Community Tasting Note
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VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 90 points
February 9, 2014 - This was the first of 6 bottles purchased on release. After reading through the earlier notes here, it seemed that a long aeration was in order and this was decanted for 2-1/2 hours leaving a medium to light amount of sediment.
Clear medium ruby color with no browning at the edges.
Subtle red fruit aromatics with suggestions of earth and baking spices.
Medium weight with smooth tannins, crisp acidity, bashful flavors of red raspberry, strawberry, dried leaf, and moist earth that started out well delineated then became somewhat muddled in the middle. As we progressed through dinner it did however open up and seemed to gain focus and breadth on the palate.
Even though I was expecting something more exotic and assertive, there was an underlying sophistication that I found quite enjoyable and a very good companion to the salmon with maple and tamari glaze, oven roasted cauliflower, and sautéed snow peas with shallots.
While this was certainly a restrained presentment, it was laudable in its balance and purity. It also seemed to have a coiled energy that suggests it is still waiting to blossom.
This is no “shock and awe” wine but I think it might surprise a few of the harsher critics in a few years with greater depth and complexity. 90 points now with upside potential as it emerges from this lean adolescent stage.
UPDATE: 12/15/2016
Almost 3 years later and this doesn’t seem to have changed much if at all. I had hoped that it would show more presentment with a couple of years, but it hasn’t. Again paired to salmon with maple and tamari glaze, my impressions are essentially unchanged from the 2014 bottle. I am still looking for a little more depth and complexity in this. Though somewhat disappointing, I would still stay with the 90 point score.3 people found this helpful 4,044 views