March 5, 2024 - Corked
January 19, 2024 - Blinds w/ Jenny's supper club (Jenny's): Oxidized. Very prominent raisin aromas.
14.5% alcohol. High acid and tannins.
given the oxiation, raisination, and elevated alcohol, I'm guessing Valpolicella Ripasso.
Laterals:
- Zinfandel (would be cleaner, fruitier)
- Southern Rhône - wouldn't be this oxidized
Actual: 2017 CdP
Analysis: This wine is over the hill. Oxidized bottle perhaps.
December 11, 2023 - What a beauty! Super smooth and just tons of flavor, seems at the peak of maturity. Glad we haved two more bottles :)
June 16, 2023 - Big in all ways that I like in Rhone reds, fruity, nose, long interesting finish, moderately strong tannin. Will keep a few years but v.g. now.
April 15, 2023 - PnP at cellar temp. Big mistake. Almost no nose at all. The palate had the slightest hint of sour cherries but that was about it. I let it warm up and breathe but it needed a long decant. Hold.
January 2, 2022 - Definite improvement (integration of elements) over the past 2 years. Developing a complex richness, well balanced.
March 10, 2020 - Definitely ripe and a noticeable 15.5 abv. Far too young but it's hard to deny it is delicious. Half consumed on day 1 and the other half on day 3 and man what an improvement. Thick and luscious and full of deep red cherry and plums. Spice and herbs and not sickly sweet, and definitely French. I'm just digging this on day 3.
February 29, 2020 - Uplifting and elegant, violet, ripe red and blue fruits with cinnamon and yellow ginger. The nose has strong reminiscent of Japanese Kyoho grapes. Palate echoed the nose with rich and complex notes. It is still very young given the grippy tannins. Medium-bodied. Nice transitions from entry to finish. Finish is chalky and gingery. Need more time. Drink after 5 years and it should last for another 10 years.
November 16, 2019 - On its own, as it is today, 90, but clearly with potential down the road. Three hour decant.
November 2, 2019 - Nose: Sweet red cherries with a slight fresh, cola nose without the carbonic tingle (not saying it's flat though), dark ripened plums and some ripe strawberries. Soft tree bark as well. In addition to the sweet red cherries, there's also the fake version of it too.. the kind where you put on top of a sundae. With some time, there's a little bit of barnyard funk and forest floor. If this was served blind, I would've guessed Pinot Noir.
Palate: Different on the palate, deep bright earth with an elegant yet firm spice, dried wood with slightly brighter red fruit that gradually becomes more pronounced towards the end. Seems to transition initially from deep bright earth to a bright red fruit. Minerals on the mid palate and finish.
Medium clear ruby color. Dry with high amounts of firm, grippy tannins. Light-plus to medium-minus body with medium to medium-plus amounts of acidity. Great finish of about 17-20 seconds. If someone wants to learn what tannins are, this is a great learning wine. Lots of grippy tannins that gives it plenty of structure to age for years. The Cuvée Tradition showed a lot better than this for my palate. Because this was a little bit more than the Cuvée Tradition, I expected this to be better but my money still goes to the Cuvée Tradition hands down. Keep in mind though that's just for my palate though. This wine seems to need more time in bottle first, at least 7-8 years for things to come together. It should be slightly better by then.. or decant for about an hour for things ti air out. 92-93 for now.
Other details: No decant, time in glass only. Burgundy glass. Served straight out of wine fridge at ~57° that eventually became ~60°.