| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments Comment Date Community Score More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2019 Force Majeure Cabernet SauvignonRed Mountain more |
2/22/2023 - Musinus wrote: 93 pointsDeep purple color offering succulent, lush, enticing aromas of black cherry syrup, black raspberry, spearmint, vanilla and graphite. Cornucopia of red berry blend and Lucky Charms marshmallows that start and finish hot. Brief mid-palate reprieve is your opportunity to enjoy the fruit. Unfortunately, the dominant alcohol effectively does a number on the fruit. Such a shame. Best enjoyed during this youthful phase. |
| Red |
2016 Castello di Ama L'Apparita Toscana IGTMerlot more |
10/9/2022 - Musinus wrote: 91 pointsDark garnet color. Aromas of blueberry, cherry, currant, new leather. Heavy alcohol on the palate, but mineral-inflected, plummy. The flavor profile is shallow so it may be closed at present. With an hour’s time, nose turns to anise, lavender and green pepper and flavors of crushed figs, blueberries, marzipan, and black raspberry emerge. Flavor takes a back seat to alcohol and tannin and not sure this will right itself with time.
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| Red |
1961 Château Cheval BlancSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more |
12/22/2022 - Musinus wrote: 95 pointsFrom a magnum I've cellared for 20+ years, the first impression was how incredibly youthful in appearance and bouquet this bottle was. The nose was redolent of currant, cedar, brown sugar, hoisin, soy. While the palate offered mature flavors of plum, red berries, beet, roasted meats, and currant. Upon encountering the wine, I'd never have guessed its age from the material and this bottle could certainly march for another decade or so without noticeable decline. Ninety or so minutes after opening, it started a subtle, slow fade. But what a lovely way to celebrate my wife's birth year with friends. Kudos to CB!
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| Red |
2019 Force Majeure Syrah Force Majeure Vineyard Red Mountainmore |
2/10/2023 - Musinus wrote: 92 pointsAromas reflecting a tarte of cherries, plums, roasted sweet beets and vanilla. Dense, rich, solid mouth feel. A melange of red fruits, spice and pepper are noted on the palate but there’s no escaping the 14.7% alcohol that is ever-present. Older bottles I’ve tasted demonstrate how intrusive the high alcohol becomes with bottle age.
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| Red |
2018 Force Majeure Syrah Force Majeure Vineyard Red Mountainmore |
1/6/2023 - Musinus wrote: 85 pointsInitially, the wine offered up rich and seductive scents of red berries, black cherries, plums, and mocha. The mouthfeel: creamy, fruity, and alcoholic. After several hours, however, this seemingly promising creation was overwhelmed by alcohol and unrelenting bitterness. The fruit seemed to have retreated into submission, leaving behind a very muted wine whose structure was lacking. Is this merely a passing phase? Hard to say, but I’m not sticking around to find out.
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Comment posted by Musinus:
3/24/2023 7:33:00 AM - A wise idea. I've followed a number of "high alcohol level" wines over the past two decades. In the advent of Robert Parker's expressed preference for "fruit bombs" in the early 2000's, many producers worldwide sought to increase sales by mimicking the overly extracted, high-alcohol winemaking style. Those wines have not aged well (wines from the US, Australia, Bordeaux, Italy). Many producers came to realize it was a misstep and reverted back to a more traditional wine-making style, while others continue the approach because it offers an upfront luxurious mouthfeel. But that does not last and many of the wines I purchased long ago and thought would be lovely in maturity now... just suck. I either donate them or toss them. I'm trying to help others so they don't end up in a similar predicament. I also hope the feedback helps winemakers realize they need to adjust their approach. Cheers and drink up!
Comment posted by Musinus:
4/20/2024 10:31:00 AM - High alcohol can be suitably masked in a wine's youth by the fruit, but tends to overwhelm in mature wines. I've taken to pouring out many of my older Quilceda Creek wines (early 2000's) because the cringeworthy excessive alcohol predominates over all else. I really regret that I purchased over a dozen cases of wine from that period. One of life's lessons. I stick to high-end Bordeaux and Burgundy at this point.