Cruikshank’s “Oxford Transports” from 1824
Robert Cruikshank (1789 – 1856) is the brother of the well-know satirist, George Cruikshank. His satire “Oxford Transports” may very well depict the profusion of wine I hope to share with my friends at the end of the pandemic.
My last post was many months ago at the end of January. Since then the new nature of work due to the pandemic has placed all-consuming demands on my time. I still love curious old bottles of wine and even older wine history which I will endeavor to begin posting about, once again, this fall.
Aaron
A Good Bottle of 1985 Warre’s, Vintage Port
I opened a bottle of 1985 Warre’s, Vintage Port a few weeks ago, inspired by the then upcoming Dessert Wine Tasting of the Wine and Food Society of New York City. What a good treat this turned out to be! I found this bottle particularly balanced with a surprisingly youthful berry component. Of course all of the components from age were there as well: spices, wood, and leather. This wine is at its peak of drinking. Given how well it responded to air, I would imagine it will drink at the level across the decade.
1985 Warre’s, Vintage Port
Imported by Vineyard Brands. Alcohol 20%. A light to medium mahogany color on the rim with a cherry core. Aromas of sweet custard with spice soon integrate with even more baking spices. Sweet flavors of black and red fruit quickly become tactile by a fine texture. It is firmer in the finish with notes of fine old wood and damp leather. With air it develops rounded berry fruit, evocative of a youthful state, cool acidity, and a sweet, unctuous finish. Good length with a touch of spirit eventually coming out. ***(*) now – 2030.
1983 Chateau Rieussec, Sauternes
An advertisement for Chateau Rieussec placed in New Orleans during 1851.
Chateau Rieussec was purchased by Albert Vuillier in 1971. He replanted many of the vineyards, which he acquired in a decayed state, and began purchasing new wood for aging the wine. The vineyards were planted to 89% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon, and 3% Muscadelle. For the 1983 vintage, nearly 50% of the wine would have been aged in new oak for 18-20 months.
Lafite-Rothschild purchased the estate in 1984 which explains why my bottle features a capsule marked Domaines Barons de Rothschild. With their arrival came a cryo-extractor in 1987 followed by a pneumatic press and air-conditioning for the chai in 1989. I purchased this bottle of 1983 Chateau Rieussec, Sauternes nearly ten years ago at MacArthur Beverages. With a fill in the neck, it is in its prime of life. It improved across the second night, offering rich yet tense flavors. The strong 1983 vintage marks a bit of a re-birth for Sauternes and for Rieussec, a transition to a modern age.
1983 Chateau Rieussec, Sauternes
A little pungent on the nose with sweet aromas of dried fruits. In the mouth are fresh flavors of tangerine with hints of lemon. It is medium-bodied with a rounded nature that is not too sweet as the acidity makes it tense and tart on the sides of the tongue. There are hints of gentle spices and caramel. With air it takes on a black tea note and spicy grip at the end. **** Now – 2030.
Three old Italian wines from different vintages, producers, and regions
Lou and I met up to try a trio of wines which, besides being old and Italian, had nothing in common. Our first wine, 1967 Anton Lindner, Eppaner Justiner Auslese, Alto-Adige, was a dead-ringer on the nose for a Vintage or Tawny Port. It is quite aromatic, suggesting strong potential but ultimately a let down in terms of flavor. Our next two wines proved more interesting.
The 1968 Castello di Drugolo Lonato, Riviera del Garda Rosso Superiore, Lombardy is most likely a blend of Gropello and several other varieties including Barbera and Sangiovese. I cannot find much specific to this wine other than the vineyards are located near Lake Garda. It is an flavorful wine, from a vintage unknown to me. It is attractively pungent on the nose with bloody, meaty, animale flavors. Despite the tense start, it plumped up a bit becoming a bit short and soft by the finish. I am curious to try better vintages (if they exist) of this wine.
How tickled I am to note the Cabernet Sauvignon like nature of the 1964 Azienda Agricola Ca Loredan-Gasparini, Montello e Colli Asolani Venegazzu Rosso, Veneto only to find it is one of the components. I should also write that two years ago I enjoyed a more recent vintage from 2011. Conte Loredan Gasparini planted his estate in Venegazzu with French varieties during the 1930s. This bottling is not the Riserva dell Casa etichetta bianca, so the exact blend is not known to me but it is safe to write it has at least Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot with potential for Malbec and or Petit Verdot. This is surely an early modern example of a successful Italian Bordeaux blend. It could stand a bit more fruit at this age but that would not stop me from trying other vintages.
I remember commenting that my ideal wine, from this evening, would be a blend of the Drugolo with the Loredan-Gasparini. I am kicking myself for not trying the actual blend!
1967 Anton Lindner, Eppaner Justiner Auslese, Alto-Adige
Imported by T. Elenteny. Alcohol 12.5%. A light, garnet-black color. Sweet, vintage Port-like aromas with sweet fruit that become more like tawny Port with air. Clean flavors in the mouth, still a fine texture of tannins and tart acidity. The nose offers much more. * Drink up.
1968 Castello di Drugolo Lonato, Riviera del Garda Rosso Superiore, Lombardy
Imported by T. Elenteny. Alcohol 12%. A deep, good color of mahogany-garnet. Slightly sweaty and pungent on the nose with dark soil. A tense start with watering acidity carrying the wine through the drier, structured finish. The tannins are attractive, lending texture. With air the flavors turn bloody and meaty with an animale finish and chalky aftertaste. It leaves fleeting notes of gentle, old wood. **(*) Now but will last.
1964 Azienda Agricola Ca Loredan-Gasparini, Montello e Colli Asolani Venegazzu Rosso, Veneto
Imported by T. Elenteny. Alcohol 13%. Aromas of earth with some sweet, wood box notes. Structured with wood tannins yet fresh and juicy in the mouth. The wine is in a framed style, like a structured Cabernet Sauvignon, but is still balanced by tart acidity and firm black cherry flavor. With some air there is more lift to the red fruit. **(*) Now but will last.
A Fine Surprise: 1974 Trefethen Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon
The Trefethen family moved to Napa Valley in 1968 where they acquired several small farms to form a single wine estate. After the inaugural vintage of 1973, Trefethen Vineyards soon became known as a small producer of fine wines. Thanks to Carole Hicke’s interview of Janet and John Trefethen in 1997, we know just how remarkable it is that the 1974 Trefethen Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley I recently enjoyed remains a fine wine to this day.
Janet and John Trefethen planned their marriage around their very first crush in 1973. John had made wine on a private scale in 1971 and 1972 but the 1973 vintage, produced at the 19th century Eschol Ranch winery, was their first commercial effort. Built in 1886, the winery had last been used for storage in the 1940s and for producing wine even further back, perhaps the 1920s. When the Trefethen’s purchased the property in 1968, the winery still had dirt floors and stood in the middle of 280 acres of mass producing grape vines. For the first vintage, they cemented over part of the ground floor, brought in a press and had storage for some 2,000 gallons of wine. Curious enough, Domaine Chandon was located on the second floor!
There were just 25 wineries in Napa Valley when the Trefethen’s arrived. Between 1968 and 1973, they replanted the vineyard. For the 1973 vintage, they produced 2,000 cases of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In 1974, they added in Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. 1974 turned out to be an excellent vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon and it caught the eye of Harry Waugh. He purchased a stock of it to be served on the Queen Elizabeth II.
This bottle had good fill and deep color. In the glass it was in fresh condition, developing with air and proving to be an enjoyable drink. It is rounded and balanced, confidently mature with bottle aged flavors yet still offering cherry fruit. This is a remarkable achievement given that this is the first release of Cabernet Sauvignon.
1974 Trefethen Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Alcohol 13.5%. An aromatic wine, herbaceous with a touch of roast. Fresh in the mouth with a rounded edge to the flavors which are carried by fresh, watering acidity. It is saline with old wood notes mixing with cherry fruit and baking spices. It is quite solid with air for it proves satisfying and does not crack up. *** Now but will last.
A pair of 1960s Oleggio and Beccaro from Alto Piemonte
On a dark December night, Sudip and I tried two old bottles of wine from the Novara-Vercelli hills of Alto Piemonte, home to such wines as Gattinara and Ghemme. I can find little on the 1961 Cantina Sociale Cooperativa di Oleggio, Vino Vecchia Collina Riserva. It probably has a base of Spanna with some amount of Bonarda and Vespolina, all three of which were certainly blended together for our second wine. We know more about the 1964 Armando Beccaro, Vino Mesolone since this Mesolone was solely made by Armando Beccaro and son, of whom Mario Soldati recounted his visit in “Vino al Vino.”
The Oleggio has promise with its attractive and pervasive earthy note which matches its vinous nature. Perhaps in a vintage like 1964, if it sports more fruit, then the acidity will be balanced out. For now this is a solid table wine to consume with a meal. The Beccaro opens up with air. Regarded as a full-bodied wine in its youth, the dense, sweet flavors of fruit compote come out, anchoring the wine with pleasure as wood-box notes and spices add to the pleasure. It is a successful blend, showing a profile different than that of pure Spanna, and definitely a wine I would be happy to drink again.
1961 Cantina Sociale Cooperativa di Oleggio, Vino Vecchia Collina Riserva
Imported by T. Elenteny. Alcohol 12.5%. Earthy at first. Fresh menthol flavors in the mouth with tart acidity driving earthy red fruit into a vinous, old bottled aged wine middle. The fruit is sweeter in the finish, likewise the attractive earthy note is longish in the aftertaste. A solid wine whose acidity is taking over the flavors. ** Now.
1964 Armando Beccaro, Vino Mesolone
Imported by T. Elenteny. A blend of roughly 50% Spanna, 30% Bonarda, and 20% Vespolina exclusively from family vines. It was fermented for three weeks then racked once a year until it was bottled in the third or fourth year. Alcohol 13%. A fresh nose with menthol notes. This builds sweetness with air forming a sweet, fruity middle with a wood box finish. A mid-weight wine, it is mixed with spices which become slightly spicy by the finish. It responds well with air becoming dense in the middle with a compote of sweet, textured fruit extract. *** Now.
Holiday Time Wine: 1977 Dessert Wines from California
I have become swamped with work and despite a lack of posting, I have still managed to drink some interesting wines this fall. The 1977 Monterey Peninsula Winery, Late Harvest Zinfandel, Amador County is a fine find. Founded in 1974, Monterey Peninsula Winery soon developed award winning Zinfandel from a county which became synonymous for the variety. Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Nathan Chroman found the group of Zinfandels submitted at the 1976 Los Angeles Fair the finest in its history. This included the 1974 vintage of the wine we tried. Chroman found this “high-alcohol” or “late-harvest” style of wine a great success due to their balance with the alcohol. Indeed, that is a quality which persists with the 1977 vintage to this day.
A lack of balance with alcohol is the affliction of the 1977 JW Morris Port Works, California Vintage Port. Founded in 1975, JW Morris Port Works soon ran into problems with capital and was sold off to the Toth family in 1983. Morris bought Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel from 70 year old vines in Black Mountain as the basis for his ports. In 1986, the Toth’s still had a stock of the 1977 Port which had been aged in wood for 6 1/2 years. They planned on releasing it as the first of the Late Bottled Ports. The goal was to produce a smoother drinking port without “the ‘hot’ alcoholic qualities” of the younger ports. Perhaps the wine we tried had issues from the very beginning.
1977 Monterey Peninsula Winery, Late Harvest Zinfandel, Amador County
Alcohol 17.8%. The nose is a dead-ringer for a classic, less-sweet tawny port. Ample, fruity flavors with baking spices, and still with fine rugged texture. A certain robustness yet balanced all around, fine wood flavors…simply a treat. ***(*) Now but will last.
1977 JW Morris Port Works, California Vintage Port – half-bottle
Alcohol 20%. A lovely nose, quite fruity and deep, revealing plentiful leather aromas with air. In the mouth a fruity start, still youthful and well preserved but out of balance with the spirit. Becomes hot by the end which I find distracting and a shame given the nose. *(*) Now but will last a long time.
Mid-week with Lou: Falkenstein, Pesquera, Ponsot, Tribouley, and more
Mid-week tastings with Lou tend to feature wines that do not normally fit into a tasting theme. Darryl has turned my attention to Falkenstein so I could not resist trying the young but very good 2018 Hofgut Falkenstein, Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb AP11, Mosel. We then changed gears with the mature 2001 François Pinon, Cuvée 2001, Vouvray. The luxurious body of the wine surprised me. The feral smelling 2008 Jean-Louis Tribouley, Vieilles Vignes, Les Bacs, VdP Cotes Catalanes has completely clean strawberry and cranberry flavors in the mouth. It is actually still young and worth tracking over the next several years.
I had high hope for the 1994 Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez, Tinto Pesquera, Ribera del Duero. This bottle came from a great DC cellar which offered up beautiful bottles of first growth Bordeaux back to the 1950s and a wide range of top-notch Burgundy. This bottle of Pesquera was quite good, evocative of Ribera del Duero, but the finish is a little short. I formed the impression it might not be the best example. I have a second bottle so I will report back this winter.
Not quite satisfied, I opened up 1983 Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche which also came from the same DC cellar. I was told it was acquired upon release. Served out of a decanter, this was a great bottle in great shape which continued to develop until none was left. Lou and I just sat at the peninsula, chatting and drinking, completely satisfied, thrilled at how great mature Burgundy can be. This is my first experience with Ponsot and I cannot wait for another!
2018 Hofgut Falkenstein, Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb AP11, Mosel – $27
A Lars Carlberg Selection imported by Williams Corner Wine. Alcohol 10%. A pretty, floral nose. Good body with gentle, lifted acidity and racy flavor. It is a lively wine integrating sweet lemon flavors, chalky texture, and acidity. Good presence. **** Now – 2029.
2001 François Pinon, Cuvée 2001, Vouvray
Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections. Alcohol 12.2%. A light yellow straw. Chenin-like for sure, fresh and round with a woodsy/orchard note. In good shape it develops both flesh and fat with a little tartness to keep it alive. ***(*) Now – 2025.
2008 Jean-Louis Tribouley, Vieilles Vignes, Les Bacs, VdP Cotes Catalanes
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler. Alcohol 14.5%. A little stinky but ultimately, ferale smelling. Rounded and ripe in the mouth with a fine vein of black fruit. It develops strawberry confit flavors in the glass with spicy structure and a red cranberry finish. Quite youthful in the mouth with a good dose of structure. ***(*) Now – 2025.
1994 Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez, Tinto Pesquera, Ribera del Duero
Imported by Classical Wines From Spain. Alcohol 13%. Advanced in color. A deep nose which is robust with dark, lovely, maturing aromas. It takes time to open up, eventually offering tart red fruit over an ethereal, dark soil foundation. It fleshes out in the mouth but the finish stays shorter than I would hope for. ***(*) Now – 2025.
1983 Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche
Shipped by Robert Haas Selections and imported by Vineyard Brands. Upon the first pour, this is a fresh, ripe, mouth-filling wine that is round and full of soil notes. It is substantial in personality and flavor, offering sweet orange and red fruits, minerals, soil, and a long-lasting finish. With air it shows chewy pungency and concentration. The mature mixture of sous-bois adds to the balance of flavor, supported by good acidity and structure. There is a tangy persistence to the aftertaste. This will continue to develop for some time. ****(*) Now – 2035.
A Clos du Mont-Olivet Vertical: 2017 Cotes du Rhone back to 2005 La Cuvee du Papet
I was a guest at the most recent blind tasting held by Phil’s tasting group. Of the eight wines we tasted blind, one was a stinker, so we were left with seven bottles to deduce the theme. Two of the wines, #5 and #8, were clearly Chateauneuf du Pape but the firmness of the younger vintages and stylistic difference of the ringer through me for a loop. I will fess up that I had recently drunk wine #2 but I was still stumped. In retrospect, the theme of Clos du Mont-Olivet can be appreciated.
The Sabon family have been making wine at Clos du Mont-Olivet since 1932 with the estate now run by Thierry Sabon. The tasting featured one vintage of Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, one vintage of Châteaneuf du Pape, and five vintages of Châteauneuf du Pape La Cuvee du Papet. The Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes we tried is a typical blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Carignan mostly sourced from vineyards planted in 1950. The fruit is partially destemmed then fermented with indigenous yeasts in cement tanks followed by aging in used foudre, demi-muids, and tanks. The Châteaneuf du Pape is a typical blend of 80% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault rounding things out. The fruit is partially destemmed then fermented with indigenous yeasts in cement tanks. It is aged in in foudre. The top wine of the estate is La Cuvee du Papet which is only made in the best vintages. It is a typical blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah sources from multiple parcels. The vines range in age from 30 to 100+ years of age since the oldest parcel of Grenache was planted in 1901. The fruit is partially destemmed then fermented with indigenous yeasts in cement tanks followed by aging in used foudre and demi-muids.
The 2017 Clos du Mont-Olivet, Vieilles Vignes, Cotes du Rhone is an excellent follow-on to the 2016 vintage. It is, however, a wine which needs time to develop and should drink well for a few years. The best wine to drink now and one of my favorites of the tasting is the awesome 2005 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape. Even better is the 2010 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape. This superlative pair offers a wine that has just hit its mature phase, the 2005, and a wine shedding its youth, the 2010. I went back to these bottles multiple times simply to drink them. I recommend you buy some so you can as well! Worth cellaring, is the very young yet outstanding 2016 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape. It has all the components for developing but is still firm. I’d give it several years of age at which point it should be obvious if it is as great as the 2010. Many thanks to Phil for hosting such an excellent tasting.
Blind #1 – 2017 Clos du Mont-Olivet, Vieilles Vignes, Cotes du Rhone –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 14.5%. Grapey scents on the nose. A young wine in the mouth with flavors of black and purple fruit with fine, dry and bitter structure in the end. With air it rounds and balances out. The ripe fruit has a touch of sweetness from a vanilla component. The flavors of blueberries and violets is carried by watering acidity. This is a mid-term ager that should significantly improve over the winter. *** Now – 2027.
Blind #2 – 2016 Clos du Mont-Olivet, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 15%. A good nose of red fruits. In this mouth this is a big wine with a spine of acidity. With air it opens up a touch offering creamy flavors of violets, black fruit, and a little wood box. With good depth it becomes firm in the end as a spicy structure comes out. It should be cellared. This bottle is tighter than a previous bottle I tried. ***(*) 2023- 2034.
Blind #3 – 2016 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 15%. An aromatic nose of blue fruits. In the mouth this is a big wine with fine, strong tannins, and a powerful wave of flavor through the finish. Like the regular CdP, this is closely packed and in need of age. With air the wine has all of the components clearly focused for development. It is savory, intense, and even a little spicy. ****(*) 2024- 2039.
Blind #4 – 2015 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 15%. A deeper, meaty nose. A watering start then the wine falls flat, compared to other vintages, offering vintage perfume notes, wood box, and baking spice. There are ample, fine and dry tannins. With air it improves to be lush yet not voluptuous with a deep, dry finish. The structure remains prominent compared to the fruit weight. A good wine in all respects but clearly overshadowed by the 2016. For the mid-term. ***(*) Now – 2029.
Blind #5 – 2010 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 15%. Saline and dense, this wine packs in tons of flavors right through the powerful end. though powerful, it keeps focused with creamy bits, luxurious fat, and wood box maturity. It is still so young but is clearly a great wine. Unlike the outstanding 2005, this has the intensity of youth which hits the throat with a dose of fruity raspberries. ***** Now – 2034.
Blind #6 – 2010 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Kermit Lynch. Polished on the nose. In the mouth it is a little saline, dry and tart with red, citric fruit. It has fine focus for the long-haul with polished wood tannins. With air there is a subtle, lifted hint of fat, wood box, and a killer finish. This wine will be slow to develop. **** 2023-2039.
Blind #7 – 2006 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 14%. A stinker, smells like air make it through the cork. Can’t stand it. Not Rated.
Blind #8 – 2005 Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Imported by Dionysos Imports. Alcohol 14%. Taking on some garnet in the glass. A good nose. The ripe fruit and fine wood box notes are clearly part of a more complex Southern Rhone wine. It lovely with young power that comes through. Fat and weighty flavors drape on the tongue with a sweet middle. This is a Chateauneuf du Pape with tons of future potential but you can enjoy it now became it has some bottle age flavor and concentrating ripeness. ****(*) Now – 2034.
An Additional Blind Wine – 1998 Domaine Bois De Boursane, Châteauneuf du Pape –
Alcohol 13.5%. Some umami mixing with red fruit and watering acidity into the salty, firm finish. There is good flavor for drinking right now. If you decant drink quickly. *** Now.
Excellent 2016 Gigondas from Bouissiere, Cayron, Mourchon, Raspail-ay, and Soumade
I recently tasted through five different bottles of 2016 Gigondas and found very good quality throughout. The 2016 vintage provides wines for both early drinking and cellar potential. In both cases, there is plenty of supple fruit for enjoyment so you are not bogged down by any structure. The 2016 Domaine Mourchon, Gigondas and 2016 Domaine du Cayron, Gigondas are enjoyable right now. The Mourchon offers plenty of tasty fruit and becomes a little salty. The Cayron exhibits a strong personality due to its Kirsch aromas and flavors. Of the longer-lived wines, the 2016 Domaine La Bouissiere, Gigondas is savory, complex, and balanced with a more elegant, less fruit-forward nature compared to the next two. It is excellent and should improve further. There is an attractive strawberry flavor in the 2016 Domaine Raspail-Ay, Gigondas which sports ample baking spices and an inky finish. The 2016 Domaine la Soumade, Gigondas is dark flavored with more herbs and minerals. It will reach the greatest age at the slowest pace. The Boussiere, Raspail-Ay, and Soumade are my favorite of these five. They will be fascinating to taste several years from now.
2016 Domaine La Bouissiere, Gigondas – $30 at MacArthur Beverages
Imported by Dionysos Imports. This wine is a blend of 66% Grenache and 34% Syrah raised in vat and foudre. Alcohol 14.5%. Kirsch on the nose. With air, it develops clean bright red flavors which are savory and dense. There is an attractive tension from the acidity which is balanced by the fruit and structure. It is lively on the tongue. With extended air it shows savory complexity with notes of pine and dried herbs. Excellent. **** Now – 2030.
2016 Domaine du Cayron, Gigondas – $36 at MacArthur Beverages
Imported by Roanoke Valley Wine. This wine is a blend of 78% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 6% Cinsault, and 2% Mourvedre raised in foudre. Alcohol 14%. Very aromatic with Kirsch and berries. In the mouth are pure, weight flavors of Kirsch with a fine, powerful structure in the finish. It clearly reflects the intensity of the vintage. With air, the core of fruit becomes more expansive yet is still lively on the tongue. For the medium-term. **** Now – 2027.
2016 Domaine Mourchon, Gigondas – $25 at MacArthur Beverages
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. A special selection just for MacArthur Beverages. Alcohol 14.5%. Easy to drink red fruit first greets then a vein of black fruit and acidity come out. This is a forward wine for early drinking. It take some a salty nature with air. ***(*) Now – 2025.
2016 Domaine Raspail-Ay, Gigondas – $36 at MacArthur Beverages
Imported by Michael Corso Selections. This wine is an approximate blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. Alcohol 15%. Dark and lush in the mouth with Kirsch poking through. The acidity grows subtly in prominence as the flavors take on baking spice and bluer fruit by the finish. There is a fine structure that is always supportive and not obtrusive. The ability to age is revealed with air. The wine becomes redder with strawberry flavors, lovely ripe baking spices, and an inky finish. It is always in balance. **** Now – 2030.
2016 Domaine la Soumade, Gigondas – $36 at MacArthur Beverages
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. Alcohol 15%. Focused flavors with a black fruited start. Minerals and herbs first develop then a perfumed, creamy finish and eventually a salty note. This is a dense wine with rounded edges which will slowly unfurl with age. With air the wine shows a cool, dense nature, dark fruit, fine texture, and a black, mineral and herb influenced finish. It is a young wine that will age slower than all of the others. **** Now – 2034.
Hogshead - A Wine Blog 