2002 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 94.1 points

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  7/4/2022 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 95 Points

  This magnum has had a slow leak for awhile, so I thought the 4th of July would be the day! This might very well be the only mag of this wine left on earth...back in the day, Alban only made a dozen or so magnums, usually for charity or special events...so a rare bird indeed! They also used the stankiest wax known to man...I had to call them when I got a few bottles, because I was REALLY concerned about that stank cheese smell penetrating to the wine over time...they assured me it was food grade wax, and don't worry. Well, it still smells a little 20yrs later...the good thing is it peals off really easy! The wine...15.3 abv, decanted for a couple hours...starts out really high toned acid and tart...really red fruited...thought maybe maderized at first, but a little more air darkened it up and calmed it down...still quite high in acid...but more on the sour cherry skin side, with ample liqueured wild berry fruits, dried bing cherry, red licorice, pretty Rayas-like perfumed bouquet of dried flowers. Shows signature faint sweet asphalt, olive tapenade, sage...cherrywood spice, aged leather...there is wonderful brightness in this...more finesse than the black hole Syrahs...really engaging exotics in there, such a unique Grenache expression...the acid is SO punchy, almost 1999 levels, totally works in this wine...and I dig it! Bitter sweet...sad to see this maggie go...but at least it went out a winner!

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  2/3/2020 - theharve wrote: 96 Points

  entering peak drinkability but only one bottle left (no rush)

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  3/15/2019 - B&PBaker wrote: 93 Points

  Great stuff. Nice nose. Firm fruit. Not overpowering.

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  2/1/2013 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 95 Points

  Outstanding tonight. Everything in its place - great nose, wonderful balance, strong finish. Decanted about an hour and consumed over 3 more. In a really good place right now.

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  4/7/2012 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 94 Points

  Really, really good bottle. Decanted about an hour + but really needs closer to two. Fantastic flavors of spice, pepper, red fruit. Still going strong. A very nice expression of Grenache from the original Rhone Ranger. This wine shows no signs of slowing down. Drink or hold. I have a couple more bottles that I will vist over the next few years.

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