2003 Robert Craig Affinity

[oostexan]

The next note in my on-going obsession with Robert Craig wines. :-) I appreciate the collective patience of this board to my obsessive compulsive behaviour....

So after this past weekends Robert Craig wine dinner at Sullivan's, I thought I would cork a bottle from my last trip to the winery and see how things tasted in my own kitchen. In so doing, I created a reason to throw a couple ribeyes on the grill and get things smoking around the house.

Corked the wine, poured in large Reidels, then let it breath for 45 minutes before drinking. Ended up needing another 30 minutes or so to come to life, but what a delicious wine.

In a day of hundred dollar Napa blends, this wine must drive a lot of winemakers nuts. Deep dark fruit on the nose, rich core of black cherries and sweet fruit, then toasty oak leads a nice long yummy finish. Not overly concentrated or tannic, so the Merlot, Cab Franc, and Petit Verdot are just enough to keep it fruity and approachable now. Finally, there is an elegance and structure to this wine that really is appealing to those who want to drink a delicious, sophisticated, and compelling wine without needing a tongue transplant (or second mortgage).

Though it drinks well as a young wine, I would think that it needs a couple years in the cellar to come together, but has the structure to last several. I plan to have a few cases to find out.

At a retail price of 40 dollars (I get it for 32 by being in the wine club), this is a very distinctive wine at a fair price.

Mark

[winoweenie]

Ooos-baby you have been indoctrinated in the Craig Culture. If you go back you'll find many posts on this marvelous winemakers juice from not only Moi but lots of other fellers as well. The Affinity normally hits its' stride under good cellaring at about 8 and will handle another 10 without breaking a sweat. ( He's also one great individual ). WW

[oostexan]

Thank you WW! I am happy to be a member. Planning to call Rachel up today and get another case (or two) in the pipeline. Good stuff at very, very reasonable prices. I just realized that the Affinity is quite a bit less expensive than the Trilogy. I need to try them side by side.

Mark

[winoweenie]

That's a close call but for the bucks the 'Finity wins by a grapeskin. WW

[winoweenie]

Had this for lunch yesserday and agree with your notes in their entirity plus I got a little higher intensity of brite cherries. Have a box of each of his 03s on order. WW

[rgreenberg2000]

Glad to hear the '03 is a good one. I recently discovered this wine in Tahoe (Westshore Cafe) at $18 a glass!!! Yikes! I was very pleasantly surprised to find the '02 retailing at $37 (K&L), especially after seeing it on a Las Vegas steakhouse (Prime @ Bellagio) wine list for $100.

Delicious stuff which I plan to age a bit in my newly ordered cellar!

Rich