Community Tasting Note

• csimm wrote: 94 points

  June 12, 2017 - Similar to my notes 6 months ago. This continued to improve over the course of three hours in the decanter. I'm surprised we were able to stretch this wine out for that long, as it was one of the most gulp-able wines I've had in a while. This first half was gone in less than twenty minutes. Extremely accessible and giving, and especially noteworthy in terms of smoothness. After some air, the texture of this wine was surprisingly silky (which is something I don't always associate with this wine - powerful and concentrated are usually the descriptors that immediately illustrate the Scarlett - of which this certainly was). But there was an added finesse and "expensiveness" to this especially on the final sips.
  
  This and the Myriad NV are my two favorite wines from Mike Smith at that sub-$100 range. In fact, at $60 or so bucks, this wine is a no-brianer. QPR is stupid good. It's unreal by Napa standards how this single vineyard wine is available to the masses at such a low cost. Thanks to Mike Smith and the McGah folks for this. It truly is a rarity nowadays. This is an "all day long" kind of wine. The 2014 vintage of the Scarlett has a beautiful elegance and poise about it, while still maintaining a solid core of concentrated and forward fruit. The finish is round and inviting; you want to take another sip as soon as you finish the previous one. Addicting. Modern without being overdone. 94+ easy points in my opinion.
  
  While the 2013 still needs some time to sort itself out, the 2014 is a pleasure to drink now with some air (PnP was just a hair sweet and liqueur-like, but that dissipated after about 30 minutes in the decanter). Drink now with a short decant, or hold for another 6+ months. A fun ride of a wine.

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15 Comments

• Cristal2000 commented:

  6/13/17, 7:59 AM - Nice note! Glad you had a good experience with it. One thing I will say for sure -- I bet this one ages better than the Myriad NV. Don't think anyone ever keeps them long enough to find out!

• csimm commented:

  6/13/17, 8:30 AM - You are definitely right. I'm trying to make a concerted effort to hold a couple of bottles over the next few years to follow the Scarlett to see how it ages, but my impatience usually gets the best of me (what else is new). I'm especially interested in the 2013's aging potential, as it still seems to be in need of some further integration at the moment. The 2013's core seems really solid, so I'm optimistic it should fill in nicely. The Reserves will be even more interesting, as they seem built for a bit of a longer haul.

• Yack Man commented:

  6/13/17, 8:37 AM - Wine Spectator: You're hired! LOL
  In all seriousness, nice notes and articulation on the 2014 Scarlett and I agree totally with you. I also think much better days are ahead for the 2014 Reserve Cab too and with more bottle time, it should be a real beauty. I'm really becoming fond of the 2014 vintage of Napa Cabs, and it didn't always feel this way.

• csimm commented:

  6/13/17, 9:18 AM - ...If I was Wine Spectator, I'd give it some BS 87 points because it actually displayed fruit and concentration (which, if I'm Laube or Galloni, I'm apparently terrified of)... haha...
  
  Ya I agree Yack Man, the 2014 vintage has produced some wonderful wines. They have a finesse that, at least currently, makes these wines more accessible. They are probably a little "softer" than some, with a little less immense power and concentration of some of their 2013 counterparts, but the delivery of some of these 2014 Cabs is really inviting. Some of Mike's wines are really wonderful right now. The Maybach and Outpost 2014s are really compelling currently as well.
  
  I'm certainly anxious to see how the Scarlett Reserves fan out over time.

• kned commented:

  6/17/17, 6:36 AM - Thanks for the detailed review. I have been a big fan of Scarlett but found the 14 very sweet in my first tasting a couple months ago. I have been sitting on the rest of my bottles and will give it another shot

• csimm commented:

  6/17/17, 7:21 AM - Hi kned. If you have a few bottles, I think it is worth it to try another round with this wine in the near future. I would just suggest only popping the cork provided you are able to give it the proper treatment throughout consumption. As a PnP it indeed displayed a touch of that signature sweetness initially. So, I personally wouldn't take this to a restaurant, for example, and try to serve as a PnP.
  
  With this bottle, after it got a little air in a wide bottomed decanter (about an hour is probably ideal), the sweetness quickly blew off. I kept it around 54 degrees throughout service (cooler is better in my opinion with these big fruit Cabs). Anyway, just my 2 cents. It was pretty smooth this go-around for me. Hope you have similar success!

• amauryc1 commented:

  6/30/17, 6:52 PM - This is hands down the best QPR of MS's wines. Unlike Myriad or even Quivet this wine has really good aging potential.
  
  In this price range, I just cannot say enough good things about this wine.

• Cristal2000 commented:

  6/30/17, 9:10 PM - You know, I have to really agree with you. Obviously, it has the single vineyard effect going for it over the others, which makes it rather remarkable that the price is basically the same. I like the Myriad NVD for nearly immediate consumption, and the 2013 Scarlett was just too much right out of the gate at times, but overall, I give the nod to Scarlett in a heartbeat for Mike's NVD/$65ish wines. Now under $100...well, I gotta say Outpost Cab, Bevan Ontogeny and Myriad GIII are gonna really give this a run for its money. Nevertheless, I totally get where you're coming from a generally agree.

• csimm commented:

  6/30/17, 9:50 PM - Totally agree Cristal. Outpost Cab, Myriad GIII, and Ontogeny are up there at the top in that sub-$100 category. Outpost Immigrant is compelling too. The Scarlett is pretty great for a SVD from McGah... and for $65, how can one complain?!
  
  Realm Bard would've competed, but I guess it's now in the >$100 category. Bummer.

• amauryc1 commented:

  6/30/17, 11:53 PM - Cristal2000, I did forget about Ontogeny which is not hard to do since all of Bevan wines are $195 and up, :) but it is really good. I've never had Outpost, but it is on my list of wines to try this year. I started buying Mike's wines in 2014 and when I had the Myriad GIII it was totally closed down, but I'm hoping it will be as good as advertised when I open my next bottle.
  
  Cristal & Csimm,. Have you guys had the Scarlett Reserve? What has been you experience and is it worth twice the price?

• amauryc1 commented:

  6/30/17, 11:57 PM - csimm, I came late to the Realm party and you are right with the Bard. Unfortunately the prices have been going up pretty dramatically. 2015 yields were pretty low so I wonder how much their prices will increase this year.

• Cristal2000 commented:

  7/1/17, 6:45 AM - I will leave most of the Scarlett Reserve comments to CSIMM, since he has more experience with it. My personal take is that for $125 in a good vintage it is worth getting a few bottles. According to CSIMM - who recently tasted with Mike Smith - Mike said the Scarlett fruit was amazing in 2015.

• csimm commented:

  7/1/17, 9:09 AM - I have holdings of both the 2013 and 2014 Scarlett Reserve. I plan on purchasing the 2015 Reserve as well. I've only dipped into the 2014 so far because the reviews on the 2013 were that it was too early. I can 100% tell you that the 2014 I had was NOT ready yet. The stuffing is totally there, but it needs at least another 2 years. When I recently saw Mike Smith, he chuckled when I said I thought the Scarlett Reserves needed more time. His response was something akin to, "Uh....Ya!!. They are massive wines!" They jury is still out I suppose because I haven't had one in its would-be optimum drinking window...but I believe they are worth it indeed because I think they are crafted really well and the regular Cabernet is a really good wine for what it is. Just my 2 cents.

• amauryc1 commented:

  7/1/17, 9:13 AM - Thanks csimm, I'll pick up a couple bottles of the 15 when it comes out. This sounds like a similar story to Becklyn's Moulds Reserve. While the regular Becklyn drinks great early the Reserve needs to be laid down.

• csimm commented:

  7/1/17, 10:38 AM - Ya I personally prefer the McGah fruit over Moulds, but that's just a style preference on my end. But yes, the Moulds really seems like it needs time. The Scarlett Reserve is wound up in a similar manner (just darker fruit with the Scarlett - at least that's the experience I've had).

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