2007 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve
Community Tasting Note
Yondan wrote:
Saturday, August 22, 2020 - Upon opening the bottle, the nose was to say the least muted, almost void of any distinguishing aroma. There was no detectable fruit. Just a hint of floral scents that were virtually indistinguishable. The alcohol was up-front, and it masked the aromas that might otherwise be present.
The color of the wine was a dark garnet. It was opaque and appeared to be browning a bit. There was a nice clear watery edge. When swirled, the wine spread evenly around the inside perimeter of the glass and it resulted in many substantive legs that were almost uniform in appearance. Although the bouquet was disjointed and disappointing the wine had substance and nice viscosity.
First taste from the glass confirmed that my nose had accurately assessed the wine. The taste revealed a lack of fruit and no notable aroma distinctions. Tannins were medium plus, a bit chewy yet smooth. The finish was amazing long, but it was also unfriendly.
I decanted the wine for 2.5 hours which resulted in a notable transformation. Although the fruit was still missing, there was an abundance of aromas that would baffle the most experienced sommelier. There seemed to be traces of eucalyptus, mocha, chocolate, soft saddle leather. I got hints of mint, sage and juniper bush. As I continued to smell trying to discern what my nose was trying to tell me I got hints of baker’s yeast and a notable but slight sweetness like candied apple. Then I started getting some vegetal components like celery and green peppers. I could not call this wine complex. I would have to say it was “complicated”. The alcohol continued its up-front persistence. Yet it was never offensive. Although it was hard to distinguish aromas and taste, the texture was full bodied and the tannin were smooth, the acidity was calm. This was not a harmonious wine, yet it held together in an unusual way. It was like meeting an old friend that you have not seen in many years. As you talk and try to catch up on life, you realize that you do not recall the things that you had in common that made you such good friends’ years earlier. Although the nuances of this wine worked out, it was disjointed.
After 3.5 hours of decanting, the fruit tried to peak out. I got some red fruit like Bing cherry and raspberry. The fruit wanted to come forward, but it was shy and stayed in the background. After trying to figure this wine out, I realized that it was the 9% Malbec that was dominant. The 83% Cabernet Sauvignon could not find its way clear of the Malbec’s influence. Had there been less Malbec in this blend, the chances are that it would have resulted in a more harmonious, well balanced wine.
Because I was perplexed by this wine, I cannot say whether I liked it or disliked it. However, I did drink it and considered it a bit of an adventure.
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