to be discarded and some go through weird stages and then emerge later as stunning wines.

Hey Robert,

Thanks for posting (and for bringing the wine during the tasting).

One thing that struck me about this wine was the aromatics. It's one, if the the most, aromatic U.S.-made white wine that I ever had. This rich wine also had a note of salt taffy, especially near the finish.

Ramon

[David M. Bueker]

Welcome Robert. Thanks for the details. I have one bottle of the 2007 Naucratis & I guess I will put it in the drinking queue. I also have one bottle of the 2005 Tenbrink Red. Any thoughts on that one?

Welcome Robert. Thanks for the details. I have one bottle of the 2007 Naucratis & I guess I will put it in the drinking queue. I also have one bottle of the 2005 Tenbrink Red. Any thoughts on that one?

Thanks for the welcome. The 05 Babylon - Tenbrink Vineyards is a very big wine that can age 10+ years. It is approachable now with a very long decant. My guess is that it will be much better in 2-3 more years and will continue to evolve.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Robert. Hope to share a glass with you some time soon.