2002 Andrew Will Sorella

Forgot I had this stashed away at 1114 Rhode Island. Beautiful day in DC 11/16 so I left office early to work on chapter 2, the theory chapter, of the scandal book. It's tough sledding so I deserve a break though I'm still writing thank you very much.

Now the wine: Blackberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, cedar and pine, minerally/steely component and other spice notes highlight the nose. Some herbaceous accents join these on the palate. The color is a kind of blackberry/black cherry juice tint with a bit of brick red at the edge. There is plenty of tannin and good acid yet very silky textured and full bodied. I would say this is short of peaking, maybe should be drunk starting in 2011 and can be enjoyed for another 6-8 years till 2018 or so. Very, very long finish carried by the tannin and acid. After the tannin rounds out this will be better, but I also suspect it's not a 20+ year wine. 92 points at this point.

Here's what Parker says in giving it 93 points (actually Pierre Rovani). Pierre and I are quite similar:

Produced entirely from fruit acquired from Paul Champoux’s Champoux Vineyard, the 2002 Sorella is fashioned from 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Petit Verdot. Tar-laced black fruits, sweet spices, and herbs are found in this beauty’s aromas as well as flavors. Medium-bodied, muscular, and intricate, it is a lovely, concentrated, as well as complex offering with a long, flavor-packed, and slightly warm (from alcohol) finish. Drink it between 2007 and 2018.