Tetra Napa Valley Red Wine - Two Pack

Between the GV and the RP notes, the 2007 sounds like it could be worth it if you are willing to lay it down for a decade. Given that GV noted the bitterness, I’d have to assume this is pretty extracted and tannic. Could be good or bad depending on individual taste.

You’re certainly not alone - there’s a reason for the Parker phenomenon.

I do question Parker’s assumption that the big fruit bombs will age so well. It’s true that if you start with lots of fruit, it shouldn’t all fade over time. But great aged wines achieve a balance, with rich, but soft tannins, minerality, earthy tones, etc. Old Man does not live by fruit alone.

Does “bitter” necessarily mean tannic? When he said “bitter” and “a young wine” the first thing I thought of was green, hard tannins. But I wonder…

edit: I was thinking that Gary V is 35 - just how much does he know about what wines that will age well in 15 years should taste like? Just sayin’. Maybe I’m just getting old and cranky. :wink:

I’d say while still learning, why spend this much. I’d certainly try a great French chateau’s claret before this for the same price…

not excluding that. in addition to. it will help me decipher whats built up and whats for real. hell for all i know i may like this 1000 times more than any european blend

Yeah - you didn’t sound as if you’ve been scrimping for a one-off purchase. If you have the discretionary income, you can afford to experiment where others can’t.

If you like Parker wines, I can’t imagine you won’t like this.

A Parker wine will rarely if ever last as long as a more traditional European-style Cab or claret (best more than 40 years), but the good ones will last 20 years or so, so I’m told.

Nonetheless, what they lack in subtlety, elegance and terroir-finesse they make up for in power and smoothness. If you like the big guns, and have the bankroll, then consider this by all means!

Oh, yes I assume limited funds :slight_smile: if you have the wherewithal, it’s a great education opportunity, and I envy you hugely your bankroll! Hope we get to drink together sometime :sunglasses:

GV has been in the wine business all his life, so he’s probably tasted more wine than I ever will.

He did mention things like “dark chocolate” and “black tea” that I’d associate with deep extraction and perhaps toasted oak. I wouldn’t say bitter is synonymous with tannin, but the descriptors make me think it is related to phenolic material from the fruit.

Meanwhile, if you read a RP note from something like Leoville Barton, the '07 Tetra note seems to be describing something similar:

I was actually thinking of something like that. If you’re just starting out, and some experienced tasters give you some wine and say “this is how wine that will age well tastes,” than I suppose you’d know.

But I couldn’t help feeling that I was watching a “kid” talking about aging - that’s what I meant when I said “maybe I’m just old and cranky.”

That reminds me of when my wife was baby sitting for a friend’s daughter, and the girl began to ask “Remember the good old days?” My wife interrupted her with “You’re nine. There are no good old days!”

I really don’t want to be a Parker defender, but from a stylistic standpoint, it seems hard to differentiate the '07 Tetra from a well-respected 20-40 year wine like Leoville Barton in the note I quoted above. The note just doesn’t make it sound like a flabby fruit bomb, and the stats aren’t suggesting a real dearth of acidity, either. The extraction/bitterness might be an issue–Parker does love extraction. But I really doubt this is the wine to be bludgeoning Parker over the head with.

I’d be way more concerned about the '06 given the WE note and the pH.

me too! btw i dont consider myself drowning in DI (disc income) to paraphrase the late g carlin, hobbies cost money, interests are quite free…this is a hobby.
although being single helps pay for said hobs

Fair enough. As you have eloquently reminded me before, Parker does like the great wines too. He just aso has preferences for other sorts too, which some find overpowering and less ageworthy. thank yhou for that isight… keeps me mroe balanced in my opinions! Now then… Which one this is, is up for grabs :slight_smile:

Nonetheless, if the 06 is bad and got away from them, and they’re capable of dropping the ball, how can they be making a great one the vry next year?!

Getting back to that “bitterness” issue, my understanding is that heavy extraction can leech smaller phenolic compounds from the skins and seeds, and these are quite bitter. As they aggregate into larger compounds, the taste softens. So heavily extracted wines absolutely need to age at least a few years. The question is just how long can they go, and other factors come into play there (which we’ve been discussing).

I guess I feel like doing some pot-stirring tonight, but the KR '07 Cab Franc you and I both like comes in at pH 3.68 & TA 6.4 g/L. The KR '07 Cab Sauv is only a hair more acidic (3.57 and 6.5).

And if you want a really high pH, search Woot for KR’s Petit Verdot. Not many people liked that wine. It was like 4.2! Not trying to knock KR here. I’d just like to wait for owner/winemaker discussion before recommencing the crucifixion.

Exactly–does the wine have enough freshness and stuffing to outlive the tannins and other bitter phenolics as they resolve? Heck if I know! GV and RP seem to think so, though, and both are pretty different tasters.

The winemaker notes for the 2006 include lots of info on vinification, including viticulture.

lol actually you’re being entirely reasonable: it is I who is doing the potstirring really. I love evoking your knowledge… always gives us perspective :smiley:

SIWBM on this one. Can’t justify that money for my palette. I wouldn’t know what I was tasting.

Also, jumping on a local groupon and getting a 1998 supertuscan and a 2005 barolo for $50 total.

More cabsavs plzkthxbai!

As would I actually. I’ve thought about exactly that on numerous occasions, for this (and the Kronos) offer in particular considering that at this point (0154 PST), over 30% of purchasing wooters have gone in for at least two sets. I’m still a student so am resigned to my Pavlovian response when bottles like these pop up. Perhaps WD and the woot crew might post a poll that could shed a little more light on the situation?