Make sure you give this wine air and decant in a wide base decanter of possible and let sit for a couple hours. Once it opens is a very nice Right Bank style with floral aromas, spices, cedar notes with palate full of red and blue fruit. This wine surprisingly has tons of fruit, acidity and tannins to easily evolve for at least 5 more years.
Admittedly I have very little experience with Cabernet Franc as a varietal, but as an enjoyable glass of wine this was one of the better ones I have had this year. Drinking really well right now, blackberry, blueberry fruit, medium long finish, medium full bodied.
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Plush blueberry and blackberry sits on top of a sour black plum undercurrent. Nice clove and other spice notes. Not as much herbal as I like, but unquestionably delicious. Long finish. Too early.
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The 2011 La Carte was tasted directly next to the 2012 La Carte. Two totally different wines (not much of a surprise given the contrast in vintages); it was difficult for the 2011 to compete with the 2012's vibrancy and plush, pulsating fruit flavors. However, on its own, the 2011 is an amazingly approachable, enjoyable, and complete wine.
Cool blue and black berry notes, with hints of wet slate, graphite, and loam. I did not get any real vegetal notes from this wine (which is a good thing), and found myself wishing I had more time to spend with the 2011 without the competing palate-fatiguing blasts of the other more-fruit driven reds in the lineup (not that I'm complaining about getting to try a variety of Pott wines!!). It is just the kind of wine you want to slowly sip while sitting by the fireplace for an hour or two, reading a good book or watching some cheesy PBS show on art history or something.
In the end, my experience with the 2011 La Carte was a 93+, with even more room to evolve given an opportunity to spend some hand-holding time with it over the course of a few hours. For those who have a few bottles, I'd recommend starting out with a 30 minute decant and following over the course of a couple of hours.
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Pop and pour, drunk over 3 hours. A few winemakers really did well in 2011. That is not to say, they are their best wines ever, but they produced excellent wines that don't need a disclaimer. Pott's wines seem to be some of them. The biggest difference about the 11's is how accessible they are young. Purple in color. I believe this is a Merlot/Cab Franc blend. The nose has plums, dark cherries, dried tobacco and spice. Great texture. Very drinkable. Some tannins but they integrate nicely. On the palate, plums and cassis and dark cherries. Nice balance. Delicious. Bottle is drained quickly.
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Popped and poured. Very tight for only the first 15 minutes. Then was excellent. Floral nose. Light fruit flavors of blueberry, black currant, and some raspberry. Hints of bell pepper.
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Dark cherry in color, vanilla, coffee bean, brown sugar and cherry pie aromas lead to a forward, sweet, slightly oaky, strawberry and herbal tinged finish.
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1/6/2020 - amauryc1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Make sure you give this wine air and decant in a wide base decanter of possible and let sit for a couple hours. Once it opens is a very nice Right Bank style with floral aromas, spices, cedar notes with palate full of red and blue fruit. This wine surprisingly has tons of fruit, acidity and tannins to easily evolve for at least 5 more years.
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8/9/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum. This wine is so good. Beautiful balance and long finish with a nice round mouthfeel.
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10/9/2017 - DavidDay Likes this wine: 93 Points
Admittedly I have very little experience with Cabernet Franc as a varietal, but as an enjoyable glass of wine this was one of the better ones I have had this year. Drinking really well right now, blackberry, blueberry fruit, medium long finish, medium full bodied.
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5/11/2017 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
Plush blueberry and blackberry sits on top of a sour black plum undercurrent. Nice clove and other spice notes. Not as much herbal as I like, but unquestionably delicious. Long finish. Too early.
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4/24/2016 - carendt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pure pleasure - seamless and seductive. Seems to be in the perfect drinking window.
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11/7/2015 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
Pott Pickup Party (Quixote Winery, Stags Leap District): Tasted at the Pott pickup party at Quixote Winery alongside eight other 2013, 2012, and 2011 Pott wines.
The 2011 La Carte was tasted directly next to the 2012 La Carte. Two totally different wines (not much of a surprise given the contrast in vintages); it was difficult for the 2011 to compete with the 2012's vibrancy and plush, pulsating fruit flavors. However, on its own, the 2011 is an amazingly approachable, enjoyable, and complete wine.
Cool blue and black berry notes, with hints of wet slate, graphite, and loam. I did not get any real vegetal notes from this wine (which is a good thing), and found myself wishing I had more time to spend with the 2011 without the competing palate-fatiguing blasts of the other more-fruit driven reds in the lineup (not that I'm complaining about getting to try a variety of Pott wines!!). It is just the kind of wine you want to slowly sip while sitting by the fireplace for an hour or two, reading a good book or watching some cheesy PBS show on art history or something.
In the end, my experience with the 2011 La Carte was a 93+, with even more room to evolve given an opportunity to spend some hand-holding time with it over the course of a few hours. For those who have a few bottles, I'd recommend starting out with a 30 minute decant and following over the course of a couple of hours.
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7/12/2015 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely soft fruit core with great layers of smoke and blueberry. Really nice wine.
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6/22/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Pop and pour, drunk over 3 hours. A few winemakers really did well in 2011. That is not to say, they are their best wines ever, but they produced excellent wines that don't need a disclaimer. Pott's wines seem to be some of them. The biggest difference about the 11's is how accessible they are young. Purple in color. I believe this is a Merlot/Cab Franc blend. The nose has plums, dark cherries, dried tobacco and spice. Great texture. Very drinkable. Some tannins but they integrate nicely. On the palate, plums and cassis and dark cherries. Nice balance. Delicious. Bottle is drained quickly.
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12/14/2014 - newkid17 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Very tight for only the first 15 minutes. Then was excellent. Floral nose. Light fruit flavors of blueberry, black currant, and some raspberry. Hints of bell pepper.
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10/7/2014 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
Herbal gun powder on the nose
Almost bell prpper, quickely rolls into leather wrapped soy and kobie
Good ballance, tannins keep it interesting
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10/5/2014 - Urodude wrote: 92 Points
Great. Followed an 09 caymus and 02 stags leap cab. Complex powerful wine
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10/4/2014 - elamasters wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous nose. Pretty tight and tannic on the palate now. Another five or so years in he bottle, and this should really be incredible.
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8/2/2014 - S R U D I N Likes this wine: 94 Points
A certain flavor and finish was arrived at that is indescribable by words.
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8/25/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Dark cherry in color, vanilla, coffee bean, brown sugar and cherry pie aromas lead to a forward, sweet, slightly oaky, strawberry and herbal tinged finish.
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