Fourth bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2021. Attractive nose, aromatically very much like a white Pessac-Léognan, fruit and vegetal notes, minerality and oak; well-balanced palate, with nicely integrated acidity, good weight of fruit and gentle bitters; the finish shows some sweet oak but remains hard and herbaceous and a bit hot. Bottle variation?
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Crisp, notes of citrus, lemongrass, goose berry and tangerine. Good persistence through mid palate. Chalky and smooth on the finish. Excellent SB from Spottswoode
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Third bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2021. This now seems to have found its balance, the acidity (still jarring twelve months ago) has integrated better and now actually feels quite soft. There continues to be a herbaceous streak on the nose and the palate, but it is nicely wrapped in ripe, fleshy fruit. The finish displays an attractive hint of sweet oak. Lovely wine with the stamina to last and develop.
17x Spottswoode (2x SB, 5x Lyndenhurst, 10x Estate Cab): Two Spottswoode Sauvignon Blancs side-by-side. While these are not the most complex Napa SBs, but they show quite light, airy and well-defined. The 2017 (92 pts) won by a hair thanks to more freshness and the stronger intriguing spearmint aroma vs a fruiter, creamier 2018 (91 pts). All in all, these are good for any summer evening but without the exceptionalism of the best Napa SBs – the benchmark here is Dana’s Sauvignon Blanc from the Hershey Vineyard.
TN: Less clean nose than the 2017 with some minty, herbal and minerality components along some slight oaky notes. On the palate this is creamier than the 2017, very pleasant texture. Good weight from the attack through the finish. More fruity, some fresh orchard fruit, some tropical hints, rocks, some minty notes. Overall very pleasant and round with a high but well rounded acidity. A touch of oak on the palate too which still has to integrated a bit.
Decanting: Not decanted, no decanting needed.
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7/26/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Fourth bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2021. Attractive nose, aromatically very much like a white Pessac-Léognan, fruit and vegetal notes, minerality and oak; well-balanced palate, with nicely integrated acidity, good weight of fruit and gentle bitters; the finish shows some sweet oak but remains hard and herbaceous and a bit hot. Bottle variation?
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3/11/2023 - walkerjfw wrote:
Dutch Dinner w/Jeoreon and Isobel, Valerie and Meredith (Chez Walker - New Hope, PA): With the Hoevers and family. First bottle if the evening. Only bottle from this vintage, no formal notes. Chilled, PnP.
Crisp, notes of citrus, lemongrass, goose berry and tangerine. Good persistence through mid palate. Chalky and smooth on the finish. Excellent SB from Spottswoode
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3/11/2023 - HeritageBomanite wrote:
Past its prime.
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1/24/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
Third bottle from a half case purchased at auction in 2021. This now seems to have found its balance, the acidity (still jarring twelve months ago) has integrated better and now actually feels quite soft. There continues to be a herbaceous streak on the nose and the palate, but it is nicely wrapped in ripe, fleshy fruit. The finish displays an attractive hint of sweet oak. Lovely wine with the stamina to last and develop.
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12/18/2022 - Cailles wrote: 91 Points
17x Spottswoode (2x SB, 5x Lyndenhurst, 10x Estate Cab): Two Spottswoode Sauvignon Blancs side-by-side. While these are not the most complex Napa SBs, but they show quite light, airy and well-defined. The 2017 (92 pts) won by a hair thanks to more freshness and the stronger intriguing spearmint aroma vs a fruiter, creamier 2018 (91 pts). All in all, these are good for any summer evening but without the exceptionalism of the best Napa SBs – the benchmark here is Dana’s Sauvignon Blanc from the Hershey Vineyard.
TN: Less clean nose than the 2017 with some minty, herbal and minerality components along some slight oaky notes. On the palate this is creamier than the 2017, very pleasant texture. Good weight from the attack through the finish. More fruity, some fresh orchard fruit, some tropical hints, rocks, some minty notes. Overall very pleasant and round with a high but well rounded acidity. A touch of oak on the palate too which still has to integrated a bit.
Decanting: Not decanted, no decanting needed.
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