Clos del Rey 2002
The end of the cork exposed to the wine was coal black. The color of the wine is coal black spreading out to a dark inky ruby/purple. Aromas of tar, melted licorice, black cherry, blueberry, cassis, alcohol and sweet tobacco. Running through the wine is a vein of intense slatey minerality not unlike a Priorat. On the palate burnt garrigue, dried blueberry, blackberry, and mounds of chewy licorice pastilles with intense and chewy, yet slightly drying, tannins on a long finish of more tannin and burnt garrigue. Despite the size and chewiness of the wine, there is acidity. However, the wine seems slightly off balance at the moment – and the oak influence is rather obnoxious. The dry tannins are becoming even more pronounced on the finish. I am going to let this collect its brutish self.
I am not sure if this extended review will help anyone, but here are the notes about this wine as time progressed:
Two Minutes after opening
After opening it smelled of black cherry and alcohol and then turned to more blackberry fruit, then turned a little jammy and then became like cassis. After several moments, notes of blueberry appeared. The wine has plenty of volume and zealous swirling is only bringing up additional notes of alcohol.
Five minutes later
The nose is improving and becoming sweeter. Hopefully this occurs for the tannins too. It is beginning to get notes of allspice on the finish.
Fifty minutes later
The tannins are starting to soften on this incredibly youthful and closed monster of a wine. Replacing the drying tannins on the finish are long lingering notes of black olive, espresso, and chocolate. However, the nose is becoming less fruity and showing more brambly blackberry with heaps of grilled herbs. The garrigue element of the wine is becoming much more pronounced both in the aromatics and on the palate—lavender, rosemary, and thyme.
Over an hour open
The wine is coming together very nicely now with ripe, fruity aromas of cassis liqueur and plum but the alcohol and grilled tannins are still noticeable throughout. The finish is becoming almost port-like, yet the wine remains quite dry.
After two hours open
The wine is beginning to show the licorice element. Lots of chewy licorice both in the nose and on the palate. The finish is showing more licorice as well.
Certainly the wood and the fruit are disjointed in this wine.
After three hours open
The alcohol is taking over the nose. However, the palate is becoming much softer and delicious with sweet cassis and chocolate liqueur notes that are exciting when paired with the fat of my steak or the peppercorn sauce.
This is certainly a case where the wine was better focused in its early years. This wine was incredible and highly memorable two years ago. However, now it is simply interesting—not mind-expanding, but still has impressive concentration for an ‘02. I am going to re-cork the remainder of the bottle and leave it for tomorrow night or the next. I am beginning to wonder if the excessive oak-treatment has harmed this wine in the long-haul. 89 Points (but 93 points in 2005).
After 30 hours open
Yeah here it is! Massive heaps of burnt garrigue, chocolate, licorice, cassis, and roasted coffee with monstrous flavors of sweet plum, chocolate, blueberry, and chewy licorice with a spicy finish of allspice and gritty, and somewhat earthy, tannins. This is the wine I remember. Fantastic! 92 Points!
Serve with hearty dishes such as barbequed steak, an herbed roast, or a rich stew. Open early, like the day before you intend to drink it, and decant. Could use a few more years even. Quite stunning.
Domaine Lafond Roc Epine Tavel Rose 2006
A deep strawberry colored wine with aromas of melted butter and strawberry jam! Hello breakfast! On the palate the wine is fruity with lots of ripe berry flavors, a good vein of acidity and a fun finish of lime, blueberry, cherry, watermelon, and subtle spice. Dry, but very fruity and round. A very good bargain that is easy to drink before, after, or during dinner. Perfect with brunch I imagine! 87 Points
Cairnbrae Sauvignon Blanc ‘The Stones’ 2006
I have been a fan of this wine for a few years, and this vintage is no exception (located next door to Cloudy Bay and across the street from Allan Scott—There is a nice map of Marlborough here.) A very light straw colored wine with vibrant aromas of sweet pea, spicy cut grass, gooseberry, mineral, dragonfruit and soft melon. On the palate the racy frame of lime citrus, grass, gooseberry, mustard greens, and green apple is very non-abrasive and pleasant—even showing some wonderful gravel notes that can evoke nostalgia in anyone who grew up on a gravel road in the country with their brother chasing them barefoot out the front door and down the sharp gravel driveway with moist granitic rocks wizzing by their head. The wine is definitely dry and avoids the overtly fruity/sweet pea quality that plagues many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Very good and well priced (plus the winemaker is cute see here). 89 Points at least (and I am not even a big
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