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Vertical Madness
Prior Lake, MN
Tasted September 28, 2019 by GoBlue2002 with 131 views
Introduction
A group of 11 of us tasted through 4 separate verticals.
Flight 1 - Barde Haut 2009-2012 (4 notes)
A good opening flight, but after the bigger wines the rest of the night no one really wanted to come back to these wines.
The 2010 was the favorite of 10 of 11 tasters.
Red
2009 Château Barde-Haut
90 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2009-2012 Barde Haut.
Me - Structured, integrated tannins, pepper, smooth.
Wife - very dry, leather. Lighter bodied. Maybe over the hill - not super complex.
Of all the Barde Haut vertical this wine was the most divisive - great fruit or unbalanced? Depended on your point of view.
Me - 91, Wife - 88
Me - Structured, integrated tannins, pepper, smooth.
Wife - very dry, leather. Lighter bodied. Maybe over the hill - not super complex.
Of all the Barde Haut vertical this wine was the most divisive - great fruit or unbalanced? Depended on your point of view.
Me - 91, Wife - 88
Red
2010 Château Barde-Haut
92 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2009-2012 Barde Haut.
Complex nose, balanced, leather, dark fruit, garrigue, complex finish. Of the entire vertical this was the one bringing you back for another sip.
Brighter than 2009. Spicy. Long finish, with dried fruit on finish.
The favorite of the vertical of all tasters but 1.
Me - 93, Wife - 91
Complex nose, balanced, leather, dark fruit, garrigue, complex finish. Of the entire vertical this was the one bringing you back for another sip.
Brighter than 2009. Spicy. Long finish, with dried fruit on finish.
The favorite of the vertical of all tasters but 1.
Me - 93, Wife - 91
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Comment
Red
2011 Château Barde-Haut
89 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2009-2012 Barde Haut.
Weaker nose than the rest of the vertical, a bit funky -- damp barn door, but not flawed. eukalyptus. Just not that interesting.
Some acid - tart berries on finish. Gripy tannins. Needs food. Brighter than 2009.
The group's least favorite, although it was a divided opinion.
Me - 89, Wife - 90
Weaker nose than the rest of the vertical, a bit funky -- damp barn door, but not flawed. eukalyptus. Just not that interesting.
Some acid - tart berries on finish. Gripy tannins. Needs food. Brighter than 2009.
The group's least favorite, although it was a divided opinion.
Me - 89, Wife - 90
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Comment
Red
2012 Château Barde-Haut
90 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2009-2012 Barde Haut.
Me - cocktail wine, acid, lots of ripe fruit which developed with air. Approachable and fun, not so complex.
Wife - not loving. Somewhat green - a little too harsh on finish. Not much fruit. Lots of spice on finish.
Me - 91, Wife - 89
Me - cocktail wine, acid, lots of ripe fruit which developed with air. Approachable and fun, not so complex.
Wife - not loving. Somewhat green - a little too harsh on finish. Not much fruit. Lots of spice on finish.
Me - 91, Wife - 89
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Flight 2 - Carlisle Two Acres 2012-2014 (3 notes)
And the wines get bigger!
A nice flight, with the 2013 being the controversial wine of the flight -- favorite or least favorite of most of the group.
Red
2012 Carlisle Two Acres
91 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2012-2014 Two Acres.
Not much difference in the wines visually.
Smooth, purple fruit. Fruit-forward - ripe fruit, cherry, red berries. Spice + leather on finish. Would be good w/food. A bit chewy.
Me - 92, Wife - 90
Not much difference in the wines visually.
Smooth, purple fruit. Fruit-forward - ripe fruit, cherry, red berries. Spice + leather on finish. Would be good w/food. A bit chewy.
Me - 92, Wife - 90
Red
2013 Carlisle Two Acres
92 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2012-2014 Two Acres.
Not much difference in the wines visually.
Poured a bit tight but unwound well. Yum. Complex finish which made me feel like more is there -- quite curious how this will age.
Slightly more complex than the 2012 and 2014. Spice, Cocoa. Still fruit forward - could age well.
Me - 93, Wife - 91
Not much difference in the wines visually.
Poured a bit tight but unwound well. Yum. Complex finish which made me feel like more is there -- quite curious how this will age.
Slightly more complex than the 2012 and 2014. Spice, Cocoa. Still fruit forward - could age well.
Me - 93, Wife - 91
Red
2014 Carlisle Two Acres
91 points
Small tasting pour - vertical of 2012-2014 Two Acres.
Not much difference in the wines visually.
Purple, sweeter richer fruit than the 2012 and 2013. More jammy. Lacks a bit of complexity. Subtle spice.
The favorite of about half the group. Would like to see this with age.
Me - 91, Wife - 90
Not much difference in the wines visually.
Purple, sweeter richer fruit than the 2012 and 2013. More jammy. Lacks a bit of complexity. Subtle spice.
The favorite of about half the group. Would like to see this with age.
Me - 91, Wife - 90
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Comment
Flight 3 - Two Hands 'Coach House Block' 2006 & 2009 (2 notes)
And the wines get bigger!
Just about everyone's favorite wines of the night. The 2009 was the group's WOTY.
Red
2006 Two Hands Shiraz 'Coach House Block' Single Vineyard Seppeltsfield Road, Greenock
93 points
Small tasting pour - Compared the 2006 to the 2009.
This showed more of a rust color in comparison to the 2009, but both were quite youthful.
This was open and ready for business, integrated, spice, meatiness, drier, nice balanced acidity.
Me - 93, Wife - 92
This showed more of a rust color in comparison to the 2009, but both were quite youthful.
This was open and ready for business, integrated, spice, meatiness, drier, nice balanced acidity.
Me - 93, Wife - 92
Red
2009 Two Hands Shiraz 'Coach House Block' Single Vineyard Seppeltsfield Road, Greenock
94 points
Small tasting pour - Compared the 2006 to the 2009.
This showed more youth/ruby color in comparison to the 2006, but both were quite youthful.
Yummy - fruit forward, rich, full-bodied. Dark, ripe fruit. More lively than the 2006.
WOTY for most of the group.
Me - 94, Wife - 93
This showed more youth/ruby color in comparison to the 2006, but both were quite youthful.
Yummy - fruit forward, rich, full-bodied. Dark, ripe fruit. More lively than the 2006.
WOTY for most of the group.
Me - 94, Wife - 93
Flight 4 - Carlisle Papa's Block - 2011, 2012, 2014 (3 notes)
These are big syrahs. Enjoyed by the group, but suffering palate fatigue by this point.
(Note: no 2013 as it was blended into the Sonoma county bottling as Mike noted it wasn't up to his standard for Papa's Block).
Red
2011 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block
Small tasting pour - Vertical of 2011, 2012, and 2014.
No score given - too many big wines by this point of the night.
A BIG syrah. meaty.
This surprised me as I expected it to lag the 2012 and 2014 due to the perceived low quality of the 2011 vintage, but this was on par.
No score given - too many big wines by this point of the night.
A BIG syrah. meaty.
This surprised me as I expected it to lag the 2012 and 2014 due to the perceived low quality of the 2011 vintage, but this was on par.
Red
2012 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block
Small tasting pour - Vertical of 2011, 2012, and 2014.
No score given - too many big wines by this point of the night.
A BIG syrah.
Super meaty and heavier than the 2011 and 2014. Closer to the 2011 than the 2014 overall. Quite good.
No score given - too many big wines by this point of the night.
A BIG syrah.
Super meaty and heavier than the 2011 and 2014. Closer to the 2011 than the 2014 overall. Quite good.
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Comment
Red
2014 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block
Small tasting pour - Vertical of 2011, 2012, and 2014.
No score given - too many big wines by this point of the night.
A BIG syrah.
Thinner than the 2011 and 2012 and lighter in color. This might need a bit more time, and this did improve with additional air.
No score given - too many big wines by this point of the night.
A BIG syrah.
Thinner than the 2011 and 2012 and lighter in color. This might need a bit more time, and this did improve with additional air.
2 people found this helpful
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Closing
WOTY was the 2009 Two Hands, although all the wines were enjoyed by the group. The only remaining wine at the end of the night was the 2009 and 2012 Barde Haut.