Been delinquent in posting notes lately, hopefully will post a bunch in the next couple weeks.
2003 Chateau Duhart Milon Pauillac: My limited experience with 2003’s (Bought very little) is that they can be very good if simply not either overdone (extracted) or picked too green. It seemed those winemakers with patience and a steady hand did well.
The 2003 Duhart Milon is an excellent example of a winery that did well in 2003. Red fruit, cedar and old cigar box on the nose. Good aromatic nose throughout the evening. Cassis and some black fruit flavors, perfectly ripe without any stewed, roasted or pruney notes. Also, herbal, anise and graphite notes. Good structure, some mild tannins and nice balance gives the wine a long finish. Entering a nice drinking window and will stay there for some time. You never know with 2003, this is a nice one. Apologize for the blurry photo.
2017 Bedrock Heritage Oakville Farmhouse: This wine and the Frogs Leap Merlot were served at a friends Rotisserie Duck dinner. Blackberry, plummy, smoky nose. Big fruit, blackberry, plum, vanilla, smoky and some oak sticking out. This wine is very young, if you are thinking of opening one, don’t do it! Give this wine several years to come together. The 2016 is very different and much more approachable.
The Bedrock Oakville Farmhouse is a special wine from one of the most unique sites in all of California. Give this baby plenty of time and you will be rewarded.
Rotisserie Duck With The Bedrock Oakville Farmhouse and Frog’s Leap Merlot
2016 Frog’s Leap Merlot Rutherford: Red cherry, earthy herbal aroma, classic merlot. Flavors of cassis, cedar, herbs, wet soil and hints of resinous fig and cocoa. Supple and smooth, there is structure but it’s gentle and inviting. The wine simply says “quality merlot” and that is a good thing.
2019 Jolie Laide Trousseau, Poulsard, Gamay, Valdiguie: Partial carbonic used here to keep the fruit bright and whole cluster for complexity. Exotic, spicy raspberry, rosy floral nose, very nice. Cherry candy, wild strawberry, cranberry, cinnamon spice and some citrus bitterness are the flavors. Stony minerality, very good acidity along with those flavors make this easy to pair with a variety of food and is just fun to drink. Drink out of the cellar or with a slight chill. 12.2 ABV
2015 Bedrock Heritage Monte Rosso: Mix of black and red fruit on the nose along with black pepper and smoke. Tart cherry fruit (Morello cherry like) but with blackberry and dark plum in the background. Nice mix of fruit flavors along with spice, mint and anise. Beautiful balance, good now but will continue to build complexity for many years.
2016 Torre Dei Beati Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Bianchi Grilli: It was nice tasting this (as are all of their wines) especially as so little of it makes it here. Very complex floral nose, acacia flower, chamomile and resinous notes. Flavors of dried fruit, honeycrisp apple, some apricot and hints of white pepper. Rocks, stones, nice acidity along with a phenolic resinous note round out the wine. Medium to full body the wine was vinified in acacia barrels. Wish I had more.
