labROUS wrote:LabROUS report Esoterica Port Medley

Since these are already sold out, I guess I can't be accused of shilling for my friend Kent or for wine.w00t. This has been a great opportunity to compare and contrast – I'll focus on that, since nobody will be making purchase decisions based on general style. Having said that, these wines do share a lot in style: similar extraction, alcohol and residual sugar levels. I'd guess the alcohol is un-aged, neutral spirits rather than oak aged brandy, thus allowing the nuances in grape character to fully show themselves.

Tempranillo (aka Tinta Roriz): Good aromatic intensity, with brown sugar, pepper, orange peel, clove and cinnamon. This wine has incredible viscosity with an almost syrupy texture, but is not overly sweet. Flavors include walnut “skin” and bitter chocolate. This is the most tannic of the lot and will probably age longest if anyone is so inclined. More enjoyable now with cheese than by itself.

Trousseau: Floral and tropical fruit aromas, along with hints of tobacco leaf and toffee. Medium body, not as deep as some of the others. I wouldn't be inclined to cellar this one – it's very enjoyable right now, even for sipping by itself.

Touriga: Very spicy, with plum and a bit of citrus peel. It seems little bit higher in acid, making it a little leaner in body. Very pretty aromas and flavors. It does have some structure and could be cellared, but not as long as the Tempranillo.

Souzao: The aromas are reminiscent of the KR Souzao that was part of a previous w00t offering, good intensity “grapy” fruit, with graham cracker/sweet biscuit and licorice notes. Good richness and viscosity, soft with a little more heat than some of the others. Drink soon, with or without dessert.

Tinta Cao: Somewhat subdued aromatically, but great body and viscosity. Smooth, structured middle, good acidity, mocha flavors and a long finish. I'm not a huge fan of the popular match of chocolate and wine, but this seems like a natural.

Blend: My favorite by a wide margin. Fruity and floral, with hints of licorice, tobacco, caramel, chocolate, spices... Good richness and balance, supple with a bit of tannin. This wine exemplifies the benefits of blending: complexity, balance, completeness. One can taste what the different components all contribute.

Thanks for the review! I can hardly wait for it to arrive. Quick follow-up question.

You seem to indicate that the various bottles all have different aging potentials. Could you go through all six and give you opinion on what a good aging window would be for each? I got 2 sets and I planned to drink one now and forget about the other for at least 5 years, but I might revise that plan depending on your response.

Also, I asked earlier (and someone else did too) what ways of storing port are adequate. Same as regular wine? Or is precise temperature control and being placed on its side less important?

Even though Otolith has indicated he has a bottle for me, I would promise to be in for 3 if you would give Polyphemus a chance to fill in. It would bo so serendipidous to have an offering of half size bottles and another of double size bottles. (And fortuitous for myself)...I hope I spelled those correctly...

"more alcoholic than a Tupperware party,"

Um, I guess whoever writes these descriptions has never been to the Tupperware parties I go to! The first thing they demonstrate is the Tupperware Wine Bottle Opener.... (Happy wine-drinkin' drunk people = more sales of those funky gadgets we don't buy sober).

MarkDaSpark wrote:Maybe a non-wine item?

The Wine & Sparkling Tasting Wheels from UC Davis??? Please, please?

I'd like another shot at that nice varietal wall chart. I won't mess up a second time.

labROUS wrote: I'm not a huge fan of the popular match of chocolate and wine, but

But you haven't had my incredibly rich flourless chocolate cake with a glass of your Victory.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! No time to access to this Web site at work. Missed this!

MarkDaSpark wrote:You snooze you lose .... I let your brother know when the button was bouncing, maybe he got an extra for you.

Of course he did.

Ok, I have little to no knowledge of wine. Why do you store wine for extended periods of time? whats the effect on the flavor?

I think I speak for all the Jewish folks who missed out on this due to Yom Kippur.

pblbtpbbptbpbtpbptpbptb

(and I haven't read any of the rest of the comments, so don't know if anyone already mentioned something similar)

really, this is VERY sad. not to mention the 2 boxes of wine that were scheduled to arrive today...Chase and Woot Cellars. <sigh>

Kent, WD:

Thank you for such a unique opportunity.

There was a thread at one point asking people what they would like to see on wine.woot. I asked for a uniquely Woot wine; one that was developed as an exclusive for wine.woot. This offering may not have been exactly that, but it felt close enough.

I feel honored to have been given the chance for something like this; something that I would never find on the shelf and probably not find even if I were friends with the winemaker.

Thank you.

Thank God there was not a new offering tonight.

MarkDaSpark wrote:You snooze you lose .... I let your brother know when the button was bouncing, maybe he got an extra for you.

Snooze yes. But this wasn't what I'd call snoozing. It's the equivalent of putting the most attractive offer up at midnight on Xmas eve and then having it be sold out by noon xmas day. except instead of spending all morning getting presents, I spent the whole day sick and fasting. i suppose this is just one part of my pennance. and i suppose i'll just break fast with grumble cakes.

Loweeel wrote:Of course he did.

how uncharacteristic of you

thanks!

thatguy314 wrote:Snooze yes. But this wasn't what I'd call snoozing. It's the equivalent of putting the most attractive offer up at midnight on Xmas eve and then having it be sold out by noon xmas day. except instead of spending all morning getting presents, I spent the whole day sick and fasting.

Quite an apt analogy, IMHO.

thatguy314 wrote:Snooze yes. But this wasn't what I'd call snoozing. It's the equivalent of putting the most attractive offer up at midnight on Xmas eve and then having it be sold out by noon xmas day. except instead of spending all morning getting presents, I spent the whole day sick and fasting. i suppose this is just one part of my pennance. and i suppose i'll just break fast with grumble cakes.

You mean like the XMas eve annual Bark of Cedar? Only XMas day we're sick and hungover from the Matzah ball. Damn, now I want a Kossar's Bialy.

thatguy314 wrote:how uncharacteristic of you

thanks!

Why do you think I was asking you if you got one? I got 2, figured that worst case scenario, one would be a Chanukkah gift to mom. I'd much rather sell it to you than give it to the woman who opens Niepoort 2000 like it's Dow's LBV.

Corrado wrote:For realz? Mine too (9 years)!

Loweeel wrote:Why do you think I was asking you if you got one? I got 2, figured that worst case scenario, one would be a Chanukkah gift to mom. I'd much rather sell it to you than give it to the woman who opens Niepoort 2000 like it's Dow's LBV.

That's why I texted you and TMR. Wasn't sure if you had already gotten any, but wanted to make sure both of you got the chance.

Loweeel wrote:ALL HAIL KENT!!!!

-- your #1 PSycho fan.

Ow. My wallet. Ow ow ow. Good thing I have a mom who loves port.

not that i'm complaining, but i don't believe i've done anything to deserve hailing =]

Manos, the Hands of Fate i got no puerto

azmojoman wrote:Manos, the Hands of Fate i got no puerto

holy moly this was a kent r. wine?

now i am really p.o.'d i got no wine

Corrado wrote:If Kent stops back tomorrow, hopefully he can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the dumb phase on these was much longer than ~5 years. I recall planning a 2025 reveal on the Petite Sirah vertical based on when they should safely be through their dumb phase. I had the 2000 maybe 8 mos ago and, to my still-growing palate, it was already showing muted characteristics from the initial vertical about a year before.

oh u lucky person.

i fi am alive in 2025 will milagro,

Corrado wrote:If Kent stops back tomorrow, hopefully he can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the dumb phase on these was much longer than ~5 years. I recall planning a 2025 reveal on the Petite Sirah vertical based on when they should safely be through their dumb phase. I had the 2000 maybe 8 mos ago and, to my still-growing palate, it was already showing muted characteristics from the initial vertical about a year before.

Since we hopefully get Kent's attention on the subject, when would it be prudent for me to drink the 02 petite syrah, the 04 esoterica petite verdot and the 04 esoterica sousau from the other offering? I still have them in my cellar by some miracle of will power.

If anyone else knows the answer, I'd appreciate it - thanks!

Corrado wrote:For realz? Mine too (9 years)!

27 years for me. Been married well over half my life. Kind of seems like the way life always was and should be.

Congratulations to you.

odoriferous voids, all of you, odoriferous voids. I literally couldn't even check this until today. I jump on, gone. Whatever, they'll be something else awesome and I'll buy it all, or at least 3.

azmojoman wrote:Manos, the Hands of Fate i got no puerto

ddeuddeg wrote:But you haven't had my incredibly rich flourless chocolate cake with a glass of your Victory.

RECIPE!

thatguy314 wrote:Snooze yes. But this wasn't what I'd call snoozing. It's the equivalent of putting the most attractive offer up at midnight on Xmas eve and then having it be sold out by noon xmas day. except instead of spending all morning getting presents, I spent the whole day sick and fasting. i suppose this is just one part of my pennance. and i suppose i'll just break fast with grumble cakes.

See, I don't see how that compares, since at midnight Christmas eve, I'm fer damn sure gonna be checking and wooting But hey, you'll get 8 days of presents and we only get one. So to you!

OK where is Fridays Woot?

dungolf wrote:OK where is Fridays Woot?

Probably on Woot.com, just like every other Friday.

cheron98 wrote:RECIPE!

It's called the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte, from Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbook The Cake Bible. I don't have it on my computer at school, and I left my laptop home today, but I'll put it on later. I don't know how the formatting will hold up, though. If you want to PM me an email address, I'll send you the entire recipe as a .pdf file, including the instructions for the chocolate rose leaves I use to encircle the cake to cover up the beat-up edges, as well as the brandied burgundy cherries I like to put on top when I serve it.

ddeuddeg wrote:It's called the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte, from Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbook The Cake Bible. I don't have it on my computer at school, and I left my laptop home today, but I'll put it on later. I don't know how the formatting will hold up, though. If you want to PM me an email address, I'll send you the entire recipe as a .pdf file, including the instructions for the chocolate rose leaves I use to encircle the cake to cover up the beat-up edges, as well as the brandied burgundy cherries I like to put on top when I serve it.

Well then, you have a PM!

joelsisk wrote:I think I speak for all the Jewish folks who missed out on this due to Yom Kippur.

pblbtpbbptbpbtpbptpbptb

(and I haven't read any of the rest of the comments, so don't know if anyone already mentioned something similar)

really, this is VERY sad. not to mention the 2 boxes of wine that were scheduled to arrive today...Chase and Woot Cellars. <sigh>

yep. didn't even see it til it was sold out. SOL.

ddeuddeg wrote:It's called the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte, from Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbook The Cake Bible. I don't have it on my computer at school, and I left my laptop home today, but I'll put it on later. I don't know how the formatting will hold up, though. If you want to PM me an email address, I'll send you the entire recipe as a .pdf file, including the instructions for the chocolate rose leaves I use to encircle the cake to cover up the beat-up edges, as well as the brandied burgundy cherries I like to put on top when I serve it.

And a PM from me too!

ddeuddeg wrote:It's called the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte, from Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbook The Cake Bible. I don't have it on my computer at school, and I left my laptop home today, but I'll put it on later. I don't know how the formatting will hold up, though. If you want to PM me an email address, I'll send you the entire recipe as a .pdf file, including the instructions for the chocolate rose leaves I use to encircle the cake to cover up the beat-up edges, as well as the brandied burgundy cherries I like to put on top when I serve it.

Me three! Since I'm after t's "Me Too".

bhodilee wrote:odoriferous voids, all of you, odoriferous voids. I literally couldn't even check this until today. I jump on, gone. Whatever, they'll be something else awesome and I'll buy it all, or at least 3.

Now see, if you were coming to Vegas for SoCal #4, we could discuss it .... since I got 3 sets

I am a labrat!!!

2004 California Trousseau Dessert Wine

I will be opening soon to share with the fine folks I work with (the willing at least).

I've been chosen! What absolute joy!

There came a knock at our office door, and since our staff assistant is out today, I answered and lo and behold, it was a fedex package for me! I says to myself, 'Self, we're not expecting anything today are we?' My hopes jump immediately, and I all but tear the box open, to find a beautiful bottle of the dessert wine blend, and a golden ticket! Winedavid, thank you so much!

This came at the perfect time. Last night after ordering the 6 pack, I went home with an undeniable craving to have these right away! And all morning I've been sitting in dread of a meeting that I have to go to later today which promises to be soul-crushing. But now, with this bottle, all the unpleasantness will just bounce off me, for I am the chosen one! (Actually, one of six, but who's counting!)

I am really looking forward to opening this tonight. Kent or labROUS, any pairing recommendations?