Wine release tasting notes, do you get fed up with them

[GregT]

This is why we have points.

Who reads notes anyway? And who remembers them?

If you do read them, in six months will you remember that the wine was supposed to be full of “Asian spice” (whatever that is) or Meyer lemon or lead pencil? Or that it was more structured or more hedonistic than last year?

Nope.

What matters is whether the wine was 95 points or 91 or 86. So cut the crap and just tell me the points. And if you don’t have them, for heaven’s sake send your wine off to somebody to get some points on it. Or at least send them to someone who posts on WB every day and get some buzz going.

Because why the hell would I buy the stuff if it’s not appreciated by someone else?

[Merrill_Lindquist]

@Scott G r u n e r

If I had a winery, I would hire Jon Rimmerman to write my notes. I would likely have to bottle in minimum of double magnums though, as otherwise there wouldn’t be enough label space.

Sorry about Bonk, Merrill. He will be back next year of course.

You are referring to Mr. Gronkowski? I will get a bottle into his hands in the next few months. Maybe he will include it in his next “memoir:” - A Gronking to Remember.

[Albert_Bouffard]

@GregT

This is why we have points.

Who reads notes anyway? And who remembers them?

If you do read them, in six months will you remember that the wine was supposed to be full of “Asian spice” (whatever that is) or Meyer lemon or lead pencil? Or that it was more structured or more hedonistic than last year?

Nope.

What matters is whether the wine was 95 points or 91 or 86. So cut the crap and just tell me the points. And if you don’t have them, for heaven’s sake send your wine off to somebody to get some points on it. Or at least send them to someone who posts on WB every day and get some buzz going.

Because why the hell would I buy the stuff if it’s not appreciated by someone else?

Who let Robert Parker onto this board?

[Dennis_Kanagie]

@Alan Eden

After several years and now hundreds of wine release notes its getting pretty obvious that they are nothing more than flowery words. How can every wine ever made and sold by every vineyard be great and better than what they have made before ?

It would be nice if just once somebody would say, yep this years syrah is pretty good but its not as good as last years, the strange thing is that i would be so impressed with the honesty i would buy more from that winery.

Alan, I’m with you for the most part. It makes me wonder if the professionals take kickbacks.

@GregT

Who reads notes anyway? And who remembers them?

If you do read them, in six months will you remember that the wine was supposed to be full of “Asian spice” (whatever that is) or Meyer lemon or lead pencil?

I read the notes and would remember if lead pencil were brought up because I hate that smell. If it’s noted as strong, I automatically dismiss the wine. Strong pencil shaving aromas are why I don’t drink Left Bank / Medoc / Pauillac Bordeaux.

I pay attention to the spice comments too. Pepper I associate with Zinfandel, while cinnamon is something I expect with a decent or better Burgundy. As far as having a test on who said what about which wine, I guess I’d fail because once the decision to pass on a particular wine is made I generally don’t rethink it. Too many excellent wines out there to fool around trying to learn to like something that didn’t tickle my fancy the first time.

[Albert_Bouffard]

Unfortunately I think you really have to read the notes nowadays. When was the last time you saw a wine that Suckling rated below 96 points? If the EtOH is > 14% and it’s red, I bet you can find somebody who is going 95+ points in on that baby! Wahoo. Charles Shaw may finally have its day in the sun (provided it’s tasted blind).

Seriously, though - people want to read notes about good wines. Not crap wines. So if you want people to buy your rag, rate 'em all highly.

[RichardFlack]

And then there is our local local liquor monopoly with its favourite phrase… "Expect to taste… " which takes it to a whole new plane of unreality.

[S_Stevenson]

@Alan Eden

The 12’s were fantastic, 13’s wow vintage of the century, 14’s they combine the best of the 12’s & 13’s you cant miss these and the 15’s already this is the vintage of the millenium, 16’s they will be a combo of the 12’s, 13’s & 15’s without the harshness now obvious in the 14,s the 17’s will be far better that the 15’s which did fulfill their barrel promise in the bottle, the 18’s will be next vintage of the century and absolutely unmissable

Funny and oh so true…

[Drew_Goin]

I think your gripe speaks to the overall greatness of California’s wines. Even “poor” vintages are good. The diagnosis of mediocrity in a wine is (almost) as bad as many wines get!

Now, correct me if I am wrong, but 2015 stands to be a significantly smaller yield of wines, right?

[Niv_Nissenson]

Alan Eden wrote: It would be nice if just once somebody would say, yep this years syrah is pretty good but its not as good as last years, the strange thing is that i would be so impressed with the honesty i would buy more from that winery.

The code word in the Napa wineries was “complex vintage” - I totally agree. I think it’s a maturity thing. In the old world wines who have been around for many many years they can live better with the concept of less than stellar vintages and adjust prices and pitch accordingly.
In California they’re not there yet…

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

With all due respect to the Merrill and Larry, both of whose wines I have bought multiple times, I dare anyone to come up with a release note from a proprietor that gets even close to “this wine is not as good as our efforts in prior years,” let alone “this wine isn’t very good, but I have to make a living so I am selling it.” The only telltale sign I ever see is when someone uses the word “challenging.” When someone says “this year was challenging for the industry” or “the weather presented challenges in our vineyards” then it probably means the wine is not a 100 pointer. However, I will admit that less weather variability in California means that “this wine really sucks” is probably not a likely comment from a good winemaker in any event, and hopefully they declassify when it gets bad. 2005 Rivers Marie Cab, which does not exist, is probably an example.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

An example. One of the lowest rated Cos D’Estournel in a long time. You can read between the lines and get some negatives, but words like Great and Perfect and brilliant predominate:

Vintage

With 2013, we come back to the origin of all beauty : terroir and men.
Certainly the year 2013 was complicated. But the selection work, the quality of our terroir and the precise knowledge of literally each vin allowed us to counter the vagaries of nature and to pick grapes of perfect quality.
Despite the difficult climatic conditions, the great terroirs of Cos d’Estournel allowed the teams, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, to create a great wine that expresses all their power and elegance.
The rigour of the selection linked with the large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon has revealed a vintage with unique balance, very precise, very pure with a wide-ranging of aromatic complexity, both fruity and spicy. On the palate, the tannins are silky and intense, with a particularly long and brilliant finish.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

So what to do…what to do…?

My release notes are not page upon page of obscure descriptors. I have read some beauties lately, though, from other wineries. Hey, I am a consumer, too! I never ask my co-winemaker (who sees my wines through the fermentation process) to write release notes. I don’t know if anyone even reads them! But for consistency, I have always asked Jim Gallagher to taste my samples after I make up the 2 wines, and he writes the notes for my wines.

I will say that the most trouble a wine has ever given me is my 2005. Man, that one, particularly early in its life, was one I could not rely on. I never knew what it would taste like upon pulling the cork. I put it away for years, because I just couldn’t handle it. But just this morning I got up on went on CellarTracker, and saw someone (I don’t know who it actually is, because it is not a real names website) just enjoyed it immensely. And when I show it (now 10 years later) I enjoy it.

Ok, what did I just say here? Not much. If I don’t like what I taste, it does not go into Black Cat. I held back a barrel of the 2011 because I did not think it added anything to the mix. And the critics had already clobbered the 2011s in general, so who needed more to sell? So I pulled it from my mix, kept it in barrel, and when it came time to bottle the 2011s a few months later, decided to mix it with some 2012. And the non-vintage Little Black was born. And sells for much less than my vintage wines.

Blah blah blah.

[Dennis_Kanagie]

@Merrill Lindquist

I held back a barrel of the 2011 because I did not think it added anything to the mix. And the critics had already clobbered the 2011s in general, so who needed more to sell? So I pulled it from my mix, kept it in barrel, and when it came time to bottle the 2011s a few months later, decided to mix it with some 2012. And the non-vintage Little Black was born. And sells for much less than my vintage wines.

… and a good mix it is! Some 2012 (and 2010 for that matter) Cabs were just too overpowering, while some 2011 Cabs were too lean. Can’t believe more wineries didn’t attempt what you did.

[Brian_Tuite]

@Chris Seiber

Sometimes, you might be able to find clues to which style you would prefer out of their different offerings (e.g. this zin is more red fruited and higher acid, this other one is really dark and lush), which can be a help when trying to sort through a lot of options from some winery that you already know and like.

Bedrock…

[Brian_Tuite]

@Jason T

I agree that the “vintage of the century” commentary doesn’t add value.

The next time I read a winemaker release notes call a vintage of the century will be the first time.

[Brian_Tuite]

@Drew Goin

Now, correct me if I am wrong, but 2015 stands to be a significantly smaller yield of wines, right?

No doubt about that. Samples I’ve tasted so far from To Kalon, Las Piedras, Las Amigas, Dr Crane, Pellet, Missouri Hopper, Halcon etal have been impressive. Just not much there.