Shame the Brett barnyard doesn’t integrate better with the lovely berry-cherry undertones swirling about...three days in, funkadelic subsided into pleasant, easy drinking juice. — 3 years ago
This was served during my annual WWC hosting. Typical format of sparkler, three whites, four reds, one dessert, all served blind.
Poured alongside the 2003 Mondavi VHR as a comparison. 60 cab/40 merlot.
Decanted an hour. The similarities between this and the ‘03 Mondavi VHR the first hour was shocking…even as the host, I wondered if I switched the wines. Slight hint of brett but certainly not overpowering. Leather, herbs de Provence, sweet vanilla pipe tobacco, graphite up front aromatically. Dark roast mocha, red and black berry fruit, cassis, really nice vein of acidity and tannin. This remained unchanged during the lunch. Seems like it’s in a peak window (maybe close to the top?) where I imagine it will hold another 5-7yrs easily before turning more tertiary. — a year ago
These have begun showing Brett/funk, but this bottle is clean. My first without the horseshit kiss. PnP. Forest floor, wet sticks, and a bramble pie cooling by a distant window. This is Autumn Pinot at its most perfect. Plush mouthfeel with viscosity like a mild reduction (not reductive). While the tannin has faded, the concentration provides more than expected structure. — 2 years ago
Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.
Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty. — 7 months ago
En Magnum. Cork came out in 100+ little pieces, but thankfully no cork taint, this shows a little Brett, but other than a mid-shoulder fill level and obvious signs of weepage, pristine redfruits and impeccable balance, everything that the 1989 has been showing for at least 10 years, outstanding!! — 2 years ago
Had this on Sunday with Roast Pork which was a great match. 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% other varieties. Plum, raspberry and garrigue. Prior notes indicated notes of Brett. This bottle might have a small influence but a long way off bandaid and down the sink. I think I was influenced by my fellow judges at the Toowoomba Wine Show judges dinner last year - some of whom delight in picking the smallest shred of Brett and declare the wine blacklisted. I would hate to be a Somm serving these chaps. — 3 years ago
Doug Powers
[En Magnum.] Medium-dark color, some Brett aromas, fruit still pretty youthful, loads of structure still in this Bandol, long finish, very good! — 2 months ago