Four bottles at the Bruce Arms, with B-As, Dawes, Sophie & Solon, after a (very wet) walked-up day at Commondale. Slightly watering at rim, decent fruity nose, good fruit and acidity, still moderately tannic and woody, a trace of astringency. Better with food. Everyone liked it, perhaps more than I did. I prefer the 2001, and doubt that this 2002 will significantly improve. Indeed it may become more astringent.
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Medium deep ruby. A blast of pungent, high char wood before the strong aromas of black cherry come forth. Like a larger scale Gevrey Premier Cru in the mouth with a gorgeous mix of dark red berry fruit, fine soil, and shimmering yet unobtrusive acidity. Whereas I had found this rough edged the 2 previous times I've had it, the texture here was superb until the very end, when the wood reasserts itself and dries and shortens things a bit. Overall, though, a very positive impression. While I'm still not wild about this obvious wood signature, the fruit has had a lot more staying power than I would have imagined, allowing time to soften the wine and result in a very appealing bottle. In fact, this is one of the better Marsannays I've come across.
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Light ruby with early fading. Briary red fruit and a big thwack of smoky charred wood. Youthful in the mouth with strong fruit and acidity but inescapable oak. This has definitely softened and become a little more pliant over the past few years but still has a slightly astringent, grippy finish that could still use a couple of more years. My fear with further aging is that the cooperage will completely overtake the remaining fruit.
I must admit, though, that returning to the open bottle after 6 hours, much deeper black cherry fruit did a much better job of complementing and subduing the wood. This has a lot of stuffing.
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Medium depth with no maturity. Very Gevrey nose of red fruit, soil and some menthol. Supple but coarse, tart with slightly gritty finish and strong acidity. Pretty much as it should be. Maybe a bit of upside with further softening.
More medicinal black cherry fruit comes out after a night in the refrigerator, but it is still pretty rugged and raspy.
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On opening - Nose - Fresh, abit of tannin. Just a tad of pinot fruit. Just a bit of pinot fruit. Young. Score on opening - 85 to 87. Improved to 87 or 88 with 1 1/2 hour decant. Further improved to 88 or 89 after a day. Drinkable day to day wine, at best.
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wonderful aroma of strawberry and earth. A little rustic as it should be. Light flavors of pinot red and darker fruit. Tannic structure is still present but lightish. Some finishing acidity and just a touch of green that probably won't resolve but that still make this a very nice food wine. Not a stunner but a very nice drink. Think simple meat dishes on this one.
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overwhelmed with a nasty sulphur streak. recorked and will give another try in a few days. off bottle? reopened 4 days later and time perfomed its magic. softened with deep cherry and earth flavors, plenty of spine to carry it for a while and a noseful of burg. very nice and should have a long shelf life.
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LAW Burg tasting: Fresh “earthy” frt; simple, hint zesty (went away later) and opened up! More leather-spice, earthy mth, dark; good, simple, a bit more rustic than the others.
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(At Jardinière – SF) Deep ruby red, saturated and brilliant. A stunning nose of strawberry and red fruits mixed with a touch of cedar and cinnamon – very interesting and fine. Luscious and seductive – a noble wave of pinot fruit with a touch of earthy complexity. While this is not the most profound or complex wine I have had recently, I can not think of one that was more fun or that I enjoyed more. Not one for tastings, but one for drinking – I wish I had a case in the cellar. An absolute delight and a steal from a QPR perspective. To drink over the next seven years. (17.5)
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9/3/2016 - Remony wrote: 89 Points
Four bottles at the Bruce Arms, with B-As, Dawes, Sophie & Solon, after a (very wet) walked-up day at Commondale. Slightly watering at rim, decent fruity nose, good fruit and acidity, still moderately tannic and woody, a trace of astringency. Better with food. Everyone liked it, perhaps more than I did. I prefer the 2001, and doubt that this 2002 will significantly improve. Indeed it may become more astringent.
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8/2/2015 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium deep ruby. A blast of pungent, high char wood before the strong aromas of black cherry come forth. Like a larger scale Gevrey Premier Cru in the mouth with a gorgeous mix of dark red berry fruit, fine soil, and shimmering yet unobtrusive acidity. Whereas I had found this rough edged the 2 previous times I've had it, the texture here was superb until the very end, when the wood reasserts itself and dries and shortens things a bit. Overall, though, a very positive impression. While I'm still not wild about this obvious wood signature, the fruit has had a lot more staying power than I would have imagined, allowing time to soften the wine and result in a very appealing bottle. In fact, this is one of the better Marsannays I've come across.
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5/31/2014 - drwine2001 wrote:
Light ruby with early fading. Briary red fruit and a big thwack of smoky charred wood. Youthful in the mouth with strong fruit and acidity but inescapable oak. This has definitely softened and become a little more pliant over the past few years but still has a slightly astringent, grippy finish that could still use a couple of more years. My fear with further aging is that the cooperage will completely overtake the remaining fruit.
I must admit, though, that returning to the open bottle after 6 hours, much deeper black cherry fruit did a much better job of complementing and subduing the wood. This has a lot of stuffing.
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11/15/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium depth with no maturity. Very Gevrey nose of red fruit, soil and some menthol. Supple but coarse, tart with slightly gritty finish and strong acidity. Pretty much as it should be. Maybe a bit of upside with further softening.
More medicinal black cherry fruit comes out after a night in the refrigerator, but it is still pretty rugged and raspy.
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10/4/2011 - Jhcwine wrote: 88 Points
On opening - Nose - Fresh, abit of tannin. Just a tad of pinot fruit. Just a bit of pinot fruit. Young. Score on opening - 85 to 87. Improved to 87 or 88 with 1 1/2 hour decant. Further improved to 88 or 89 after a day. Drinkable day to day wine, at best.
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1/6/2011 - darvid wrote:
Bright all around. Has eaten the wood and is showing well - quite satisfying.
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5/5/2008 - peebal wrote:
wonderful aroma of strawberry and earth. A little rustic as it should be. Light flavors of pinot red and darker fruit. Tannic structure is still present but lightish. Some finishing acidity and just a touch of green that probably won't resolve but that still make this a very nice food wine. Not a stunner but a very nice drink. Think simple meat dishes on this one.
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9/21/2007 - br wrote:
overwhelmed with a nasty sulphur streak. recorked and will give another try in a few days. off bottle? reopened 4 days later and time perfomed its magic. softened with deep cherry and earth flavors, plenty of spine to carry it for a while and a noseful of burg. very nice and should have a long shelf life.
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6/25/2007 - peternelson wrote: 88 Points
LAW Burg tasting: Fresh “earthy” frt; simple, hint zesty (went away later) and opened up! More leather-spice, earthy mth, dark; good, simple, a bit more rustic than the others.
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1/11/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
(At Jardinière – SF) Deep ruby red, saturated and brilliant. A stunning nose of strawberry and red fruits mixed with a touch of cedar and cinnamon – very interesting and fine. Luscious and seductive – a noble wave of pinot fruit with a touch of earthy complexity. While this is not the most profound or complex wine I have had recently, I can not think of one that was more fun or that I enjoyed more. Not one for tastings, but one for drinking – I wish I had a case in the cellar. An absolute delight and a steal from a QPR perspective. To drink over the next seven years. (17.5)
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