Too much oak

My home
Tasted Friday, December 20, 2013 - Monday, December 30, 2013 by Loren Sonkin with 504 views

Introduction

I opened a couple of bottles this weekend that were solid wines. Yet, they could have been better except they were dominated by oak. Perhaps time will sort this out for the Dal Forno and Akoujma Zume. I doubt it for the Lascombes which I have had multiple bottles of over the years. Disappointing showings for my tastes. That said, I know some love the oak in their wines and would love these wines. FWIW, I am a middle of the road person when it comes to oak. These have a ton.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 2007 Akoma Zoume Cabernet Sauvignon Zeus Mountain Terraces 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    (12/24/2013)

    Bought on a visit to the winery. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, dark cherries, cocoa, and some fresh lumber. Nice texture. Plenty of fruit. This borders on being more oaked than I prefer but in the end it is within bounds. Lots of fruit and an underlying complexity. Not sure how this will age out, but a few more years might be beneficial. Very nice wine.

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  • 2006 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta 88 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Superiore

    (12/29/2013)

    There is a lot of great wine here. For my tastes, it is buried under a stack of new oak right now. The nose is dominated by fresh cut lumber and milk chocolate. Some cherries do show thru. The palate matches. A great texture. Drunk over two nights, nothing faded, not the oak and not the fruit. It is tolerable because of the fruit and the texture, but I am going to let my remaining bottles sit and hope for the best. Normally, I wouldn't have touched these, but I had read that this vintage was for early drinking. Certainly not this bottle. It had years left in it for sure. Oh well.

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  • 2003 Château Lascombes 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    (12/30/2013)

    This is a nice wine. Some will like it more than I, but there is a ton of oak on this wine that seems more pronounced every time I drink it. This is my last bottle and I am glad. The fruit seems to be fading at a reasonable rate, but the oak remains fresh and out front. A nose of fresh cut lumber and chocolate. Also some plums (albeit not ripe or sweet). On the palate, the oak dominates. The texture medium. The fruit slightly bitter. It seems to come together at time and then the oak surges. Its not bad and we finished the bottle, but not something I would recommend or buy again. Drink up.

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