Clos l'Obac is a Priorat, a Spanish wine area that has become my second favorite (to bordeaux). Tends to use grenache, syrah and also cabernet, merlot and carignan. This one, on the nose and palate: the grenache has that dense sweet berry, with a resemblance to huckleberry pie with vanilla ice cream. The syrah comes out more in the briary, spicy component of the taste. The nose is pretty restrained now and clearly can go 2-3 more years before it rounds out and fully opens. Underneath the grenache smell for me is the hint of black currant that indicates cabernet--and maybe cherry from merlot? Color is purple ruby with only the slightest hint of age at the rim. Plenty of soft tannin on a long finish that emphasizes strawberry-cherry component with acid that sustains the finish. A whiff of alcohol on nose and a bit of heat on finish, both of which should calm down in a couple years. Medium body and moderately silky palate. I'd think this will be best from 2011 to 2018.
Clos l'Obac on the 2nd day, 24 hours after opening and using vacuum pump and standard refrigerator: incredible how it's changed and now tastes very much like a cabernet. Tannin and acid have receded in favor of the now extremely silky black currant and vanilla fruit. Like drinking a different and at least as pleasurable a wine. I recommend everyone retaste their red wines after 24 hours. The best ones will give as much pleasure a day later.
July 7: two days since opening. 3rd day clos l’obac the spice is more recognizably rosemary (though I am eating rosemary bread as I sip) and the wine no longer tastes like a cabernet so much. More like a blend between day 1 and 2. There’s some cabernet present with a hint of mint and currant. It’s lost some body and zip and won’t be very good tomorrow. There’s a Madera quality to the nose today—I guess that means oxidation is taking its toll. Certainly you could drink this l’Obac today with considerable pleasure, though having it alongside the just-opened Binder Heinrich makes the comparison unfair.
Parker 91 points writing in 2004
No comments:
Post a Comment