Comments on: Sierra missed – the saga of Sierra Carche 2005

By: Daniel Posner

Daniel Posner — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:30:23 +0000

Lin Port

I had a btl this past week (off a wine list in DC).

My experience was very similar to yours, without decanting.

This wine is D E A D…dead dead dead!

By: Danthejuiceman

Danthejuiceman — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:23:21 +0000

2006 Reignac-Bordeaux
Bottle variation. I first drank this wine before the good reviews and blow-out discount prices.
Had the wine on three other occasions.
One was another killer example of a restrained, refined wine at a daily drinking price point.
The other two had a noticeable, almost overwhelming nose of burnt rubber and wet locker room towels.
Green stemmy flavours that did not evolve or dissipate.
Slight rubber aftertaste.
The wine seems to be a crap shoot between very good and marginal. Had it two more times. One very good and one very bad.
Is anyone else having this occur?
Is this an example of lot variation or a possible scam?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 18:55:42 +0000

No Nose

No tannins (no structure)

Some (read no) fruit)

Why would you open for 6 hours before consuming?

By: Lin port

Lin port — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 02:38:36 +0000

Having a bottle now– bottle 03760 of 20000. Opened 6 hours. It’s okay. Not flawed. Good color . Not much nose. Tannins gone. Some fruit. Better than first two bottles drank 18 months ago. Don’t think it will improve. Not worth the $30 I paid when released at Wine Library.

By: We will sell no wine before it’s crime | oenoLogic

We will sell no wine before it’s crime | oenoLogic — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:38:34 +0000

[...] quite match the availability of source material? Otherwise nonexistent or limited bottlings that impress critics or competition committees but don’t reach the public in identical form? Both old and ongoing [...]

By: Miller leaves The Wine Advocate, and a few questions | wine-life.co.uk

Miller leaves The Wine Advocate, and a few questions | wine-life.co.uk — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:14:05 +0000

[...] and the Pacific Northwest too) had to end in tears for someone. It began several years ago (the old Sierra Carche affair) and since then it seems that wherever Miller put his feet, someone had laid a jaw [...]

By: Do wine critics ever taste the wines we buy? | wine-life.co.uk

Do wine critics ever taste the wines we buy? | wine-life.co.uk — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:41:54 +0000

[...] taster Jay Miller and the Sierra Carche debacle? You can get an idea of the whole saga here and here but to save time, basically Jay Miller tasted and rated a wine that was not representative [...]

By: Daniel Posner

Daniel Posner — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:25:19 +0000

Tommy

Many stores still show this wine on Wine Searcher.

I guess the importer forgot to contact some of them.

They should use Robert Parker’s wife rating of 93 points on this one!

By: tommyr

tommyr — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:22:34 +0000

Zachy’s is selling the wine as I write this, on February 8, 2010. It showed up on the shelves in the last week. Zachy’s also has been selling the Pico Madama for months, with the 95 rating from Jay Miller.

By: John Fields

John Fields — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:55:23 +0000

Brandon Warnke at Wine Library got involved and I received a full refund upon the return. I’m glad to be doing business with them again.

By: Mike DePrado

Mike DePrado — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:00:54 +0000

John Fields,

I called WIne Library today (11/12/09) and within two seconds they told me to return the wine for a full refund.

By: John Fields

John Fields — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:23:22 +0000

I have sent 2 emails to help@winelibrary.com which is the adress they say to use on the website but I will send a copy to him.
Thanks

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:47:00 +0000

John Fields,

Did you contact Brandon Warnke, Vice President of Operations at Wine Library, who posted on erobertparker.com that anyone who bought the wine through the store could return it to them for a full refund?

By: John Fields

John Fields — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:15:48 +0000

Wine Library is not refunding the Sierra Carche 2005. I have asked for their refund policy and they have not responded. They were very quick to hype this wine now I can’t even get a response. beware

By: joesommelier

joesommelier — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:41:46 +0000

@Daniel Posner

Touche – I did give it a score but only in the context of the original Jay Miller score of 96.

I read Part II – I wouldn’t say the descriptors given match mine. I didn’t taste burnt rubber or “roadkill” (not that I would know what that tastes like anyway). Perhaps my palette is not as evolved as those involved in your blind tasting. Cest la vie. There’s too much history surrounding this wine, though, to ever recommend it to anyone so I guess belaboring the point is an excercise in futility. There way too much great wine out there to drink anyway.

Thanks for the spirited debate.