Community Tasting Note

HFLED wrote:

Monday, January 25, 2021 - I really wanted to like this wine but just couldn’t unfortunately. Nose is very Smokey - more like a campfire vs ashtray, but the smokiness is dense and crowds out the fruit (though there is some plum, cassis, and black cherry).

Palate is a bit odd. There is touch of carbonation when you sip - I noticed there were a few bubbles when the wine sat in the glass, but didn’t think much of it. Unfortunately the carbonation lends a bitterness at the start, while it goes away at mid palate it’s not pleasant. Smoke is the dominant flavor here, it’s strong, and there is a strong flavor of tar, rust, and some black cherry and black currant. The wine is very tannic, I got hit with a wall of tannins when I drank it and they overwhelm the mouthfeel. Acidity is medium.

We drank it the first time without decanting, which was a mistake. After letting it sit for a night, the acidity was a bit more pronounced which improved balance. A second day and some decanting improved the balance further, but the wine was still to Smokey, tannic, and the carbonation was still present.

I could see this being a nice bottle in 10+ years when the tannin and smoke integrate, but I’m not convinced, and it’s not working for me now.

Post a Comment / View HFLED's profile
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue (418 views)