Despite a four hour decant, this still needed more time. After a few hours more in the glass, it really started to open up. Ruby in color. Gorgeous nose of cherries, slight dried cherries, rose and slight tar. Firm tannins. The palate has depth with layers of cherries and some forest floor. Great acidity. Long finish. Plenty of upside here. Hold for a few more years.
From a 375ml bottle. This was very impressive. Drinking very well. Deep golden in color. The nose has honey and burnt orange peel. On the palate, this is sweet not cloying. Thick and unctuouos with good acidity. The burnt orange notes continue on the palate, also apricots and slight honey. Long finish. Impressive.
What can you say about d'Yquem? An amazing wine. The nose has honey and crem brulee. Unctuous. Sweet not cloying. THe honey and crem brulee continue thru to the palate. A slight burnt note which I enjoy. A finish that goes on forever. Gorgeous wine.
As to be expected, this is quite young and tight. Yet, the nose is so precise it should develop beautifully. Black raspberries, black pepper, roasted meats and violets. On the palate, this took some time to open. Vigorous tannins. Black raspberry fruit tightly packed. Deep. Long finish. Don't open for a few years without a long decant.
My favorite of the 12, 13 and 14 trio of these wines (though all are good). This also seems to be the one with the most upside potential. Inky purple in color. The nose is dusty with black raspberries, black pepper and slightly roasted meats. On the palate this is flat out delicious. Deep with black raspberries, black cherries, juicy acidity and some chocolate. Long finish. Tightly packed it explodes in the glass. Great wine.
Inky purple in color. The nose has cedar, black raspberries and black pepper. On the palate, jammy black raspberries with some black cherries and chocolate. Good acidity. This is a very rich and open Syrah but still quite young. it will be interesting to see how these develop with ten or twenty years on them. I think they will be just fine and not too dissimilar from the better Northern Rhone reds. Time will tell.
Really nice showing for this first growth from an under appreciated vintage IMO. Ruby in color with purple swirls. The nose is great. Classic. Cassis, barnyard, cigar tobacco and slight cherries. On the palate, this took some time to open and then kept on opening. It started a bit hollow, but kept putting on weight. Cassis with layers of dry forest floor and funk. Good balance. Nice finish. Food friendly. Always a treat.
Gorgeous wine. Still drinking quite youthfully, this has decades left. Inky purple in color, magenta at the rim. Great nose with cassis, blueberries, cedar and violets. On the palate this has such a luxurious texture. Lush with cassis. Also some charred earth. Tight layers that expand in glass. Great precision. Long finish. This may yet improve a bit and will certainly gain in complexity. Year n and out, one the best Cabs offered anywhere.
The cork broke on opening so this was decanted thru a filter. It was interesting to drink side by side with the Cailloux Vineyard which was pop and pour. This opened up first as expected but then the played back and forth over the evening. In the end, I liked this a tad more though they were basically even. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has cedar, black raspberries and rocks. On the palate, this is complex with black raspberries, slight cedar, a bit of pepper and slight earthy notes. Nice texture. Good balance. Also drinking much younger than its 15 years would lead on
Its not often I get to enjoy a wine this old from Washington so this was a treat. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black rapsberries, spice, slight violet, minerals and slight bacon fat. On the palate, this has plums, black olives and black raspberries. Still drinking youthfully, it didnt seem 15 years old. Maybe seven. Deep and complex but delicious and gulpable. Nice finish. I am not sure this gets better but it should continue to mature. very impressive wine.
