Opened on a whim just to see how the wine was doing. Allowed to slowly air for 3-4 hours before serving.
Inky and silky, with a nose of graphite, creme de cassis, and violets. One of the few wines,... Read moreOpened on a whim just to see how the wine was doing. Allowed to slowly air for 3-4 hours before serving.
Inky and silky, with a nose of graphite, creme de cassis, and violets. One of the few wines, like Shafer's Hillside Select, that combines power AND finesse. Pure black currant, blueberry, and dark chocolate flavors, great mouthfeel, and a long, port-like finish.
The Long Meadow Ranch SB is fermented in stainless steel, and is cold stabilized after fermentation to block malolactic fermentation. The citrusy fruit aromas are classic, along with a bit of cut gras... Read moreThe Long Meadow Ranch SB is fermented in stainless steel, and is cold stabilized after fermentation to block malolactic fermentation. The citrusy fruit aromas are classic, along with a bit of cut grass. The wine is crisp, with bright acidity and relatively low alcohol.
Popped and poured as a back-up bottle.
Extremely tight... initially disappointing as there was nothing but a tannic wall. With 45 to 60 minutes of air the fruit began to emerge. Black cherry, blac... Read morePopped and poured as a back-up bottle.
Extremely tight... initially disappointing as there was nothing but a tannic wall. With 45 to 60 minutes of air the fruit began to emerge. Black cherry, blackberry, and cassis dominate, with hints of cocoa and barrel spice. The huge tannins likely will dictate that this wine lay down for several years, with some prayers for integration.
If it comes around, my rating would definitely increase.
The 1994 rutherford was one of the first wines I bought in quantity and, at $12/bottle, it was a huge wine for the price. The Rutherford bottling is a step up from the Napa, and the 2001 delivers ric... Read moreThe 1994 rutherford was one of the first wines I bought in quantity and, at $12/bottle, it was a huge wine for the price. The Rutherford bottling is a step up from the Napa, and the 2001 delivers rich red and black fruits, subtle notes of vanilla and spice, and the velvety tannins for which Rutherford is known.
Veronique Drouhin has a way of coaxing images of Burgundy out of the fruit from the Dundee Hills of Oregon. While 2007 was considered to be a "challenging" year for Pinot Noir in Oregon, it was fabul... Read moreVeronique Drouhin has a way of coaxing images of Burgundy out of the fruit from the Dundee Hills of Oregon. While 2007 was considered to be a "challenging" year for Pinot Noir in Oregon, it was fabulous for white varietals!
Green apple, stone fruit, white flowers, citrusy acidity, and minerality prevail. Pair with roasted fowl with a cream sauce, pan seared fish, or steamed shellfish.
A friend brought this to lunch this past Friday. Popped and poured. A bit tight off the bat, not revealing too much, but offering some nice black cherry and berry flavors. Little to no bricking, and n... Read moreA friend brought this to lunch this past Friday. Popped and poured. A bit tight off the bat, not revealing too much, but offering some nice black cherry and berry flavors. Little to no bricking, and no sense of "pruniness." With about 30 minutes of air, the wine blossomed. Huge aromatic nose of red and black fruit, rose petals, graphite, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, this is pure creme de cassis, with tongue coating velvety tannins, and enough acid to keep the maintain the balance. Still likely has a couple of years of life ahead of it. Not too bad a return on what was likely a $12.00 investment.