David M. Bueker wrote:Boy is that different from the time I had it. Too bad.
I was just gonna say!
I've been holding my notes on Steve's current releases until I can get some sommelier buddies together to taste the whole box as a group, but I took an early peek at the 05 Shell and the 05 Rocks, and we loved, loved, loved the Shell:
<b>Edmunds St. John 2005 "Shell and Bone" Paso Robles White Wine</b>
Very pale gold with a distinct yellowish hue. Delicious aromas, subtle white-flower notes, beeswax and almond, not your usual in-your-face Viognier flowers but something much more delicate, which may be why Parker found fault with it but that makes my heart sing. Full flavors, rich yet delicate, tart white fruit and chalky minerality; good acidity gives it a lighter-weight palate impression on first taste, but it gains weight as it crosses the palate and finishes almost creamy yet dry. Balanced and complex, laced up with cleansing acidity. A great food wine, but certainly - especially as it warms in the glass after dinner - a sipping white wine worth contemplation. (Sept. 20, 2007)
