Community Tasting Note

• csimm wrote:

  August 18, 2021 - Another outstanding showing on this wine, with meaty black berry, dark earth, char, embers, unsmoked cigar, and spice captivating the palate immediately upon first sip. The attack is strong but smooth, with a weighty texture that doesn’t drag nor exhibit excess bulk. Finishes savory and chewy.
  
  I am a definite fan of this wine and its profile; a great combination of deeply pitched fruit and black soil/earth elements. There is a gothic edge that I am particularly drawn to here, with a cave-like expression that never comes across murky or cloudy.
  
  A few months ago, the bottle served at the Estate had a curiously biting funk aroma. However, this time around the nose was more effusive with fruit and spice scents, sans the pungent and heady earth aromatics.
  
  This was served next to a 2015 Purlieu, which showed much hotter and blasted than the better-honed Arkenstone. This wine is certainly enticing now and also has the tension and frame to hold for the longer haul. Those who have a historical affinity for the Arkenstone Estate will find the Heimark a bit more strapping and beefy by comparison. 95-97 points depending on how hefty you like your mountain Cabernets.

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8 Comments

• #1Winelover commented:

  8/28/21, 4:35 AM - Hey there! Have you had Heimark's version as well? It would be fun to try these 2 side-by-side.

• csimm commented:

  8/28/21, 8:47 AM - Hi there #1! Unfortunately I've only had the Arkenstone version (that I can recall at least). I would/will be curious to discover how this site performs over time and across vintages - and yes, compared to other producers using the site. I don't know if the meatiness here is indicative of Heimark, but it seems to be based on conversations I had, but not from any comparative experience with the site.

• #1Winelover commented:

  10/26/21, 3:06 PM - Hey C. Kaplan's version (AKA Arkenstone) is much better than Peschon's version. But to be transparent, I'm not the biggest fan of her wine. I am drinking a glass of this and it's amazing. The "Heimark version" was too much work. It ended up being really good, but it didn't start off that way.
  
  Your tasting notes are spot on. I might review it, but basically I would rate it and then say, "see CSIMMs reviews." haha

• csimm commented:

  10/27/21, 8:30 AM - Haha. Well I obviously was impressed with the Ark Heimark, outshining some of the heavy hitters of that tasting the first time I had it. I find its complexity as it opens up in the glass to be impressive. The dark profile is right up my alley. This rivals the Ark Estate in my opinion.

• #1Winelover commented:

  11/11/21, 2:47 PM - C: Have you had the '18 Estate and/or Amoenus? I'm really digging Arkenstone's/Sam's version of Heimark!

• csimm commented:

  11/11/21, 4:25 PM - I’ve had the 18 Amoenus a couple of times but not the Estate. The Heimark is a more complex and interesting wine to me than Amoenus, but the latter is still a great wine. It’s a bit more fruity and flamboyant than the darker profiled Heimark.

• #1Winelover commented:

  11/12/21, 1:03 PM - Thanks. I shared 1/2 bottle and it was not ready -- even though I called the winery and they told me to pull the cork 1 hour before. It needed a decanter. I cannot drink it tonight so it's in the fridge and here's hoping that it is still great tomorrow night!

• csimm commented:

  11/13/21, 8:00 AM - Ah! Good info. Thanks very much. Fingers crossed it performs better on your second pass with the rest of the bottle! Good luck!

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