Firecracker Wines

Caroline Morey

Chambrees Chassagne Montrachet Chardonnay 2021

This is my second time with the 2021 “Chambrees” by Caroline Morey and this time, it was a firecracker. Powerful notes of apples, star fruit, lemons and limes, marzipan, chalk and limestone. The acid was rippin’. The finish was extraordinarily long and complex. A banger. Drink now through the next decade. — 2 months ago

Jeroen, Ira and 9 others liked this

Château de Pibarnon (Comte de Saint Victor)

Bandol Rosé Blend 2020

Firecracker strawberry with a slippery slide: quiet to bold.

Humming strawberries, white pepper, and thyme, then something spicier, deeper, candied, rich & savory.
— a year ago

Severn, Michael and 11 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Oh yes 🙌🏽

Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy

Sancerre Pinot Noir Rosé 2021

A .75X slow swirl, finding the deepest bottom corners of my glass. I like my dinner Rose' moving just a little slower, with a little extra weight.

Steely cool to the core with soft aromas of sour green strawberry and rose hips. Bandol weight and Chablis level acid. Smells cool, pours firecracker hot and livens up in the glass. Lingering acid, the kind that needs a good squeeze from tight clusters of red berries - tiny strawberries and cranberries and red currant.

Sour stuff. Stays and stays, a good reminder that it's cold in Sancerre.
— 2 years ago

Austin, Hermes and 16 others liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2009

Sweaty Animals? Yes please

DAY 1
👃Complex. Distinctive. Amazing. Charcoal, pepper, sweet dark cherries, smoke, barnyard, sweaty animals, earth, garrigue & violets
👅Full bodied. Complex. Balanced. Purple/red fruit, thyme, licorice & pepper. Silky. Finishes with mod+ tannic pull. Delicious
Note: With time in the glass the nose and palate lost some focus and animation. Still drinking well but probably lost 2-3 points

The remaining wine was Slow Decanted in my refrigerator

DAY 12
Slow Decanting this wine did not improve this wine. Just as with Day 1, letting the wine aerate resulted in less intensity. The wine did not develop any faults and was still a very nice glass. It just wasn’t the firecracker it was on first pour

Verdict: A fantastic wine. It was best as soon as it was poured on Day 1. I would not decant this wine or give it extra time in the glass.

Question: I have noticed this with many CdPs in the past. They do not do well with aeration. And it seems particularly true of wines with more structure. Anyone else notice this?
— 2 years ago

Tom, Andrew and 25 others liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

I usually do not decant nor keep older wines to drink later. Some decade old wines fall apart in minutes. Like a 1975 Cab inhaftiert some time back.
Brent Young

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@Pinotman /// Andreas Very true that older wines can fall apart, even in minutes. And some young wines will shut down if they are aerated too much.
Every wine has a sweet spot for oxygenation and Slow Decanting is a tool for finding that spot. Especially helpful for wines that are “closed” on opening and can become more expressive with a small amount of oxygenation🍷🍷
Thanks for your comments 👍

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Rioja Rosé Blend 2009

Color of dried orange peel or Hot Tamales. Beautiful little firecracker.

Smells oxidized, though crisp in the mouth. A duality of candy and fresh fruit, like biting into a caramel apple. Deep, and whole, and very appley indeed. Also dried apricots and butterscotch and fresh peach.

A deep, complex wine that could go the million and one directions of a human mind.
— 4 months ago

Ted, Pinotman and 16 others liked this

Château Gassier

Esprit Gassier Côtes de Provence Rosé Blend 2022

Typical Provence rose with summer berries and mineral nose which follows on the palate. Paired well and tamed the grilled firecracker salmon. — a year ago

Failla

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019

Glowing firecracker, deep embers.

Sonoma green with one part cool climate lean, one part fudgey rich, thick and viscous.

Cedar cherry cola nose with accents of wild strawberry, cinnamon and Hot Tamales. Chewy chocolate mouth with an upfront sweet note - raisins and dates and then a finish of woodsy green rosemary stems.
— 2 years ago

Adriana, Severn and 23 others liked this
Ely Cohn

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Thanks @Nicolas Greinacher - do you have any thoughts on no. 2 vs. no. 3?
Nicolas Greinacher

Nicolas Greinacher

@Ely Cohn No 2 is a brilliant choice for dry and sweet whites and also performs well on sparkling. For reds, No 2 doesn’t perform as well, but still okay-ish. In short, No 2 is a great allrounder. No 3 on the other hand is spectacular for reds while less so for whites and unusable for sparkling. Josephine glasses only have two downsides in my view: 1) They also intensify off-flavors and 2) price.
Ely Cohn

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@Nicolas Greinacher totally agree on your no. 3 take. I’ll prob have to grab no. 2 at some point. Yes they’re expensive but not much more than a bottle at a restaurant - that’s how I justify for myself 😊

Château d'Issan

Blason d'Issan Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

David T
9.6

If I put this in a blind red tasting, I’m pretty sure that many would not call Bordeaux. Rarely do I call perfectly ripe fruit. This 05 fruit is perfectly ripe. I would say this 05 is at its peak it is so good but it truly isn’t. This D’Issan has 12-15 years left of good drinking with a 5 year slide after. 2005 Bordeaux’s are drinking exceptionally as it was perceived when they were birthed. Three hour decant.

The wine glides effortlessly & beautifully over the palate. It is delicious. Ripe, floral, not quite candied fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry kirsch, black plum, strawberries & blue fruits. Mid berry cola/licorice, black tea, softened lead pencil, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, limestone, mostly fresh tobacco, firecracker, flinty spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, just moist, dark turned earth, drying clay, volcanic stones & ash, loaminess, dry to slightly fresh mixed herbs, sandstone, sandalwood, some black pepper, red, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets, Hawaii waterfall acidity with a well polished, balanced, nicely tensioned & structured finish that lasts minutes. Wire to wire outstanding.

It is interesting reading the multiple RP reviews after my notes…from 90-92 young by Neil Martin to his 94 later & then Parker himself in 2015 a 96. Not surprising that time in bottle is constant evolution and worth the wait in proper storage. @D&SLounge
— a year ago

Vino, Bob and 14 others liked this

Paolo Bea

Arboreus Umbria IGT Trebbiano 2010

So pretty it's unfair. Sitting there like a lil' firecracker pumpkin ale in a burnt orange sun.

Thin, but chewy. Jammy fruit, spice, and pretty florals. Apricot marmalade peppered with cinnamon dust and nutmeg, brittle butterscotch and rose water.

For when anyone's wine bored or needs convincing that Orange isn't all sour stale mimosa.
— 2 years ago

Severn, Michael and 11 others liked this
Jay Kline

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💯. Great note @Ely Cohn .

Julian Haart

Moselle Riesling 2021

Straight firecracker. Intensely aromatic nose that's so fruit-forward its almost fruit loops. Medium plus acidity. Just a joy to drink. — 2 years ago

Brent, Ira and 4 others liked this