Epic Napa Trip - Day 5: Tasted at Dana - Loved the fruit on this wine, as well as the mouthfeel. This was by far the best wine at the tasting. I was hoping to taste a horizontal of their big 3, but it was not to be! I have purchased their wines since the 2012 vintage, and even purchased a 2007 Lotus on the secondary market. I have yet to open a bottle because at this price point, I want the wine peaking when I drink it. I did open a 2007 Lotus and was very disappointed....not sure if it was bottle variation, my sky high expectations or if the wine is just old and tired. However, I stopped buying Dana for the most part, and was hoping this tasting would convince me it was a bad decision. Sorry to say, but I have no regrets.
This wine was my favorite of the tasting, and was drinking quite well. The purity of the fruit and some of the tertiary qualities could be seen, even at this young age. The wine is quite structured, and I would never turn down a bottle/glass, but I do think there are better values out there at this price point. This wine showed plenty of layered dark fruit on the nose and palate, as well as some graphite and earth notes, coupled with some oak, chocolate and spice. 94 today....should improve, but will likely be opening my bottles at around the 8 year mark. Not sure if these are built for the super long haul, and at this price, I would rather error on the side of too soon, rather than too late.
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Napa trip day 5: Drank a fairly miserly pour at the winery over 45 minutes. Nose of ripe tomato, red fruit, lots of acid and gravelly tannins, a grate tasting young wine, full of great fruit. 92+.
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Pnp'd by my neighbor last night, and it was only recently delivered from two states away so observations should be taken with a grain of salt. Very firm extract, dense body, all black fruit--fantastic potential but very rigid without some form of decantation. Very different from the Lotus which we also tasted.
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Informal notes at Vine Vault mega tasting 33 wines in all......all wines open 60-90 min by time they were consumed. Most were slow ox'd in bottle, some were double splash decanted, a few were straight decanted.
One of the WOTN, but at $600 retail is should be, no? Excellent weight, excellent quality, very full, heavy fruit with beautiful depth and layers but of course, not all put together yet. Needs time as most '18s do. A very nice wine but price point is a barrier for me. Possible huge future ahead for this one, though.
Splash double decant. Deep dark magenta color. Coffee grounds and blackberry on the tight nose. Smooth, dry palate. Firm, full tannins on the long finish.
This is very youthful, but all the raw materials are there. Needs two years and/or a very serious decant (4+ hours).
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12/9/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Epic Napa Trip - Day 5: Tasted at Dana - Loved the fruit on this wine, as well as the mouthfeel. This was by far the best wine at the tasting. I was hoping to taste a horizontal of their big 3, but it was not to be! I have purchased their wines since the 2012 vintage, and even purchased a 2007 Lotus on the secondary market. I have yet to open a bottle because at this price point, I want the wine peaking when I drink it. I did open a 2007 Lotus and was very disappointed....not sure if it was bottle variation, my sky high expectations or if the wine is just old and tired. However, I stopped buying Dana for the most part, and was hoping this tasting would convince me it was a bad decision. Sorry to say, but I have no regrets.
This wine was my favorite of the tasting, and was drinking quite well. The purity of the fruit and some of the tertiary qualities could be seen, even at this young age. The wine is quite structured, and I would never turn down a bottle/glass, but I do think there are better values out there at this price point. This wine showed plenty of layered dark fruit on the nose and palate, as well as some graphite and earth notes, coupled with some oak, chocolate and spice. 94 today....should improve, but will likely be opening my bottles at around the 8 year mark. Not sure if these are built for the super long haul, and at this price, I would rather error on the side of too soon, rather than too late.
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12/9/2021 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Napa trip day 5: Drank a fairly miserly pour at the winery over 45 minutes. Nose of ripe tomato, red fruit, lots of acid and gravelly tannins, a grate tasting young wine, full of great fruit. 92+.
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6/28/2021 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Pnp'd by my neighbor last night, and it was only recently delivered from two states away so observations should be taken with a grain of salt. Very firm extract, dense body, all black fruit--fantastic potential but very rigid without some form of decantation. Very different from the Lotus which we also tasted.
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6/20/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Informal notes at Vine Vault mega tasting 33 wines in all......all wines open 60-90 min by time they were consumed. Most were slow ox'd in bottle, some were double splash decanted, a few were straight decanted.
One of the WOTN, but at $600 retail is should be, no? Excellent weight, excellent quality, very full, heavy fruit with beautiful depth and layers but of course, not all put together yet. Needs time as most '18s do. A very nice wine but price point is a barrier for me. Possible huge future ahead for this one, though.
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6/19/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash double decant. Deep dark magenta color. Coffee grounds and blackberry on the tight nose. Smooth, dry palate. Firm, full tannins on the long finish.
This is very youthful, but all the raw materials are there. Needs two years and/or a very serious decant (4+ hours).
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