Community Tasting Note

RhoneWho wrote:

Sunday, May 21, 2023 - At last, I have completed a horizontal 2017 vintage grenache tasting from Horsepower Sur Enchalas (HSE), Cayuse God Only Knows (GOK JD99) and No Girls (NG JD95); and also provide a vertical notes on 2017 HSE (JD 97) and 2014 HSE (RP 99 by JD). For details on GOK, NG and 2014 HSE, please refer to my notes on 2017 Cayuse GOK.

What motivated me to complete this partial circle is that JD noted that 2017 HSE is the "splitting image of a great vintage of Rayas"; and also my recent 3 unsuccessful attempts to purchase Rayas from the owner Mr. Reynaud at his winery even though I drove a shining RED color Tesla Model Y Performance to impress him! :0 My next trip to CDP I will bring GOK an HSE over to drink with my CDP winemaking friends who have access to Rayas to really complete the full cycle; hence, stay tuned!

2017 HSE profile is very similar to 2017 GOK with the typical Burgundian-style red fruit (strawberries with green stem) grenache. I think 2017 HSE has a fuller mouthfeel with higher viscosity and hence slightly more polished texture profile than 2017 GOK. But 2017 GOK has a more concentrated flavor profile. IMHO, both tie at 97 point; and also a matter of taste depending individual preference profile.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much more approachable 2017 HSE as compared to 2014 HSE (RP 99 by JD) when tasted at age 5. As I had written in 2017 GOK, 2014 HSE is a truly and highly concentrated MONSTER singular grenache as it took 3 days of aeration to mellow down and still knocked your socks off! I do agree with JD's rating ranking 2014 HSE higher than 2017 HSE. JD concisely noted "[2014 HSE] is not Rayas, it's not Chateauneuf du Pape, it's an incredible, singular wine that stands on its own."

In my recent trip to CDP annual event, I met up with some really serious Swiss wine buffs (die-hards of Rayas). They advised me one has to decant Rayas at 24-48 hours to get the best of Rayas. Yesterday I got a call from CDP wine buff told me a particular Lirac grenache drank like Grand Cru burgundy and Raya-like aromatic profile and strawberry-like red fruit profile after decanting for 3 days! Perhaps, 2017 HSE/GOK/NG grenache could improve further with 48-72 hours aeration.

Rating: 96-98; 96+

Post a Comment / View RhoneWho's profile
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (1,280 views)