Community Tasting Note

• csimm wrote: 100 points

  August 24, 2019 - Mike Smith 2018s & 2017s - Myriad, Quivet, Scarlett, Becklyn, and others (Saint Helena): Pumping out that Dr. Crane black cherry core that ya’ll are familiar with, the Elysian falls in-line with the compelling 2015 and 2016 vintages in terms of overall profile and intensity. Earth and rock bring up the rear, encompassed by a wall of formidable but surprisingly silky tannins. A massive mid-palate gives way to a smooth back end, clamping gently down on the tail and keeping the flavors all in focus. This truly envelops the palate with a sensual and controlled delivery. There’s some Einstein going on with this Scarlett Johansson.
  
  Offering more seamlessness than the standard Crane, even despite the Elysian’s heavier tannin display, this Dr. Crane on steroidal sexy juice shows that the Big Bang Theory and 9 ½ Weeks can both be fused together into liquid form. This will need a few years in bottle before it really starts to blossom, but when it does, standby for smoking jackets and swanky party-going. 97-100 points.

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33 Comments

• DrBad commented:

  8/24/19, 11:44 AM - Uh oh, better start saving up for the '18s!

• csimm commented:

  8/24/19, 11:50 AM - Yup! A few of these 2018s are gonna be wicked good once they hit bottle. Better have a talk with your credit card now before it starts to take its beating next year!

• Mark1npt commented:

  9/13/19, 7:16 PM - My greatest fear...me one year closer to retirement and winding down my debt......then the '18s get released, poof!

• csimm commented:

  9/14/19, 8:44 AM - Poof is right... Gonna take some serious focus and restraint to keep that 'ol wallet in check for the 18 vintage!

• Mark1npt commented:

  9/14/19, 11:29 AM - How the hell, did you get to do barrel samples of the '18s already?

• csimm commented:

  9/14/19, 10:18 PM - Sometimes being a Bay Area local has its perks! :)

• DrBad commented:

  1/11/20, 7:22 AM - Release coming up Tuesday. Think this '18 is going to hit the bell? Might go all-in...

• csimm commented:

  1/11/20, 7:42 AM - Hi DrBad. If you’ve been a fan of past Elysians (especially akin to 2016), then the 2018 should not disappoint. Personally, I’d snatch up what you’re allocated. The GIIIs and Scarlett Reserve also seem exceptional in 2018 in my opinion, so keep a watch out for them as well.

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/11/20, 9:21 AM - DB.....should be every bit as good as '16 if not better than, imo.

• Wubai commented:

  1/14/20, 9:41 AM - Just picked some up, and went to CT and saw this. Definitely no buyers remorse, now.

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/14/20, 9:49 AM - Funny, my link in the email and on the website to buy won't work.......

• DrBad commented:

  1/14/20, 10:29 AM - Got my order in but wouldn't put a Magnum in the cart. Sent an email and will try again for the Magnum when it reopens 11 PT.

• csimm commented:

  1/14/20, 10:39 AM - Whatever you guys can snatch up will be well worth it. Hopefully the site stops acting glitchy. Usually a direct email to Leah with any issues works great. Awesome customer service with them.

• blarmston commented:

  1/14/20, 11:07 AM - order in for a three pack. Wanted to go bigger but single vineyard Memento Mori, Fait Main, and Maybach are all dropping in the next couple weeks so trying to keep my AMEX from choking me to death in my sleep.

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/14/20, 11:11 AM - blarmston...you speak the truth. I overheard my Amex, Discover and Capital One plotting against me at lunch today..............

• NickRut commented:

  1/14/20, 8:04 PM - Went way deep on the Elysian. CSimm is the regular Crane worth grabbing a ton of too?

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/15/20, 5:31 AM - I'm a big Crane fan almost every year. Hard to not go for 3 of each this year.

• DrBad commented:

  1/15/20, 5:37 AM - I went big with the Elysian: 6 plus a magnum. There goes my bonus :-} Stayed to a couple of regular Crane. Will have lots of other '18 Crane producers coming up. Wonder how B Cellars will stack up for '18? Still haven't even seen their '17.

• csimm commented:

  1/15/20, 6:13 AM - I personally think the regular Crane is worth having as well. It tends to show a little more opulent, especially in its youth. Elysian has a tick more focus generally and is built with some added structure in mind, at least that seems to be the case across the last 5-6 vintages. In a blind tasting of 2016 Cranes from all the main producers in Napa we did last year, the standard Crane beat out Elysian. It was singing that night. (The Elysian was a tad warmer that tasting, so it might have performed better if cooler - anyway....). All that to say the Crane is a worthy buy in my opinion... even with the price-points fairly close. For my palate, I like the slightly elevated precision with the ‘18 Elysian over the standard ‘18 Crane, but the standard Crane is usually more party-ready and a fun ride too.

• csimm commented:

  1/15/20, 6:19 AM - DrBad... B Cellars is slowly releasing their 2017s. Unfortunately I won’t have any info there unless I happen to find myself at B for some random reason this year. I’m passing on 2017 and taking a step back there for now, but will reassess in 2018. Their 2015 and 2016s are great, so no reason to think 2018 won’t follow suit.

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/15/20, 7:01 AM - DB....I did a few barrel samples there back in Oct. They were good, for the vintage. Not quite what we are used to from '12 thru '16. I'll get a couple for testing/curiosity purposes but am patiently waiting for their '18s.

• michigan dogs commented:

  1/15/20, 7:46 AM - CSIMM, between you and Mark you're costing me a lot of money. I rec'd my offer yesterday and put in my order, including a 1.5 litre bottle Oh well, just spending my kids inheritance.

• csimm commented:

  1/15/20, 8:15 AM - It’s Mark’s fault. I’m just an innocent bystander:)
  
  ...If it’s any conciliation, I’m a victim of my own palate. The wallet hurts...!!

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/15/20, 9:32 AM - Sorry guys :(
  
  My bad!
  
  While my IRA has taken an early hit, I'm so glad I found these wines when I did. The 14's, '15's, and '16's have been so awesome.
  
  Mdogs, I have a friend in Houston with a 5000 bottle cellar fully stocked. His kids call it 'the inheritance'....lol

• blarmston commented:

  1/15/20, 10:15 AM - If y'all need some help growing that inheritance, IRA balance, or brokerage account, send me a PM.
  
  I'll help you be able to purchase all the Myriad you want, just off the dividend yield alone :)

• michigan dogs commented:

  1/15/20, 12:09 PM - Mark, 5000 bottles, and I thought I had a problem, I hope he's a generous good friend. Also, just rec'd my Carlisle winter offer. I was good, only ordered 12 bottles. Oh well. as I like to say, life is to short to drink cheap wine. At least they are 2018's because you have me concerned about all the 17's I own.

• NapaCabernet commented:

  1/15/20, 1:11 PM - Csimm: you tasted across all producers of the dr. Crane...(what fun this must have been!)
  -so what are the top 3 in your opinion?
  just bought 3 Elysian.

• csimm commented:

  1/15/20, 1:25 PM - Hi NapaCabernet - Realm, Memento Mori SVD, Vice Versa BBS, and Myriad are my top (I know that’s 4 - sorry). The tasing we had reinforced that belief as well - the difference between #1-#4 was marginal. B Cellars was an honorable mention, but really after those first four, the step down during the tasting was significant for the other wines.
  
  Full disclosure - Gun to my head, I’m probably more an LPV fan than Crane, as the black minerality is often absent in Crane’s terroir and/or takes a backseat to Crane’s black cherry fruit core... but I certainly like Crane obviously too!

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/15/20, 1:33 PM - Mdogs, there are plenty of good chards and pinots from '17 and some pretty darn good cabs. Don't fret too much over your '17s. There are probably some 'good' ones in there. You just have to find them. It's alike, but yet different from the problems with the '11 reds out of Napa. There were a few decent '11s, you just had to find them. The cabs are going to range from "terrible to just ok, to yeah, that's good." I haven't come across one yet that's been "Wow! What an awesome cab!" Nah, ain't happening, but there are plenty that are ok and if not blessed with the vintages of '12 thru '16 we might very well rejoice over them. I had the good fortune of visiting a winery in Croatia and was able to taste and buy a few bottles of the highest rated red in Croatia in '18. 94 pts. It was good, maybe even pretty good, but when compared with what we get seemingly routinely out of Napa, well, it kind of left me feeling like I do about the '17 vintage in Napa. I wouldn't necessarily buy more of that Croatian wine nor more of the Napa '17s. I will buy a few more bottles of the B Cellars Beckstoffers just for curiosity and comparison purposes. I've got about a case of the Myriads to work through and a few Carter's but not much else from '17 other than my Carlisle zins and Sojourn pinots. I'd say 30-40 bottles at most. A few will undoubtedly be gifted, and some of those people will think they are drinking the greatest wine ever made!

• NapaCabernet commented:

  1/29/20, 1:29 AM - Any guess for the upcomming Realm release in Feb?

• Mark1npt commented:

  1/29/20, 5:15 AM - Napa Cab, I'd like to help but when we tasted there in Oct they did not pour any '17s for us.

• NapaCabernet commented:

  1/29/20, 5:33 AM - Thx, no problem. Still guessing. Also waiting for vice versa. Best I had so far was the Hobbs 2012 Crane.

• csimm commented:

  1/29/20, 6:11 AM - Napa Cab... I sampled the ‘17 Crane last year in barrel and it was very red-fruited and higher-toned at the time. Clearly an unresolved animal. It will be interesting to see how it has evolved once in bottle. I’ve not had any ‘18 VV yet (I’m hoping they mirror the ‘16s).

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