Community Tasting Note

• sean7711 Likes this wine: 98 points

  May 13, 2021 - Napa 2021 Trip; 5/10/2021-5/13/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): ...what csimm said. I mean, this is not a joke. Possibly the highlight of my trip was being able to taste this beautiful wine with Shae at Charter Oak - so immediately accessible. Tons of creme de cassis, crushed flower petals. Silky smooth, pure fruit, you can tell the tannins are there but ever so slightly. Glad I have 6 of these coming my way. I'll say it again for the people in the back - get. on. the. list.

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24 Comments

• #1Winelover commented:

  5/17/21, 4:21 AM - Great tasting notes, Sean! I cannot wait to try this wine (and their others). Very interesting that this was open for business because I thought Nigel's style was more restrained -- but I learned something -- it's all about the Vineyard! And the winemaker, of course.
  
  Very curious about Carter switching from Mike Smith to Russell Bevan. I'm going to have to investigate more. Did Mark and/or Dan tell you why? Maybe they tried Bevan's 2018 Dr. Crane :)

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/17/21, 6:32 AM - These wines will be in high demand there will be a gap in production due to some tough decisions. Great article for the fans out there.
  
  https://www.winespectator.com/articles/kinsman-eades-is-poised-to-make-its-mark-on-napa-cabernet

• csimm commented:

  5/17/21, 7:42 AM - Great notes on your trip SEAN. Well done. Great info. Thanks for the link MJP!

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/17/21, 9:14 AM - Great read but sad to report most of the vines are being replaced. La Voleuse will have a big gap in vintages.

• Mark1npt commented:

  5/17/21, 10:19 AM - Sean, what is the price on this one?

• #1Winelover commented:

  5/17/21, 10:29 AM - Yes, I should said great notes and it sure looks like a fun trip. Sean - next time I'm in Philly I'll ping you. I am usually there every other month for business.
  
  Well, I guess I'm glad that I loaded up on La Voleuse for 2018 as it will end up being very rare!
  
  And thanks for the winespectator link, MJP. It was nice seeing their Diamond Mountain vineyard. I loaded up on that one as well.

• blarmston commented:

  5/17/21, 5:20 PM - Great TN, thanks for sharing.
  
  And awesome to see Nigel and Shae getting some love on WS.
  
  If any of you have the 2016 Rhadamanthus (Diamond Mountain), then you are in for a TREAT. I still think about that wine from time to time, as its that good (with a 9 hour decant)

• sean7711 commented:

  5/17/21, 5:33 PM - Mark, price is $195 with a min of 3 bottles. Believe it was already sold out in its offering earlier this month. I can probably chat with Shae for you if you need!
  
  MJP - thanks for the heads up on that article. Insightful since I didn't even get that much info from Shae during our visit! Excited to see what they do with VHR down the road. Should we all plan for a meetup to taste the MM, VHR, and Kinsman VHR in 2027??

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/17/21, 5:36 PM - Blarmston. 16 is amazing. As far as I'm concerned 17 might be wine of the vintage. Pull the cork on one soon if you have it! I'm kicking myself for not buying a 3L like I did for 16 & 18. Hope all is well my man!

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/17/21, 5:51 PM - The first vintage of Kinsman Vine Hill Ranch would have been 2020. We know how that ended. Hopefully this year has a different outcome and we can all look forward to an amazing bottling in 2023/24. I'm trying to recall which blocks they have contracts on.

• blarmston commented:

  5/17/21, 6:30 PM - I’m pissed that I only got a three pack of the 16. Should’ve loaded up and then email stalked them until they gave in and doubled my order...

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/17/21, 6:51 PM - Oh man, there is a bunch of us that feel that way. I did not make the same mistake for 18.

• Geaux Tigers commented:

  5/17/21, 7:14 PM - Great trip notes, thanks for posting! T-minus 23 days till we head over! All these trip notes got me jazzed up!

• Mark1npt commented:

  5/17/21, 7:21 PM - Sean, that would be awesome if they had a few bottles left......I just got on their mailing list today but they say it's full up.....any help you can give would be most appreciated!

• #1Winelover commented:

  5/18/21, 4:02 AM - Blarmston - that's funny as I have tried asking/stalking Shae many times for more '16 Rhad but to no avail. She does remind me that I was the 1st consumer to taste it but she won't sell me anymore! Sean -- good luck securing some of this for Mark. If you can pull that off, you are the man! MJP - I finally figured out how to pronounce their Rhad after watching the video!

• gymnastpro commented:

  5/25/21, 12:58 AM - Sean how did you get 6? I got a 3 pack and mag. I know that there was a bug during the offering where you could get a standing order 3 pack) and order a 3 pack. But was told by Shae that was a bug and not intended. Either way got a 3 pack and mag. Kicking myself just a little for not getting a 3L. Can’t wait to visit in June!

• sean7711 commented:

  5/25/21, 5:50 AM - gymnast, the Kinsmans have a "wine club" called the Coterie for initial purchasers - its a minimum of 12 bottles a year and you can mix and match with the 3 offerings so I picked 6 of this. It was invite only this year so not sure what they'll do going forward with it!

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/25/21, 7:06 AM - Keep in mind total production of Anjea and Rhad was eight barrels total in 16 & 17. Not sure what the ramp up was after that. The success couldn’t have happened to nicer family. I’m grateful to our driver for the introduction back in 17. I would have been late to the party also had I not gotten in on the ground floor. The Kinsman’s now have the good problem of figuring out allocations. I’m sure it’s stressful as the list is growing daily with the press. Pile on the stress of a lost vintage in 2020. Also, making the tough choice to rip out the dying rootstock at La Vol after a successful launch. Not many would make the same tough choice.

• Geaux Tigers commented:

  5/25/21, 7:12 AM - The first rule of Coterie . . . nevermind
  
  @gymnastpro Reach out and see if you might wiggle a Coterie invite, the worst thing that can happen is they say no, but at least you’ve expressed interest should it open in the future.

• gymnastpro commented:

  5/25/21, 7:17 AM - Ha. When I got my allocation for Geeslin I was trying to secure it as soon as possible that I didn't see that membership option or wasn't offered it. Either way I at least have a spring standing order going forward for the Geeslin wines. Is there going to be a 19 vintage or did they rip the vines out after 18?

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/25/21, 7:22 AM - After 19 there will not be any for awhile. My guess would be 2026 vintage at the earliest. There should be a 2021 Vine Hill Ranch so we have that to look forward to.

• gymnastpro commented:

  5/25/21, 7:25 AM - Dang. Guess I will have to keep my eyes on the VHR then. Never had any of those wines.

• MJP Hou TX commented:

  5/25/21, 7:56 AM - Cat is out but we can try and put it back in. Herding cats is a skill set that basically starts with a timer to edit a post. Lol...

• Takeshi commented:

  5/27/21, 11:53 AM - These are great notes, I was eyeing this but I haven't tasted with Kinsman yet( I hope to soon). Do they offer tastings at Charter Oak now? Or is it still only at wheeler farm?

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