90 minute decant. Deep dark, slightly hazy purplish magenta color. Dark raspberry, black plum, orange blossom, and subtle vanilla scone. Smooth, dry, juicy palate. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
My score is speculative and conservative. This is not yet in its drinking window. Try to give it one more year. 85% of the fruit is from Thorevilos Vineyard (Howell Mtn), 10% is from VV’s own Calistoga spot, and 5% is from To Kalon.
A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: The 2019 Mysterons (Ecotone) was served side-by-side with the 2018 Abreu Thorevilos. The vintages and stylistic differences between producers/winemakers was evident, with more throw-your-hands-in-the-air throwback in the Abreu and more modern flair and fantasticness in the Mysterons. This too was grippy at first, but it didn’t take long before the yummy black fruit was Miami Heat pumping in all different directions. Vanilla and chocolate pulse through the black fruit, finishing with power and saturation. Richer and more flamboyant than the Abreu, the Mysterons is a hedonistic Dracula kind of juice befitting a Halloween party with flying gargoyles and dancing satyrs. Hold bottles until October 31st, 2027.
Napa and a lone Kiwi (Casa de Sumoba): I've had this wine a number of times now and today was interesting. Lots of reduced fruit notes on the nose. Maybe even a bit of maple syrup or some syrupy component to the nose. I visited the Hershey's chocolate factory plant in PA and the smell and taste of freshly made chocolate is much different than when you buy it in the store. Well, if you took that fresh milk chocolate and laced it with some dark berries, that is what I was getting today. Still a bit tannic and maybe lacked a bit of that acidity that I was looking for. Again, the theme here is nitpicking these great wines. Still, a very good wine.
Don't tease me like that unless you mean it (Chateau de Brion): Dark fruits on the nose with matching earth and some graphite. The palate had black fruits, a nicely bitter graphite note and minerals to linger on the finish. This showed well this evening but there's something that bothered me. There's a bit of fighting for identity here on the palate (no, I'm not talking about pronouns, miss me with that) and it seems to show. Maybe starting to go through a phase or something, still good nonetheless!
Holy sh*t, this wine is killing right now with a few hours of air. First vintage of this wine, and blends are always question marks in my book, but damn if Maayan, Patrice and co didn't pull off a stunner.
Gorgeous aromatics, displaying a beautiful interplay of violets, cassis fruit, cedar and forest floor. Drank PnP to start, and the tannins were clamping hard, but after letting it sit for a while the expansion was epic. Concentrated dark fruit dominates on the front end, but without over the top extraction or opulence, just damn pure fantastic fruit. Immediately transitions to grainy minerality, with tons of earthy notions that are deeply layered and insanely expansive. You know how the best wines start small and focused and then keep moving the flavor outward until it fills the entire palate? Well that is this wine. Fills in dramatically over time with enduring persistence and awe inducing energy. I am sure it will continue to get better for some time, but I would drink one if you have a few. Just a great wine.
Napa Trip - Trying new wines and meeting new people; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022 (Napa): There were flavors here but seemed a bit dulled, maybe needed more air, possibly closing?.. not too sure here. Did not show as much graphite and minerals when I had it personally at home, so the prep time before our arrival might've had an effect on the wine. Decant and taste along if opening now. 95+
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Spring 2022 Dream Napa Trip; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022: Similar notes to when I had it in AZ. Strong buy and I cannot wait for future vintages to see how this vineyard progresses. Maybe a tad outgunned due to the lineup that afternoon.
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Return to Napa (MacDonald and Vice Versa): I don’t have much to add to my 12/3/21 TN, except to say that with, considerably less decant time than cyclist had to do that evening, and the day before, this seemed to get to a comparable place. Probably the biggest and most powerful of these cabs to my palate, the tannins were the most intense, giving the wine a most appealing darkness, length and focus. Lots of dark fruit, dark chocolate, dark coffee, dark, dark, dark. I loved it (I bought a couple of bottles), and think that there’s room for upside, although I’m not going to call this wine lilting or subtle. 97+ if scoring.
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Cheers to new friendships, great wine and great food! (Phoenix, AZ): This definitely picked up some weight from my first tasting in the VV caves. If you have this now, this needs some long decanting and it will reward you. Gorgeous nose, a bit green on the palate in the beginning, but that blew off quickly in the glass. Good balance and an excelllent effort from VV from their new acquisition. I cannot wait to taste more vintages.
Three hour decant. Opaque electric magenta color. Boysenberry and French toast on the nose. Super smooth, dry palate, with nice, lingering acidity. Full tannins on the longish finish.
There’s a bit of potential built into this rating due to the obvious youthfulness of this Cab. It’s currently more acid-driven. The tannic structure needs some time to develop.
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Nose: [58°-62°] Black with a bit of dark purple fruits encasing black wet mulch, dried shrubs and a dark powdering of graphite. A subtle note of deep roses after lots of air time.
Palate: [58°-64°] Black fruits, deep black grainy earth, a note of charred spiced oak, tar, dark graphite and a trailing finish of dark minerals.
Attributes: Clear dark ruby. Dry with medium-plus amounts of fine, grainy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with medium to medium-plus acidity. Good finish of at least 20-22 seconds.
Thoughts: A dark and menacing flavor profile that is a bit wild and intense on the palate at the moment, with a focus of earthy dark graphite as of tonight's tasting. The tannin were bold and grainy, leaving a nice texture feel on the palate. Something about this wine reminds me a lot of the Steltzner bottling but can't say exactly what.. maybe the structure and the flavors of dark earth and minerals. Thinking about allowing this to rest for 4-5 years for the tannin to settle and even more for it to integrate properly. 95-96+
Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Emptied bottle into a decanter at cellar temp ~55° for one hour before serving, continued to decant while consumed over another 6 hours (total 7 hrs). Recommend serving ~58°-62° with a decant of at least 8 hours at cellar temp if opening now.
Epic Napa Trip - Day 3: Tasted at Wheeler Farms - This was a polarizing wine in our group...some loved it, some hated it. I was in the love it category. This was by far the most concentrated, tannic and backwards wine in the group, but you could sense the potential! Nose shows concentrated black and purple fruit with some hints of spice and new leather. Palate shows layers of dark fruit and chocolate with some graphite, tar and tobacco leaf, as well as hints of cedar.
I think this wine will be awesome in 7-10 years, and will live longer than me. Definitely enough fruit and tannins to go the distance....a little hard for me to read the acidity, but worse case scenario, I drink a nice hedonistic wine in 7 years. 94 to 95 today, but so much potential! I was not originally offered this when I place my order with Samantha, but offered it during the tasting, so I bought a half case. What can I say, I am a glutton for punishment! I do hope in a few years this purchase looks more like genius! We will see!
Napa trip day 3 (Napa): Drank a small glass over 45 minutes at the Wheeler Farms tasting facility with a winery rep. Ugh, the biggest wine of this tasting. Super dense, dark earth, bold grainy tannins. I like another notes description of "pure black and concentrated liquid", I agree. I wrote "B.S." and I think I remember the reason. Unscored.
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The things I had to do to this bottle... After a double decant where I poured into a decanter in the cellar for an hour or so and then back in bottle and left to slow ox in bottle in the cellar without a cork for about 6 hours. Then recorked and left in cellar overnight and brought to SF's. There we re-opened it and let it slow ox for about another hour before it finally started to show its colors. I'd say hold these bottles for 4-5 years before even looking at them, don't tempt yourself as this baby is incredible but so locked up. I'd wager this goes up, perhaps to perfection, in the coming decade. Behind the locked walls of this are a sexy, concentrated, dark, oozing, and expressive beast. Once the actual wine (as opposed to whatever pure black and concentrated liquid this was filled with) started to peek through after the immense amount of air, you could get cocoa, stone, incredibly silky black fruit, tannins (but not enough to make you put down a glass), and legs for days that somehow don't kick you with any heat. 97+++
Just another evening of good wine and cheer (Chilly Noe Valley): Brought by Cyclist as his primary contribution to our tasting and given about 24 hours of decanting (and double decanting) and other aeration. On the nose and palate, bittersweet chocolate, espresso, black cherries and dark berries with a few red berry notes peeking through, rocky minerality and a powerful, intense tannic bite. Bruising purplish black, full bodied, thick legs. Huge tannins just beginning to integrate, medium acidity, no heat. Tremendous complexity, persistence and intensity. Not dissimilar in profile to what I remember of the ‘15 VV LPV, my only other VV wine, this wine screams dark, brooding and serious, calling out for a soundtrack of The War on Drugs’ “Pain”, NIN’s “Closer” and almost anything from Bauhaus, but certainly not something I’d be sipping while watching Mary Poppins. I have no idea what this was like out of the bottle, but I could almost see Cyclist having to pound the bottle to get it out, as, even after 24 hours of air, open knit and welcoming wouldn’t be the first words that would come to mind. While I wouldn’t describe this wine in any way as lilting or subtle, what it is, very impressively so, is expressive, deep and long, and while its ponderousness appeals to sfwl’s dark side, if just a bit more light comes in, which could take a decade or more, even with a compressor, this may well flirt with perfection. Definitely has elements of the ‘15 Outpost True and a classic Graves dark graphite streak. Fascinating wine, and a thrill to taste, infanticide or otherwise, and a really interesting bookend with the C&S One Post. Many thanks, Cyclist. So glad to have you as another wine-loving friend! 97+
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Now this took the full 7 hours to showcase its goods as the early showing (I had to sneak a taste since my favorite vineyard is Thorevilos) wouldn’t budge from its structural embrace.
At the time of the tasting this wine was kicking! Now this is not purely my opinion as a stand-alone I opened a bottle by itself and had a nice evening rather this wine came after the wonderful SVDs (LPV, Dr and To Kalon) AND was tasted against the Mag 7 in a head to head.
This wine stood its ground and delivered. It along with the Steltzner stands out as a very different wine in the portfolio although I much prefer this wine. While this wine is not a SVD, rather a cuvée of sorts, it packs a serious punch of complexity of flavors, structure and performance. Interestingly of all the wines tasted, this one will benefit the most from kore bottle time. Very happy I snagged a 6 pack- and may go back for more. For those Thorevilos fans, while it’s not the OG version from the vineyard- it delivers on the wonderful sweet forest floor, dark chocolate, dust, etc uniqueness at this price point. There is also the energy of some young vines intermixed to provide verve for the future. While I am sure I will pop one early, I would then hold for 5+ years.
I will put this line on all of my tasting notes from this lineup- not sure if they have any left but if they do, jump at the chance to buy or at a minimum get on the list as this vintage and winery strategy is at an entirely new level (the LC shows how focused they are on the future). The best horizontal tasting from the same winery I have ever had.
Vice Versa weekend and dinner: As before when I gave this a try in April, the Mysterons is a punchy and fruity ride on a purple and red berry rollercoaster. Spice, bitter chocolate, and dust (Thorevilos/Ecotone tufa dust influence?) show more intense after a decant of a few hours, with a bass tone of richness and ripe berry sweetness filling in the profile. Finishes with notable depth but also with a slight bitter whip on the tail that provides lift and tension. There is a classicism here that is unique in the lineup; this will be a fascinating wine to follow over the next decade (or three).
Vice Versa Wine Dinner: There is a clear separation in profile for this wine vs the others. There’s more acidity and strong tannins. If I were a betting man, I’d say this may have the most longevity of the wines tasted. Nose of cherries, cassis, white flowers and plenty of loamy soil. This starts with flashy red and blue fruit that is quickly lifted by bright acidity and hemmed in by powerful tannins. There is a lot going on underneath the surface here, with layers of minerality and earthy flavors that hint at the complexity to come with some bottle age. I think this wine will get better and better for quite a long time, and I’m looking forward to checking in on it as it progresses.
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I don't like to do barrel ratings. But I found the 19 Mysterons to be the best followed by 19 Dr Crane, 18 Las Piedras, and 18 Steltzner at the tasting. The 19 Mysterons is one of the best wines I have tasted in a while!
Napa 2021 Trip; 5/10/2021-5/13/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Another great VV wine - new to the mix in 2019 is this mix of Ecotone (Thorevilos) and estate fruit from Calistoga (and per #1winelover below, Dr. Crane as well). Named after the Portishead song of the same name (check out the album Dummy, a 90s UK trip-hop classic).
You may look at 95 and be disappointed - but this was a hard follow up to the BTK and Dr. Crane right before it. It's no slouch by any means - more red fruited than the previous wines tasted, with more chewy tannins. I think this one will be one to put down for a few years after shipment, versus the others in the lineup that may be ready to drink come Christmas time this year.
Vice Versa 2019 final barrel wine dinner with additional bottles. For the 2019 flight, the WOTN was Las Piedras followed by Dr. Crane, Mysterons and To-Kalon. Additional wines included: Vice Versa 2105 Dr. Crane, Vice Versa 2015 Las Piedras, 2015 Vine Hill Ranch VHR, 2014 Novicium (Continuum's 2nd label), Vice Versa 2017 BBS Las Piedras, Cornell 2014, Vice Versa 2018 Platt Chardonnay, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, and several others that I cannot recall.
There were 10 of us at dinner and the unanimous choice for 2019 was Vice Versa's Las Piedras. The unanimous choice for the overall winner of the night was Vice Versa's 2015 Dr. Crane. 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place choices were not unanimous!
For the 2019s, Patrice recommended opening the bottles a couple of hours early, so I pulled the corks at 4:30pm but did not decant. I just let a little air in the bottles. We all agreed that Las Piedras was just spectacular. It was very easy to consume with signature notes from The Las Piedras Vineyard, including stone, a streak of mineral throughout, dark fruit and slight notes of chocolate. Everybody wanted more and it was the 1st bottle gone. The most interesting was Mysterons and we agreed that in 3 years time, it might end up being the best wine from 2019. It seemed to have a little more structure and more tannin. Mysterons is from The Ecotone Vineyard (formally Abreu's thorevilos), Dr. Crane, and, Vice Versa's new estate in the northwest corner of Calistoga. Maybe the elevation has something to do with its boldness.
It was a great night, I am suffering today, but remembering good times with great friends, food and wine. Thanks to Patrice for being so kind to share the wine and include tasting notes. I cannot wait to try these in bottle next y
Napa - Lokoya - Vice Versa - Memento Mori: Barrel sample. We were fortunate enough to try this and we were met with a delightful wine. Cherries and silky tannins. That seems to be a theme here with VV wines. The acidity carried this wine through the mid palate but the tannins need a bit of time to resolve itself. This felt like the little brother to the 3 wines sitting in front of us which was also sort of refreshing in a way. There is definitely a high-toned aspect to this wine and although it was #4 in the flight, it was top 8 for the day.
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Overall, I found this to be a distinctive barrel sample not just for its succulence but also for its punchy side. A higher-toned hit flashes on the higher register mark just long enough to perk the senses before rolling its way back to juiciness. A very swanky wine indeed. Once in bottle, I’ll be very curious to see if it continues to distinguish itself among its siblings in similar fashion.
Barrel sample. Finally got to taste the mysterious new entry into the VV lineup. This is a blend from their newly sourced site Ecotone (of Abreu fame), their new home vineyard in Calistoga (near Amoenus - Maybach & Arkenstone) and some other parts from the Beckstoffer lineup that I can't recall offhand. Again, I mention that I had this with around 20 wines at the end of a day of tasting, so my palate may not have been 100%. Nevertheless, I want to provide some feedback.
Summing it up, this was fantastic. Showed dark cherries, cassis, raspberry, spice box and lots of floral on the nose. This is full bodied, but with a great spine of freshness and acidity that makes it a bit more taut than the Beckstoffer offerings, along with a slightly redder fruit profile. Refined tannins and a silky mouthfeel are coupled with nice pure fruit and a lot of earth driven flavors. There is a deep mineral streak that emerges around the mid palate and carries it to a long and satisfying finish. Overall, I feel like this is a bit less opulent, but more structured and brighter than most of the other VV wines. I love them all, and this is a great new entry.
4/9/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
90 minute decant. Deep dark, slightly hazy purplish magenta color. Dark raspberry, black plum, orange blossom, and subtle vanilla scone. Smooth, dry, juicy palate. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
My score is speculative and conservative. This is not yet in its drinking window. Try to give it one more year. 85% of the fruit is from Thorevilos Vineyard (Howell Mtn), 10% is from VV’s own Calistoga spot, and 5% is from To Kalon.
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4/7/2023 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: The 2019 Mysterons (Ecotone) was served side-by-side with the 2018 Abreu Thorevilos. The vintages and stylistic differences between producers/winemakers was evident, with more throw-your-hands-in-the-air throwback in the Abreu and more modern flair and fantasticness in the Mysterons. This too was grippy at first, but it didn’t take long before the yummy black fruit was Miami Heat pumping in all different directions. Vanilla and chocolate pulse through the black fruit, finishing with power and saturation. Richer and more flamboyant than the Abreu, the Mysterons is a hedonistic Dracula kind of juice befitting a Halloween party with flying gargoyles and dancing satyrs. Hold bottles until October 31st, 2027.
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3/5/2023 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 96 Points
Napa and a lone Kiwi (Casa de Sumoba): I've had this wine a number of times now and today was interesting. Lots of reduced fruit notes on the nose. Maybe even a bit of maple syrup or some syrupy component to the nose. I visited the Hershey's chocolate factory plant in PA and the smell and taste of freshly made chocolate is much different than when you buy it in the store. Well, if you took that fresh milk chocolate and laced it with some dark berries, that is what I was getting today. Still a bit tannic and maybe lacked a bit of that acidity that I was looking for. Again, the theme here is nitpicking these great wines. Still, a very good wine.
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3/4/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 96 Points
Don't tease me like that unless you mean it (Chateau de Brion): Dark fruits on the nose with matching earth and some graphite. The palate had black fruits, a nicely bitter graphite note and minerals to linger on the finish. This showed well this evening but there's something that bothered me. There's a bit of fighting for identity here on the palate (no, I'm not talking about pronouns, miss me with that) and it seems to show. Maybe starting to go through a phase or something, still good nonetheless!
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4/29/2022 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Holy sh*t, this wine is killing right now with a few hours of air. First vintage of this wine, and blends are always question marks in my book, but damn if Maayan, Patrice and co didn't pull off a stunner.
Gorgeous aromatics, displaying a beautiful interplay of violets, cassis fruit, cedar and forest floor. Drank PnP to start, and the tannins were clamping hard, but after letting it sit for a while the expansion was epic. Concentrated dark fruit dominates on the front end, but without over the top extraction or opulence, just damn pure fantastic fruit. Immediately transitions to grainy minerality, with tons of earthy notions that are deeply layered and insanely expansive. You know how the best wines start small and focused and then keep moving the flavor outward until it fills the entire palate? Well that is this wine. Fills in dramatically over time with enduring persistence and awe inducing energy. I am sure it will continue to get better for some time, but I would drink one if you have a few. Just a great wine.
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4/11/2022 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Napa Trip - Trying new wines and meeting new people; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022 (Napa): There were flavors here but seemed a bit dulled, maybe needed more air, possibly closing?.. not too sure here. Did not show as much graphite and minerals when I had it personally at home, so the prep time before our arrival might've had an effect on the wine. Decant and taste along if opening now. 95+
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4/11/2022 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 96 Points
Spring 2022 Dream Napa Trip; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022: Similar notes to when I had it in AZ. Strong buy and I cannot wait for future vintages to see how this vineyard progresses. Maybe a tad outgunned due to the lineup that afternoon.
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3/31/2022 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:
Return to Napa (MacDonald and Vice Versa): I don’t have much to add to my 12/3/21 TN, except to say that with, considerably less decant time than cyclist had to do that evening, and the day before, this seemed to get to a comparable place. Probably the biggest and most powerful of these cabs to my palate, the tannins were the most intense, giving the wine a most appealing darkness, length and focus. Lots of dark fruit, dark chocolate, dark coffee, dark, dark, dark. I loved it (I bought a couple of bottles), and think that there’s room for upside, although I’m not going to call this wine lilting or subtle. 97+ if scoring.
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2/10/2022 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 97 Points
Cheers to new friendships, great wine and great food! (Phoenix, AZ): This definitely picked up some weight from my first tasting in the VV caves. If you have this now, this needs some long decanting and it will reward you. Gorgeous nose, a bit green on the palate in the beginning, but that blew off quickly in the glass. Good balance and an excelllent effort from VV from their new acquisition. I cannot wait to taste more vintages.
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1/5/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 97 Points
Three hour decant. Opaque electric magenta color. Boysenberry and French toast on the nose. Super smooth, dry palate, with nice, lingering acidity. Full tannins on the longish finish.
There’s a bit of potential built into this rating due to the obvious youthfulness of this Cab. It’s currently more acid-driven. The tannic structure needs some time to develop.
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12/18/2021 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nose: [58°-62°] Black with a bit of dark purple fruits encasing black wet mulch, dried shrubs and a dark powdering of graphite. A subtle note of deep roses after lots of air time.
Palate: [58°-64°] Black fruits, deep black grainy earth, a note of charred spiced oak, tar, dark graphite and a trailing finish of dark minerals.
Attributes: Clear dark ruby. Dry with medium-plus amounts of fine, grainy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with medium to medium-plus acidity. Good finish of at least 20-22 seconds.
Thoughts: A dark and menacing flavor profile that is a bit wild and intense on the palate at the moment, with a focus of earthy dark graphite as of tonight's tasting. The tannin were bold and grainy, leaving a nice texture feel on the palate. Something about this wine reminds me a lot of the Steltzner bottling but can't say exactly what.. maybe the structure and the flavors of dark earth and minerals. Thinking about allowing this to rest for 4-5 years for the tannin to settle and even more for it to integrate properly. 95-96+
Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Emptied bottle into a decanter at cellar temp ~55° for one hour before serving, continued to decant while consumed over another 6 hours (total 7 hrs). Recommend serving ~58°-62° with a decant of at least 8 hours at cellar temp if opening now.
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12/7/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Epic Napa Trip - Day 3: Tasted at Wheeler Farms - This was a polarizing wine in our group...some loved it, some hated it. I was in the love it category. This was by far the most concentrated, tannic and backwards wine in the group, but you could sense the potential! Nose shows concentrated black and purple fruit with some hints of spice and new leather. Palate shows layers of dark fruit and chocolate with some graphite, tar and tobacco leaf, as well as hints of cedar.
I think this wine will be awesome in 7-10 years, and will live longer than me. Definitely enough fruit and tannins to go the distance....a little hard for me to read the acidity, but worse case scenario, I drink a nice hedonistic wine in 7 years. 94 to 95 today, but so much potential! I was not originally offered this when I place my order with Samantha, but offered it during the tasting, so I bought a half case. What can I say, I am a glutton for punishment! I do hope in a few years this purchase looks more like genius! We will see!
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12/7/2021 - galewskj wrote:
Napa trip day 3 (Napa): Drank a small glass over 45 minutes at the Wheeler Farms tasting facility with a winery rep. Ugh, the biggest wine of this tasting. Super dense, dark earth, bold grainy tannins. I like another notes description of "pure black and concentrated liquid", I agree. I wrote "B.S." and I think I remember the reason. Unscored.
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12/3/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine: 97 Points
The things I had to do to this bottle... After a double decant where I poured into a decanter in the cellar for an hour or so and then back in bottle and left to slow ox in bottle in the cellar without a cork for about 6 hours. Then recorked and left in cellar overnight and brought to SF's. There we re-opened it and let it slow ox for about another hour before it finally started to show its colors. I'd say hold these bottles for 4-5 years before even looking at them, don't tempt yourself as this baby is incredible but so locked up. I'd wager this goes up, perhaps to perfection, in the coming decade. Behind the locked walls of this are a sexy, concentrated, dark, oozing, and expressive beast. Once the actual wine (as opposed to whatever pure black and concentrated liquid this was filled with) started to peek through after the immense amount of air, you could get cocoa, stone, incredibly silky black fruit, tannins (but not enough to make you put down a glass), and legs for days that somehow don't kick you with any heat. 97+++
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12/3/2021 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just another evening of good wine and cheer (Chilly Noe Valley): Brought by Cyclist as his primary contribution to our tasting and given about 24 hours of decanting (and double decanting) and other aeration. On the nose and palate, bittersweet chocolate, espresso, black cherries and dark berries with a few red berry notes peeking through, rocky minerality and a powerful, intense tannic bite. Bruising purplish black, full bodied, thick legs. Huge tannins just beginning to integrate, medium acidity, no heat. Tremendous complexity, persistence and intensity. Not dissimilar in profile to what I remember of the ‘15 VV LPV, my only other VV wine, this wine screams dark, brooding and serious, calling out for a soundtrack of The War on Drugs’ “Pain”, NIN’s “Closer” and almost anything from Bauhaus, but certainly not something I’d be sipping while watching Mary Poppins. I have no idea what this was like out of the bottle, but I could almost see Cyclist having to pound the bottle to get it out, as, even after 24 hours of air, open knit and welcoming wouldn’t be the first words that would come to mind. While I wouldn’t describe this wine in any way as lilting or subtle, what it is, very impressively so, is expressive, deep and long, and while its ponderousness appeals to sfwl’s dark side, if just a bit more light comes in, which could take a decade or more, even with a compressor, this may well flirt with perfection. Definitely has elements of the ‘15 Outpost True and a classic Graves dark graphite streak. Fascinating wine, and a thrill to taste, infanticide or otherwise, and a really interesting bookend with the C&S One Post. Many thanks, Cyclist. So glad to have you as another wine-loving friend! 97+
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8/21/2021 - LiteItOnFire wrote: 95 Points
Now this took the full 7 hours to showcase its goods as the early showing (I had to sneak a taste since my favorite vineyard is Thorevilos) wouldn’t budge from its structural embrace.
At the time of the tasting this wine was kicking! Now this is not purely my opinion as a stand-alone I opened a bottle by itself and had a nice evening rather this wine came after the wonderful SVDs (LPV, Dr and To Kalon) AND was tasted against the Mag 7 in a head to head.
This wine stood its ground and delivered. It along with the Steltzner stands out as a very different wine in the portfolio although I much prefer this wine. While this wine is not a SVD, rather a cuvée of sorts, it packs a serious punch of complexity of flavors, structure and performance. Interestingly of all the wines tasted, this one will benefit the most from kore bottle time. Very happy I snagged a 6 pack- and may go back for more. For those Thorevilos fans, while it’s not the OG version from the vineyard- it delivers on the wonderful sweet forest floor, dark chocolate, dust, etc uniqueness at this price point. There is also the energy of some young vines intermixed to provide verve for the future. While I am sure I will pop one early, I would then hold for 5+ years.
I will put this line on all of my tasting notes from this lineup- not sure if they have any left but if they do, jump at the chance to buy or at a minimum get on the list as this vintage and winery strategy is at an entirely new level (the LC shows how focused they are on the future). The best horizontal tasting from the same winery I have ever had.
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7/27/2021 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Vice Versa weekend and dinner: As before when I gave this a try in April, the Mysterons is a punchy and fruity ride on a purple and red berry rollercoaster. Spice, bitter chocolate, and dust (Thorevilos/Ecotone tufa dust influence?) show more intense after a decant of a few hours, with a bass tone of richness and ripe berry sweetness filling in the profile. Finishes with notable depth but also with a slight bitter whip on the tail that provides lift and tension. There is a classicism here that is unique in the lineup; this will be a fascinating wine to follow over the next decade (or three).
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7/24/2021 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Vice Versa Wine Dinner: There is a clear separation in profile for this wine vs the others. There’s more acidity and strong tannins. If I were a betting man, I’d say this may have the most longevity of the wines tasted. Nose of cherries, cassis, white flowers and plenty of loamy soil. This starts with flashy red and blue fruit that is quickly lifted by bright acidity and hemmed in by powerful tannins. There is a lot going on underneath the surface here, with layers of minerality and earthy flavors that hint at the complexity to come with some bottle age. I think this wine will get better and better for quite a long time, and I’m looking forward to checking in on it as it progresses.
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5/16/2021 - gymnastpro Likes this wine:
I don't like to do barrel ratings. But I found the 19 Mysterons to be the best followed by 19 Dr Crane, 18 Las Piedras, and 18 Steltzner at the tasting. The 19 Mysterons is one of the best wines I have tasted in a while!
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5/12/2021 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Napa 2021 Trip; 5/10/2021-5/13/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Another great VV wine - new to the mix in 2019 is this mix of Ecotone (Thorevilos) and estate fruit from Calistoga (and per #1winelover below, Dr. Crane as well). Named after the Portishead song of the same name (check out the album Dummy, a 90s UK trip-hop classic).
You may look at 95 and be disappointed - but this was a hard follow up to the BTK and Dr. Crane right before it. It's no slouch by any means - more red fruited than the previous wines tasted, with more chewy tannins. I think this one will be one to put down for a few years after shipment, versus the others in the lineup that may be ready to drink come Christmas time this year.
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5/9/2021 - #1Winelover Likes this wine: 95 Points
Vice Versa 2019 final barrel wine dinner with additional bottles. For the 2019 flight, the WOTN was Las Piedras followed by Dr. Crane, Mysterons and To-Kalon. Additional wines included: Vice Versa 2105 Dr. Crane, Vice Versa 2015 Las Piedras, 2015 Vine Hill Ranch VHR, 2014 Novicium (Continuum's 2nd label), Vice Versa 2017 BBS Las Piedras, Cornell 2014, Vice Versa 2018 Platt Chardonnay, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, and several others that I cannot recall.
There were 10 of us at dinner and the unanimous choice for 2019 was Vice Versa's Las Piedras. The unanimous choice for the overall winner of the night was Vice Versa's 2015 Dr. Crane. 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place choices were not unanimous!
For the 2019s, Patrice recommended opening the bottles a couple of hours early, so I pulled the corks at 4:30pm but did not decant. I just let a little air in the bottles. We all agreed that Las Piedras was just spectacular. It was very easy to consume with signature notes from The Las Piedras Vineyard, including stone, a streak of mineral throughout, dark fruit and slight notes of chocolate. Everybody wanted more and it was the 1st bottle gone. The most interesting was Mysterons and we agreed that in 3 years time, it might end up being the best wine from 2019. It seemed to have a little more structure and more tannin.
Mysterons is from The Ecotone Vineyard (formally Abreu's thorevilos), Dr. Crane, and, Vice Versa's new estate in the northwest corner of Calistoga. Maybe the elevation has something to do with its boldness.
It was a great night, I am suffering today, but remembering good times with great friends, food and wine. Thanks to Patrice for being so kind to share the wine and include tasting notes. I cannot wait to try these in bottle next y
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5/1/2021 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 96 Points
Napa - Lokoya - Vice Versa - Memento Mori: Barrel sample. We were fortunate enough to try this and we were met with a delightful wine. Cherries and silky tannins. That seems to be a theme here with VV wines. The acidity carried this wine through the mid palate but the tannins need a bit of time to resolve itself. This felt like the little brother to the 3 wines sitting in front of us which was also sort of refreshing in a way. There is definitely a high-toned aspect to this wine and although it was #4 in the flight, it was top 8 for the day.
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4/30/2021 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
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): Barrel sample. This new blend from Vice Versa showcases luscious black fruit on the front end that is instantly swept away by a wash of fabulous acidity and drive. A wave of rolling power pushes the flamboyant fruit right on to the mid-palate with authority. Note though that the brawn here is controlled and is not so flashy that is distracts from finding its balance, even in its juvenile state. Finishes with a slightly furry coating on the palate, providing texture and chewiness.
Overall, I found this to be a distinctive barrel sample not just for its succulence but also for its punchy side. A higher-toned hit flashes on the higher register mark just long enough to perk the senses before rolling its way back to juiciness. A very swanky wine indeed. Once in bottle, I’ll be very curious to see if it continues to distinguish itself among its siblings in similar fashion.
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4/23/2021 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Barrel sample. Finally got to taste the mysterious new entry into the VV lineup. This is a blend from their newly sourced site Ecotone (of Abreu fame), their new home vineyard in Calistoga (near Amoenus - Maybach & Arkenstone) and some other parts from the Beckstoffer lineup that I can't recall offhand. Again, I mention that I had this with around 20 wines at the end of a day of tasting, so my palate may not have been 100%. Nevertheless, I want to provide some feedback.
Summing it up, this was fantastic. Showed dark cherries, cassis, raspberry, spice box and lots of floral on the nose. This is full bodied, but with a great spine of freshness and acidity that makes it a bit more taut than the Beckstoffer offerings, along with a slightly redder fruit profile. Refined tannins and a silky mouthfeel are coupled with nice pure fruit and a lot of earth driven flavors. There is a deep mineral streak that emerges around the mid palate and carries it to a long and satisfying finish. Overall, I feel like this is a bit less opulent, but more structured and brighter than most of the other VV wines. I love them all, and this is a great new entry.
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