2012 Savage Grace Wines Cabernet Franc Rattlesnake Hills, WA
Very Bourgeil, a purist style with no evident oak and the pretty aromatics I'm starting to associate with all Savage Grace wines. Savage Grace is a relatively new Washington boutique producer who is making wine in a very unusual, offbeat style. He--I think his name is Michael Savage--really made a splash at the Taste of Washington about two years ago where his reisling was one of the top five wines all the industry geeks were giving the "you've got to taste that!" whisper about. I personally never did, but I've had a number of his wines since and, white or red, everything he makes has an admirable signature essence that's fuss-free, true to the grape and yet different from anyone else's wines.
2001 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St. Julien
Really backward. Soft and emptyish to start; and though it added a little weight while we drank it and went in the general direction we'd want it go, it never fully arrived. Based on better reports from fellow CellarTrackerers, I'll put down as a flawed bottle.
2014 Domaine de la Tour du Bon Bandol Blanc White Blend
More like the delicate, floral whites of Cassis, to my palate's memory, than the one Tempier blanc I was lucky enough to have last year. But it's not so much lightweight as it is quietly assertive, with white nectarine and Asian pear under the flowers. Bless you, Kermit Lynch, for this wine.
2008 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée Red Rhone Blend
PnP. Soft on the palate with pomegranite, olives and garrique initially, with blacker fruit, herbs and some leathery notes coming in later along with a few perky tannins. Splendid showing, should be a nice ride over the next couple years.
2005 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines Red Blend
Lovely aromatics, floral with sweet top notes of boysenberry and other red fruits. Changed throughout while never losing it's vibrant acidity, and finished after two hours with deeper notes of black raspberry with hints of rosemary and a sweet pink grapefruit finish. Very interesting now, but I'd be looking at 2020-2025 for it's best years.