Community Tasting Note

sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:

Friday, April 12, 2024 - First of 6 (3 ‘12 Basilisks, 3 ‘12 Lithics, $35@) from a recent auction purchase. On the nose and palate, medium to full notes of red currants, pomegranate, rhubarb, sweet cranberries and blueberries, wet earth, exotic spice, orange rind, forest floor, and anise. Dark brownish purple, medium to full bodied, thick legs. Medium+ tannins and acidity staying just a bit separate, slight bit of booziness. VG complexity, VG+ intensity and persistence. I bought a ‘19 of this at a tasting (where I tasted it) at the Napa tasting room, but otherwise, my first go with this bottling, continuing to fill out my dance card with Helen’s Rhones. This needed about 15 minutes to open and sort itself out then was good and good to, staying consistent over 2 nights (I’m not sure where the 5 hours of air from another recent taster was needed). Fulsome and rich but retaining solid structure at the far end of where I typically enjoy the Keplinger red Rhones, this was in a good place, mid to late in peak drinking window. I didn’t give it the best food matches—chicken soup one night, red sauce pasta another—but it should pair well with pork, lamb or saucy dishes and was quite nice to sip on its own. Great qpr at my purchase price. As an aside, I’d not noticed when I bid, but the labels were damaged on the lot, particularly the 3 Basiliks. I’m often a bit wary of that, just because I think it might be a sign of bad storage, but the price was right here, and there was no sign that this was anything beyond an aesthetic mar. Will drink remaining bottles in the next 12-18 months. NB. Yet another sediment dump, so decant or watch your last sip. 93+

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