2/3/23, 8:49 PM - It was a bizarre wine. The cork came out clean and intact but it was an entry-level DIAM cork that is TCA free made of cork remnants. But it was not a DIAM 30 that would be more appropriate for a big age-worthy red. Come to the island some time for a big red tasting. We’ve got a Poplar Grove Legacy vertical this weekend and a Carmenere gig in three weeks.
1/19/23, 11:59 PM - Always a good value. Gonna try a bottle at Boom & Batten this week. Where it’s CAD75!
1/16/23, 11:18 PM - The best wines are food wines. Period. How they react/evolve with what they’re paired with is the ultimate alchemy. Wine is not a cocktail it’s an accompaniment to food and occasion. No one’s decanting a first growth or grand cru in an alley somewhere. It’s meant to be paired with food. Let the Marcassin Admiral huff and puff and try to rally the troops in some form of dissent and disapproval. A wine’s true test is it’s match with protein, fat and the company around the table. The Marcassin’s enigmatic properties need food. Period.
1/15/23, 4:16 PM - Appreciate the note. We have a double magnum of this. Maybe a decade more of cellar time? Cheers.
1/12/23, 6:17 PM - Agreed. Still needs cellar time.
1/11/23, 5:21 PM - Pandemic Juice? That’s a tertiary palate note for Howell Mtn Cab blends? ;-) Yes, this was oaked up at the top of the permissible range.
12/26/22, 9:39 AM - That was a nice customer, indeed. Solid TN. I'm looking forward to opening our first 2017 SLV but I think it needs a little more time as well.
12/11/22, 3:45 PM - Bang on, Nanoose. Always a good weeknight stalwart. Typically good value. We may have to do a Fortissimo vertical with Vino Loco!
12/7/22, 11:51 PM - Seth, I couldn’t disagree. This is fabulous wine at any price point. Great depth and complexity. I agree the alcohol is a tad out of balance but 45-60 minutes aerated and it seemed to dissipate. Best value of the year. My own TN is pending.
12/9/22, 5:26 PM - Yes, I just purchased another two six packs of the 16 out of store in Calgary. Looking forward to sharing it over the holidays.
12/7/22, 8:59 AM - Great TN. Sherry, orange peels…and don’t forget the barnyard floor. We hope to have a side by side in next couple of years of the ‘15 and the ‘16 from the cellar. Cheers!
12/7/22, 10:16 AM - We are staying at Les Sources du Caudalie on the grounds of SHL next September for a few days as part of a small group tour of the region. We’re looking forward to one of the vertical tastings with estate wines from the last decade. Should be interesting. Keep the TNs coming.
12/4/22, 2:34 PM - Thanks for the TN. We're planning on putting this in a 2012 Cab Sauv blind tasting next weekend and see how it does against price points above and below it. It has been improving as we've opened a few bottles so far but I agree it needs time open to the elements. Later vintages are even pricier and I don't have the stomach or wallet courage to purchase those.
12/4/22, 2:28 PM - 2019s! Were they all 2019s you sampled blind? How long were they decanted for?
12/4/22, 2:16 PM - this producer's Chardonnay ages so well. thanks for the TN. What would you pair it with when it has this type of age on it?
12/4/22, 2:06 PM - You have the patience of a pirate's wife! I drank my '05s way too early! Sounds like it was coming into its drinking window now.
12/3/22, 4:59 PM - Was this insipid & thin to warrant the 81?
12/3/22, 4:58 PM - KJ, just getting current on some friends TNs. Love the Foghorn reference.
10/9/22, 10:47 AM - Exactement! Your review matches with our experience last night where two successive bottles were opened. Although very young the structure was impressive. Went well with classic Turkey dinner. Merci beaucoup!
10/6/22, 4:11 PM - Jeff, how long did you decant this beauty for? We have a magnum in the cellar and we’re thinking of opening this over the holidays.
9/25/22, 10:27 AM - Lariana’s flagship is great value. Let me know if you do find some more of the Sixteen. No bottles on the Island.
9/24/22, 6:34 AM - Well, at least it’s consistent, can’t blame bottle variation!
9/22/22, 6:13 PM - I will now expand my aromatics lexicon - reductive egg fart. Somebody open a window! Seriously, excellent TN. Wine Access is currently trying to unload >20 cases of this value-priced Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux at a case buy of $16/btl.
9/1/22, 5:00 AM - Love the DNA test request. Large percentage of Carm in this vintage mix. Hopefully it settles down and integrates. Very sad we missed such a lovely evening. Next time K & L!
8/27/22, 3:35 AM - KJ, Kettle Valley can be hit and miss for me but this Stern Syrah has been a standout. Sadly the 2017 is gone and I have yet to try the ‘18 vintage. Let me know if you do.
8/23/22, 8:16 AM - Great price relative to what we pay up here in Canada. How long did you decant the wine for?
8/12/22, 6:39 PM - I still find this a toddler with massive potential. 2024 is my next opening.
8/10/22, 3:47 PM - Agreed. Definitely requires food accompaniment. Charcuterie & cheeseboard provide enough fat and proteins to tame the tannin pucker.
8/6/22, 6:27 PM - Hi KJ! The Dominus edged out the Insignia. It had a touch more staying power and seemed only in mid-life bd the Phelps probably starting to wane. Hey, any interest in coming to Island on Sat Aug 27th? Darren and I are looking at hosting a wine tasting for a few folks.
7/29/22, 4:57 PM - Three years ago I thought these 11s needed a couple of more years to merge all the components together. I’ll try one this coming month. Thanks Francois.
7/23/22, 6:47 PM - Great TN, looking forward to opening one of ours this summer with good beef off the grill.
7/23/22, 1:03 PM - KJ, couldn’t agree more. This was actually very good value.
12/2/21, 3:31 PM - Great TN - also goes well with Julie London smoky and sultry classics of the 50s and 60s.
7/12/22, 5:09 PM - Dear Rote, I believe sfwinelover1 was referring to Eric Asimov, the wine critic of the New York Times who expounds on vinification balance at the expense of a wine's evolution and ultimate potential. Although, on second thought, the sci-fi phenom Isaac Asimov and his infamous Three Laws of Robotics could be paraphrased/re-worked into Three Laws of Wine. 1) a wine may not injure a human (read: its gotta taste good and not distract with alcohol heat or green tannins or typical faults); 2) a wine must obey orders given to it by human beings (read: a wine is selected for occasion, food pairing or perceived readiness - in most cases, it probably "obeys" and delivers satisfaction); a wine must protect its own existence as long as it doesn't violate laws 1 & 2 (read: a wine is what is it composed of and how it is stored but ultimately the purchaser is responsible for the wine's condition). Would love to sit down some day with all the folks on this comment chain and share some fine CdP's on the table and in the glasses.
6/27/22, 10:34 AM - You give me hope that our last few bottles are waiting to wow us. Good TN.
6/3/22, 9:45 PM - Great TN. Vieux Donjon is our favourite CdP QPR-wise. What are hobo potatoes?
5/11/22, 11:13 AM - I agree PS, it may be accessible now but it will improve 2-3 yrs out. Great structure to the wine.
5/4/22, 8:25 AM - DD, we can’t find the Bush Vine Syrah anywhere here on the island (Landmark doesn’t have a rep here). Would you say this is worth a case purchase?
5/4/22, 1:36 PM - Thank you! Good luck with the cellar completion.
4/27/22, 5:39 PM - KJ, take a look at the whole tasting story. We had a blast @ Vino Loco by the Sea. We’ve gotta get you to the island for one of these CT events.
4/5/22, 4:02 PM - This is an excellent TN. I applaud the “graded on potential” clarification. I have 2024 & -25 marked on the shelf. Thank you.
3/15/22, 2:38 PM - Agreed! So good I don't want to share it!
3/11/22, 11:42 AM - G: Very good assessment. "Oregon grape" is a good tag, I think I'll use it when I come against those brambly foxy reds with acidic bite. I hope your later bottles develop into something more appealing!
3/11/22, 11:35 AM - "Un beau glou glou pour ce printemps!" - C'est parfait! Love the "Glug Glug".
3/5/22, 5:24 PM - You won’t get an argument out me on those underperformers. Phantom Creek is quickly assuming the crown of High Price/High Hype in the province. Coincidentally, I’ve opened for the first time the ‘18 Cab Merlot from One Faith. It was on the shelf @ Sidney’s Save-on Foods. It’s all oak and alcohol on first pass. I’ll write a TN later.
3/4/22, 11:21 PM - KJ! Can’t comment on the ‘13, the ‘16 was the first I ever had of this. The vintage was ideal for both Merlot & Syrah, great long ripening conditions with cooler autumn nights. Gotta get you over to the island sooner than later. The cellar is bursting!
2/25/22, 1:26 PM - I believe you called it. This has had its peak period and just needs to be drunk up. Try it with a cheeseboard and cured meats. That’s what it needs now.
2/25/22, 1:24 PM - Definitely needed the decant as it was still evolving at your table. Pleasure to share w you @ Doc Ross.
2/25/22, 1:22 PM - Yes, it had all the quality components but this youngster still didn’t have the maturity or wow factor yet.
2/25/22, 1:21 PM - Good TN. Thanks for sharing. It was ready to drink.
2/20/22, 3:03 PM - Francois, my wife reminded me that the one thing we did notice after removing the foil prior to opening was the cork was a bit depressed on one side at the top. This could indicate a less than ideal bottling run and the corking mechanism was not calibrated or the sometimes the line is not dialed to the correct bottle width and the bottles can move which can impact both the closure phase but also the vacuum phase when the small blast of nitrogen is applied post filling. Maybe some but not all bottles were affected. Bonne chance, mon ami!
2/20/22, 2:43 PM - AJ, great TN. We just bought a few bottles of this alongside a member's purchase. Couldn't be more excite to try it. Love the "bonus points" element for "hitting my biases nicely"! I've had those types of bottle outcomes in the past but haven't been able to verbalize as well as you. 2015 Consensus comes to mind - definitely earned points for a bias bullseye! I'll write a TN when we open our first Equinoxe Merlot.
2/18/22, 4:49 PM - The recommended food pairing? Or the vegetal mess in the bottle?
2/14/22, 12:23 PM - Mmmmm, panda salad!The 2014 NB showed well this weekend for us.
2/14/22, 12:36 PM - VL - lets start planning that vertical! Things should get a bit more relaxed soon. I'll send you an email with further comment.
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