Community Tasting Note

• Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 95 points

  November 2, 2022 - Well, this is certainly interesting. Let's start with the really impressive bottle and label. This is done in a SQN style, and I find it quite distinctive, being large, attractive and unique. I looked on the back and it says 13.4% alcohol. Now, I've never had an Andremily wine that didn't taste like around 20%, so that caught my attention. I'm saying no way.
  
  Pnp, and yeah, this probably needs a nice decant but you know, sometimes that is the way it goes. Deep dehydrated pee yellow in the glass. This is definitely not going to be Chablis. Impressive rich nose that says "I am going to be super dense". Creme brûlée dominates, with butterscotch, embers, lemon curd, white flowers and hints of oak. On the palate, ummm yeah, if this is 13.4% alc then the world is flat (and yes, in the world we live in I am sure many actually think that now). Nevertheless, it carries the weight well, with super ripe, fine grained and integrated sweet tannin and a massive core of fruit and stone that is waiting to unfurl. It doesn't come across heavy or overbearing, thanks to some acidity and lift, but this clearly isn't going to be the hyper focused cutting white to pair with your favorite fish. Lots of room to develop, but shows great length and is certainly a fabulous effort for Andremily's first white. It is texturally brilliant but also putting off a bunch of alcohol right now. Honestly, I find this more compelling than the reds.

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14 Comments

• WineBurrowingWombat commented:

  11/3/22, 9:45 AM - Oh, you're the best LOL
  
  I've always thought of that color descriptor but knew if I were to ever say it to people, they'd be in disgust :)
  
  And awesome notes, thank you

• I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine commented:

  11/3/22, 12:07 PM - LOL WBW....I thought that when I read Cristal's note....pee yellow....sounds sooooo unappetizing! But, as usual, Cristal made a quick recovery with the mouthfeel! Still, I think hay or straw may have sounded better!
  
  Cristal....would you drink now or hold?

• Cristal2000 commented:

  11/3/22, 12:54 PM - I was definitely in a mood for that note. Then again, I am not on here to make people happy. :) And straw would not have cut it my friend. This was dense dark yellow.
  
  This is definitely a wine to hold. It needs some time. I'd treat it similarly to their reds. If drinking, make sure it has a long decant and you'll want it very cold because it is so dense.

• WineBurrowingWombat commented:

  11/3/22, 1:00 PM - Oh great, that makes me even want to try it more now

• T.O.Wineaux commented:

  11/3/22, 1:05 PM - Thx...just a great note. I think I'll give these a year or two to unfurl given the typical Andremily power!
  
  The bottle is cool...just wish the OD (engineer speak...I just can't help myself!!) was a bit smaller. It doesn't fit in the normal 750 slots in my cellar!

• WineBurrowingWombat commented:

  11/3/22, 1:18 PM - T.O. - too relatable..

• Cristal2000 commented:

  11/3/22, 1:24 PM - It's clearly a strategy for SQN, their alums (Andremily) and family members (Fingers Crossed) to ruin our ability to store wine!

• I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine commented:

  11/3/22, 3:44 PM - Thanks Cristal! Will hold for a couple years....

• Big&Bold707 commented:

  11/4/22, 11:20 AM - Great note. What was the winery direct price on this one? Have you had any 2020 reds yet from Andremily. Curious to get your general take?

• Cristal2000 commented:

  11/4/22, 11:39 AM - Hi B&B: It was $85 direct. I didn't buy the reds in 2020. The style is just a bit too huge for me these days, and with the vintage figured I'd sit it out. Only so much room. Did take a flier on the white here obviously.

• Big&Bold707 commented:

  11/4/22, 11:45 AM - I totally get it. Glad you took this flier. Just got back from Napa and had a few 2020s. On the high end I was pleasantly surprised with the quality like at Carter and Memento Mori. I was there Labor Day weekend 2020 when it was 120 degrees and the grapes were covered in smoke so I can’t get myself to buy any high end 2020s especially when I can find 2018 and 2019 at auction for cheaper prices than the head scratching raised prices of 2020s. The only 2020s I have purchased are Turtle Rocks and L’Aventures. What do you plan on doing with the January Saxum release? Are you going to buy 20s of James Berry and G2 or just stick to bone rock 19s?

• Cristal2000 commented:

  11/4/22, 12:55 PM - Yeah, so far there are no 2020 Napa reds in my inventory. Even with Saxum, I am likely to only buy the 2019. I have an inventory problem anyway, so a questionable vintage just makes it an easier pass. It's fairly well known now that some of Paso also suffered from smoke, and even if not, it just wasn't as amazing a vintage as 18-19.

• Big&Bold707 commented:

  11/4/22, 1:02 PM - What are you hearing about 2021 and 2022 in Paso and Napa?

• Cristal2000 commented:

  11/4/22, 1:07 PM - Everyone always promotes the next vintage, but I do think 2021 is shaping up to be pretty great in Napa. Haven't heard much about Paso. 2022 is going to be a real challenge for some in Napa given the massive heat spike right before harvest, and then the rain afterward. Paso is usually more resilient to an extent, but I imagine they had some of the same issues with that heat wave. I think you'll have to be quite a bit more selective in 2022 overall.

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