P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt nicely balanced by an acidity which drives the action through the LONG, TANGY/swt (80:20) finish with hints of bitterness. For now & poss through '19, the longevity of which strikes me as QUITE an achievement for a U.S. wine in this price range! 13.5% ABV: My VG, given the QPR of this vendor's $9.99, which is AS good as any on wine-searcher. [91 pts WE & their #1/100 Top Best Buys for '16! 87 pts WS.]
P: LM, poss Lt, body; RNDISH entry with insipid, ALMOST swtish "frt" adequately balanced by acidity which seems to pick up force as it transitions into a LONG, TANGY finish with raisins on the end. BARELY adequate -- & ONLY because I'm allowing SOME credit of this vendor's $6.99 price pt, which puts it in the top quartile of wine-searcher's entries. 13% ABV
Mueller & Cabral vineyards in Carneros; 11 mos in 100% FR oak (33% new); 13.9% ABV, 0.51 g/l T.A., & 3.29 pH; 1,000 cases
N: CLOSED; vanilla, poss butter?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with ok oak/frt met by TANGY acidity which DOES control things through the LONG (albeit slightly faint), balanced, pleasant finish. Drink "yesterday", CERTAINLY by Fall '18. My VG-. [While I can pin down comparisons for this vendor's $22.99, it does NOT strike me as a "good" QPR.]
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Maranges 1er Cru
40 yr old vines grown in Jurassic substrate, mainly black/grey marl; 100% de-stemmed; Unfiltered & unfined.
N: Very slightly closed; Smoke, toast, cherries, earth, & spice
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by puckerish astringency which pretty much carries through the LONG, very slightly spicy, TANGY/swt finish with a certain swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Should improve into early '19, then drink nicely for 3 yrs more. My VG/VG+, poss more. [Tasted @ $25.99, which I can't find listed elsewhere -- even currently on Kermit Lynch's own pg.]
P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE frt met by some puckerish astringency which basically carries through the LONG, very, VERY slightly astringently tannic finish with hints of swtness. Needs/DESERVES a yr or so, then drinking for 3 more. 14% ABV: My VG+, poss more. [While competitive, this vendor's $19.99 IS certainly beatable by $2 from one of wine-searcher's currently limited sources.]
P: Med body; LOVELY frt met by some dustily tannic pucker which pretty much maintains through the LONG, V slightly spicy/tangy finish with those dusty tannins, yet without ever REALLY losing the initial frt. NEEDS a yr, then drinking for 2-3 more? [This vendor's $11.99 is $2 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's LIMITED offerings.] 14% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, although...
...15 mins or so after I'd tasted it, other tasters complained, staff members sampled it, opened at least 2 other bottles, then removed it from the tasting! From what I was able to gather, the consensus revolved around there being an UNACCEPTABLE level of "sharpness" to the wine! While I certainly found it to have HIGH acidity, *I* personally had N-O issues with the wine. Putting all of this together with the previous comment, however...
44% Merlot, 34% C.S., & 22% C.F. from vines which ave 13 yrs old; Time in barrels: 18 mos, 35% new FR oak.
N: FOCUSED brambleberries; more to give?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a PUCKERISH astringency which SLOWLY, SEAMLESSLY transitions into quite a LONG finish of the same ilk -- yet without EVER losing its frt! DESERVES until Fall '19, then drinking for 4+ yrs more. FABULOUS stuff! 14.5% ABV; My EXC with EXCEPTIONAL on the horizon! :) 93+ & 92 pts John Gilman, 93 WA, 92 Vinous (Tanzer), 91 ea Suckling, WS, & WE (2/1/17) @ $64, and 17/20 (2x) Jancis Robinson (Hemming)! [This vendor's $29.99 is an ASTOUNDING $25 < its next closest wine-searcher competitor!]
100% Tannat fermented in 150 HL Cement Tanks, aged 6 to 12 mos on the lees in FR oak barrels and casks; 14.5% ABV, 4.5 g/L R.S., 5.8 g/L T.A., & 3.6 pH; 12,000 cases
N: SMOKE, toast, berries underneath, poss choc, rest tough to parse, but seems deep;
P: MF body; ALMOST swtish, choc tinged frt met by slightly puckerish, yet swtish, mouth coating tannins which maintain the dynamic as it transitions into a LONG finish of similar persuasion. Unless one is willing to do some significant decanting [cf. previous notes in this strand], this NEEDS/deserves into Spring '20 min, then drinking for 4 yrs more, I'm guessing. An AMAZING value @ this vendor's $12.99, which is @ the TOP of the current wine-searcher class by at least $1! My VG+/EXC-, with *certainly* the POTENTIAL for higher! 91 pts Suckling, 90 pts & Silver @ '17 Decanter World Wine Awards, 90 pts, a "Smart Buy" @ $17, & #41/Top 100 for '17 from WS, Gold @ '17 Int'l Wine Challenge [ENG], and 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson!
60% Malbec, 20% Merlot, & 20% C.S., hand-picked & destemmed, fermented in small s/s tanks, varietals aged 10 mos in FR & AM oak barrels; 14.0% ABV, 2.47 G/L R.S., 5.37 G/L T.A., & 3.71 pH; 709 cases.
N: Slightly closed; cherries, earth, some pyrazines, rest though to parse;
P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by very slightly puckerish astringency which is shielded somewhat by the initial swtness. The finish is LONG with a swtness to the dusty tannins. Should improve through '18, then drink nicely for at LEAST 2 yrs. My VG+. [This vendor's $12.99 would seem a *notable* QPR, though since I can't locate another source for purposes of comparison... ]
I found one source which claimed this blend of Shiraz, C.S., & Grenache, aged in 100% AM oak, has 12.0 g/L R.S.
N: CLOSED; some earth? SEEMS ripe?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (almost certainly threshold R.S.) nicely counterbalanced by a slightly puckerish astringency which morphs into a LONG (albeit very, VERY slightly faint) tangy/SWT finish with a DISTINCT swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. While not for me personally, this effort is fair enough given the intended style & this vendor's $8.99 price pt, which since it's in but the mid 3rd quartile of wine-searcher's maxed out free listing, can be EASILY beaten by $1, or even $2 @ a couple of outlets. For now & POSS into '21, + MIGHT improve a TAD through Fall '18. 13.5% ABV; My VG-.
Dry farmed 100% Plavina hand-harvested, de-stemmed, fermented in open s/s vats, aged in s/s tanks, then large, used Slavonian oak barrels of 600 liters for about 4 mos; Fined, but NOT filtered; 12.7% ABV, 5.4 g/L T.A., & 2.9 g/L R.S.; 1,250 cases.
N: Forest floor with cherries underneath?
P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt met by dustily tannic astringency which more or less carries through the LONG, dustily tannic finish with glimpses of swtness. NEEDS 12-18 mos, but does it have the frt for that? My G+, certainly more IF the frt "overcomes" the tannins. [This vendor's $14.99 would be at least slightly > either of wine-searcher's 2 current entries.]
With one OFF the charts, *high* QualityPR wine, another approaching it, + getting to tour the globe... for $10?!? Where ELSE but in kingdom of wine, right? ;)
2015 Acrobat Winery Pinot Gris
USA, Oregon
Too cold
N: Fragrant apples & pears
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt nicely balanced by an acidity which drives the action through the LONG, TANGY/swt (80:20) finish with hints of bitterness. For now & poss through '19, the longevity of which strikes me as QUITE an achievement for a U.S. wine in this price range! 13.5% ABV: My VG, given the QPR of this vendor's $9.99, which is AS good as any on wine-searcher. [91 pts WE & their #1/100 Top Best Buys for '16! 87 pts WS.]
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2017 Honoro Vera Rosado
Spain, Murcia, Jumilla
WAY too cold :(
N: Slightly closed; Grapes, flowers
P: LM, poss Lt, body; RNDISH entry with insipid, ALMOST swtish "frt" adequately balanced by acidity which seems to pick up force as it transitions into a LONG, TANGY finish with raisins on the end. BARELY adequate -- & ONLY because I'm allowing SOME credit of this vendor's $6.99 price pt, which puts it in the top quartile of wine-searcher's entries. 13% ABV
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2014 Napa Cellars Chardonnay V Collection
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
WAY too cold :(
Mueller & Cabral vineyards in Carneros; 11 mos in 100% FR oak (33% new); 13.9% ABV, 0.51 g/l T.A., & 3.29 pH; 1,000 cases
N: CLOSED; vanilla, poss butter?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with ok oak/frt met by TANGY acidity which DOES control things through the LONG (albeit slightly faint), balanced, pleasant finish. Drink "yesterday", CERTAINLY by Fall '18. My VG-. [While I can pin down comparisons for this vendor's $22.99, it does NOT strike me as a "good" QPR.]
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2016 Jean-Claude Regnaudot Maranges 1er Cru Clos des Loyères
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Maranges 1er Cru
40 yr old vines grown in Jurassic substrate, mainly black/grey marl; 100% de-stemmed; Unfiltered & unfined.
N: Very slightly closed; Smoke, toast, cherries, earth, & spice
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by puckerish astringency which pretty much carries through the LONG, very slightly spicy, TANGY/swt finish with a certain swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Should improve into early '19, then drink nicely for 3 yrs more. My VG/VG+, poss more. [Tasted @ $25.99, which I can't find listed elsewhere -- even currently on Kermit Lynch's own pg.]
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2015 Renato Ratti Nebbiolo d'Alba Ochetti
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba
N: Cherries, vanilla, poss violets? Lacks endurance?
P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE frt met by some puckerish astringency which basically carries through the LONG, very, VERY slightly astringently tannic finish with hints of swtness. Needs/DESERVES a yr or so, then drinking for 3 more. 14% ABV: My VG+, poss more. [While competitive, this vendor's $19.99 IS certainly beatable by $2 from one of wine-searcher's currently limited sources.]
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2015 Tetramythos Agiorgitiko
Greece, Peloponnisos, Achaia
N: Funky, almost barnyd; cherries underneath?
P: Med body; LOVELY frt met by some dustily tannic pucker which pretty much maintains through the LONG, V slightly spicy/tangy finish with those dusty tannins, yet without ever REALLY losing the initial frt. NEEDS a yr, then drinking for 2-3 more? [This vendor's $11.99 is $2 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's LIMITED offerings.] 14% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, although...
...15 mins or so after I'd tasted it, other tasters complained, staff members sampled it, opened at least 2 other bottles, then removed it from the tasting! From what I was able to gather, the consensus revolved around there being an UNACCEPTABLE level of "sharpness" to the wine! While I certainly found it to have HIGH acidity, *I* personally had N-O issues with the wine. Putting all of this together with the previous comment, however...
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2013 Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
44% Merlot, 34% C.S., & 22% C.F. from vines which ave 13 yrs old; Time in barrels: 18 mos, 35% new FR oak.
N: FOCUSED brambleberries; more to give?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a PUCKERISH astringency which SLOWLY, SEAMLESSLY transitions into quite a LONG finish of the same ilk -- yet without EVER losing its frt! DESERVES until Fall '19, then drinking for 4+ yrs more. FABULOUS stuff! 14.5% ABV; My EXC with EXCEPTIONAL on the horizon! :) 93+ & 92 pts John Gilman, 93 WA, 92 Vinous (Tanzer), 91 ea Suckling, WS, & WE (2/1/17) @ $64, and 17/20 (2x) Jancis Robinson (Hemming)! [This vendor's $29.99 is an ASTOUNDING $25 < its next closest wine-searcher competitor!]
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2015 Bodega Garzón Tannat Reserva
Uruguay, Maldonado
100% Tannat fermented in 150 HL Cement Tanks, aged 6 to 12 mos on the lees in FR oak barrels and casks; 14.5% ABV, 4.5 g/L R.S., 5.8 g/L T.A., & 3.6 pH; 12,000 cases
N: SMOKE, toast, berries underneath, poss choc, rest tough to parse, but seems deep;
P: MF body; ALMOST swtish, choc tinged frt met by slightly puckerish, yet swtish, mouth coating tannins which maintain the dynamic as it transitions into a LONG finish of similar persuasion. Unless one is willing to do some significant decanting [cf. previous notes in this strand], this NEEDS/deserves into Spring '20 min, then drinking for 4 yrs more, I'm guessing. An AMAZING value @ this vendor's $12.99, which is @ the TOP of the current wine-searcher class by at least $1! My VG+/EXC-, with *certainly* the POTENTIAL for higher! 91 pts Suckling, 90 pts & Silver @ '17 Decanter World Wine Awards, 90 pts, a "Smart Buy" @ $17, & #41/Top 100 for '17 from WS, Gold @ '17 Int'l Wine Challenge [ENG], and 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson!
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2016 Loscano Private Reserve
Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
60% Malbec, 20% Merlot, & 20% C.S., hand-picked & destemmed, fermented in small s/s tanks, varietals aged 10 mos in FR & AM oak barrels; 14.0% ABV, 2.47 G/L R.S., 5.37 G/L T.A., & 3.71 pH; 709 cases.
N: Slightly closed; cherries, earth, some pyrazines, rest though to parse;
P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by very slightly puckerish astringency which is shielded somewhat by the initial swtness. The finish is LONG with a swtness to the dusty tannins. Should improve through '18, then drink nicely for at LEAST 2 yrs. My VG+. [This vendor's $12.99 would seem a *notable* QPR, though since I can't locate another source for purposes of comparison... ]
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2016 19 Crimes Red Wine
Australia, South Eastern
I found one source which claimed this blend of Shiraz, C.S., & Grenache, aged in 100% AM oak, has 12.0 g/L R.S.
N: CLOSED; some earth? SEEMS ripe?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (almost certainly threshold R.S.) nicely counterbalanced by a slightly puckerish astringency which morphs into a LONG (albeit very, VERY slightly faint) tangy/SWT finish with a DISTINCT swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. While not for me personally, this effort is fair enough given the intended style & this vendor's $8.99 price pt, which since it's in but the mid 3rd quartile of wine-searcher's maxed out free listing, can be EASILY beaten by $1, or even $2 @ a couple of outlets. For now & POSS into '21, + MIGHT improve a TAD through Fall '18. 13.5% ABV; My VG-.
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2015 Ivica Piližota Plavina
Croatia, Dalmatia, Sjeverna Dalmacija, Šibenik
Dry farmed 100% Plavina hand-harvested, de-stemmed, fermented in open s/s vats, aged in s/s tanks, then large, used Slavonian oak barrels of 600 liters for about 4 mos; Fined, but NOT filtered; 12.7% ABV, 5.4 g/L T.A., & 2.9 g/L R.S.; 1,250 cases.
N: Forest floor with cherries underneath?
P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt met by dustily tannic astringency which more or less carries through the LONG, dustily tannic finish with glimpses of swtness. NEEDS 12-18 mos, but does it have the frt for that? My G+, certainly more IF the frt "overcomes" the tannins. [This vendor's $14.99 would be at least slightly > either of wine-searcher's 2 current entries.]
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