Marvin (WineBurrowingWombat) Visits Minnesota
Jason's House
Tasted Monday, October 16, 2023 - Monday, October 23, 2023 by I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine with 85 views
Introduction
Marvin came to Minnesota to visit, help me with inventory, and drink some wine! He was a huge help in doing inventory, and helping prepare for a wine dinner. Also, he and my niece, Christina, did most of the cooking, plating and serving, even though they were both guests!
The wines listed in this tasting story are only bottles we shared during inventory and party preparation! Actual tasting notes for wines at gatherings are listed in operate tasting stories!
Closing
A fun time (well, tasting wines was fun!) and a huge dent in inventory (we started from scratch, emptying out the cellar and inventorying wines as they were placed back in the cellar). Hopefully, you got the vicarious enjoyment from reading this story, and none of the drudgery that accompanies inventory!
Cheers until next time!
2016 Immortal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain 96 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
(10/16/2023)
WBW was visiting, so I had an excuse to open this! I figured this exquisite wine would be squarely in his wheelhouse, and I think I was right! Regardless, it was squarely in mine!
TN: Nose showed a cornucopia of scents, including lavender, dark berries, earth, tar, anise and spice. The palate was equally compelling with loads of dark fruit, cocoa, tar, earth, rich tobacco and toasty oak all wrapped in silky tannins. This improved throughout the few hours we drank this. It has years ahead of it, and should improve on an already awesome flavor profile!
Easy 96 for me! Drinking great now, but should get even better with more time in the cellar!
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2013 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
(10/17/2023)
This is what you open when you put a Wombat in charge! WBW came for a visit and to help me inventory, and a guest, friend and volunteer, he requested this wine be opened....and so it was! Of course, he didn't need to twist my arm!
TN: Nose shows classic cherry, cigar box and spice. Palate is chalked full of dark and red cherry, some chocolate and cream notes, some baking spices and some hints of cedar.
Easy 95 and excellent now....not sure how much better this will get, but certainly no fear pf fading in the near future.
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2016 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch 97 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(10/17/2023)
Decanted, but can't remember how long....After quaffing on a 2013 Marcassin Pinot, Marvin a.k.a. WBW, requested to open this wine. Of course, I obliged him! I had not tasted this wine yet, and was very curious after reading CT reviews, and also knowing how highly Michael reveres this wine! I believe this wine will get even better, but no regrets drinking now!
TN: Violets, cherry, cedar and spice on the nose. Palate echoed the violets and cherry, but also added some dark fruit, earthy notes, tar, tobacco and some toasty oak.
Do I get the hoopla? Yes, I do! It is very tasty now, and improved the whole time we drank it. Like the Immortal we had, this too was delicious now, but will definitely get even better. One of the best VHR bottles I have tasted. I personally think the 2018 has the most potential, followed closely by this wine. However, IMO, the 2012 is drinking best right now (and likely in the next couple years). This wine is a 97 now, but will likely flirt with perfection down the road! Wish I had more of this!
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2016 Spence Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Atelier 96 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
(10/18/2023)
One nice thing about friends is that it is a great excuse to open up some nice wines! Today, I picked the bottles! We started the day with this wine, and it was every bit as good as I remembered!
TN: Nose showed plenty of perfumed flowers, blueberries, and spice. Palate was glorious, with plenty of blue fruit, turning to red fruit with time and air. Also, notes of earth, sweet tobacco, some bramble, and toasty oak. Tannins were pure silk and lead to a rich mouthfeel that begs you to keep sipping. Solid 96! May get better, but so good now! No danger of falling off....drink or hold!
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2011 Viña Cobos Malbec 94 Points
Argentina, Mendoza
(10/18/2023)
I love this wine! Pulled this bottle because my niece joined Marvin (WBW) and I to prepare for the wine dinner scheduled the next day. My niece and I fell in love with this wine at a James Suckling tasting in Miami a few years earlier. Definitely one of the best, if not the best, Malbecs I have tasted! A Paul Hobbs wine, masterfully done!
TN: Nose showed dark fruit, bramble, earth and mocha notes, with hints of spice and cedar. Palate was great with dark fruit and some dark cherry with notes of cocoa, tobacco and some leather. The wine also showed hints of mushroom and toasted oak. The tannins were fine and smooth, and provided a nice mouthfeel, which I love in a wine. Easy 94+ and a very good bottle! I don't think I will ever tire of these!
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2013 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
(10/19/2023)
OK....so trying to decide what to open, and Marvin suggested a Dana.....because Lotus is my favorite, and 13 is one of the "older" vintages, I decided to try it! I confess some apprehension due to how tannic the 13 vintage was, and thought rough tannins and possibly still closed down. However, I was pleasantly surprised!
TN: Lots of blue and black fruit on the nose with some white flower, chocolate and tobacco, coupled with notes os mocha, graphite, earth and cedar. Palate exploded with blue, black and red fruit in a cornucopia of flavors, add dark and milk chocolate, some vanilla, some earth, sweet tobacco and hints of leather, pencil and oak, and you have an awesome tasting experience! 95+ and certainly no hurry...in fact, it should improve as tertiary flavors become more pronounced and more balanced with the fruit (which dominates at the moment!)
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2008 Sine Qua Non Kolibri 95 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
(10/20/2023)
Amazing wine for a 2008 white wine....of course, it is SQN, and therefore a Rhone blend. I like this wine; it is a nice alternative to Chardonnay! Every bit as good as last bottle!
TN: Nose shows plenty of citrus, stone fruit and honeysuckle. Palate shows lots of rich, unctuous citrus oil and stone fruit (apricot and peach) with hints of honeycomb and some spice. Nice medium-long finish....love SQN! 95-95+ for my discerning palate! Drinking extremely well right now...I will likely drink my last bottle in the next 1-3 years.
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1997 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard 96 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(10/21/2023)
This was a wine that lived up to the hype of the vintage! Delicious! This wine is in a perfect place for my palate.
TN: Nose shows some floral notes surrounded by earth and tobacco with hints of spice and leather. Palate starts with silky smooth tannins that glide over palate. Mid-palate shows cherry, red currant, earth and sweet tobacco, with hints of Mocha and spice. This wine shows a great balance between fruit and tertiary goodness, i.e., a perfect spot for my palate. Will likely drink the next bottle sooner than later. Easy 96 for me! Glad I opened this one!
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2013 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Mark Bradford 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
(10/22/2023)
Very nice Pinot, but not a "wow'er." This Pinot has all the components and is drinking really nice. As WBW said, very "quaffable" and quite enjoyable.
TN: Nose shows red fruit and some cedar notes. Palate shows classic Dundee cherry with hints of chocolate, bramble and spice. Everything in balance. A great wine to sit back and enjoy. 93+ for my palate....no hurry to drink, but don't see it improving much.
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2012 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch 97 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(10/23/2023)
I am a fan (probably bigger than most) of the 2012 vintage. These wines started out very open, and have remained there ever since. The closest vintage to 2012 has been 2016. Although I think 2016 is likely the superior vintage, right now, for my palate, the 2012s are drinking better. Don't get me wrong, 2016s are drinking fabulously, but you sense they will get better. 2012 is also drinking fabulously, and will also keep improving (for now, showing more tertiary flavors), but they don't seem to have the depth of the 2016s....I think VHR is no exception!
TN: Purple flowers, cedar and spice with notes of forest floor, leather and earth. Palate shows plenty of red and dark fruit (dark and red cherry, red currant, black raspberry) with notes of earth, tar, tobacco and toasty oak. Tannins are velvety and plush and finish is medium-long. Balance between fruit and tertiary flavors is more on the fruit side of the scale, so this should get even better in the next few years. Of course, nothing wrong with how it is drinking now! 96+ to 97 today, and should improve!
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