Marvin (WineBurrowingWombat) Visits Minnesota
Jason's House
Tasted October 16, 2023 - October 23, 2023 by I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine with 93 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!
Flight 1 - Opening a few bottles to share with a friend! (10 notes)
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!)
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!