Sunday, January 22, 2023

Vertical Tasting of 21 Grams

21 GRAMS VERTICAL: 2005-2016. - Home, Portland OR (1/21/2023)

After tasting a number of different vintages of 21 Grams, and since this wine is no longer being made, I decided to see if I could build a full vertical of everything released. Wasn't sure there was a 2004 release, and wasn't able to find any, so 2005-2016 it was!

21 Grams

Every vintage of 21 Grams from Waters Winery (RIP).

  • 2005 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Cork fell apart in the neck so I had to decant/strain and fish out the chunks, then funnel back into the bottle. Showing some bricking. Flavors of mature cabernet; boysenberry and plum fruit with a lot of tobacco and earth. This one slid the most after it was open for a while, turning somewhat port-like in flavor toward the end of the bottle. Past it's prime for sure, but still drinking well. (90 points)
  • 2006 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Another crumbled cork which required straining. One of the top bottles of the night, this was a stellar wine. Still quite fresh and delicious all the way through the bottle. Flavors of cassis, black cherry, saddle leather and violets. Hints of oak and vanilla as well. This is definitely at peak but may hold here for a bit. Outstanding wine! (93 points)
  • 2007 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Delicious wine, but fell just shy of the 2006. Very similar flavor profile to the '06, just lacking some of the verve. Cassis, raspberry, and vanilla flavors stand out the most. This is still drinking very well and has a number of years left. (92 points)
  • 2008 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. This bottle showed much more acidity than the 3 previous vintages, as well as most following (other than the 2011). Cassis and cherry fruit, a bit of pomegranate as well. Drinking nicely at age 15, and has some years left for sure. I'd say this is a 20 year wine at least, based on this showing. (91 points)
  • 2009 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. A bit disappointed that this bottle didn't show better, considering how much I've loved 2009 wines in the past. Perhaps this one didn't have proper storage over it's life or something. Black cherry, a green, woody streak, but a bit too sweet and cloying compared to other vintages. Should probably be consumed near-term. (90 points)
  • 2010 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Someone at the party called this wine "caramelly" and I think it really hits in this case. Red and black berries, caramel-cola flavors and nice acidity. This was very well-rounded and drinking great. I think it'll continue to show well for a number of years. (92 points)
  • 2011 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Reading my previous note on this wine, it certainly didn't live up to that review this time around. Perhaps it was because of all the others, but this bottle didn't deliver like last time. Yes, it's good, but not 94 points good. Red currant, cranberry, sweet vanilla and oak, with a good zip of acidity running through it. Has years left for sure...likely a 20+ year wine. (91 points)
  • 2012 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Badly corked and undrinkable. Out of 12 bottles in the vertical this was the only flawed wine. Sad! (NR/flawed)
  • 2013 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. Great wine with flavors of cassis, dark chocolate, and oak, finishing with espresso coffee and vanilla. Probably just nearing its peak drinking window at age 10, this wine has at least another 10 years ahead of it. (92 points)
  • 2014 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. This was my wine of the night, just edging out the 2006 with more freshness of flavor. Cassis, green pepper, spice and oaky vanilla all wrapped up in a nice package of acidity and tannin. All is in harmony here, with nothing out of place or in your face. Just an outstanding, delicious wine. I may have to hunt down more of this one. (95 points)
  • 2015 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. 3 hour decant, and definitely needed it. The tannins and oak were almost overpowering (same w/2016), and the fruit was massive. Black cherry, raspberry, dark chocolate, black tea, oak, oak, oak and vanilla. Needs more time or a longer decant to be more enjoyable, but has the potential to be a knockout in 5-10 years. (93 points)
  • 2016 21 Grams - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    21 Grams Vertical: 2005-2016. 3 hour decant, but needed longer. As with the 2015, everything about this wine was massive: Massive tannin, massive fruit, massive oak, massive flavor. Cassis, tobacco, oak, vanilla, espresso, cola and dark chocolate flavors. I think this will be a stellar wine in 10 years, but it's really good now if you give it proper air time. I'd hold until 2025 if you can. (93 points)

Port

Birth year port, just because!

  • 1970 Vinhos Borges Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
    Birth year port! Successfully opened with an Ah So and was rewarded with a bottle of...rum? Brown, alcoholic sugar water. Truly disappointing, and I can see why Suckling/WS gave this a 59 back in 1989. Avoid. (75 points)

Great night with great friends drinking great wine!

Posted from CellarTracker

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Special Wine Tasting for NYE

Finally got around to posting my NYE tasting notes (yes, I'm lazy). We had a great time, and opened some spectacular wines! See below.

  • 2013 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (12/31/2019)
    Tied for my WOTN. Decanted 2 hours, could have used more. Massive wine, full of fruit, structure, and deliciousness. Gobs of black cherry, fig and plum fruit at various times and depending on what I was eating, followed by a wall of tannin and some vanilla sweetness from the oak. This has a long life ahead, so unless you're planning to decant for many hours, I recommend holding another year or two and drinking through 2035 or longer. (95 points)
  • 2014 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (12/31/2019)
    Tied for my WOTN. Decanted 2 hours then funneled back into the bottle to serve. Lots of funk and savory flavors with this one, as expected from Cayuse. Black olive, espresso, almost a coppery sanguine flavor, grilled meat, and some black fruit showing nicely. The 2 hour decant was perfect on this wine, which I would consider too young to really enjoy otherwise. Drink now with air - 2030+. (95 points)
  • 2014 Rasa Vineyards Fianchetto XL Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (12/31/2019)
    Decanted 2 hours and funneled back into the bottle for serving. The label on this bottle is a mess, thanks to my new wine fridge getting too humid inside over the summer. Looks like mold starting to form, and the label had fallen off at one point but I got it to stick again. I love this blend and the wines from XL are massive. Delicious, big black fruit, lots (!!!) of structure, and a very nice mocha finish. Could have used more time in the decanter, but was very enjoyable. Drink 2022 - 2035, perhaps longer. (94 points)
  • 2012 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 Block Red Willow Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (12/31/2019)
    P&P. Black cherry fruit, loamy earth, cigar box, mocha finish. This was a hit at the party and was gone pretty fast. Easy drinking and tasty! Drink now - 2028. (93 points)
  • 2015 K Vintners Syrah Phil Lane - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (12/31/2019)
    Popped and poured (could have used a couple hour decant, IMO). Lots of luscious black fruit with espresso and oak flavors. A tad chunky right now, as this could ideally use another couple more years to evolve. Good now, especially if given some air. Drink now - 2030. (93 points)
  • 2015 K Vintners Syrah The Deal Sundance Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope (12/31/2019)
    P&P. Followed the 2015 K Phil Lane, and paled in comparison. While still quite tasty, it was less delicious and not showing as much complexity. Blackberry and plum fruit, a bit of wood and pipe tobacco. Drink now - 2025. (91 points)
  • 2014 Natalie's Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (12/31/2019)
    P&P. Opened this one later into the evening, so my notes are not very detailed. Sweet cassis and black cherry fruit, violets, and earth. Drink now - 2029. (90 points)

Posted from CellarTracker