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WTN: A bunch of notes from Summer 2012 that deserve posting

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Ryan M

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WTN: A bunch of notes from Summer 2012 that deserve posting

by Ryan M » Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:28 am

Given how bloody busy I was in 2012, I think I did a pretty good job of keeping up with taking and posting notes, but there were bunch of nice wine dinners and tasting with friends over the summer that I didn't quite get around to typing up. So here they are, finally. There are lot of outstanding wines in here, and I wanted to share them, even if it took me 6 months to get around to it.

From a wine dinner with close friends:

Domaines Barons de Rothschild, Reserve Speciale, Pauillac 2001
Tasted twice from half bottle. First bottle pleasant but seemingly several years past its peak. Second bottle much better. Medium ruby/garnet. Excellent Pauillac nose of black fruits, leather, and pencil lead, with glycerin and floral notes. Similar on the palate, with dark berries and currants. Lovely, succulent fruit, with a great finish. A lovely mature Bordeaux, and distinctly Pauillac. Special wine. 3 Stars [4/28/12]

Quenett, Nirvana, Columbia Valley (Oregon) 2010
Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc, Semillon, and Viognier. Nose of nectar and mineral. On the palate, apricot, citrus rind, and mineral. Ripe fruit, and good aromatics. Good stuff. 3 Stars [4/28/12]

Vincent Arroyo, Petite Sirah, Winemaker's Reserve, Napa Valley 2003
Dark ruby/purple. Awesome Napa nose, with blackberry, cassis, tobacco, leather, and earth, orange rind, roses, glycerin; awesome aromatics - wow! Similar on the palate, with intense dark berry, cassis, blueberry fruits, lots of orange rind, and iron filings, all with italianate acidity. Awesome intensity, palate penetrating, with ripe fruit, but great balance. Wow! Love it just as much as my first experience 3 years ago. Showing maturity, but with 15 years ahead. 4.5 Stars [4/28/12]

Leone de Castris, Riserva, Salice Salentino 2008
Dark berries, orange rind, a bit of plum, roses, and barnyard, with lovely, earthy body. Pungent, aromatic, and rather exotic. Great stuff - I love it. 3 Stars [4/28/12]

Sichel, Sauternes 2005
From 500ml. Not at all expressive and rather modest on day one. Coming back to it on day three, a classic albeit low key Sauternes nose of apricot, pineapple, nectar, honey, barley sugar, mineral, mace/nutmeg, and candied orange peel; a really good nose actually, with some depth. Similarly low key on the palate, but there is respectable richness and density, with apricot and pineapple, nice barey sugar/honey, creamy 2005 mineral, and a nice acid core. Nectary. Definitely some boytritis influence. Decent structure and presence; quite a good Sauternes actually, though the style is modest. Should last for another 5 years or more, and develop some nice burnish. 3 Stars [4/28/12]

With my dissertation advisor:

Domaine du Pegau, Cuvee Reservee, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006
Decanted a couple of hours. Exceptional nose of black olive, cocoa powder, currant, earthy mineral, herbs, and mushrooms; rather captivating nose. On the palate, similar notes plus black raspberry, and some tar, with nice earthy depth and spice. Rather light in body at this stage, but with good fruit density. Very young still, and I expect has a lot more to offer. 10 - 15 years ahead. 4 Star Potential. [5/12]

A Petite Sirah tasting with the wine manager of the local gourmet store:

Earthquake, Petite Sirah, Lodi 2005
Deep ruby red. On the nose, excellent, dense, rich, dark berries, with very nice overtones of tart red fruit providing tone; nice earthiness and tobacco (rather like Napa), and extraordinary aromatics of flowers, and euchalyptus/menthol; an extraordinary nose. Similar on the palate, with dark, ripe berries, a bit of orange rind and plum tomato - rather italianate - and grapey tones. Softer notes of strawberry emerge as it opens, and the the jamminess subsides. The 15.5% alcohol does come through a little bit. The intensity is remarkable and palate staining. 5 years more, possibly up to 10 depending on your preferences. 3.5 Stars [6/6/12]

Vincent Arroyo, Petite Sirah, Rattlesnake Acres, Napa Valley 2005
Dark red/purple. Dense but low key nose of dark berry, dark cherry, cassis, a whiff of sweet tobacco, herbs, earth, and iron ore; excellent depth and distinction to the nose - love it! On the palate, dark, cool fruit, but lovely and juicy, with some black grapeskin and tar, a bit of citrus rind, loads of black pepper, licorice, anise, and little bit of cumin. Lighter than some Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirahs, but with wonderful flesh, aromatics, and tone. 5 more years. 3.5 Stars [6/6/12]

Girard, Petite Sirah, Napa Valley 2009
Dark purple/red. Good nose, with dark fruits, blueberry providing nice tone, a touch of cassis, earth, tobacco leaf, iron, orange rind, and plum tomato. Similar on the palate, with excellent density and minerality. Opens nicely. Excellent character here. Drink now or in the next 5 years. 3 Stars [6/6/12]

Drinking Champagne with my dissertation advisor:

Gosset, Brut Excellence, Champagne NV
Excellent nose. On the nose and palate, a personality of rich citrus rind, ripe green apple, apricot, raspberry, stone/mineral, a hint of nectar, and some mature notes, Delightful purity. Wonderful richness and depth emerge as it opens. 3.5 Stars. [6/13/12]

Gosset, Grand Reserve Brut, Champagne NV
Outstanding nose, with wonderful depth of raspberries and honey. On the palate, red apple, stone fruit, nectar, white peach, apricot, white raspberry, yeasty generous mineral/stone, and honey. Not so much better than the Brut Excellence as different in style, but it certainly has more depth. 3.5 Stars [6/13/12]

Simi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2008
Dark purple. Really good but low key nose, with depth and aromatics. Lots of juicy black raspberry on the palate, with perhaps a hint of cranberry, wonderful currant and plum, orangey acidity, floral notes, tobacco leaf / sweet green notes, cedar, spice, and vanilla. Excellent body. An elegant, classical Cab. The balance is such that it can go another 10 to maybe 15 years. This is my kind of Cab! Great value too. 3.5 Stars [6/19/12]

The last evening with my dissertation advisor before he left for vacation:

Avanthia, Godello, Valdeorras 2009
Semi-dry. Ripe, sweet fruit, with pomes, pineapple, tangerine, bitter citrus rind, nectar, and savory herbs. A nice acid zing keeps it all in balance. 3 Stars. [6/23/12]

Domenico Clerico, Ciabet Mentin Ginestra, Barolo 2004
Medium dark ruby, going to orange at the rim. Outstanding, dense Nebbiolo nose of chocolate, leather, mushroom, cherry, ripe blackberry, plum, a hint of citrus, and aromatic, floral notes. What a nose! Identical notes on the palate, with lots of nice mineral. Ripe and juicy. Young and primary still, but with fabulous potential. Give it 10 years, and it will probably last for 10 years after that. This is relatively modern in style, but extremely impressive, and might be the best Italian I've had. 5 Stars. [6/23/12]

And the last big dinner with close friends:

Stag's Leap, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2009
Sweet, buttery, and aromatic. Notes of cantaloupe, pineapple, citrus, kiwi, gooseberry, and tropical fruits. Wonderful texture, and good acid balance. This is a very different take on Sauv Blanc, but well done. 3 Stars. [7/4/12]

O'Brien, Merlot, Napa Valley 2009
Tobacco, violets/roses, juicy dark cherry, blackberry, black currant, and some pleasantly tart hints of red fruit. Slightly jammy, but juicy and balanced. Delicious. Will last 15 more years. 3.5 Stars [7/4/12]

L'Ecole 41, Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla 2008
Blackberry, cassis, and tart red fruit, with tobacco and sweet green notes, some hints of chocolate/coffee, floral notes, all with orangey acidity and savory, succulent undertones. Aromatic, with wonderful body. 10 years ahead. 3.5 Stars [7/4/12]

Del Dotto, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena Mountain, Block 2, Napa Valley 2008
On the nose, tobacco leaf, floral notes, hints of leathery earth, and a hint of orange rind. On the palate, dark, dense, juicy blackberry and blueberry, with some nice hints of stoney mineral and oak, and some orange rind. Dense and intense in body, but with Old World balance. Wonderful. 10 more years. [7/4/12]
Last edited by Ryan M on Sun Feb 17, 2013 3:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"The sun, with all those planets revolving about it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else to do"
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Bob Parsons Alberta

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Re: WTN: A bunch of notes from Summer 2012 that deserve posting

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:24 am

Bravo, Jenise should see your notes on PS!
Buttery Sauvignon Blanc...lordy, good golly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqHQqb5ot74

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