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#4 Posted: Nov 20, 2008 18:00
Having tried a bottle I can certainly see why this wine would draw very different responses from critics: it's an odd duck, especially for BV, who have always struck me as one of the more Old World California producers. It's absurdly extracted, very dense, with dark berry and plum flavors, as well as coffee/chocolate/tobacco notes. Long finish, with a bit of vanilla and tar. Has serious legs in the glass, oozing slowly down the bowl, and has the mouthfeel to match, thick and unctuous, serious tongue-coating, teeth-staining material. Reminded me of Port, or one of Turley's more extreme Zinfandels, much more than a table wine.
It's a flat-out exercise in overdone California winemaking, I'd say, almost as if someone at the winery had decided to see how far they could go in this direction. A good bit of acidity and some firm tannin keep it from going entirely off the cliff, though, and the wine did well with a coffee-rubbed loin of venison. Thing is, I'd like to think I hate the over-the-top style of wine, but I actually enjoyed this bottle quite a lot.
If you like this kind of wine, I think this is a wine you'll like a lot. If you want Burgundy, this ain't it.
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