July 12, 2014 – Wine: 2003 Saint Clement Oroppas

Whether you buy just two bottles or a few cases of any wine, you will eventually be faced with opening the last bottle.  When it is a wine that lacks inspiration, it’s almost a relief to open the last bottle.  But, when a wine brings as much pleasure as this one has, it’s always with mixed emotions that you open the last bottle.  You know you are in for a great evening of wine enjoyment, but you also know that you won’t ever enjoy this wine (from this vintage) again (unless you polished off a case within the first six months of its release).  Back in 2008 the winery cleared out the last few cases of half-bottles of 2003 Oroppas at 50% off, so I got a case each of 2002 and 2003 for myself.  During the first three years, the 2002 was my favorite of the two vintages, but today, the 2003 has outshined the best that the 2002 had accomplished.  Tonight, this wine was elegant, nearly rich in the mid-palette, wonderfully balanced, and truly tasty with flavors of red cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, ripe tomatoes, black pepper, and minerals.  After such a wonderful wine, I am now sad that I won’t get to enjoy it again, at least not from a half-bottle.  (I have a magnum in the basement, but that will taste very differently when I finally open it.)