I've never got to experience a harlan wine - we bought 3 decided I had to have 1 just to understand Harlan and Cory's approach to wine
so to me I don't think I've ever seen anything so dense/opaque - my decanter had stains I needed to use Polident on it
So my first shipment of bond single vineyard won't show up till Spring 2016 but if this is Cory's wine making philosophy I CAN'T WAIT
And my other thought is how great the 2012 matriarch will be especially if no major price change
So on to the 2011 at hand - opened with deep plum with some blackberry on the after taste - after decanting so dense - and then when you start to drink as it opens all the tobacco, leather, and licorice started to come around and on the end I thought I was drinking black sambuca as the ink and licorice just was phenomenal
So I know many of you are spoiled and have been drinking these for years but let a novice just enthrall what he's been offered and will soon be drinking on an annual basis
First thing that hit me (which I wasn't expecting) was high alcohol like WOW!!!
Then after decanting started to mellow
Still a lot of fruit forward for a 10 year old but after 45-60 minutes the terroir of stags leap started to come thru and create a nice balance.
Missing some of those extra layers of complexity that could have gotten it a higher rating but Chimney Rock was really just starting to come into their own in the mid 2000's so very impressed 10 years later.
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2011 BOND Matriarch
11/2/2015 - BIG BOLD CAB LOVER Likes this wine: 93 Points
I've never got to experience a harlan wine - we bought 3 decided I had to have 1 just to understand Harlan and Cory's approach to wine
so to me I don't think I've ever seen anything so dense/opaque - my decanter had stains I needed to use Polident on it
So my first shipment of bond single vineyard won't show up till Spring 2016 but if this is Cory's wine making philosophy I CAN'T WAIT
And my other thought is how great the 2012 matriarch will be especially if no major price change
So on to the 2011 at hand - opened with deep plum with some blackberry on the after taste - after decanting so dense - and then when you start to drink as it opens all the tobacco, leather, and licorice started to come around and on the end I thought I was drinking black sambuca as the ink and licorice just was phenomenal
So I know many of you are spoiled and have been drinking these for years but let a novice just enthrall what he's been offered and will soon be drinking on an annual basis
Cheers !
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2011 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Angel Wing Meredith Estate
10/21/2015 - BIG BOLD CAB LOVER Likes this wine: 97 Points
Great nose on opening
Nice fruit start that then reveals an incredible amount of terroir that only grows richer as the wine breathes for 30 - 60 minutes
Really liken it to some of the best bonne mares that I have had the privilege to drink.
Merry does such a great job at taking her pinots from the Russian river and transporting you to burgundy france and some of their best grand cru's
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2005 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District
10/3/2015 - BIG BOLD CAB LOVER Likes this wine: 91 Points
First thing that hit me (which I wasn't expecting) was high alcohol like WOW!!!
Then after decanting started to mellow
Still a lot of fruit forward for a 10 year old but after 45-60 minutes the terroir of stags leap started to come thru and create a nice balance.
Missing some of those extra layers of complexity that could have gotten it a higher rating but Chimney Rock was really just starting to come into their own in the mid 2000's so very impressed 10 years later.
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