Notes on the Upcoming Fall Releases
2016 WHITE
White Blend
Similar in style to years past… but with a secret ingredient! This wine shows great acid to lifto the front end with peaches and honey, a soft mid-palate density and a long stone fruit finish. It is ready now and drink better every year for the next 10 years. As I’ve tried to tell you, Booker’s white wine ages better than red!
2015 RIPPER 22
100% Grenache
The extended version of Ripper is softer and denser than its counterpart, and will need 6 months to start showing off beautiful color and extraction, with deeper red flavors than in the past. The early bottling shows more ripe strawberries and raspberries, whereas the extra time in barrel mellows those out and converts to stewed red fruits. The density is beautiful and the finish is more than a minute long.
2015 OUBLIE 22
38% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 9% Counoise
The extended-aged Oublie, pronounced O-blee-A, is a fruit driven wine that shows off the whole cluster spices from fermenting partially on the stems. This wine is true Chateauneuf Du Pape top cuvée boasting mostly Grenache but it is really the Mourvedre backbone that supplies the supple mid-palate and spiced finish. This wine will drink from delivery until 2025 beautifully.
2015 VERTIGO 22
48% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre
To me this was the belle of the ball. Led by powerful Syrah this blend shows off black fruits on the front palate, but if you pay attention you’ll spot some elegant red fruits from the Grenache throughout the middle, finishing with the power of Syrah and Mourvedre. It has just the right amount of whole clusters added to lend an allspice characteristic on the long, sinuous finish.
2015 JADA
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah
This was our first year with this fruit and we didn’t know what to expect. The Grenache heavy wine is very elegant and pretty, but in no way a light and simple wine. It is red fruits galore, mostly raspberries, but it also has a strong base from the little bit of Syrah that was was added. We believe this is a steal at this price but wanted to introduce it without beating you over the head!
2015 Fracture 22
100% Syrah
This version of the extended Fracture is ready to go out of the gate. While the first release is still a bit ripe and primary (tastes like a barrel sample), the extended is as if it has already aged a few years. There’s no question it is Fracture with notes of cassis, vanilla oak and all spice that take you seamlessly into a dense mid palate of black currant and lightly toasted espresso beans. The finish is seamless and long, as this wine is ready to pop upon receipt. It should be at the top of its game for 5 years, but will drink nicely for much longer.