WTN: 2005 ESJ Bassetti: a note that will be of no use to you

Earlier this spring I had a bottle of 2005 ESJ Bassetti that showed the dark herbal focused and brooding side of things. It made me think of Hermitage. The fruit became more generous with air, although over the whole night it remained on the side of reserved and never gave the pleasure of the dark fragrant herbal nose.

Cut to last night, when another bottle of 2005 ESJ Bassetti was gushing pleasure from the beginning. Gorgeous perfume and rich plummy CA syrah fruit, but with fine-grained tannins giving structure and layers, the harmony of age, and ESJ freshness. The perfect zone for me.

I have several more bottles and will be hoping the rest show more like last night's bottle. But of course there is no way to predict!

[David M. Bueker]

Ready or not.

Who knows.

I just happened to open one of those a couple nights back, Rahsaan, and, indeed it was offering up more pleasure than perhaps any bottle of it I've tried. It still seems pretty youthful, and quite fresh, but maybe a bit of the tension has begun to subside,

I just happened to open one of those a couple nights back, Rahsaan, and, indeed it was offering up more pleasure than perhaps any bottle of it I've tried. It still seems pretty youthful, and quite fresh, but maybe a bit of the tension has begun to subside,

Steve, thanks for that. In my case, I'm not sure the short-term variation between these two bottles was about age developing the wine. Probably more about bottle variation (or user variation, who knows). But glad to hear that you look forward to the future of the wine. I do too!