2/15/24, 10:23 AM - Wow...sorry to hear that, especially for what that bottle costs! I have and drink lots of Horsepower and have not had that experience. I assume a bad bottle, which has certainly happened in some bottles of various wines from my cellar, even if properly stored. I hope you have more and will have a good experience with the next one!Ric
2/15/24, 11:39 AM - Well, I'm at a loss. I know that the Cayuse style can be a love-hate thing. When I serve them blind to my tasting groups some people really love that roasted meat and tar aroma, but others are totally turned off. Unlikely that there were two bad bottles of it unless the wine was somehow heat or otherwise damaged. If you have any others you might want to email them and see what they say. Trevor is very good about making customers happy. He or Christophe would probably appreciate it and might do something to make up for it. After all, that's almost $300 worth!Also, I haven't checked others' tasting notes on cellartracker to see if anyone else had your experience.Thanks for the feedback!Ric
2/15/24, 11:54 AM - I looked down my emails from them and I don't have a direct email for Christophe or Trevor. I just use info@horsepowervineyards.com. I have communicated with Cait in their office, who has been very responsive. You might address your note to Christophe and/or Trevor. You are welcome to mention that you've discussed it with Ric Alpert in Charlotte and I suggested you write to them. I've bought hundreds of all their wines so they should know me.I don't have any more 2014s or I'd open another to see how it seems.Let me know how you make out with them.Best regards,Ric
2/15/24, 12:00 PM - I just scanned the 43 tasting notes on CT from various people. Most of them were positive but definitely some others like yours. Controversial wine, possibly with a problem of some sort with some of their bottles.Ric
2/20/24, 9:06 AM - OK, sounds good. Let me know if you hear anything.Ric
2/27/24, 7:22 PM - Wow...I'm surprised and disappointed with their response! I've emailed with Cait before and she's been very nice and responsive. You certainly made it very clear that you are very familiar with their and Reynvaan's Northern Rhone style. You certainly do appreciate the style of Horsepower.I don't know what else to suggest unless you can get a note directly to Trevor Dorland or Christophe himself, but I don't have their direct contact info.I would have expected their response to acknowledge that you have much experience with their wines and know and appreciate the style quite well, that they would send you a couple of replacement bottles. Sorry that didn't happen.RicBTW: I see your email address from the note you sent them. Are you Jenise or Louise?
2/12/24, 8:04 AM - Thanks… But I forgot to mention kangaroo!
11/27/23, 6:13 AM - Absolutely! There's no point in waiting for a perfect wine to get better. Pick a nice dinner and enjoy!Ric
11/28/23, 12:15 PM - I think you will love it…happy holidays!Ric
11/6/23, 6:43 AM - Both were tasted as part of a group tasting of SQN syrahs and grenache from 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Some in the group of 14 loved them. We thought even the older two vintages were not ready and the '14s and '15s were very tight and tannic, power without much current charm. I don't plan to touch those two vintages for another 3-5 years. When I do I will open them the night before drinking and let them really air, probably in a decanter.Ric
11/7/23, 6:12 AM - Yes, I agree. The wines were opened and decanted a few hours earlier and sat in the glasses an hour before we tasted. They were just too tight and tannic, power over charm. When I open one of my '14s (probably the grenache first), I'll do it the night before I plan to drink it, and drink it over two nights to see how it evolves. We routinely drink a bottle over two nights anyway. Some older wines fade on the second night but some, like Turley's Dusi and Ueberroth zins, consistently improve the second or even the third night.Ric
10/27/23, 2:04 PM - Post a note so we can see how you like it.Ric
9/16/23, 10:56 AM - It's very approachable and mature and an hour would be enough.Ric
9/16/23, 9:22 AM - I decanted two hours before pouring. It was still perfect several hours earlier. A remaining amount was still perfect the next evening. Enjoy!Ric
7/26/23, 7:37 PM - I'm just curious...your profile says 134 wines in your collection; you've consumed 3,796 wines, but you have 12,757 tasting notes. I joined cellar tracker in 2011 and have posted tasting notes on 1,600+ wines I've tasted from my cellar, which is most of them. How do you get that many tasting notes?
7/26/23, 7:13 PM - Thanks, but I should have read my note for spelling before sending. It should have been Distenta II and Crozes-Hermitage. Sometimes spell-check is a pain.Ric
6/20/23, 7:22 AM - I brought the bottle up from my cellar shortly before leaving to go to a restaurant. I decanted it, rinsed the bottle, and poured the wine back into the bottle. We were pouring it less than an hour later. Ideally, I probably should have thought to open it ahead of time, but did not. Thanks for your comment!
5/22/23, 4:49 AM - Great suggestion...thanks!
5/11/23, 6:41 AM - No, I don't usually decant a Sauternes, except when there's sediment. I suppose letting it warm up and air a bit might not be a bad idea to let it open up, but I think serving it chilled from the fridge misses some of the nuances. For Sauternes and other dessert wines I have also found that by sticking any leftovers in the fridge it can last for months. I have 1988 Lafaurey-Peyraguay from four months ago, tasted it last night and it's still excellent!Years ago I stopped buying these wines in 750s and just buy 375s. I found that's enough for most situations, always had too much left over with 750s.Ric
4/12/23, 1:57 PM - Just for chuckles, if you can possibly restrain yourself for one night, try this: open one bottle the first night, drink half, preserve the other half for the second night. Then open a second bottle of exactly the same one the second night and compare. We've often found a definite improvement the next night with Turley zins. (Hint: if you can't tolerate just drinking half the bottle, you can supplement with Bourbon!). Cheers!Ric
4/12/23, 6:34 PM - Hilarious! No, retired but never bored, but I love doing various comparisons like that (I'll send my comparative shrimp cocktail cooking experiment, for example!). Usually I use Private Preserve canister of inert gas, which does well for a couple of nights. I actually did this for our couples' wine group in January: opened four bottles of first quality wines (Beaucastel, Cayuse Bionic Frog, Saxum James Berry, Mollydooker Carnival of Love, all 2010 or 2011) three months before the tasting, poured out 4 oz. of each and froze the bottles. The afternoon of the tasting I opened a fresh bottle of each, thawed out the ones from three months earlier, and presented each pair blind, without telling the group what I had done. I just asked them to pick a favorite in each pair. In three of the four pairs, the wine that had been frozen three months earlier was preferred! Try THAT experiment sometime! Enjoy!Ric
2/13/23, 6:44 AM - Thanks for your note. Years ago there was an article in the old San Diego Grapevine about freezing leftover wine. We tried it and it worked. Sometimes someone will ask what's the best way to preserve wine if they just have an occasional glass or two but want to keep the rest for longer than a couple of days. Vac-U-Vin, Private Reserve inert gas, other methods are fine for a few days at most. A true cruvinet is expensive. Even the gas pellet devices show some decline.We tried an experiment at our tasting group: opening one bottle of each of four good wines (2010 Beaucastel, 2011 Saxum James Berry, 2011 Mollydooker Carnival of Love, and 2011 Cayuse Bionic Frog) three weeks ahead. I removed 4 oz. from each just so the bottles wouldn't crack when frozen from liquid expansion, but froze the 4 oz. as well. On the day of the tasting I thawed the wines, added back the 4 oz. and also opened a fresh bottle of each. I presented the wines as four pairs without saying anything more, just asked everyone to tell me which wine they preferred in each pair. At the end, I revealed that each pair was exactly the same wine, just that one had been opened and frozen three weeks earlier. BTW: the frozen wine was actually preferred in 3 of 4 pairs! Personally I couldn't tell the difference.The point, apart from just having fun, was to show there is a cost-free method of preserving leftover wine longer term, weeks and possibly months. In our case, we may open several bottles at home to try against each other but want to save some for a later date.Give it a try and see what you think. Write a note with your results.Cheers!Ric
11/27/22, 6:12 PM - If I could buy one for $50 I would. I would plan to drink it soon, with just a short period of airing, like an hour. I recently had my last '09 and it was still great. Post a note if you do buy it and let us know what you think!Ric
11/28/22, 6:14 AM - Put your knife back in the sheath! You've actually done FAR better! I had some hesitation about the age on the '08 but the '14s are great and definitely still going strong. Original price on ITR was $65 and on Stone was $90 (plus shipping and tax) so you're getting a great deal...go for it!Ric
12/3/22, 6:51 AM - I understand the sentimentality about the '08. I first discovered Reynvaan with their first vintage, '07, bought an ITR and Contender in Seattle, tried both, went back and bought the rest of what they had. Just had a '13 Contender which is outstanding now. Matt Reynvaan was here a couple of years ago, said the '13's were slightly lighter than '12 and '14 and would drink sooner, which is now. The others are richer and can last longer. Enjoy!Ric
10/21/22, 6:15 AM - Thanks to both of you for pointing out my error. Yes, I meant the 2018 Dusi, not 2020. I have since "un-drunk" the 2020s and entered the tasting note for the 2018s.Ric
10/13/22, 6:27 AM - Matter of taste. I like a Champagne that's fresh and lively. I don't want to wait a decade or two to drink it. When I've tasted Champagnes that old I haven't enjoyed them. They've tasted Madeirized to me. So...I have no idea how long they might last. This is the fifth of those mags that I've opened and we've loved every one. If you have more than one you might pop the cork and see what you think!Ric
2/11/22, 1:52 PM - Yes, I was curious. As I said, it's a soft, elegant wine, so serve it with something that won't overpower it. Enjoy!Ric
2/13/22, 10:36 AM - Not long at all. Since it's medium body, round and elegant, it doesn't need much time. I just opened it, poured some in our two glasses, let it sit for an hour or so, and drank it. Post a comment of your impression, see if we agree or not. Enjoy!Ric
2/13/22, 1:36 PM - Here's my tasting note for the 2012, from December 2021: Options12/14/2021 - I LIKE THIS WINE: 92 points (Edit)Dark and opaque. Pure cabernet and merlot aromas, none of the typical smoke and roasted meat aromas typical of the Cayuse syrahs. Medium-full body, cassis and oak flavors, very round and smooth. No significant tannin. Fully mature, will easily last several more years.Ric
10/8/22, 6:09 PM - I agree with tdanie5, giving it some air definitely helps. That's why we usually have a bottle over two nights, to see how it evolves (or devolves!). This bottle just didn't get to the height it usually achieves, which may be bottle variation. Two other times it was excellent.Ric
3/25/22, 6:47 AM - Decanting Queen (love the handle!): Yes, I absolutely intended to give it 100. The prior two bottles I rated 97 and 98 because they still had tannins a bit too prominent, but they've now resolved. This bottle had everything just perfect, to my taste. Yes, I'm a huge fan of all the Cayuse wines, love the Northern Rhone style of the syrahs, have many more Horsepower than I can drink, but they and Hors Categorie are a cut above the others, I think.Ric
3/18/22, 6:35 AM - Thanks for becoming a fan! Interesting...I find them pretty consistent. I'm learning that I like certain ones a bit younger than I thought, about 8 years for Cerise, Chamberlin, Camaspelo). I lived part of the year in Seattle from 2007-2018, bought a lot of them (and Reynvaan) from Dan at McCarthy & Schiering, also from the big store down on 4th. It took me five years to get my first pack from the winery, but now I get a lot from my own allocation and from a few friends...several hundred now, plan to cut back except for a few (Frog, Pig).Ric
2/23/22, 8:02 AM - When you do, can you post a comment? I'd love to know if you have the same impression or not.Ric
3/4/22, 11:24 AM - Thanks. It may have been an off bottle. I had previously given it 93 two years ago and 97 once before that. I have a number of younger ones which I'll start drinking. I think I may just like Impulsivo when it's slightly younger.Ric
2/10/22, 7:21 AM - Hi Gary. Nice to hear from you! I've wanted to contact you but don't want to share phone or email on cellartracker. Maybe we have a mutual friend with your contact info...John H., Jack K., Chum, etc. Any thoughts? Love to get together over some nice wine!Ric
2/10/22, 7:33 AM - Forgot to answer your question. Velvet Glove is still huge, not too different from release. I'd decant it 2-3 hours, even more. Enjoy!Ric
2/8/22, 5:33 AM - Hi zimmy07: I'm flattered that you follow my notes. I actually don't know how to do that but need to learn! You may have noticed many notes for the various Cayuse wines, including Horsepower, No Girls. It's our favorite U.S. winery and we have a huge collection of all of them; also the Reynvaan wines, which are almost identical style. I almost always give them 95 points or above, including previous Camaspelo, so I was surprised at this one. I do intend to try another 2014 soon, to see if there might just be bottle variation. Thanks!Ric
2/10/22, 5:59 AM - I did taste half the bottle the second night...no difference. I agree it may have been flawed, since I've really liked Camaspelo multiple times before. I have two more bottles of the 2014 and will open another soon...stay tuned for the follow-up note!Ric
1/1/22, 2:27 PM - Ed:When Matt Reynvaan was here he said the '13s from The Rocks in general were lighter and would be fully mature sooner. That's the case for Cayuse as well. We're drinking our 13s and enjoying them, but not as profound as '12s or '14s.Ric
12/18/21, 7:04 PM - Yes, that would be a great comparison. I'd love to know the results since I have all three vintages.RicBTW: I am also a radboy, of sorts.
12/19/21, 5:51 AM - Yes, retired radiologist after more than 32 years in Charlotte. My license plate is "Ex-Ray"! Where are you?
10/16/21, 2:07 PM - We actually had dinner with Matt Reynvaan here, just eight of us, sampling several of his wines. He said that 2013 was actually a lighter year for them and advised drinking those sooner than some stronger years. Our experience with his wines bears that out. It may not be the same for all wine areas of Eastern Washington. Perhaps Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, or others had different weather conditions and fuller, richer wines.
10/16/21, 2:35 PM - A technical point, I know, but until "Foothills Reserve" and "In the Hills" were first released in 2012 (both at the winery on the Washington side of the river), all their other syrahs, from "In the Rocks" and "The Contender" in 2007 to "The Unnamed" and "Stonessence", are from vineyards in Oregon, in Milton-Freewater, adjacent to Cayuse vineyards. That may make a difference also.
10/16/21, 2:44 PM - Yes, definitely, a great guy. I think he was headed toward being a golf instructor or something like that when his father, Mike, Christophe Baron's attorney at Cayuse, started the winery with Christophe's help. Matt changed course and is now a great (and very generous) winemaker. I've only been to Release Weekend once but the whole family is great...cheers!
10/16/21, 5:52 PM - My understanding is that Mike was a top Seattle attorney who was general counsel for the Sonics when they were there, then worked with Christophe and then started his own winery. I've walked the vineyards...Reynvaan's is right adjacent to Christophe's En Cerise and across the road from his Horsepower. Cayuse and Reynvaan are our favorite U.S. wines.
10/16/21, 5:56 PM - I first stumbled across a 2007 ITR at McCarthy and Schiering in Seattle, loved it so much I went back to buy all they had. It was split between their two stores but Dan said if I drove to both and put them all together I'd get the case discount! I did, and bought some Contender as well. Lots of fun stories.Ric
10/20/21, 12:37 PM - Did you mean the 2008 ITR rather than '98? The first Reynvaan releases were in '07. I think I still have at least one bottle of every syrah from every vintage they've made, but down to just one bottle of '07 ITR and Contender. Like you, many full cases worth in the cellar but only half as many as all my Cayuse.Like you, we lived in Washington, but only for about 15 weeks a year, in Seattle. Left in '18, haven't been back.Thanks for becoming a fan. I'll have to start reading your notes. Can't believe you have almost 6,000 of them! How do you find the time...are you in the wine business or retired? Do you write a note for every wine you taste, including at tastings? My notes (just over 1300) are just those we drink at home or bring to restaurants. Occasionally I'll put in a few from tastings, especially those I'm hosting.Ric
10/16/21, 7:55 AM - Good to know. I'll try another...thanks!
9/3/21, 6:34 AM - Thanks for all the comments. Actually, I took two for the team...didn't hurt at all! Yes, I was surprised there was none of the roast meat or funk in the 2018, but that probably just develops as secondary characteristics over time. I also had a 2010 Armada recently and agree...it's mature but will last.In one of my tasting groups for next year I plan to do six pairs of various Cayuse wines...Frog, Pig, God Only Knows, Camaspelo, Widowmaker, Armada, one from the incoming 2019s and one 9-10 years older. Totally blind tasting. I'll tell members there are six pairs and just ask which in each pair they prefer. I'll mix them up so in some pairs the younger one comes first, in the others the older comes first. They can try to guess what kind of wines they are. We keep a score and comment sheet for everyone. We reveal after everyone has tasted and commented. Some may end up liking the younger wines, others the older ones. We'll see. Tasting is next June.Ric
8/18/21, 5:50 AM - Yes. Optimally I would have a corkscrew ready when I open the shipping box from the winery!Ric
7/26/21, 10:46 AM - Thanks for your comment. We have been big fans of Sarah & Sparky Marquis wines from the late '90's, with Fox Creek, then Henry's Drive, Parson's Flat, Marquis Philips, and especially Shirvington. We have been huge fans (and purchasers) of Mollydookers, from The Boxer through Velvet Glove, still have cases of them from '05-'11. They visited us several times back then, and we visited them at their winery and home in McLaren in '08. We even met Luke, the 'blue-eyed boy!" We just had a 2007 Blue-Eyed and it's still great. I like The Boxer and Blue-Eyed as much as Scout's Honor, but there's a significant difference in aroma and flavor profile from the mainly Zin of Scout's and the shiraz of Mollys.I have tried Clio and Jumilla but not for a long time. I think I may have found them a bit more tannic than I like, but I think Total Wine has them, so I'll try them again. Thanks for the suggestionHave you tried Runquists's "R" Petite Sirah (about $33) or his "1448" (about $15)? They are both very round, drinkable on release, a bit of sweetness but not too much. We drink lots of both.Ric
7/23/21, 6:33 AM - Similar to Cayuse, Horsepower, and Reynvaan syrahs, they are never as tannic young as most cabernets, especially Washington cabs, which I find (with a few exceptions) to be austere and tannic round. Hors Categorie was extremely drinkable at 6 years old. I didn't actually decant but I poured 5-6 ounces into each of three glasses about two hours ahead of tasting.
7/23/21, 7:51 PM - There are several wines that would be a great comparison. From Cayuse, 2014 Bionic Frog or Horsepower syrah; from Reynvaan 2014 Stonessence. From California, a 2014 Saxum syrah or Sine Qua Non Eleven Confessions. From Oz, a Grange. And of course, from France, one of Guigal's "La-la's": La Mouline, La Turque, or La Landonne. I'm sure there are many more...enjoy!Ric
7/19/21, 5:13 PM - I don't think you drank it too soon. I like it best shortly after release, when it has its fresh red fruits and acetic components. Enjoy your remaining one soon!Ric
7/20/21, 11:23 AM - That's what makes wine so much fun: there's no right or wrong! Some people like younger and fresher wines, others like the same wines much older. For me personally, when it comes to zin, I like the sweet strawberry-raspberry briary style soon after release. For Bordeaux, my 1990's are fabulous after 30 years!Ric
6/24/21, 2:53 PM - Thanks for the suggestion...I'll look for it!
3/9/21, 7:26 PM - Thanks for the suggestions. I will try both if they are available in Charlotte!Ric
3/10/21, 7:33 AM - I completely agree with everything you say! Rombauer zin is too sweet, only goes well with cheese after dinner. Meiomi and Belle Gloms same thing...Caymus wines have gotten too sweet. We've had cases and cases of Jeff Runquist's "R" petite sirah, a touch sweet but not too much. Jeff was here and I asked him about residual sugar. He didn't want to answer! We've been buying Sarah & Sparky Marquis wines ever since late 90's...Fox Creek, Marquis-Phillips, Henry's Drive, Parson's Flat, and Shirvington (our favorite of their earlier wines). They visited Charlotte regularly and we became friends, tasted wines together in my cellar. We visited them at Mollydooker in '08, great hosts! We still love their wines, still have many Carnival of Love and Enchanted Path from '05-'11, still drinking well, as are the '03 and '04 Shirvingtons. The Boxer was our favorite of the wines in that price range, but haven't tried one for a while. Big, concentrated fruit. Sparky used to say "I don't make red wines. I make black wines!". He's quite the showman and marketer. Too bad he and Sarah aren't still together.Enjoy!Ric
2/9/21, 8:21 AM - Thanks, Michael...great birthday celebration! Yes, it's quite ready to drink, but should also last for some years. It was my only 2014 but I was able to get four of the 2015's, two from each of his bottling.Ric
2/8/21, 7:48 AM - Decant an hour to let aromas build.
12/7/20, 7:24 AM - I think it was bottle variation because we had a bottle of exactly the same thing in May and it was nearly perfect. I rated it 98. So, you should still have time to enjoy it at its peak.
10/16/20, 12:18 PM - I don't know about aging because I buy zin for their bright, upfront fruit. My whole intent is to drink them early, usually by 2 years, but many soon after I get them. Some of the Turleys are more tannic and structured but that style doesn't appeal to my taste as much as the young, fresh ones, like Juveniles, Old Vines, and Dusi.
9/22/20, 7:36 AM - Thanks for your comment. Actually, Parker rated '88 Left Bank Bordeaux just 87 points on the vintage chart. 1985 was rated 90, 1986 was 94; 1987 was just 82. 1989 was 90 and 1990 was 98.Because 1988 was not such a great year as '85 and '86, I bought just a few that I know do well in lesser years, such as Pichon Lalande and La Mission Haut Brion. I have now drunk all those but still have some '85, '86, '89, and '90, which are still doing very well.By contrast, '88 was great in Sauternes. I bought cases of half bottles (24 to each case) of Lafaurie Peyraguay, Climens, and Rieussec, 72 total. I still have almost half of them. At 32 years old they are fantastic!
6/29/20, 6:03 AM - Thanks for your comment. For me, 90 points is still a "like". It was still enjoyable but my notes just indicate annoyance that a wine rated 100 and selling for such a high price was not in that category. In fact, the friend who served it blind did so as an example of a wine that is very overrated and overpriced. It's a 90 pointer that should sell for about $40, not a 100 pointer for hundreds.
2/4/20, 5:33 PM - Thanks, Alex. As the saying goes, "There are no great old wines, just great old bottles". When a wine gets to be 30 years old, especially with the imperfect closure of cork, there can be significant bottle variation. I admit a certain confirmation bias, since La Mission has long been our favorite Bordeaux. I have had several bottles of it that were more 93-94 range, but this one, to our nose and palate, was unquestionably a perfect 100.Cheers!Ric
2/5/20, 10:35 AM - I am clearly more liberal in my scoring than you. In the last year, for example, these are the wines to which I gave 100 points: 1990 La Mission (twice), 1998 Grange (twice), 2006 Cayuse En Chamberlin Syrah, 1990 Montrose, 1990 Beausejour Duffau (both of which Parker also scored 100), 1989 Lynch Bages, 1991 Opus, 2009 Domaine Pegau, and 2010 Cayuse Bionic Frog. To my nose and palate, these were perfect wines at their peak, without any flaws.I think, though, that what matters most is not the difference between how you and I each score our wines, but that we are internally consistent.That is, my 93 point wines are all of equal quality to my taste but a bit less impressive that the wines that are perfect to me.I've written about 1100 tasting notes on cellartracker, which may be the most useful of all. Before I open a great wine, I'll call up previous notes on it to see how I scored it and to see how ready I thought it was, and how recently I've had it. Often a wine I'm thinking of opening was something I had, say, a year ago, and my note says to hold it another 2-3 years, so I'll keep it in the cellar a little longer.Overall, I love cellar tracker for its multiple useful features, including being able to swap ideas with you and many others.Happy drinking!Ric
2/5/20, 11:00 AM - I am clearly more liberal in my scoring than you. In the last year, for example, these are the wines to which I gave 100 points: 1990 La Mission (twice), 1998 Grange (twice), 2006 Cayuse En Chamberlin Syrah, 1990 Montrose, 1990 Beausejour Duffau (both of which Parker also scored 100), 1989 Lynch Bages, 1991 Opus, 2009 Domaine Pegau, and 2010 Cayuse Bionic Frog. To my nose and palate, these were perfect wines at their peak, without any flaws.I think, though, that what matters most is not the difference between how you and I each score our wines, but that we are internally consistent.That is, my 93 point wines are all of equal quality to my taste but a bit less impressive that the wines that are perfect to me.I've written about 1100 tasting notes on cellartracker, which may be the most useful of all. Before I open a great wine, I'll call up previous notes on it to see how I scored it and to see how ready I thought it was, and how recently I've had it. Often a wine I'm thinking of opening was something I had, say, a year ago, and my note says to hold it another 2-3 years, so I'll keep it in the cellar a little longer.Overall, I love cellar tracker for its multiple useful features, including being able to swap ideas with you and many others.Happy drinking!Ric
12/15/19, 8:28 PM - Don't just sit...drink!
11/24/19, 6:29 AM - It's perfectly ready, very complex, not their most powerful syrah. It'll easily last at least 5 years, so no rush. There's no significant tannin to compete with the fruit. Open and decant it a few hours ahead, though. Enjoy!Ric
8/7/19, 6:30 AM - No, I have not had that type of aroma from mine, and I've had multiple bottles of that particular wine and vintage. I've consistently gotten typical Cayuse "funk" of roasted meat, smoke, tar, deep dark fruit. Occasionally there's a slight bitterness at first on the back of the tongue and in the aftertaste but it tends to blow off with a little time. I'd bet you had an off bottle and suggest you try another.
8/7/19, 1:22 PM - Yes, have a couple of cases left of 2010 Cayuse, nine different wines. I've tried nine bottles of the 2010 Cailloux over four years and consistently rated it 95-98. It's been very rich and full but very well balanced. Very drinkable but will easily hold many more years. However, I'm tending to drink the slightly lighter vintages first, like 2011 and 2013.
7/14/19, 8:37 PM - Yes. I was told that by Christophe Baron and Matt Reynvaan, who have a couple of adjacent vineyards (Cayuse En Cerise and Reynvaan's Rocks Vineyard). I've since tried more 2013's from both of them and they are all drinking very well now. I'm waiting on a couple other earlier vintages which are deeper, like 2012 and 2010.Ric
7/15/19, 6:02 PM - I haven't tried '13 Horsepower, hadn't thought about it, but probably a reasonable idea. My first ones were '12 and I tried one, but still a bit young. Horsepower is the most densely planted vineyard I've ever seen. It's right across from En Cerise and Rocks vineyards. The vines are just a few feet apart, too close to plow by machine, hence the two horses and the name.Ric
6/14/19, 6:05 PM - Thanks for pointing out my error. I meant to say the 2010 was better than 2011 or 2009. Guess I had too much of the 2010 before I wrote the note!Regards...
12/20/18, 10:17 AM - Thanks for the feedback, but I don't think this wine would have turned into what I'm looking for with more age. Do they make other zins? If anything, the style I'm looking for is best within about a year after release, has bright red berry fruit and an acetic (not acidic) component.
4/8/19, 8:44 AM - Thanks! I've heard of it but haven't tried it. I'll see if it's available here.
3/3/19, 6:07 AM - No, they definitely were not closed. If anything, they were soft and round, with sediment and not much tannin, especially the three bottles of La Turque. All of the six bottles were consistent, so none of them were bad bottles. If anything, they would have been better five years ago! If you have any of these, considering the current best retail is about $3500, I'd sell them.Ric
11/8/18, 10:04 AM - Thanks for the comment...I completely agree that Aubert's wines should be opened and aired. I opened it at 5 PM, decanted it, put the decanter in my cellar, served it at 7:30, and tasted the last glass at 11 PM. It was consistent with my note throughout. I even have a glass left in the decanter for tonight. If anything changes I'll edit my note.
10/19/18, 8:00 PM - What does "Somebody dropped the mic" mean??
10/22/18, 10:34 AM - Thanks...I hadn't heard the term. I wasn't sure if you were complimenting or criticizing my note...appreciate it!
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