Community Tasting Note

• Baxterna Likes this wine: 95 points

  December 4, 2021 - This highly rated vintage is not delivering for me at the highest level like every other vintage of Continuum. This is my second attempt and I still put it at 95. However, I will try to give my thoughts and invite any feedback on how to enjoy this wine from one of my absolute favorite wine makers.
  
  Initially, the wine is very closed and average. Not the great fruit-forward, smooth on-the-palate tannins I have tasted with all the other Continuum vintages I have tried. After a 4 hour decant I feel like it opened up, mellowed-out, and began to express the delicious blackberries, cassis, velvety tannins, and smooth balance of alcohol and acidity that makes me love Continuum. That being said, when I tried it about 10 hours later, it had lost it and started to fade. No longer that delicate balance of fruit, tannins, and alcohol. It had fallen flat. I don’t know if this is a result of me not knowing how to maximize enjoyment from half-bottles, or a delicate, finicky vintage? I’m trying it again tonight and will not touch it for at least 4 hours after aerating and decanting. Will follow-up. And please feel free to comment! Thank you

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4 Comments

• Baxterna commented:

  12/6/21, 9:50 AM - Attempt 3 was the same result. At this point, I think 4-6 hour in the decanter, then enjoy. Really good wine but not one of the best from continuum. It stands with wines that sell for half the price, in my opinion. I will let the rest of my bottles cellar for 5-10 years then try again.

• EpochMD commented:

  12/11/21, 3:54 PM - Thank you for the great tasting note . . . I hoard these for no other reason than I like to have them on *more special* occasions, although I suppose being alive is good enough. Reading your note (and not having delved into my '15s yet) I wonder if on a fruit-forward and slightly less structured vintage, that this works against Continuum. I opened their 2018 Novicium (different blend, but same site) and it was awesome; if you have it, maybe crack a 13, 14, or 16 to compare, otherwise it may be a bit opposite valley floor and benefit from aging in 2015 as opposed to being more ready to drink. You spared me opening one of mine, so very appreciative. Cheers!

• Baxterna commented:

  12/12/21, 5:57 PM - Thanks for your comment EpochMD! I hope it helps and I really hope you enjoy it when you finally open a bottle! I generally love continuum and have generally enjoyed every vintage I have tried from ‘06 to ‘17. I won’t give up on ‘15 either:) And yes, I agree, a day of life is a perfect reason for celebration of something amazing and enjoyable!

• Wine Gopher commented:

  2/3/24, 6:32 PM - A little over 2 years later and I agree with your assessment that it was more closed than other vintages. I opened and recorked immediately about 36 hours before drinking. For me that generally has the effect similar to a 1 hour decant. I drank over 2 hours and it was just starting to open at that point.

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