Community Tasting Note

• John Dunlap Likes this wine: 93 points

  December 31, 2018 - Very excited to try this wine. The 2001 was stored in my cold cellar since release. Cork was in great shape and tight. Wine was decanted and, in hindsight, this was a good idea as there was a fair amount of sediment in the bottle, though none clung to the interior.
  
  Color was exceptional and seemed unusually dark (see downloaded photo of wine in pinot noir-shaped glass). The center was dark and rich with some change in coloration at the rim. You would have no idea this young looking wine was a 17 year old BdM.
  
  Initially, I got notes of cherry and minerality on the nose, but with time the cherry elements continued to dominate while the minerality seemed to step aside and reveal more richness. Also, I noted leather that lasted throughout the evening as well as something perfume-like that was more fleeting.
  
  The flavor profile was quite nice with good acidity supporting lots of dusty dried cherries and a touch of kirsch nigh notes. Has that “old cellar” taste of a mature wine with base notes of balsamic richness, in addition to dried cherries, rose, leather, almond, licorice, plum, teriyaki, and orange citrus rind.
  
  I am a big fan of Casanova di Neri and think the 2001 is a lovely wine made more remarkable because of how well it has aged. In complete disclosure, my all-time favorite wine from this producer was the 1999, which I have not consumed recently. At this stage, the 2001 with 17 years of bottle age, reminds me a lot of the 1999 that I consumed on 12/17/2015, with 16 years of bottle age; both have/had similar secondary/tertiary flavors; both seemed to have peaked at their respective ages; moreover, both offered lots of enjoyment and will respectively last/ed a few more years depending upon what you like from an older BdM. At the is stage, I would start to drink up unless you are lucky to own larger formats.
  
  Quite good on day two.
  
  Happy New Year’s everyone!
  
  (Served with blackberry braised beef short ribs (a Ridge Vineyards recipe), along with mashed potatoes, blacked-eyed peas, and glazed carrots.)

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1 Comment

• Rollerball commented:

  1/10/19, 2:50 PM - Great review John. Put me right there with you!

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