Double blind wine tasting. 3 Whites and 3 Reds:
1. ‘18 Hamilton Russell Chard - WOTN across both whites and reds - complex, refined, fruit integrated with honey, oak, butter, cream, camomile.
2. ‘20 Hartenberg The Eleanor Chard - big wine that could use a few years. Nice fruit and lovely acidity. Mix between a White Burg and Rhone Blend.
3. ‘22 Far Niente Chard - potential, very young, not the best QPR. Reminded me of young Paul Hobbs single vineyard Chards.
1. ‘12 Giacomo Fenocchio 90 di Riserva Barolo - aged showed through nicely, but still lively with dark cherries and ample tannins.
2. ‘20 Vilafonte - decanted, but young and an absolutely massive wine. Black fruit, chewy, with decent sweetness.
3. ‘02 Origin Red Blend - nose of black tar and cigars. Zero fruit and big tar, tobacco, and bbq flavors. Bigger wine than I was expecting.
Great night with great friends!
— a month ago
Dark red fruit, leather, black fig, garrigues and kalamata olives. — 3 days ago
Opened and poured into a decanter about four hours prior to service. The 2005 pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears and some sediment. One the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe brambles, garrigue, cool spices, leather, licorice, and espresso. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, tart and sapid. A wine of pedigree and yet, has a rusticity that gives a nod to its origin. Drink now through 2035+? — 10 days ago
2007: Wow. Phenomenal Chateauneuf with tons of character. Viscous, very rich, nicely concentrated with plenty of minerals and funk to balance the still-persistent purple fruit. Can’t imagine this getting any better with more age but plenty left. — 17 minutes ago
Love this any time of year but it really cuts through the hot, humid summer weather we’re getting. Fruits rouges, plum, vanilla(?), and a very light salinity. Tastes like spring in the Alps. — 6 days ago
Brought it from CDP and Provence trip in 2021. New jobs celebration in Barcelona :) paired with duck confit and pears during St Joan — 12 days ago
Timothy Eustis
Wine Director, Red Lion Inn
I love the power, the spice, the rich mouthfeel. But damn, 15.5%. It’s a hot mess. One that I rather like but a bit too much. 2021. Could be a bit more restrained and it’d score higher. Will I keep buying this? Yep. — 8 days ago