CWD: ESJ library wines

[Ignacio Villalgordo]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:

originally posted by Ignacio Villalgordo:
Do you send to Spain? I'd love it...

A few months ago I tried to have some wine shipped from the US to Portugal and the customs process was an expensive nightmare. Because it involves alcohol, I was required to hire a customs dispatcher, on top of the import fees. Not trying that again.

It is a nightmere also here in Spain, and it takes some time...but sometimes it is worth it...

 

[MLipton]

[N.B. I revised the title of this thread to accommodate notes on other wines]

Tonight, with homemade pasta in tomato-Basil sauce, I opened a 1997 Edmunds St. John Sangiovese Matagrano. Holy shit! I haven't got the most extensive experience with Chianti or Brunello, but this is right up there with the older Montevertines that I've had. It has sweet and sprightly cherryish fruit, but underneath is a deep, tarry underbelly. There's plenty of acidity to keep all and sundry happy and only the barest hint of tannins.

I'm learning to take these bottles ver seriously. No more Thursday night pasta wines for me!
Mark Lipton

 

[Florida Jim]

Mark,
I've had that wine several times over the years. Not all bottles are good, but when they are, they change the paradigm. Glad you had the chance . . .
Best, Jim

 

[Dan McQ]

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
I just had an 03 Rocks and Gravel last night.It was showing beautifully.

04 Rocks and Gravel last night - needed an hour decant to come out of its shell but then it was really nice.

 

[Steve Edmunds]

Nice to hear, Dan; that '04 is a wine that was once petulantly described as a "low-brow Cotes du Rhone," by someone whose name I forget

 

[Keith Levenberg]

Just dug up a couple bottles of 1999 Durrell. Anyone had recently?

 

[Larry Stein]

Opened '96 CA Syrah a couple of nights ago. Lovely wine. As it opened, it developed the bacon/green olive note I so love in Syrah.

Steve, do you recall where the vineyard source(s) are?

 

[Steve Edmunds]

most of it is Durell and Fenaughty. Durell was exceptionally bacony/porky. The original block seemed to have had some Sérine in it. The first year I worked with those grapes ('86) I could not believe the smells coming from the fermenter.

 

[Sharon Bowman]

It is such a treat to have you here, Steve.

 

[Steve Edmunds]

aw shucks

 

[Asher]

1996 ESJ Durrell Vineyard Syrah, recently: Hello, old friend. Suave blue fruits here with smoky notes. Like this finish and its savory notes. This has held up well.