2004 The Rejuvenators

Pale yellow-straw color. Aromas of apricot nectar, nuts, exotic herbs and dried fruits. Dense, rich and oily, but with plenty of verve for a wine with such volume. Dominant flavors of apricot and peach nectar, complicated by talc and minerals. Wonderfully consistent, ripe, thick wine from start to palate-staining finish.

(15.9% alcohol; a blend of 44% roussanne, 34% chardonnay and 22% viognier, all from Alban Vineyard fruit) Medium yellow. Explosive aromas of apricot, lime, licorice, and exotic flowers and herbs (Chartreuse?). Hugely ripe and layered, withflavors of mirabelle and honey sweetened by vanillin oak (55% new). Finishes spicy, aromatic, very dry and long. This will be racked only in preparation for the January 2006 bottling.

A gorgeous white that didn’t start to shine until after two hours in the decanter, Manfred’s 2004 The Rejuvenators is a blend of 56% Roussanne, 24% Viognier and 20% Chardonnay, aged in 55% new French oak, that came mostly from John Alban’s site in the Edna Valley, but with 9% of the blend from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard. Light gold in color, with a rich, full-flavored and voluptuously-styled bouquet of white peach, white flowers, honeyed apricots and a tinge of marzipan, this incredible effort hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a thick, unctuous texture, and brilliant concentration, and no sense of weight or heaviness. Given the concentration level here, as well as the overall balance and freshness, it will continue to evolve for decades. eRobertParker.com.July, 2014