I was arguing with a few people on a Facebook Wine Group (image that) and they are convinced with their limited experience trying wines over several days that they can improve so I dedicate this to them. While not everyone benefits over a few days the majority either get better or maintain.
Significantly Better Category
- 2014 K Vintners Syrah Cattle King Upland Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Snipes Mountain (4/26/2024)
Day 1: Earth, menthol, dark fruits, spice and black pepper. A heavy wine without good acidity. Normally like this wine but this vintage not delivering. Hopefully better on day 2. 87 points
Day 2: While not up to my expectations of this wine it is much better on day 2. Black pepper, menthol, earth, dark fruits, roasted meats and chalk. Medium plus finish. 91 points
Day 3: More balanced on day 3 but still nothing to get too excited about. Sour cherry, menthol, blueberries, earth, tar and roasted meats. Somewhat chalky finish. 91 points
Recommendation: I would hold this for a few more years. Not impressed with this vintage of the Cattle King. (91 points) - 2015 Avennia Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills (3/30/2024)
Day 1: Natural cork. Pop and pour. Well, the bell pepper is still present as one reviewer noted in 18. Also featuring underbrush, violets, earth, red currants and spices. Medium finish and nice acidity. Not a great wine for the money however. $44 via auction. 90 points
Day 1.25: So much better with air. Bell pepper pretty much gone. Really nice now with violets, earth, dried herbs, raspberries, unripe strawberries and spices. Medium finish and solid. 92 points
Day 2: Much more balanced on day 2 with cherry, earth, raspberries, earth, spice and dust. Medium finish. Solid wine. Drink now through 2028. 92 points
Recommendation: A solid wine overall that is holding up. Drink through 2026. (92 points) - 2021 Result of a Crush Claret – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (3/21/2024)
Day 1: Natural cork. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot & 20% Cabernet Franc. A bit tight showing some minerality, fruit and dark chocolate but needs some time. 88 points
Day 2: This was not ready on day 1 and another reason everyone on young wines should be trying these on day 2 and 3. Much better with minerals, rust, blueberries, wood, spices and dark chocolate. Very complex wine and I enjoy this more than the Classic and it is over half the price. 92 points
Day 3: Even better and this is a bit smoother on day 3 and I like it a bit better. Dark chocolate, cherry, blueberries, wood, spices, minerals, dust and chalk. Medium plus finish and nice acidity. A well-made effort. 93 points
Recommendation: If you want the best value in the wine world for under $30 get on the Result of a Crush 12 bottle club. It is the only club I am a member of. (93 points) - 2021 Big Table Farm Chardonnay The Wild Bee – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (3/8/2024)
Day 1: Diam closure. This is an amazing wine. Honeysuckles, lemon zest, stone, Carmel, subtle oak and spices. Very clean and complex wine with perfect balance. Nice acidity. A true gem.92+ points
Day 2: This is even better. Amazing effort and for $33 can’t beat the price. Subtle oak, lemon zest, orange peel, spices, stone, tropical fruit and minerals. Medium finish and nice acidity. Excellent. 94 points
Day 3: Holding the form of day 2 and at this price will be purchasing more. 94 points
Recommendation: Easy Twin Cities purchase. (94 points) - 2018 Bodegas Muga Rioja Selección Especial – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (2/24/2024)
Day 1: Love these wines. Cherry, earth, mint, spice, cigar and floral notes. Medium plus finish. 92 points
Day 2: Even better. Cigar, blue fruits, cherry, minerals, earth, rose petals, leather and dust. Very rustic and amazing how well this is showing young. One of the better Reserva Especial’s in recent memory. 94 points
Day 3: Holding form from day 2. Excellent wine. Just a great Bodega. 94 points
Recommendation: Excellent buy. (94 points) - 2021 Kevin White Winery La Fraternité – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (2/23/2024)
Day 2: One of the top five supporter of Kevin White in the wine world but also independent and not on the payroll like many other wine reviewers. This might be the most boring wine I have tasted in some time. Day 1 and 2 just not showing much. Celery, spice, water Chesnuts and lacks any fruit whatsoever. Maybe will get better on day 3 or 4? 80 points
Day 3: Better and will save this to day 4 to see if it improves. Underbrush, spice, raspberries, celery and a bitter finish. Lacks concentration and acidity levels a bit off on this one. Still drinkable but the 2019 and under vintages are far superior. 85 points
Day 4: Patience and winning on this one. Garrigue, spice, raspberries, stone, earth, minerals and underbrush. This wine took 4 days to open up so cellar is a must on this one. 91+ points
Recommendation: Don’t drink this until 2028. One of the better 4 day wine transformations so never give up on a wine which far too many do on day 1. (91 points) - 2010 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cyrus – USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1/27/2024)
Day 1: Solid bottling but suspect this is not showing as well as it has been a wine shop shelf vertical for too long. Cork came out clean so that was good. Leather, red currants, mild spice, tobacco, gravel and blueberries. On the pop and pour I think this will improve over a few days. 90 points.
Day 1.5: Better with bell pepper, tobacco, red currants, blueberries, spices and menthol. 92 points
Day 2: Amazing on day 2. Beautiful wine with menthol, red currants, gravel, tobacco, spice, blueberries, earth and minerals. Super concentrated wine and long finish. Outstanding. 94 points.
Recommendation: Another wine on day 2. (94 points) - 2021 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (1/6/2024)
Day 1: Manufactured wine with a slight chemical smell and taste. Some pepper, dark fruits and spice. Simple stuff and a distant level of quality from the early to mid 2000s. 81 points
Day 3: No better and just a disjointed wine. A bit of heat along with underbrush, pepper and spices. Fruit is ripe and not enjoyable wine at all. 80 points
Recommendation: Please bring back the decant $25 and under Aussie wines.
Day 5: Well a little better. Fruit is just not there but less chemical in taste. Spices, floral, pepper and mild blueberries. Short to medium finish. 85 points
Day 7: Been doing this game a long time and this is the most epic transformation over time in my history. A sloppy mess on day 1 but on day 7 this is exactly what I remember is so great about this wine. Black pepper, eucalyptus, blackberries, minerals, spice and Lavendar. Great concentration and medium plus finish. If this was not a screw cap would have dumped it out after day 3 but glad I did not. 92 points
Recommendation: Based on a day 7 opening up on this one drink from 2027 to 2032. (92 points)
Maintain Category (Too Long to Waste Time posting much)
2021 Result of a Crush Syrah The Unnamed Series – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (4/26/2024) Day 1: So much better than the 2014 K Cattle King. Stone, raspberries, sour cherry, white pepper, black olives and earth. Super concentrated wine and long finish. Off the charts on the value. 94 points Day 2: Again, solid and holding form. Menthol, stone, raspberry, sour cherry, blueberries, black olives, white pepper and dried meats. Medium plus finish. 94 points Day 3: Just a beautiful mineral streak on this one on day 3. Also featuring sour cherry, menthol, tar, stone, black olives and white pepper. Medium plus and good concentration. 94+ points Recommendation: Broken record on this wine as it is one of the best for under $25 especially from Walla Walla. Drink through 2030. (94 points) 2016 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah In the Hills – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (4/20/2024) Day 1: one of the best Reynvaan wines of this decade and that is a big statement. Green olives, tar, stone, white pepper, blue currants and dried meats. Long finish and super complex. Thankfully have 2 more bottles. 95+ points. Day 2: A touch better. Exotic spices, green olives, tar, white pepper, dried meats, perfume and blue fruits. Super balanced and smooth wine. This does not have the funkiness of some Rocks wines and for sure very Rhone like on this one. 96 points Recommendation: Seek out via auction and buy! (96 points) 2017 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Reserva Finca Ygay – Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (4/19/2024) Day 1: Natural cork. $22.00 from Morellis. Drinking really well right now. Raspberries, wood, spices, minerals, menthol and earth. Very Rioja and love it. 92 points Day 2: Really good on day 2 with some nice spices, raspberries, strawberry, subtle oak, minerals, earth and pinch of tobacco. Picks up some menthol on the medium plus finish. Outstanding value. 92+ points Day 3: Holding form. Recommendation: A good vintage of this wine. Drink now to 2030. (92 points) |
Day 2 or 3 Let Downs
- 2018 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes – France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (1/19/2024)
Natural Cork. 14.5% alcohol.
Day 1: Excellent and while young shows great promise for future aging. First bottle of six. Medium purple with tar, spices, blueberries, blackberries, coffee beans, black pepper and minerals. Good concentration and medium plus finish. Excellent showing. 94 points
Day 2: Big and youthful. Nice fruit tar, black pepper, mild funk, stone and floral notes. For sure will age 15 years if stored properly. Excellent value. 94 points
Day 3: For sure a letdown compared to day 1/2. Earth, tar, muted fruit, coffee beans and minerals. Some heat on the finish. 87 points
Recommendation: I would drink with a 4 hour decant or hold up to 15 years. (94 points) - 2022 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Villages Cuvée – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (4/23/2024)
Day 1: Diam 10. Right from FedEx and the tradition of trying a bottle after delivery continues to see zero evidence of bottle shock which is a complete myth. Maybe for Champagne or older bottles but not young. The best Villages Cuvee I have ever tasted. Cranberry, cherry blossoms, rose petals, mild spices, dust and earth. Super complex Pinot for the money. Outstanding value. 92 points
Day 2: Not as good and this might go down as a pop and pour and consume young. Fruit is not as pronounced on day 2. Dust, wafer, cranberry, cardboard and spices. Not nearly the experience. 85 points
Day 3: Better on day 3 but not nearly the pop and pour experience of day 1.
Recommendation: These wines are truly meant to be consumed young and enjoyed out of the bottle. The single vineyard St. Innocent wines cellar. (92 points) - 2015 Gramercy Cellars Syrah John Lewis Reserve – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (3/23/2024)
Day 1: First bottle corked so opened another one. Day 1 this is similar to the critics of this wine by many others. Not showing much and very ordinary. Some pepper, mild fruit and earth. A simple wine. Would not buy again. 87 points
Day 2: Opening up for business with white pepper, green olives, tar, dust, earth, stone, forest floor and blue currants. Medium plus finish and nice acidity. 92 points
Day 3: This was not very good. Faded and lost the fruit.
Recommendation: For the price not worth it. Result of a Crush Syrah is a better value and wine. (92 points)