The BacchusBadBoys convened last Thurs and we tried:
1. Domaine de Pegau CdP (14%) 2003: Med.dark color; very ripe Grenache/strawberry slight earthy/garrigue classic CdP/leathery/earthy nose; soft rather hard/tannic/tough earthy/CdP light strawberry/Grenache garrigue/leathery flavor; med.long hard/tannic/tight light Grenache/strawberry bit leathery/garrigue/earthy finish; not that much fruit and pretty hard/tannic; not sure of the future here.
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2. TablasCreek Esprit de Beaucastel (40% mourv/28% Syrah/27% grenache/5% Counoise; 14.5%) 2009: Dark color; big/lush plummy/licorice/boysenberry/mostly Mourv some toasty/oak quite fragrant nose; tart some tannic/structured strong plummy/licorice/noysenberry/framboise light toasty/oak very balanced flavor; very long some tannic/structured quite plummy/licorice/boysenberry light toasty/oak finish; another very well-crafted/balanced Esprit that should go out 10-20 yrs.
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3. Failla Syrah EstateVnyd/SonomaCoast (14.9%) 2003: Very dark color; some toasty/charred/oak/pencilly intense blackberry/Syrah/spicy strong cracked black pepper/cold-climate Syrah complex perfumed almost Rhonish/roasted/pungent nose; very tart some tannic/hard intense spicy/blackberry/Syrah cold-climate/peppery some charred/pungent/oak complex flavor; very long/lingering intense blackberry/Syrah/cold-climate/peppery some charred/pencilly/oak complex finish; a terrific example of cold-climate Syrah that should go another 5-10 yrs.
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4. Domaine du MasBlanc Banyuls Blanc AC: Banyuls Vin doux Naturel (GrenacheBlanc; 16.5%) Dr.Parce 2002: Med.gold color; intense grapey/late harvesty/figgy bit oxidized some orange muscat/floral/perfumed pretty alcoholic nose; very ripe/overripe/late harvesty/rotted apple soft some orangey/passito-like bit alcoholic/hot flavor; med.long overripe/figgy/late harvesty some alcoholic/hot bit floral/orangey/orange-muscat finish; prety overripe/late-harvesty wine. $14.40/hlf
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This was a BBB BYOB get-together, so we often wind up w/ a hodge-podge of wines. This was the new release of the Tablas Esprit Rouge. Like they usually are, it's not in-your-face/impressive out the gate. But their balance & structure allows them to age incredibly well. I've no reason to believe this '09 won't do the same.
The Failla was spectacular...a great example of cold-climate Syrah. The cracked black pepper character seems to have subsided from 6-7 yrs ago and it's really starting to get interesting. Truly one of the great Calif Syrah vnyds.
Tom