21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016.

Home, Portland OR
Tasted Saturday, January 21, 2023 by RPerro with 121 views

Introduction

After tasting a number of different vintages of 21 Grams, and since this wine is no longer being made, I decided to see if I could build a full vertical of everything released. Wasn't sure there was a 2004 release, and wasn't able to find any, so 2005-2016 it was!

Flight 1 - 21 Grams (12 Notes)

Every vintage of 21 Grams from Waters Winery (RIP).

  • 2005 21 Grams 90 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Cork fell apart in the neck so I had to decant/strain and fish out the chunks, then funnel back into the bottle. Showing some bricking. Flavors of mature cabernet; boysenberry and plum fruit with a lot of tobacco and earth. This one slid the most after it was open for a while, turning somewhat port-like in flavor toward the end of the bottle. Past it's prime for sure, but still drinking well.

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  • 2006 21 Grams 93 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Another crumbled cork which required straining. One of the top bottles of the night, this was a stellar wine. Still quite fresh and delicious all the way through the bottle. Flavors of cassis, black cherry, saddle leather and violets. Hints of oak and vanilla as well. This is definitely at peak but may hold here for a bit. Outstanding wine!

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  • 2007 21 Grams 92 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Delicious wine, but fell just shy of the 2006. Very similar flavor profile to the '06, just lacking some of the verve. Cassis, raspberry, and vanilla flavors stand out the most. This is still drinking very well and has a number of years left.

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  • 2008 21 Grams 91 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. This bottle showed much more acidity than the 3 previous vintages, as well as most following (other than the 2011). Cassis and cherry fruit, a bit of pomegranate as well. Drinking nicely at age 15, and has some years left for sure. I'd say this is a 20 year wine at least, based on this showing.

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  • 2009 21 Grams 90 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. A bit disappointed that this bottle didn't show better, considering how much I've loved 2009 wines in the past. Perhaps this one didn't have proper storage over it's life or something. Black cherry, a green, woody streak, but a bit too sweet and cloying compared to other vintages. Should probably be consumed near-term.

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  • 2010 21 Grams 92 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Someone at the party called this wine "caramelly" and I think it really hits in this case. Red and black berries, caramel-cola flavors and nice acidity. This was very well-rounded and drinking great. I think it'll continue to show well for a number of years.

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  • 2011 21 Grams 91 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Reading my previous note on this wine, it certainly didn't live up to that review this time around. Perhaps it was because of all the others, but this bottle didn't deliver like last time. Yes, it's good, but not 94 points good. Red currant, cranberry, sweet vanilla and oak, with a good zip of acidity running through it. Has years left for sure...likely a 20+ year wine.

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  • 2012 21 Grams Flawed

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Badly corked and undrinkable. Out of 12 bottles in the vertical this was the only flawed wine. Sad!

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  • 2013 21 Grams 92 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Great wine with flavors of cassis, dark chocolate, and oak, finishing with espresso coffee and vanilla. Probably just nearing its peak drinking window at age 10, this wine has at least another 10 years ahead of it.

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  • 2014 21 Grams 95 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. This was my wine of the night, just edging out the 2006 with more freshness of flavor. Cassis, green pepper, spice and oaky vanilla all wrapped up in a nice package of acidity and tannin. All is in harmony here, with nothing out of place or in your face. Just an outstanding, delicious wine. I may have to hunt down more of this one.

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  • 2015 21 Grams 93 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. 3 hour decant, and definitely needed it. The tannins and oak were almost overpowering (same w/2016), and the fruit was massive. Black cherry, raspberry, dark chocolate, black tea, oak, oak, oak and vanilla. Needs more time or a longer decant to be more enjoyable, but has the potential to be a knockout in 5-10 years.

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  • 2016 21 Grams 93 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. 3 hour decant, but needed longer. As with the 2015, everything about this wine was massive: Massive tannin, massive fruit, massive oak, massive flavor. Cassis, tobacco, oak, vanilla, espresso, cola and dark chocolate flavors. I think this will be a stellar wine in 10 years, but it's really good now if you give it proper air time. I'd hold until 2025 if you can.

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Flight 2 - Port (1 Note)

Birth year port, just because!

  • 1970 Vinhos Borges Porto Vintage 75 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Birth year port! Successfully opened with an Ah So and was rewarded with a bottle of...rum? Brown, alcoholic sugar water. Truly disappointing, and I can see why Suckling/WS gave this a 59 back in 1989. Avoid.

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Closing

Great night with great friends drinking great wine!

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