Third bottle in this past month, all from the same source and January 2020 disgorgement. This one as good as the others. Dried cherry, citrus and more than enough concentration that finishes with length and energy. I'm convinced of the quality of the 2014 now, and it's time to take a look at 2013 and 2015, which I have access to next,
Like the bottle from this past weekend, same April 2021 disgorgement. However, this was blinded on me and I can now start to get the sense of the L-B signature here, which is the aromatic of a lightly toasty note and some clove, both I would infer from the elevage. Green apple, slate, lemon pith, tangerine. And a similar inflection of banana, which is the same quality I got from the L-B 2019 base Latitude I had last month at the winery. If it wasn't hot as piss right now in the US (and likely for the next few months), I would drag more of this from Florida and ship it West to add to what I have in inventory. A terrific cuvee, one I enjoy a lot.
Disgorged January 2018. Almost completely Pinot Noir, with 3 grams of dosage. Creamy red fruit, lime chew and some finishing mineral. Honestly, I could have spent more time tasting this and I got to at the end of the flight so my notes here are brief.
Disgorged June 2019. 100% Chard with a few grams of dosage. This bottle reflected a strong almond quality, which I thought was pretty cool. And of course citrusy, infused with lemon and a light inflection of tropical fruit with some fennel in the finish. This vintage of VV is for me both elegant and yet has the L-B spiciness, in a medium weight. I do think that vintage and the 10 years that have passed already since harvest make the wine drink just fine right now, too.
Not sure of the disgorgement here. 100% Pinot Noir (I believe). If blinded on this, I would not gravitate to PN as my guess as this showed to me flavors that I would not first associate to that grape. Yellow apple, stone fruit like a peach, juicy and what my notes have underscored as fresh. At nearly 15 years old, this drinks with a class and freshness.
I made it around to this wine within the flight too late. One of those moments were we had the fortune of a # of Champagne choices on the table and between talking and trying to dig into some other bottles, I got lost with this one. My brief notes say red apple, flint and a savory finish.
Brief notes here as there were too many targets on the table and I just can't do it all to the degree I would like. This seemed to have the bright acidity and powerful density of the 2008, with the wet rock tactile impression.
Man, almost 30 years old and a tribute to what really good winemaking can show with this kind of age. Tangy dried red fruit, some tea, orange peel (thank you, Carol!) and a cedary influence but this wine is neither tired nor lacking vitality. I sense with the cedar that perhaps this will start to become more dominant in the wine as the age ensues, but hell, we're at nearly 30 years old so at this stage I can only express joy and thanks for being able to try yet again another piece of the old W-S history.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Geez, as if tasting the 1994 W-S Sonoma Coast next to it was not good fortune enough, then this wine comes right after it. Plenty of flavor here, and to me more denser than the 1994 SC. Blue fruited, suave red berry, actually what my notes say a jammy red quality. With air, then herb emerges and some soil/loam. Damn, this was good and shows you that CA PN can age well, especially under the stewarding of the W-S approach back in the day.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
The last of a trio of older W-S (we also had 1994 SC PN and 1995 Riverblock PN). So, this was the oldest. Still seems fresh to me and I believe the ABV was north of 16% on the label but truthfully I didn't sense it. Starting to show a bit of color change but there is no fade to the fruit. Like with the 1994 and 1995 Pinots, this Zin shows that these wines are ageworthy.
This was served blind and the guesses were pretty much all over the spectrum. This is a big, rich wine with some hedonistic qualities. I didn't jot notes but I was leaning to wards Napa Cab, as the fruit and intensity were dark, and the wine was seeming to emerge out of that modern style.
Served blind. I too a swag at this as Syrah, as it seemed to have the rosemary and blue fruited tones of what CA Syrah can do. I then put the wine on Carlisle, like a Papa's Block. Notably was the wine's freshness, which led me to believe the richer fruit was in the Syrah style that Mike makes. Well, I got part of it but I would not have put this on a wine that is pushing close to 25 years old. Blue and red fruit, with some saddle leather influence. Lots of fruit concentration and some tannin in the back end of the finish. Holding together really well, and a thanks to Todd for blinding us on it.
We had the good fortune of dining alongside Carol Schrader who has joined us in some of our local dinners before. She is a warm soul, the kind that makes you feel important, seen. I dig that about Carol. And as is usually her custom, when she comes to a dinner, with her comes Schrader. In this evening, she brought the 2007 and the 2013, and we did them side by side. I'm uncertain when she opened them but when they were served she had them each in a decanter so they were seeing air. The 2007 was more irony to me, with dark cherry fruit, some herb buried in the wine and a finish that was long. This is 15 years old and yet I sensed very little aging on the wine, as if it is aging glacially. I wish I could have tasted this again say the next day, when I was just alone with the wine singly but I got a few pours of it and I'll stand by my positive and accurate although brief note. As to the 2013, my core sense and something I told her across the table was that this vintage seemed very primary to me, as if the wine was a barrel sample. Grapey, primary, with black cherry, brewed coffee, bittersweet chocolate (thank you, Brig!), a wine that is stuffed with depth and concentration but I didn't find big-shouldered or out of balance. My final notes on the 2013 say structured, coiled, concentrated, to be long lived. In sum, I tended to prefer the 2007 and the way it showed, more developed yet not oozy or modern Napa, at least that is my recall, and the 2013 being very young and still a long runway ahead to develop. Thank you yet again, Carol!
We had the good fortune of dining alongside Carol Schrader who has joined us in some of our local dinners before. She is a warm soul, the kind that makes you feel important, seen. I dig that about Carol. And as is usually her custom, when she comes to a dinner, with her comes Schrader. In this evening, she brought the 2007 and the 2013, and we did them side by side. I'm uncertain when she opened them but when they were served she had them each in a decanter so they were seeing air. The 2007 was more irony to me, with dark cherry fruit, some herb buried in the wine and a finish that was long. This is 15 years old and yet I sensed very little aging on the wine, as if it is aging glacially. I wish I could have tasted this again say the next day, when I was just alone with the wine singly but I got a few pours of it and I'll stand by my positive and accurate although brief note. As to the 2013, my core sense and something I told her across the table was that this vintage seemed very primary to me, as if the wine was a barrel sample. Grapey, primary, with black cherry, brewed coffee, bittersweet chocolate (thank you, Brig!), a wine that is stuffed with depth and concentration but I didn't find big-shouldered or out of balance. My final notes on the 2013 say structured, coiled, concentrated, to be long lived. In sum, I tended to prefer the 2007 and the way it showed, more developed yet not oozy or modern Napa, at least that is my recall, and the 2013 being very young and still a long runway ahead to develop. Thank you yet again, Carol!
2014 Laherte Frères Champagne Extra Brut Les Empreintes
France, Champagne
Third bottle in this past month, all from the same source and January 2020 disgorgement. This one as good as the others. Dried cherry, citrus and more than enough concentration that finishes with length and energy. I'm convinced of the quality of the 2014 now, and it's time to take a look at 2013 and 2015, which I have access to next,
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2015 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Premier Cru Terre de Vertus
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Like the bottle from this past weekend, same April 2021 disgorgement. However, this was blinded on me and I can now start to get the sense of the L-B signature here, which is the aromatic of a lightly toasty note and some clove, both I would infer from the elevage. Green apple, slate, lemon pith, tangerine. And a similar inflection of banana, which is the same quality I got from the L-B 2019 base Latitude I had last month at the winery. If it wasn't hot as piss right now in the US (and likely for the next few months), I would drag more of this from Florida and ship it West to add to what I have in inventory. A terrific cuvee, one I enjoy a lot.
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2013 Savart Champagne Premier Cru Le Mont Benoit
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged January 2018. Almost completely Pinot Noir, with 3 grams of dosage. Creamy red fruit, lime chew and some finishing mineral. Honestly, I could have spent more time tasting this and I got to at the end of the flight so my notes here are brief.
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2011 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged June 2019. 100% Chard with a few grams of dosage. This bottle reflected a strong almond quality, which I thought was pretty cool. And of course citrusy, infused with lemon and a light inflection of tropical fruit with some fennel in the finish. This vintage of VV is for me both elegant and yet has the L-B spiciness, in a medium weight. I do think that vintage and the 10 years that have passed already since harvest make the wine drink just fine right now, too.
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2008 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Cote de Bechalin
France, Champagne
Not sure of the disgorgement here. 100% Pinot Noir (I believe). If blinded on this, I would not gravitate to PN as my guess as this showed to me flavors that I would not first associate to that grape. Yellow apple, stone fruit like a peach, juicy and what my notes have underscored as fresh. At nearly 15 years old, this drinks with a class and freshness.
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2013 Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines
France, Champagne
I made it around to this wine within the flight too late. One of those moments were we had the fortune of a # of Champagne choices on the table and between talking and trying to dig into some other bottles, I got lost with this one. My brief notes say red apple, flint and a savory finish.
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2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
France, Champagne
Brief notes here as there were too many targets on the table and I just can't do it all to the degree I would like. This seemed to have the bright acidity and powerful density of the 2008, with the wet rock tactile impression.
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1994 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Man, almost 30 years old and a tribute to what really good winemaking can show with this kind of age. Tangy dried red fruit, some tea, orange peel (thank you, Carol!) and a cedary influence but this wine is neither tired nor lacking vitality. I sense with the cedar that perhaps this will start to become more dominant in the wine as the age ensues, but hell, we're at nearly 30 years old so at this stage I can only express joy and thanks for being able to try yet again another piece of the old W-S history.
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1995 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Geez, as if tasting the 1994 W-S Sonoma Coast next to it was not good fortune enough, then this wine comes right after it. Plenty of flavor here, and to me more denser than the 1994 SC. Blue fruited, suave red berry, actually what my notes say a jammy red quality. With air, then herb emerges and some soil/loam. Damn, this was good and shows you that CA PN can age well, especially under the stewarding of the W-S approach back in the day.
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1990 Williams Selyem Zinfandel Leno Martinelli Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
The last of a trio of older W-S (we also had 1994 SC PN and 1995 Riverblock PN). So, this was the oldest. Still seems fresh to me and I believe the ABV was north of 16% on the label but truthfully I didn't sense it. Starting to show a bit of color change but there is no fade to the fruit. Like with the 1994 and 1995 Pinots, this Zin shows that these wines are ageworthy.
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2014 Switchback Ridge Merlot Peterson Family Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
This was served blind and the guesses were pretty much all over the spectrum. This is a big, rich wine with some hedonistic qualities. I didn't jot notes but I was leaning to wards Napa Cab, as the fruit and intensity were dark, and the wine was seeming to emerge out of that modern style.
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1999 Ravenswood Icon
USA, California, Sonoma County
Served blind. I too a swag at this as Syrah, as it seemed to have the rosemary and blue fruited tones of what CA Syrah can do. I then put the wine on Carlisle, like a Papa's Block. Notably was the wine's freshness, which led me to believe the richer fruit was in the Syrah style that Mike makes. Well, I got part of it but I would not have put this on a wine that is pushing close to 25 years old. Blue and red fruit, with some saddle leather influence. Lots of fruit concentration and some tannin in the back end of the finish. Holding together really well, and a thanks to Todd for blinding us on it.
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2007 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
We had the good fortune of dining alongside Carol Schrader who has joined us in some of our local dinners before. She is a warm soul, the kind that makes you feel important, seen. I dig that about Carol. And as is usually her custom, when she comes to a dinner, with her comes Schrader. In this evening, she brought the 2007 and the 2013, and we did them side by side. I'm uncertain when she opened them but when they were served she had them each in a decanter so they were seeing air. The 2007 was more irony to me, with dark cherry fruit, some herb buried in the wine and a finish that was long. This is 15 years old and yet I sensed very little aging on the wine, as if it is aging glacially. I wish I could have tasted this again say the next day, when I was just alone with the wine singly but I got a few pours of it and I'll stand by my positive and accurate although brief note. As to the 2013, my core sense and something I told her across the table was that this vintage seemed very primary to me, as if the wine was a barrel sample. Grapey, primary, with black cherry, brewed coffee, bittersweet chocolate (thank you, Brig!), a wine that is stuffed with depth and concentration but I didn't find big-shouldered or out of balance. My final notes on the 2013 say structured, coiled, concentrated, to be long lived. In sum, I tended to prefer the 2007 and the way it showed, more developed yet not oozy or modern Napa, at least that is my recall, and the 2013 being very young and still a long runway ahead to develop. Thank you yet again, Carol!
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2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
We had the good fortune of dining alongside Carol Schrader who has joined us in some of our local dinners before. She is a warm soul, the kind that makes you feel important, seen. I dig that about Carol. And as is usually her custom, when she comes to a dinner, with her comes Schrader. In this evening, she brought the 2007 and the 2013, and we did them side by side. I'm uncertain when she opened them but when they were served she had them each in a decanter so they were seeing air. The 2007 was more irony to me, with dark cherry fruit, some herb buried in the wine and a finish that was long. This is 15 years old and yet I sensed very little aging on the wine, as if it is aging glacially. I wish I could have tasted this again say the next day, when I was just alone with the wine singly but I got a few pours of it and I'll stand by my positive and accurate although brief note. As to the 2013, my core sense and something I told her across the table was that this vintage seemed very primary to me, as if the wine was a barrel sample. Grapey, primary, with black cherry, brewed coffee, bittersweet chocolate (thank you, Brig!), a wine that is stuffed with depth and concentration but I didn't find big-shouldered or out of balance. My final notes on the 2013 say structured, coiled, concentrated, to be long lived. In sum, I tended to prefer the 2007 and the way it showed, more developed yet not oozy or modern Napa, at least that is my recall, and the 2013 being very young and still a long runway ahead to develop. Thank you yet again, Carol!
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