Gaston Hochar Grand Cru Red Blend

2001 Musar is a great way to start to an amazing week. A delicate blend of Cabernet Savignon, Cinsault and Carignan aged in oak for over a year. At its peak from my cellar - 23 years later it's showing notes of dried cherries, cassis, prunes, some leathery vanilla oakyness. The complexity is off the charts and I'm getting aromas of smokey Tennessee tobacco barn and cherry bramble which is a combo I never imagined I would want so bad. The structure is light and balanced. Silky smooth acidity and fine tannins which is a hallmark of this exquisite wine.

Always a favorite

Brett and VA, at a good level though. Prune, fig, dried red cherry, hawthorn juice, lavender, rosemary, oregano, basil ash, orange peel, raspberry juice, pomegranate. Slightly mousy. Soft and well integrated tannins.

Ash, forest floor, mushroom, tar, graphite, minerality, hawthorn, red cherry juice. Super soft integrated tannins and acidity.

Tar, graphite, oregano, rosemary, blueberry, blackberry, red and dark cherry, crushed minerality on the palate. Elevated acidity, elevated soft tannins, medium garnet color. In a great place now.

Still standing firm and resolute. Great wine, great vintage. Throwing a lot of sediment. Potpourri of dried red fruits and herbs.

VA, dusty forest floor, fresh red cherry and raspberry, cherry liqueur, purple flower - lavender, red prune, just ripe fig, hefty nose of fresh rosemary, blackberry. Elevated acidity, fine pulverized integrated smooth medium tannins, crushed stone, dried red cherry, dried tomato, dried rose petal. Long lingering finish on the tomato leaf notes. This is what was paired with Grilled Lamb at Lazy Bear when we went late Aug 2022.

I had a few members of the Tasting Group crew join me in a sort of, "help me drink down my cellar" gathering. Everyone had an opportunity to dig through the cellar and select a bottle of their choosing; the identity of the wine was kept from everyone else and then presented double-blind though, since the bottles were being pulled from my cellar, it wasn't a true double-blind situation for me. This was poured into a decanter and served within two hours of opening. The wine poured a deep ruby, bordering garnet color and slightly turbid. On the nose, it was immediately apparent that this was a vinous wine with abundant ripe red and black fruits some of which came across bruised and desiccated. Along with the fruit was a striking smell of barnyard funk, pipe tobacco, leather, and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine was dry and the fruit set was more or less confirmed. The fruit was gorgeous, fully mature and the finish was long and savory. The tannins were pretty well integrated. Plenty of acid to keep everything afloat. I was headed to the Rhone based off the evidence, something with age and probably from a traditional producer in Chateauneuf du Pape. Due to the color, signs of sediment, abundance of dried fruit and the strong presence of secondary characteristics, I figured this was at least 15 years old from a warmer vintage. After thinking, I called 2005 Pegau. After drinking the 2005 Pegau later, I don't hate my call. This wine is singing and will likely last for at least another decade.

1999 Vintage - starting on the down hill slope but brick edges mushrooms ,spice , tobacco , some jammy fruit in the mouth , toffee , nice acidity (med-plus)

Vintage 2005 | oxy tones, figs, beautiful!