October 23, 2013 – Wine: 2006 Carter Cellars Hossfeld Coliseum Red Blend

This wine took a very different evolution from what I had expected.  I bought two half-bottles of this wine during my first visit to the Carter Cellars tasting room in 2009.  At that time, the wine was performing much better than most red wines from the 2006 vintage so I bought these half bottles.  The wine back then was nicely balanced and featured prominent red fruits in a complex recipe of flavors.  In 2011 I opened the first half bottle and found it had retained much of its youthful composition, yet was in need of time to sooth its tannins.  Tonight I opened the last bottle and found it has taken a turn towards fascinating.  The nose is potent, suggesting red roses and baking spices.  The palette is very complex with flavors of pomegranate, leather, baking spices, and minerals, with cherry and currants on the finish.  I was surprised by the level of complexity that this wine delivered tonight.

2006 Carter Cellars Hossfeld Red Blend