Well this final bottle is proving to be a sneaky little minx. On night one it seemed similar to the last bottle -- earthy but reserved, lacking its former acidic glory. I was ready to conclude its best days were behind it and to just try to enjoy it in that overly mature state. After a couple of days in a half bottle, it's somehow sprung back to life, and the wine I loved is returned, and quite possibly better than ever. Gorgeously tangy, exploding with luscious cherry, saturated with alluring spice box, and anchored by rich, damp earth. Pure pleasure, and damn near a masterpiece. Sadly now gone forever.
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Revisiting my note from 2021, since experience was about the same:
"This has been in the bottle a long time, so be sure to decant or at least allow to oxidize a bit before indulging. Dark crimson color. A little sluggish and syrupy at first, with sweet red cherry, black cherry, cardamon and other asian/baking spices on the nose. Palate expansive and sweet, with cherry, cranberry and more baking spice. Fades on the palate, but still finishes with a vigorous last gasp of fruit and spice. Well passed its window, but still has some life in it. One more to enjoy before we bid a sad farewell to Wes' craftmanship."
Toward the end now. Drink up.
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This one was a bit dull, unfortunately. It was intensely sulfuric on the nose and palate the first night, and that never really subsided until night two. Then it showed some nice earth and fruit, and solid acidity, but definitely lacked the energy of prior bottles. Hard to know if this one was just off or if this wine is truly fading.
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This was a 95 the first day and one of the best bottles I have had from this producer, but it fell off some the second day to like a 90. So this is a combined score. It was opposite of a bottle of this wine I had last month where it was better the second day than the first. Bottle variability!
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8/16/2023 - valecnik Likes this wine: 94 Points
Well this final bottle is proving to be a sneaky little minx. On night one it seemed similar to the last bottle -- earthy but reserved, lacking its former acidic glory. I was ready to conclude its best days were behind it and to just try to enjoy it in that overly mature state. After a couple of days in a half bottle, it's somehow sprung back to life, and the wine I loved is returned, and quite possibly better than ever. Gorgeously tangy, exploding with luscious cherry, saturated with alluring spice box, and anchored by rich, damp earth. Pure pleasure, and damn near a masterpiece. Sadly now gone forever.
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3/11/2023 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 94 Points
Retail $50. It's been nearly three years since we've popped the last one of these and it is remarkably consistent. Maybe even better?
www.thedrunkencyclist.com
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11/15/2022 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 90 Points
Revisiting my note from 2021, since experience was about the same:
"This has been in the bottle a long time, so be sure to decant or at least allow to oxidize a bit before indulging. Dark crimson color. A little sluggish and syrupy at first, with sweet red cherry, black cherry, cardamon and other asian/baking spices on the nose. Palate expansive and sweet, with cherry, cranberry and more baking spice. Fades on the palate, but still finishes with a vigorous last gasp of fruit and spice. Well passed its window, but still has some life in it. One more to enjoy before we bid a sad farewell to Wes' craftmanship."
Toward the end now. Drink up.
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10/17/2022 - valecnik wrote: 89 Points
This one was a bit dull, unfortunately. It was intensely sulfuric on the nose and palate the first night, and that never really subsided until night two. Then it showed some nice earth and fruit, and solid acidity, but definitely lacked the energy of prior bottles. Hard to know if this one was just off or if this wine is truly fading.
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5/9/2022 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 93 Points
This was a 95 the first day and one of the best bottles I have had from this producer, but it fell off some the second day to like a 90. So this is a combined score. It was opposite of a bottle of this wine I had last month where it was better the second day than the first. Bottle variability!
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