TN: Castagna Sauvage 2003
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:49 pm
Night 1
Initially this smells like salami. Theres also some VA in there, but both of these smells blow off in the first half hour. After that, this is still a touch smallgoodsy on the nose but much more settled. Oh, and if you want to find smoke, you will.
On the palate, this also starts a bit salami/pooey, but a bit of time sees some redcurrant and raspberry emerge, and some characteristic blackcurrant and licorice on the mid palate, and a sprinkle of pepper across the lot. No apricot notes here, but there is a lift to the palate which suggests viognier. There is also a smoky note if you try hard (and you know you will out of 03 Beechworth). This doesnÂ’t have the intensity of previous years' Genesis, and the decision to derate to Sauvage seems to be an astute one. Length is OK, but the flavour lingers very much on front and mid palate: not a lot of back palate to speak of. I like this, a nice style. If you are determined not to, you will find enough wrong with this to dismiss it.
Night 2
this has evolved a bit. Now the fruit profile is much more Castagna: black berries and menthol. The savoury bits are now smoky bacon. Very nice wine, now 90/100. Palate shortness and slightly too much bacon holding it back.
Cheers
Andrew
Initially this smells like salami. Theres also some VA in there, but both of these smells blow off in the first half hour. After that, this is still a touch smallgoodsy on the nose but much more settled. Oh, and if you want to find smoke, you will.
On the palate, this also starts a bit salami/pooey, but a bit of time sees some redcurrant and raspberry emerge, and some characteristic blackcurrant and licorice on the mid palate, and a sprinkle of pepper across the lot. No apricot notes here, but there is a lift to the palate which suggests viognier. There is also a smoky note if you try hard (and you know you will out of 03 Beechworth). This doesnÂ’t have the intensity of previous years' Genesis, and the decision to derate to Sauvage seems to be an astute one. Length is OK, but the flavour lingers very much on front and mid palate: not a lot of back palate to speak of. I like this, a nice style. If you are determined not to, you will find enough wrong with this to dismiss it.
Night 2
this has evolved a bit. Now the fruit profile is much more Castagna: black berries and menthol. The savoury bits are now smoky bacon. Very nice wine, now 90/100. Palate shortness and slightly too much bacon holding it back.
Cheers
Andrew