Dusky Sounds
Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
Ragnaie V.V. Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2015
We are celebrating a 21 year old and someone who is . . .uh, older (me!). Pulled out this Italian red to complement homemade lasagna and our family dish called Italian delight. Decanted for over an hour. Modest spice, tobacco, cherry, dry blackberry, and has a slight burn - which sounds bad but it is actually a great finish on this wine. Light red and purple colors that give a slight reminder of a Pinot but tastes much heavier. Loved having this along with a great Bordeaux tonight!! — 3 years ago
Château Lynch-Moussas
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989
Whenever I have a really older bottle of wine, I think, what was I doing in this case 1989?
About this time of year, I was walking into Candlestick Park for the Bay Bridge World Series while this wine was fermenting. I was walking through the parking lot when the 89 earthquake hit. It was like Godzilla was a Gopher tunneling under my feet. The stadium erupted with a resounding cheer. Earthquake during the World Series...yeah! It wasn’t until an hour later that hard reality set in.
This Chateau Lynch-Moussas is a recent direct purchase from the Negotiant. 89 was a pretty good Bordeaux year. So, why not see how a 5th Growth producer wine evolved over 30 years. It’s a treat to enjoy wine with this much age.
While Lynch-Mousses has improved vastly in more recent vintages, back in the day, they made some nice wines but, not great. This wine shows beauty & elegance but, it lacks fundamental elements of high quality. However, its fruit and structure have held up nicely over the years.
The nose reveals a fair amount of; barnyard, mushrooms, ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & strawberries on the edges of the glass. Black plum skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, black earth, stones, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals.
The body is still full and round. The fruits are still ripe & slightly candied. The wine is still holding an interesting drinking window, it’s on the decline. While that sounds not good, I find them in this phase infinitely more interesting. Ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & some strawberries. Black plum with skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, vanillin, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, forest floor, mushrooms, stones, touch of limestone minerals & crush rocks, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals with violets. The acidity is round & excellent. The long finish is; rich, ripe, well balanced & intergraded with long drier but, very floral persistence.
Excellent with our steaks. Still has another 5-7 years of good drinking ahead with excellent storage. I also miss the 12-13% ABV of the 80’s Bordeaux’s.
Photos of; the entrance view of Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland and Chateau founded in the 1800’s, the owner/operator since 1961 - Emile Casteja and their barrel room.
— 5 years ago
La Rasina
Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2013
Dusky at first. Fruit appears with air. Quite dry with smooth Tannins at this age. Some graphite in the fragrance initially but opens into a wonderfully complex fragrance. June 2022. — 2 years ago
Black Saint Peter
Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2019
Dark berry notes, yet not sweet but definitely dusky. Quite good. — 3 years ago
Clos Chanteduc
Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2013
Lovely ruby, dusky red color. Aroma is rich, robust and rustic. Rose petals from the English and rain storms from the French. Some fresh red and black berries from the mountains as well. Flavor is herbs and blood oranges. Damask rose and cherry nectar. Dry, acid, perfumed and herbal, but dynamic and flavorful. It’s strange and hard to pigeon hole, but unique, exquisite and interesting as well. ‘Tis what makes wine so. It’d be fun to taste more of this kinda thing. — 5 years ago
Erdenlied
Zweigelt 2017
fruity! bitter red fruit, like a pomegranate or a cherry. smelled a little like Brussels sprouts at first-- is that sulfur? smells much better after opening a bit, sorta like a jolly rancher. still pretty bitter (smoky?), not chuggable because of that but having very little tannin makes it go down easy anyway. feels a bit peppery? black pepper sounds right but maybe it's bell peppery. not mind blowing but I'm into it. definitely want to try more zweigelts and get to know them (Astor)
— 5 years ago
Andrew Formi
Wow not you normal Pinot… heavy thick balanced — a month ago