2013 The Napa Valley Reserve
Community Tasting Note
msuwine wrote:
Friday, January 14, 2022 - The 2013 vintage in Napa sometimes reminds me of that old folk song, “She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes.” Despite its many verses, the song never describes the moment when she actually, you know, comes around the mountain, a circular futility that honors the song’s origins (originally describing the second coming, which - whatever your belief system - is still TBD). In vinous terms, the critics rain acclaim on the 2013 vintage, and some wines were open for business early. For others, though, we’re nine years in and still waiting for Godot.
This is the latter kind of wine. Dark purple in color and medium in body, the wine carries intriguing but cool aromas of blackberry, baking chocolate, graphite, and thyme. The flavors are still coiled and grumpy (as if to yell “get off my lawn”), with notes of blueberry skin, espresso, peppercorn, and volcanic rock, followed by a dark and peppery finish (think Turkish coffee). 14.5% alcohol. I decanted three hours, which only softened the dense wine around the edges. Wait until 2025 and, in the meantime, keep a lookout for those six white horses.
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Comment posted by Whisky&Wine:
1/17/2022 11:32:00 AM - I agree with the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow assessment of the 2013s. Like the persimmons I sometimes buy that look and smell beautiful but never seem to get ripe enough to shed the astringency before they go off.
I have tried many and I have long felt that the fuss around 2013s seems way overblown. Concentration and tannins are only part of what make a good wine. Balance makes them great. I far, far prefer the 2016 vintage of most everything. I expect 2018 will surpass 2013 as well but i havent started cracking those. I have a number of 2013s from fine producers and will continue to hold some but I doubt these ever live up to expectations.
2025++ is probably spot on.