This is one of the most highly rated cult wines from the Naramata Bench in BC's Okanagan Valley. 7000 bottles made, each one numbered.
Tasted as part of a blind Burgundy vs Okanagan pinot dinner, I mistakenly thought this was Burgundian.
Lighting was too dim to really assess the colour, but the first thing I noticed was sediment. Evidently unfiltered/unfined.
Complex nose of berries, oak, earth and just a hint of barnyard. The palate had a rich, velvety feel and subtle, not-jammy fruit. Very elegant, framed by a fine ripe tannin structure. There was a lively amount of acidity yet not a hint of tartness.
The best part was the finish. Waves upon waves of concentrated fruit and spicy nuances going on for at least 25-30 seconds after spitting.
I managed to snag three more bottles while in BC recently and will lay them down for another year or two.
Great stuff. I didn't assign a numerical score before the reveal.
Just curious why you bothered to mention a marketing ploy. Yeah, I know DRC, Rotllan Torra, and others number their bottles. Why do you think Foxtrot does it?
Another question- you say you thought it was Burgundian. Why are you going to lay down a 3 year old Burgundian wine for a year or two? Is that all it takes for a Burgundian wine to blossom?
Just one more sip.
Posts: 24997 | Location: NY | Registered: Oct 18, 2001
Originally posted by Board-O: Just curious why you bothered to mention a marketing ploy. Yeah, I know DRC, Rotllan Torra, and others number their bottles. Why do you think Foxtrot does it?
Another question- you say you thought it was Burgundian. Why are you going to lay down a 3 year old Burgundian wine for a year or two? Is that all it takes for a Burgundian wine to blossom?
Regarding the numbering thing, I can't really think of any other reason than to bolster their cult wine status. I can't fully decide yet whether it's cool or pretentious, but the fact that there's good juice inside speaks louder than anything on the label.
As for aging it for only a year or two, although it seems to have the tannin and acid structure to age, I'm not convinced there is enough fruit in the midpalate to go that much longer than say 3-5 years. I'll try the next bottle in 1-2 years and see. I have a bunch of 2002 Burgundies (including the Jadot Volnay Clos de la Barre that was in this tasting) that I thought would go on for years and years, but are already drying out now.
Originally posted by mitPradikat: Regarding the numbering thing, I can't really think of any other reason than to bolster their cult wine status. I can't fully decide yet whether it's cool or pretentious, but the fact that there's good juice inside speaks louder than anything on the label.
I think it's a marketing ploy, much like a differently shaped bottle. There's an implication that, because the wine is numbered, it must be special. Lots of wineries try these tricks. Yes, if the wine is good, that's what most important. I wonder how many people buy a wine because of actions like this.
I have a bunch of 2002 Burgundies (including the Jadot Volnay Clos de la Barre that was in this tasting) that I thought would go on for years and years, but are already drying out now.
I'm not a fan of Jadot. I don't think I've ever had a Jadot wine I'd score in the 90s. Add Faiveley and Drouhin in there also.
Just one more sip.
Posts: 24997 | Location: NY | Registered: Oct 18, 2001
Here's Anthony Gismondi's tasting note from Gismondi.com. Did we taste the same wine?
"Peppery, spicy, vanilla, rhubarb, cherry, tobacco leaf, floral, coffee, carrot top. Round, dry, soft, slightly lean palate with coffee, rooty, vanilla, V8, stewed rhubarb, tobacco leaf, resin, and celery flavours. Good texture but warm and somewhat herbaceous on the finish with a sour edge. A bit more ripeness would be in order for the price. 87 points."
