The time had come. The single bottle I purchased on a whim almost a decade ago had been picked for a Bordeaux tasting.
And so it was that I began the 5 hour decant, hesitant to take in the first hint of a nose I was frightened of after reading a few of the less than positive reviews... the "stewed prunes" and "indescribable" aroma.
I needn't have worried.
From the first blast of fruit upon the initial opening, it was gorgeous plum and velvety deep cherry for days. The nose was so decadently pungent as to take your breath away. Full beast mode.
Came upon the grit at the bottom of the bottle and decided to pour the small remnant into a glass for a quick assessment.
Unbelievable! Superb depth of fruit, melded seamlessly with almost mature tannins and a laser-precise structure of acidity set against the backdrop of the rare earth of Western France. The harmony unleashed between the Merlot and Cab Franc is smooth as silk and the characteristic tartness of Bordeaux is tempered here with extraordinary craftsmanship of flavor and focus.
This, along with a 2005 Rauzen-Segla (also fantastic!) and two other notable offerings, were my first foray into Bordeaux in quite some time so it was VERY nice to have nothing but winners in the bunch that memorable evening.
If you have properly stored your lot, the '05 Clos de Sarpe is only now beginning to hit its stride. Those with the luxury of several bottles should try at least one or two before too long. I will likely be dead before this bottle is undrinkable, it has that much life left.
Don't miss it!
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Fantastically subdued nose of rhubarb and spice. The red/black fruit is solid but not overwhelming. VERY nice structure with fine grained tannins. A beautiful pairing with BBQ asada and chicken tacos.
If you can find a bottle - or if you have a few - drink now or hold but not for much longer. This gem is amazing!
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2019 First Drop Shiraz Mother's Milk
4/25/2021 - JuzMaintain wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic nose of grilled meat. Barnyard funk is present but not overwhelming. Nice acidity and the fruit is subdued.
A little hot with the ABV but I can give that a pass for the nice structure. This is a great everyday bottle. I wouldn't wait much past 2026, though.
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2005 Château Clos de Sarpe
1/29/2021 - JuzMaintain Likes this wine: 94 Points
The time had come. The single bottle I purchased on a whim almost a decade ago had been picked for a Bordeaux tasting.
And so it was that I began the 5 hour decant, hesitant to take in the first hint of a nose I was frightened of after reading a few of the less than positive reviews... the "stewed prunes" and "indescribable" aroma.
I needn't have worried.
From the first blast of fruit upon the initial opening, it was gorgeous plum and velvety deep cherry for days. The nose was so decadently pungent as to take your breath away. Full beast mode.
Came upon the grit at the bottom of the bottle and decided to pour the small remnant into a glass for a quick assessment.
Unbelievable! Superb depth of fruit, melded seamlessly with almost mature tannins and a laser-precise structure of acidity set against the backdrop of the rare earth of Western France. The harmony unleashed between the Merlot and Cab Franc is smooth as silk and the characteristic tartness of Bordeaux is tempered here with extraordinary craftsmanship of flavor and focus.
This, along with a 2005 Rauzen-Segla (also fantastic!) and two other notable offerings, were my first foray into Bordeaux in quite some time so it was VERY nice to have nothing but winners in the bunch that memorable evening.
If you have properly stored your lot, the '05 Clos de Sarpe is only now beginning to hit its stride. Those with the luxury of several bottles should try at least one or two before too long. I will likely be dead before this bottle is undrinkable, it has that much life left.
Don't miss it!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2017 Hartford / Hartford Court Zinfandel Old Vine Russian River Valley
1/24/2021 - JuzMaintain Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP for 2020 NFL playoffs.
Fantastically subdued nose of rhubarb and spice. The red/black fruit is solid but not overwhelming. VERY nice structure with fine grained tannins. A beautiful pairing with BBQ asada and chicken tacos.
If you can find a bottle - or if you have a few - drink now or hold but not for much longer. This gem is amazing!
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