MNB: Grab Bag

Home (Noe st)
Tasted Monday, June 26, 2017 by RajivAyyangar with 326 views

Introduction

Full house! Joel, Laura, Tim, Vanessa, JC, Choi, Shang.

Flight 1 (10 Notes)

  • 2007 Tahbilk Marsanne 1927 Vines

    Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Nagambie Lakes

    Medium concentration yellow color.
    Aromatic nose - strongly reductive with some struck match, crushed rock, and a hint of herbaceous, almost marijuana-like floral notes. There's also a savory verbena character that's hard to put a finger on. It's reductive and tight, but showing just a tiny hint of development (faint sweet honeyed citrus, slight wilted apple, toast). The nose shows hints of a beautiful development to come, if it goes anywhere near the Hunter Semillon route.

    On the palate, dry, medium minus body, slightly diminished alcohol - feels 11.5% (actually 10.5%!), high (+) acid - tart and malic, with a hint of tart apple cider vinegar notes. The finish doesn't have any of the bitterness I normally associate with Marsanne, and instead resembles a young Hunter Semillon, albeit with a touch more weight.

    This is aggressively lean and taut right now. No idea how it will develop. Fascinating to taste!

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  • 2010 Bertin-Delatte Chenin Blanc L'Échalier Flawed

    France, Loire Valley, Vin de France

    (blind)
    Medium gold with hints of yellow.
    On the palate, the wine is super maderized. assuming this is stylistic...
    Bruised apple core, strong acetaldehyde on the nose. Slight carrot. Curried carrot. Possible gingery/carroty flor?
    On the palate:
    Dry, medium bodied, medium plus alcohol (around 13%), hints of balsamic vinegar, high acid - mostly strong tartaric, some malic, and slight bitterness.
    This is all apple core, apple pit, apple skin, bruised apple, almond skin.

    Assuming this is in an oxidative style, it is fresh but still seems to have flor, So I'm guessing an oxidative Arbois wine?

    Possibilities:
    - Arbois chardonnay
    - Arbois Vin Jaune?

    Conclusion:
    Vin Jaune, Savagnin, 2010.

    Actual: Vin de France - 2010 l'Escalier Chenin 13%
    In that case this is definitely an oxidized bottle.

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  • 2007 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Elizabeth

    Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

    Medium yellow-green color.
    Strong reduction still, but starting to develop a sort of toast and peach tertiary character - not quite in the honey-and-toast realm, but getting there. Beautiful ripe white flowers, and pear esters (still!).
    On the palate dry, slightly frizzante (it's a screwcap), Medium minus alcohol (feels 11.5%), A touch of bitterness and bruised apple skins on the finish.

    This is starting to develop the tertiary notes, but it doesn't seem to have the density of the Tyrrell's, and the acetaldehyde is concerning at this point.

    A bit richer than the Tahbilk Marsanne.

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  • 2015 Matthiasson Rosé 87 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (blind)
    Pale salmon with hints of pink and yellow.
    Fresh, elevated intensity nose with fresh estery strawberry, pear, slight ripe cherry, slight yeast.
    Dry, medium bodied, medium alcohol - 13%, high acid - nice and tart finish with a brightness to it, and a medium finish with slight earthy secondaries, slight leaves, crusty bread on the finish.
    It's not very well integrated, but it's got some complexity, with savory and fruity notes, and a hint of development - wet leaves. Slight bitterness on the finish. One of the better young rose's I've tasted.

    Guesses:
    Based on the intensity and elevated alcohol, I'm guessing a warmer climate - Pinot rose from Sonoma? New world, cooler climate.

    Sonoma Saignee Rosé Pinot, 2013

    Actually Matthiasson Rose 2015 - 11.6% alcohol
    GSM with a bit of Cinsault

    Very nice - simple and delicious.

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  • 2006 Littorai Pinot Noir The Haven

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (blind)
    Medium minus ruby color.
    Elevated intensity aromas of pomegranate, tart cherry, slightly confected cherry as if from whole cluster, ripe black cherry, funky reductive red cherry, also slight hints of possible oak - a small percent new, or mostly used. There's a really savory tamari-wet leaves thing on the nose, and baked cherry.
    On the palate, dry, medium plus body, elevated alcohol (14%), high acid, elevated bitterness - harsh and disjointed, and elevated tannins (green, bitter, and papery).

    The key features here:
    - thin-skinned grape
    - whole cluster
    - reductive red fruit
    - variable ripeness / millerandage
    - slight oak usage
    - elevated alcohol, high acid, super bitter
    - elevated tannins

    I'm at a loss. Possible laterals include:
    - New World Pinot - but a super hot one with over-extracted tannins
    - Barbera - but one with clean winemaking, a touch of oak and confected whole-cluster/carbonic notes

    On the balance, I think this is most likely Pinot, Napa, 2014. A hot bitter mess.

    Actually: 2006 Littorai Haven vineyard!

    Everyone else really liked this, so on preponderance of evidence I'm guessing this was an off-palate day. The overwhelming consensus was this was an extremely well-balanced, restrained, high-acid Pinot.

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  • 2014 Aurelien Verdet Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes 84 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

    (blind)
    Medium minus ruby color.
    Deep slightly reductive black cherry with a hint of wood spice and slight burnt toast
    On the palate, dry, medium bodied, with elevated alcohol (14%), elevated acid, and medium minus tannins (a bit bitter).
    Sonoma pinot 2014

    Actually, 2014 Aurelien Verdet vv Vosne-Romanee !!!
    This is really weird and ripe for a '14 Burg (I might believe it's a '15). Hot and no earth to speak of.

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  • 2013 Idlewild Nebbiolo Fox Hill Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

    Medium minus ruby color to an orange rim.
    Rich savory cherry, freshly turned earth, dust, sweet herbs, wet leaves, dried rose petals, and a hint of VA (perfumed popourri notes). Beautiful and expressive nose, almost buttery - like salumi fat. Banana clove pudding.
    Dry, medium plus body, high alcohol (14.5%), high acid, high tannins - chewy and savory. Long finish. So good.

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  • 2010 Aurelio Settimo Barolo Flawed

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    (blind)
    Medium minus ruby to a garnet rim.
    Savory, developed nose with slight brett hints of sweet oak, and hints of oxidation.
    Dry, medium plus bodied, high alcohol (14%), high tannins, high acid.
    Hints of new oak - faint vanilla and spice on the palate. Slight wet cardboard... Corked

    Brunello or Barolo/Barbaresco.
    Due to hints of new oak and the overall heftiness of wine, I'm guessing this is a Brunello di Montalcino (regular, not riserva), 2011.
    Pretty good.

    Actually: 2010 Barolo Aurelio Settimo 14%

    Makes sense - I suppose if I'd picked up on some floral/terpene notes I might have leaned towards Nebbiolo.

    Corked.

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  • 2015 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah North Coast 80 Points

    USA, California, North Coast

    (blind)

    Deep ruby color.
    Deep, ripe, baked, jammy, and raisinated blackberry aromas, with just a hint of spiced oak.
    Dry, full-bodied, high alcohol - 14% (actually 14.5%), medium plus acid, medium plus tannins - scratchy and quite bitter. Lots of oak on the mid-palate - sawdust.

    Full-bodied, oaked, and tannic Zinfandel?

    Final guess: 2014 Zinfandel - Sonoma - Dry Creek Valley. Oak chips. $15
    Actual: 2015 Bedrock North Coast Syrah 14.5%

    Hmmm... this isn't holding its oak very well, at least not right now.

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  • 2013 Silver Heights The Summit 50 Points

    China, Ningxia

    This is the worst wine I've encountered in over 3,000 notes. It's the first wine I feel might actually be toxic to drink.

    Opaque ruby in the glass.
    The nose caused me to immediately gag - it's SO bad. Like rotten asparagus in a portable latrine, that happens to be on fire (so add the stench of burning plastic). One tasting companion said "vegetable farts." The most gruesomely awesome wine I've ever smelled.

    When I could bring myself to taste it, I picked up on some black fruit, and the vegetal aspect presented as pyrazines - think rotten bell peppers.

    Dry, full-bodied, medium plus tannins, medium plus acid, medium plus alcohol (yes - 14%), dark fruit. The texture of the tannins and midpalate seems somewhat developed - like this has seen a bit of oak elevage. The finish, unfortunately, is medium plus in length. Palate cleanser required.

    Based on the pyrazines and overall ripe structure, I'm guessing: Carmenere, Chile, 2015

    Actually: Silver Heights "the summit" 2013 - China.

    60% cab, 40% merlot
    60% new French Barrique

    This is so bad, it's actually fascinating. I don't recognize any classic faults here - it seems to be some combination of poorly developed pyrazines and a bacterial or brett component.

    I'm giving this 50 points because the scale doesn't go lower, but I'd give this 0 points if I could.

    Taste it for the experience, but definitely don't swallow. I can't guarantee it's safe to drink.

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