Texan - Wine Nerd Herd Member
@Delectable Wine : This is Little Wine #11. I didn’t see it in the database.
My last bottle of the #11 Little Wine. At this point, my notes for Sami-Odi all come across as love letters because I am captivated every time I have one. I’ve still yet to smell a wine that smells as good as these do.
Pop and pour initially for a glass, then slow-ox overnight and consumed the next day. This is an assemblage of 2021 (46%), 2020 (18%), 2019 (16%), 2018 (2%), 2017 (9%), 2016 (5%) & 2015 (4%).
As is normal, the aromatics upon opening fill the room. I’ve had plenty of SamiOdi and it never ceases to amaze how powerful the aromatics are. Deep purple in the glass (stains the glass type purple). Heady aromas of concentrated red and black fruits, boysenberry jam, violets, and sweet spice. You’d think with all those big aromas the palate would slap you around, but as Fraser can do, there is a fresh profile here. It’s extremely concentrated but somehow stays light. More dark fruits (freshly squeezed), espresso, small hint of both oak and green herbs down the middle to frame it. Tannins were still powerful on day two, but by no means overly so. Give this a half day decant, or slow ox overnight, and you’ll be enthralled.
Thankfully I’ve got the HD’s resting, and more on the way. — 15 days ago
A bottle I contributed during a trip to Napa’s Premiere Napa Valley week. This was opened at Torc, alongside a ‘97 Leflaive Les Pucelles, ‘11 Leroy Blagny, ‘89 La Chappelle and two young Napa cabs from Simon Estate. La Mouline is always my favorite due to the amount of co-ferment with Viognier.
Deserving of a 1-2hr decant, this got about an hour open in bottle by the time we got to it. I opened the ‘04 La Turque just a few weeks prior, so I had a reference point to work with. Heady aromatics, as expected…dark potpurri, spice, mesquite and mocha. On the palate, the youthful bacon-fat of Cote Rotie was gone and had channeled the classical tangy barbecue profile alongside black olive, peppered red and black berry fruit, and smoked meat at the finish. Whereas the LaTurque was almost Burgundian in profile (elegant, light), this was somewhere in-between the “bigger” LaLandonne and LaTurque…big, but balanced, likely due to vintage. Aromatics and finish here were standouts. Open now with a quick decant or hold another few years. — a month ago
I compared this 2016 BdB to the 2017 Haliotide Late Disgorged BdB to get a feel for styles. Followed over two days with no change.
One of the better Ultramarine wines I’ve had, and definitely pre-funk. I feel like the last few vintages have shown a lot of bottle variation and sometimes a green/herbal profile, mostly in the BdN and BdB (never in the rosé, that’s my favorite wine in the portfolio).
The older vintages always had a distinct cream-soda aromatic to them that I loved, and this has it in spades alongside truffle Honeycomb and spiced apple. Oxidative flair but not an overly oxidative sparkler. Great depth and richness here…almonds, lemon cream, caramel-green apple. Wears the low dosage so well. Broad on the palate (in a good way). I’d be fine drinking this without food. Tasty. — 8 days ago
In the running for shocker of the year so far. Not only because of how youthful it was, but in how it cleaned house at a small Syrah tasting with my local group.
I popped this ahead of time to try a glass because I was a bit skeptical of how it would show…my jaw about dropped when I smelled this wine. My goodness…deep and dark florals, violet, stemmy green herbs, black pepper. Wonderfully balanced and integrated on the palate. Whole cluster profile shines through in a supporting role, with the pepper-crusted blackberries, mocha, olive, charcoal. Not rich, not lean, fastball down the middle. Nervy acidity still. This has a cool-climate vibe to it with just a kick of richness to really seduce you. Brilliant. I may have underscored this. — 13 days ago
I’m at a 92+ here. 53% Chardonnay/ 30% Pinot Noir/ 17% Pinot Meunier aged four years in fine lees and finished with a 0.75 grams per liter dosage. Disgorged Dec 2021.
Always been a fan of Jacquesson champagnes, but these are getting to a price where I’m not sure the value is there for me much longer (not sure if it’s due to the Chiquet brothers selling the brand a few years ago).
The 745 series is based on the challenging 2017 vintage. Even with the near zero dosage, there is good depth and complexity here from a fruit standpoint (not austere for austere sake). Aromatically, it’s bright with lemon zest, pear, ginger and honey-dipped apple. Benefitted from a bit of air time in the bottle and not serving too cold…apple turns to a faint spiced cider profile, with lemon cream, sea salt, hint of yeast, and a classical chalky-limestone finish. — 25 days ago
I’m at 92-93 here, but this is absolutely going to improve. I should have bought more than just a couple!
Paul Dethune champagnes are quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This cuvée is 50/50 (Pinot noir/chard), with 30% coming from their Solera dating back to the 70s.
I’ve said that I feel Petit & Bajan are the equivalent of Bollinger Special Cuvée in grower form, but I stand corrected. THIS is Bolly SC with a grower champagne vibe. Gold in the glass. Aromatics of lemon cream, lemon croissant, golden raspberries, and honeycomb. On the palate, it has the toasted Bolly profile but it’s dialed back a touch…feels more focused. Less expansive, but there’s added power here. Beautifully balanced with the sweet (the fruit, not the dosage) and savory (honey roasted cashews, sea salt). Imagine Bolly SC and a CHeidsieck Blanc de Blanc…you’ve got this. Loved it. — 9 days ago
My first time with Dehlinger Syrah. I believe this ‘08 estate is all from their Altamont vineyard in the Russian River Valley.
Deep red/purple in the glass, hardly any bricking. Aromatics of ripe red and black berries, violets, and sweet spices. I don’t detect any savory notes and assuming no use of whole clusters as I don’t get any type of green/lifted profile. Even at 15-16yrs, this is deep with fruit…black raspberries, black currant, dark cocoa, fig, vein of sweetness down the middle, but with a coffee/mocha grippy finish. Followed over two days and, shockingly, held up just fine. Pop the corks and enjoy. — 18 days ago
95+ here. While the price hikes are frustrating (across almost everyone, unfortunately), these are still so good and worth it (to a degree). These are my wife’s favorite wines, and when she wants one, I’m happy to open and indulge!
Double decanted for an hour, then followed out of bottle the next two hours.
Being the only Napa Chardonnay in the portfolio, I love these (and Hudson) earlier on than the others as the opulent factor is dialed up. Yellow-gold in the glass. Tropical yellow fruits, ginger, baking spices and honey roasted cashews aromatically. Killer texture on the palate…rich but not flabby. Lemon cream, cinnamon, honeycomb, ripe white peach upfront before a sweet/savory spice at the finish. Even on the early side, this is ready to rock. Open now with a decant, or hold for a few more years before it sheds baby fat (but I love that about Aubert). — 22 days ago
Always enjoyed the Reynvaan offerings, but this was my first time with their Contender. It is co-fermented with Marsanne (as opposed to the traditional Viognier). 97 Syrah/3 Marsanne. Quick one-hour double decant.
I opened this alongside a 2015 No Girls Grenache and while there were obvious similarities in profile, this was distinctly different and the preferred wine from the group. Both sport the classical “funk” of Rocks district Rhône varietals, with perfumed dark florals, black olive and smoked meat. The co-ferment obviously lends toward a more aromatic wine but the palate was even more intriguing. Again, classical notes of peppered strip, spiced raspberries and blackberries, but the texture brought about a sweet-tangy finish as opposed to the typical overly savory profile of similar wines. It’s a note I’ve gotten on older Cote-Rotie wines and I love it. Drinking beautifully. Acidity is still vibrant and food pairs wonderfully at this point. Followed over two days and no change. Pop and enjoy. — a month ago
Shay A
@Delectable Wine : This is the Late Disgorged Blanc de Blancs. I didn’t see it in the database.
I compared this 2017 Haliotide Late Disgorged BdB to the 2016 Ultramarine Heintz BdB to get a feel for styles. Followed over two days with no change.
I’ve had the Haliotide rosé and thought it was really expressive. Lots of bright red fruit. I love late disgorged offerings so I picked this up to try.
This Haliotide spent 68 months en tirage! However, I expected a more leesy profile as this wine is razor sharp. Nice, clean and pure. It’s like drinking Chablis with bubbles. Lemon, underripe pear, and honeysuckle aromatically. On the palate, it is mineral heavy with sea salt, lemon to the max, and a bright and crystalline acidic profile. The zero dosage nature comes across naturally without being too austere. Screams for food…sushi or oysters would be a killer pairing. I enjoyed drinking this, but I think I expected a bit more mid-palate richness. If you love Chablis or leaner style grower champagnes, this is your jam. — 8 days ago