4/12/2020 - joshbryer wrote:

Quarantine tasting series #something. My first experience with Jouan wines, definitely was prepared to be hesitant to judge much given the vintage... That said, this is a lovely MSD. The nose is not the main attraction, but shows some red fruits and a slightly reduced/burnt character that perhaps is attributed to the vintage? This is all about the texture and mouthfeel, full and silky. Dark red fruits still show plenty of youth while there's a nice saline quality on a long finish that starts to show some secondary character. The only other vintage detractor would be a very slight roasted quality at the tail end.

Overall quite a nice wine, especially given context of the year. Though there's no rush to drink, I would probably err on drinking in the next 4-7 years as I'm not sure what will happen once the fruit starts to go more tertiary.

4/12/2020 - joshbryer Does not like this wine:

Obviously a very different experience than the tasters below. This bottle was not premoxed, but showed shades of potentially on the road to it. Unfortunately otherwise this was very uninspiring and not really worth writing much more about. Out of balance, a bit astringent on the finish, representative of why I've never had a L. Latour wine I've really enjoyed much.

3/25/2020 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Quarantine tasting series #2....

My second bottle of Cayuse, and this one definitely had the funk. On opening it was pretty strong, but it blew off as the wine opened up such that it became a complementary element. Some funk/animale on the nose with red fruits and herbs. Very nice silky mouthfeel with mid weight fruits, good lift, significant acidity and cut. Long saline finish. Nice mid-weight syrah in a style I appreciate, a bit of heat detracts for me a touch but I like it well enough. I don't see any reason to wait on this.

3/19/2020 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Young and tight but still charming and somewhat accessible wine. Earth, flint, smoke and primary dark fruited nose. Not a jammy fruit bomb, quite a structured wine with tightly wound if somewhat chunky tannins. Earthy with more dark fruit, buffered by a spine of acidity with a youthful and slightly hot finish. Time should be kind in the mid-term, have no idea about longer. If blinded I would probably not call California.

9/29/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Drank in a fairly lively party setting, but I did come back to it throughout the evening, notes from memory.

Rich and smokey nose with dark fruits and some mild meaty components, fairly restrained. The palate follows this act, with a very brothy saline quality, backed by dark black fruits. Overall very savory with a medium body and very smooth silky texture. Some buffering tannin, but fairly resolved on that front. This was by no means a massive or fruit bomb of a wine, very elegant.

My first Cayuse experience, very good but definitely not what I expected, and I mean that in a positive way. None of what I expected as I keep hearing about the Rocks region funkiness, no brett. I didn't get any specifically N. Rhone olive qualities, but it certainly is in that vein and was texturally reminiscent of good burgundy. Blind, I would definitely not have guessed new world.

Definitely will be opening more Cayuse to get a better sense of things. Interesting to note some of the variation in notes below ranging from "Massive" to "Restrained".

9/15/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Very, very tight on opening. Tasted and then decanted at the restaurant and sat for about an hour before being poured. Continued to get better in the glass with the last sips being the best.

Showing off mostly what it will be rather than what it is at this point. Mid toned, darker fruits on the nose and palate, with an undercurrent of wildness that reminds a bit more of Gevrey than Morey. A bit more fleshy material began to show after a couple hours open and this is just past medium intensity, but a very elegant poised wine clearly lies under its youthfulness. I would leave this alone for quite some time.

8/11/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

I'd say that Keith L.'s note below generally nails this...

Rich dark red and blue fruits on the nose, along with some mild reduction that is currently masking underlying spice, overall primary nose. In the mouth this is a different story... So supple and smooth with really good concentration and weight. Lovely fruit characteristics and a beautiful sous bois character that is carried along by a wonderfully integrated acidic core. Finishes long with a bright lift that nicely offsets the wine's weight, fine tannis are a bit grippy but time will fix that. Everything is in balance and working together here in the best way. Pleasantly surprised that this wasn't shut down, no harm in drinking now but time should unwind this very nicely in the medium term.

8/8/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

This is showing a hint of reduction on the nose, which doesn't interfere with the otherwise lovely aromatics of cherry liqueur, rich earth and an interesting bread-y note. Nose shut down over an hour or so... In the mouth this wine is a light-midweight, though I figure some of that is due to the fruit hiding a bit right now and it will come out of it shell later. Really well balanced and lacy smooth in texture with crunchy red strawberries and cherries, rocky/mineral infused earthiness with a lovely acidity that is not too intrusive. Significant tannins on the finish, which is long and really lovely. This really dances across the palate and begs you to take another sip. Great wine, no doubt that in time this will be fantastic, but forget about it for a while.

8/7/2019 - joshbryer Does not like this wine:

From 375. Not a good showing unfortunately... Some red fruits on the nose that is also marred by rubber scents and light heat. Decent concentration and more red fruits on the palate but pretty simple overall, fairly smooth but not trademark Vosne silk. This feels over-extracted and over-worked, and that shows up especially on the finish which is somewhat bitter and rough.

8/2/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

From 375. Very closed and austere on opening, after 3 hours open in bottle things started to open up a bit more. Nose is still not very giving but is dark-red fruited, light spice and some oak evident. Very primary and still very closed but there is clearly good concentration with more dark red fruit built around a fairly significant tannic spine. Saline, meaty and rich with nice acidity and lift on the back end. This is poised and polished, but in this case I don't find that polish to be a detriment in the way I do many times with Vogue for instance. Finishes impressively long with more tannic bite. Mild reduction. I wouldn't touch this for at least 7-10 years.

8/1/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Really lush and giving on opening. Dark fruited rich nose with wet soil and crisp dark berry fruit at the tail end. Very concentrated and rich, with dark blue and black fruits and a lovely sweetness without being cloying. Some baking spice and limited earthy minerals on the palate, but obviously still quite primary overall. With more air, a more structural core begins to emerge, which is a good thing as it was a bit lacking of that on opening for my taste. Finishes long and impressive, excellent material and would look forward to tasting this again after some time. If I were to nitpick I would say this lacks a touch of freshness...but that’s pushing it. Not profound, but really good.

7/9/2019 - joshbryer wrote:

Definitely towards the end of life, but not at it quite yet, a proper old fellow. Nose is all tertiary with flint, graphite and a subtle green streak. Palate follows suit with some dark fruit in the background and stronger tertiary notes of leather and smoke. Still some tannic spine and acidity to keep things interesting and fresh. Not an amazing wine by any stretch, but enjoyable on a tuesday evening and nice to catch it. Obviously no reason to wait.

7/9/2019 - joshbryer Does not like this wine:

Indistinct nose of red fruits and some mild earthy secondary aromas. Palate is thin, shrill and more or less fruitless with nothing else going on to save it. I personally don't think this wine is in a bad place, but rather, is either just past it or was not a good wine to begin with...guessing the latter.

6/28/2019 - joshbryer wrote:

PnP. Dark red and blue fruits on the nose with some sweetness and a touch of heat present. Some sappy fruit with borderline sweetness in the mouth, touch of spritz on opening. Finishes with a bit more saline minerality. This lacks some lift, freshness and midpalate stuffing...there is a general a sense of dullness.

Drying tannins on the backend, which I'm sure will resolve with time, but they are somewhat astringent right now, so time might not help with that. Not bad, but I wouldn't actively seek out more of this.

5/28/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

No detailed notes... This was drinking very very well and is very accessible right now. Easily approachable and soft feeling but with enough acidity to hold it up. Crowd pleaser for sure.

5/28/2019 - joshbryer wrote:

Certainly more evolved from the last bottle 10 years ago. This was very classic in style, but drinking well if not a bit on the downslope.

Opened and tasted then aired for about an hour prior to serving, this initially had some wet cardboard that some might call cork, but which blew off. Some gritty tannins on opening resolved as well and this had a very smooth and easy drinking character. Classic left bank nose with graphite, cedar and dark fruits. Palate was earthy, round and very rich fruits on the finish, though a touch light. Good but not great relative to last bottle and if judging by this one I'd say no reason to wait any longer.

5/19/2019 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

From memory... Decanted and consumed over the course of the meal. Did not reach the heights of the previous bottles tasted, though not flawed. This bottle was very secondary/tertiary and lacked a sense of fruit present. Very earthy, flint and smoke, with a tremendous amount of sediment thrown. Definitely lacking freshness and any sense of excitement from this example.

I’m going to say this was not a representative bottle of where this wine is right now, but will likely open another soon to find out.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Clearly, for me, this along with the '09 Margaux were both far too young to really evaluate past general concentration, of which this had plenty and was more structured than the 2009. Likely would have been better with an 8-10 hour decant, but this evening not giving much. I had noted this as 'searingly young'.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Clearly, for me, this along with the '10 Margaux were both far too young to really evaluate past general concentration, of which this had plenty. Likely would have been better with an 8-10 hour decant, but this evening not giving much.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Still very much alive.

Rich, smooth and blissful brown sugar nose. Absolutely perfect in the mouth aside from finishing a bit short. Very sweet, round and simply lovely. Definitely a top 10 ever wine this evening.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Does not like this wine:

No real nose. Flat and kind of metallic, not quite dead but quite poor.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Barnyard and leather nose. Nice fruit and earth with the '78 tannic structure still hanging out. Finishes long.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Non-descript and lost next to the '89 Palmer that was served in the same flight. Not bad but not special...short and a bit clipped.

Based on some of the notes in here, perhaps this was an off bottle.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

DOA in every way.

5/12/2018 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Really lovely, feminine nose. Concentrated in the mouth with wonderful fruit and good acidity. At this point in the evening I had this marked as 2nd to the '85 Margaux, so it was obviously holding up well in tough company.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Absolutely fantastic. Floral nose with earth supporting, perfect balance and purity with great fruit left. I had this marked as 'Love++' so I know it was good.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Dusty old bordeaux nose. Pretty acidic with thin fruit...fairly short, nice but not special.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Dark fruit, truffled nose. Not much fruit left on the palate and felt like it was bordering on VA.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Minimal notes.. mostly tertiary on the palate but with a clipped finish. Very leathery.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Not as concentrated of a nose as the '99, showing less fruit but more leather and menthol. A bit astringent and not showing well. I suspect this was either not caught in a good moment or was not a representative bottle.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Really lovely concentrated nose with some flint but not a ton of secondary characteristics. Very posed with good acidity buffering the structure which is starting to recede. This will be really good in about 8-10 years I think.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Dark fruit and menthol nose. Very structured and extremely young. This, the '09 + '10 tasted this evening all need 15+ years.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

A riper nose than the 2010, that is also significantly looser knit bordering on overwrought. A touch hot and showing some bitterness with less structure than the '10. As with that wine, this is painfully young to be sampling.

9/11/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Red fruited nose, very tight, A dense and concentrated wine but giving little this evening.

4/24/2016 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

I agree mostly with the two tasters below.... My bottle had a puffed capsule with seepage, but obviously is an overfill issue (as many have reported for 2010s from H-N) and not one of heat. Very pale and transparent, almost unsettling advanced looking color in the glass at first, but not the case. Red fruit and earth dominated nose with some animale. Beautiful transparent and pure fruit, also very earthy in the mouth, light on it's feet with good acidity leading into a long finish, also some spritz/residual CO2 that does blow off quickly. Contrary to the note below I do sense the structure here to reward mid term aging, it comes in on the finish as does some astringent/mildly bitter elements, but I think it's just hiding a bit under the polish. I'll try my next bottle in 7-10 years, as I have a feeling this is going to go to sleep soon.

2/1/2016 - joshbryer Does not like this wine:

Not a good showing. On first opening, showed some promising earthy elements, but that clamped down and this was pretty primary throughout the evening. Dark red fruits, pretty angular and masculine. This could resolve into something better but the bigger issue is the astringent and almost green tannin that dominates, and I'm afraid that's going to continue to be a problem as this develops.

1/30/2016 - joshbryer Does not like this wine:

Intact but unfortunately very faded, no sign of heat damage or flaws. Minimal fruit remaining, overall pretty muddled, some savory elements on the palate with muted fruit. This bottle probably peaked some 10-15 years ago.

1/23/2016 - joshbryer wrote:

Very nice bottle, no need to wait, but probably will continue to gracefully wane. Nose of soft red fruits, plums, baking spice, cedar, definitely could be a good left bank Bordeaux ringer. Really well balanced wine, pretty light on its feet but still showing medium weight and nice acidity, more mature red fruits, brown sugar, savory finish with some grip that comes out with air. I'll definitely drink my last bottle within the next few years.

12/28/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Nor formal notes, but very nice wine with dinner as commented by all. It was served well by about 45-60 minutes of decanting, but didn't need much more. Very classic aromatics of cedar, graphite, dark red fruits straight out of the gate, later picked up a bit of green pepper nose. Absolutely sauve profile with tertiary components kicking in, structure still present on the finish. Fruit profile was rich and had nice depth. Not earth shattering but absolutely a lovely bottle and great value. This feels like it's entering peak and judging by this should be staying there for a while.

7/25/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

No signs of pmox here. Nice cut on the nose with some citrus, chalkiness and sweeter fruits peaking through. Spiny acidity still holding, wrapped around medium ripe fruit and a very nice briny, saline quality that lingers into the finish. Lovely wine, and as opposed to the previous note, I actually find this to finish quite long. Drinking really well now, this will hold, but probably not getting markedly better.

None

7/18/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

As I was pouring this my wife smelled it from across the kitchen. Nice intensity and balance with good acidity, significant tannin still to resolve. Some secondary cedar and lead pencil characteristics coming out, a bit of the vintage heat showing, but not enought to distract. Doesn't have serious depth but I thought this drank quite well, solid BDX experience for the price. No rush to drink.

4/19/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Lovely wine, not a lot of notes taken however. This showed classy and refined, certainly not a bowl you over kind of experience. Very nice fruit, balanced acidity and plenty of structure, very long finish. Served vintage blind....my guess was '85.

4/19/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Absolutely stunning nose, with sweet dark fruit notes and savory sweetness lingering. Resolved and perfectly balanced in the mouth with poise, lush mouthfeel and long finish, amazing mix between secondary character and fruit presence. Hauntingly good wine.

I don't do scores, but this would be perfect or close.

4/19/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Nice and fresh, easy drinking, showed a bit dilute. This may not have been the best example as it didn't show as anything memorable. Using this bottle as a guide, drink now.

4/19/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Toasty nose with dark brambly, spicy fruit...perhaps the best nose of the night, beautiful. No other notes, except to say that this suffered by comparison next to the '82 it was drunk with.

4/18/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Very shut down on the nose, incredible fruit and dry extract in the mouth. Massively scaled wine with a really long finish. This isn't showing much now, is obviously much too young, but the raw material underlying is amazing. This will be unbelievable.

4/18/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Some heat on the nose, with dark fruit. Very tannic and tight, with good concentration. Among the other two Latours in this flight ('08 and '05), this wine suffers by comparison.

4/18/2015 - joshbryer Likes this wine:

Fabulous wine. Brown sugar component to the nose with amazing dark fruited palate. Still wound tight and obviously a baby, this shows tons of structure and an amazing finish. My second place wine of the evening.

4/18/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Spicy, animale nose, otherwise shut down. Palate was flat and closed, even given more time in glass. I feel this was a distinctly off bottle, but can't point to any specific flaw.

4/18/2015 - joshbryer wrote:

Didn't take in depth notes... Burnt character on the nose. Lovely wine in the mouth, not overdone, nice balance. At the current pricing my money would likely be spent elsewhere.