1. ForlornHope TheFaufreluches GWT HillFamilyVnyd/RRV (13.02%; 27 cs; 2 wk fermentation on the
skins; 24 cs) Fairfield 2011: Deep golden/burnished bronze/bit orangey color; quite honeyed bit lychee/GWT/hair oil/perfumed/spicy some phenolic/resiny/skin-contact bit Zwieback/graham cracker quite complex lovely nose; fairly tart/bit tannic quite honeyed/honeycomb fairly rich/lush/angular some skin-contact/phenolic/resiny some GWT/hair oil/lychee rather exotic quite complex flavor w/ light brisk tannins; very long/lingering quite honeyed/honeycomb some phenolic/resiny/skin-contact slight bitter/astringent some lychee/GWT/hair oil slight earthy totally dry quite complex finish; the lychee/GWT starting to come out and showing lots of honeycomb character; a beautiful skin-contact white that's just starting to show some evolution. $24.00
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2. ForlornHope MilAmores DewittVnyd/AmadorCnty RW (14.5%; TourigaNacional/TintaRoriz/TintaCao/TintaAmarella;
96 cs; 52 cs) 2008: Very dark color; strong blackberry/grapey/briary/young Port/boysenberry/bit licorice/peppery/spicy slight toasty/oak slight alcoholic beautiful nose; soft slight alcoholic very strong grapey/plummy/licorice/briary bit young Port-like/grapey light toasty/pungent/oak some complex flavor w/ light smooth/ripe tannins; very long/lingering ripe/grapey/plummy/licorice/briary/boysenberry slight chocolaty bit earthy light toasty/oak some complex finish w/ modest ripe/soft tannins; an excellent example of a Duoro/dry red w/ a bit of Amador briary character; maybe starting to dry out slightly but a beautiful/mature red at a great price. $25.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. My TN from first tasting these two wines:
Tom/Oct2012 wrote:5. ForlornHope TheFaufreluches GWT HillFamilyVnyd/RRV (13.02%; 27 cs; 2 wk fermentation on the
skins; 24 cs) 2011: Dark gold/burnished bronze color; strong orangey/orange peel bit pungent/smokey quite
spicy very intense/very unusual/very non-GWT complex nose; slightly bitter/savory intense orangey/orange
peel/apple peel powerful/spicy/orangey bit off-dry(?) strange savory/phenolic/somewhat bitter flavor; very
long intense orangey/orange peel bit bitter/savory/phenolic slight piney/resiny; a rather strange/powerful/
mesmerizing wine that has no hints of GWT character as we know it. $24.00
I recall this wine being pretty austere/hard on the palate. It seems to be evolving into a pretty exotic wine w/ more of the GWT character starting to come out. It reminded me a lot of the recent Batic Angel from the VipavaVlly, w/ a nice balance between fruit and phenolic character. Needs to be served at cool room temperature and w/ food.
Tom wrote:7. ForlornHope MilAmores DewittVnyd/AmadorCnty RW (14.5%; TourigaNacional/TintaRoriz/TintaCao/TintaAmarella;
96 cs; 52 cs) 2008: Dark color; very intense plummy/chocolaty/Porto-like some toasty/smokey/oak ripe/lush
slight earthy/briary nose; bit tart structured/tannic boysenberry/ripe/chocolaty/DuoroRed-like bit toasty/oak
flavor w/ ample tannins; very long ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/chocolaty/chocolate wafer some toasty/charred/
oak finish w/ ample tannins; a powerful/structured red that needs 4-10 yrs; some like the Quinta de Crasto
red; a steal at $25.00
The tannins seem to have pretty much resolved in this wine & it's evolved into a lovely mature red.
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2. Zwieback: Does anyone remember Nabisco Zwieback Teething biscuits?? No longer being made. I remember I was tasked to sit at my little brother & sister's high chair when my Mom would give them these teething biscuits to gnaw on & relieve teething pains, making sure they didn't choke on them. They would chew on them until they became a gummy mess, smearing it all over their faces and the high chair tray. Sometimes there would be barf involved. The smell of Zwieback biscuits and kid slobber was very distinctive and something I found in this F-H GWT. Nice trip down memory lane.
Tom