2002 ESJ "The Shadow"

I stopped down at the local shop today and sipped a few offerings. During the course of some convoluted conversion the wine guru mentioned the the 2002 Shadow was not showing well and I think he even said it was OTH. That seemed perverse to me, so I decided to open a bottle with some Hungarian Goulash this cold Indiana evening. A wonderful match BTW.
I decanted for 3 hours. Initially there were notes of spice/cinnamon and menthol, although I think the menthol just might have been the remnant of Bengay that I had recently lathered on my aching back. Continued to improve and complimented the meal. Balanced and food friendly, lingering finish...what a deal at ~$12.
I think the wine guru has been sipping wine from 16 oz. beer cups for too long.
BP

I stopped down at the local shop today and sipped a few offerings. During the course of some convoluted conversion the wine guru mentioned the the 2002 Shadow was not showing well and I think he even said it was OTH.

Bill,

Did you happen to pick it up at the Clearwater Crossing store? The guy there told me that it was "too funky" for his taste. I bought a bottle anyway, and will probably drink it in the spring.

Did you happen to pick it up at the Clearwater Crossing store? The guy there told me that it was "too funky" for his taste. I bought a bottle anyway, and will probably drink it in the spring.

Sam,
Did you get Clearwater Crossing mixed-up with West Clay Terr.? I purchased at the same chain as West Clay, but a different store. As far as funk, I never did get any, even when I initially popped the cork. I'm not the best person to ask about funk as I "dig" it. However, NJ who dislikes funk and aroma's of dead things in her wine, made no mention of it and enjoyed the wine as much as I did.
Suggestion: Try your bottle sooner than later. If you like it, there still will be some available in this market. IIRC, the BAWS only bought 10 cases of this. BTW, I also picked-up another couple of bottles of the 2001 ESJ Los Robles Viejos..I think I'm developing an addition to ESJ and the LRV in particular.
Bill

Far from being OTH, I found the wine tight and in need of more time......
An example we tried a few months back was a brick until about the two hour mark, when it unfolded in a beautiful way.
I say hold 'em.

Did you get Clearwater Crossing mixed-up with West Clay Terr.?

Oops! Yes, I did. At the price point I will go ahead and try one now then buy anothe bottle to hold. I think I will give it the Audouze treatment before drinking and see how it opens up.

Thanks,

the wine guru mentioned the the 2002 Shadow was not showing well and I think he even said it was OTH.

I hope this wine guru is not selling the wine. Certainly would be doing it no favors.

During the course of some convoluted conversion the wine guru mentioned the the 2002 Shadow was not showing well and I think he even said it was OTH.

Well, at least you have this guy calibrated...

Rashaan and Wm,
I have spent many Saturday mornings slurping wine with Wine Guru and for the most part he has a pretty good palate although he tends toward power over finesse, or at least more so than I do. I think he just got this wine wrong...bottle variation, too many drugs the night before, whatever and I will call him this week and tell him so. He generally pops the cork and tastes, seldom, if ever decanting. Therein lies the problem as this wine needs some serious air at this stage. Plus, he does actually taste out of 16 oz. plastic beer cups.
He does sell ESJ, and in fact the chain is the sole retailer of ESJ in the state..I was happy I could hook the store up with Steve to get some of his wines here. They've moved a good deal of it over the past 2 or 3 months and supposedly will be putting together a "spring order" with Steve shortly.
Best, BP

He does sell ESJ, and in fact the chain is the sole retailer of ESJ in the state..I was happy I could hook the store up with Steve to get some of his wines here. They've moved a good deal of it over the past 2 or 3 months and supposedly will be putting together a "spring order" with Steve shortly.
Best, BP

Sounds good. Having a different palate and not necessarily being fond of the wine style is one thing.

But telling customers it is OTH is another.

Far from being OTH, I found the wine tight and in need of more time......
An example we tried a few months back was a brick until about the two hour mark, when it unfolded in a beautiful way.
I say hold 'em.

Encouraging news!!! I have 9 of these in the cellar. Would have been hard-pressed to come up with 9 matching dinner menus in the near future!

I think the wine guru has been sipping wine from 16 oz. beer cups for too long.
BP

You need a new wine guru. I had this wine two weekends ago and found it quite typical of Steve's wines, tight early and in need of time. May not quite be up to a '01 Wylie but time will tell. Great price and I am going to get some more.

Walt

[Jenise]

Sounds like the guru was drinking a cooked bottle.

Sounds like the guru was drinking a cooked bottle.

Jenise,
Could have been, stranger things have happened.
Guru has taken a lot of "heat" about his palate here. I'm sure glad I have never missed a call on a bottle. I didn't drink from the same bottle he did, and as far as I can tell no one else here did so either. I can, and will, report back to him that I'm confident the wine is not OTH.
BP