Riserva
Thanks Mike for the 2010 bottle. Also thanks to Russ and Wil for samples of the 08-09 batches. This one seems a wee bit more sour... Cork was a little stubborn, but eventually was extracted with a pop. No gushing, or any carbonation visible in the bottle. A splashy pour resulted in some larger bubbles and a fleeting head of foam that faded quickly to a cluster of larger bubbles on one side. Hazed pinkish orange coloration in the light, otherwise it's a dead sexy red. Strong acetic raspberry aroma, god that's good. Pure unadulterated raspberry and oak. As it sits and warms up there's a fantastic raspberry cider vinegar element that becomes noticeable, as the label alludes to. Truly puckering sourness. Pure juicy raspberry, dry woody spice, finishes dry after the initial pucker kicks the salivary glands into overdrive. Tannic with bitter raspberry seeds (long since dissolved in the barrel), it finishes nicely, aridly dry and oaky with lingering traces of fruit skins. Rustic and sharply sour, purposefully acetic and potentially an esophagus ripper. Double digit abv is masterfully hidden. Not for guzzling... or for the faint of heart. It comes with a warning sticker FFS...