Community Tasting Note

csimm wrote:

Friday, April 30, 2021 - 3 days in Napa: Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, The French Laundry, Christopher Tynan, Kinsman, Harlan, Vice Versa, Accendo, Fairchild, Macdonald, and a truckload of others (Napa): Essentially a younger and more rambunctious version of the 2012, which is a great sign of things to come. Powerful and heady on entry, with blackberry liqueur, charcoal, graphite, and black raspberry notes drop solidly mid-palate, further complimented by tobacco and currant flavors. With a girthy push, the core is catapulted hurriedly to the back end, finishing with a thrust of blackberry, earth, and alcohol. The booze washes over the profile with persistence but does not ultimately distract from the experience of enjoying the striking fruit.

A very intense and brawny sample that will need at least a decade to get into full stride. It has the draw of the 2016 vintage and a saturating depth that is unmatched among other houses in the neighborhood, but I do wonder if it will go through a bit of a shutdown period at some point. I always hate using those ‘shut down’ and ‘awkward phase’ terminologies, especially when describing what MIGHT happen to a wine down the road, but this particular wine, as awesome as it is, also evokes a sense of having to work a few things out before it develops into the stallion I am confident it will ultimately become. It may lap the 2012 in the long haul, if it’s possible to lap a wine I already gave 100 points to. 98-99+ points for the 2016.

Post a Comment / View csimm's profile
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (8,128 views)