Blind tasting

Small blind test just because.

• 2022 Impensata Sauvignon Blanc Ciminelli Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  [Blind]
  
  The aromatics showed bright, ripe and fresh star fruits. The fruits are clean. Wet stones. While fresh, it somehow has a bit of depth/weight on the fruits on the nose. An interesting herbaceous note, which I then realized can also be cat pee.
  
  The palate showed minerals and stone (still clean and crushed), grass, similar fruit from nose with the addition of crunchy white-fleshed nectarine, crisp and gently bitter. Because the body was mostly light but with a somewhat weighty center, it lead me to think that had some age.
  
  My call:
  Sauvignon Blanc - ok
  2016 - X
  Sonoma - X
  
  Now I'm real curious about a well aged sauv blanc.

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• 1993 Dalla Valle Maya 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Aromas of darker fruits, different from initial pop and pour which was more bright and fresh. Still very floral. Age begins to show in the aromas after a bit of time, like watching a video of a withering flower sped up 5x. Maybe it’s just the tertiary profile blowing off because it almost disappears with time, which was really nice.
  
  Palate showed dark fruits, just past the peak, with tertiary notes just starting to disperse. Thin pencil shavings, and wet stones. Juiciness shines with time, and amazingly, the tertiary notes almost blows off. Gently tart and fresh red fruits, showing great balance and minerals.
  
  Just when I thought it was showing its age too quickly, it proved me wrong just as fast. All of the tertiary notes and quietness almost went away with about an hours time. 97-98

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• 2018 Sine Qua Non Grenache Estate Eleven Confessions Vineyard 98 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  [Blind]
  
  Aromatics showed dark and red Fruity Pebbles (shout outs to bsumoba for that note, it really does smell like that and its been AGES since I last smelled that). With some time, that Fruity Pebbles note is still there but is somehow refined. Dark blueberries and earth surface as well.
  
  On the palate, dark red fruits, milk chocolate with a floral red fruit. Black and blue-fleshed giant blueberries with earthiness. With time, it really dials in on the those two but with refinement, not so much in your face. Indulgent body here, I miss this.
  
  My call:
  Grenache - ok
  2018 - ok
  Central coast, SQN - ok
  
  *self-pat on back*
  
  This should've went first before the Maya but I guess that's the things with blinds.
  
  With the age it has already, I feel like this can easily hang another 15+. Integration would help this immensely. Generous bottle pull from bsumoba, thanks my guy! 97-98

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