France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie
N: Slightly closed; Lemons with a saline note -- & almost a toastiness underneath?
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt, acidity trying to balance; Lingering, very slightly faint finish with JUST a touch of caramel flavors. Pleasant enough, but not the substance I'd expect given the sur lie *&* "Vielles Vignes" of the label. [Tasted @ $11.95, this vendor now selling the arguably BETTER '15 @ $10.95. However, I did still notice one July 2018 wine-searcher source offering the '14 @ $14.]
N: TOASTY oak with almost charred, though not UNattractive, notes with lemons underneath
P: M, poss MF, body; Almost swtish oak/frt met by balancing acidity; LONG, balanced (can one say elegant?) finish with VERY slight toasty notes. Clearly a wine of breeding (though likely on the decline) for drinking NOW. 89 pts ea Vinous & RJonWine, 87 WA, and 86 Decanter. [Tasted @ a no longer avail $11.95. However, July 2018's wine-searcher still shows several sources from $11-$17.]
Syrah, Grenache, & C.S. from 10-30 yr old vines grown in clay-limestone soil with rolled pebbles; 20% aged in barrels;
N: Ripe, jammy yet with SOME restraint? Floral undertones (violets?)
P: Med, poss LM, body; ALMOST swtish frt buttressed by some mid-P structure, this somewhat mitigating by the LONG (albeit VERY slightly faint), intriguingly VERY slightly bitter finish. NICE now (certainly with food), though cellaring into EARLY '18 *should* improve it, prior to drinking through '19 min. NICELY done! [Almost assuredly no longer avail @ this vendor's tasted $13.95, & July 2018's wine-searcher shows NO domestic U.S. sources.]
87% C.S, 6% Merlot, 4% Syrah, 1% Malbec, 1% C.F., & 1% Petit Verdot; Aged 14 mos in AM & FR oak, 32% new; 13.5% ABV, 0.55 /100ml T.A., & 3.85 pH.
N: Initially closed, but opened to jammy notes of blk cherries & toast; Intensity lurking?
P: LM body; NICE frt on front; NICELY balanced with a LONG finish, though on the faint side. Cellar until mid '18. WAY more elegance/polish than one commonly finds @ this price pt, though MAY lack intensity? IF not, a STEAL @ this vendor's now unavail $9.95, though July 2018's wine-searcher shows NUMEROUS sources from $10.89-$23.69. 89 pts WE @ $15.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Closed; Flowers SLIGHTLY atop berries? Poss earth with notes of choc?
P: LM body; Almost swtish frt nicely off-set by VERY slightly puckerish acidity, this fairly seamlessly extending through the LONG, albeit very, VERY slightly faint, VERY slightly bitter finish. A fairly elegant style that I'm thinking most palates would want to cellar through '17, then drink for the ff couple of yrs. Use where one might a Cru Beaujolais? [Likely no longer available @ the tasted $14.95, July 2018's wine-searcher show various vendors from $16-$23.]
2014 Domaine de la Garnière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie
France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie
N: Slightly closed; Lemons with a saline note -- & almost a toastiness underneath?
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt, acidity trying to balance; Lingering, very slightly faint finish with JUST a touch of caramel flavors. Pleasant enough, but not the substance I'd expect given the sur lie *&* "Vielles Vignes" of the label. [Tasted @ $11.95, this vendor now selling the arguably BETTER '15 @ $10.95. However, I did still notice one July 2018 wine-searcher source offering the '14 @ $14.]
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Foxglove Chardonnay Central Coast
USA, California, Central Coast
N: TOASTY oak with almost charred, though not UNattractive, notes with lemons underneath
P: M, poss MF, body; Almost swtish oak/frt met by balancing acidity; LONG, balanced (can one say elegant?) finish with VERY slight toasty notes. Clearly a wine of breeding (though likely on the decline) for drinking NOW. 89 pts ea Vinous & RJonWine, 87 WA, and 86 Decanter. [Tasted @ a no longer avail $11.95. However, July 2018's wine-searcher still shows several sources from $11-$17.]
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Domaine Vallon des Glauges Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rouge
France, Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
Syrah, Grenache, & C.S. from 10-30 yr old vines grown in clay-limestone soil with rolled pebbles; 20% aged in barrels;
N: Ripe, jammy yet with SOME restraint? Floral undertones (violets?)
P: Med, poss LM, body; ALMOST swtish frt buttressed by some mid-P structure, this somewhat mitigating by the LONG (albeit VERY slightly faint), intriguingly VERY slightly bitter finish. NICE now (certainly with food), though cellaring into EARLY '18 *should* improve it, prior to drinking through '19 min. NICELY done! [Almost assuredly no longer avail @ this vendor's tasted $13.95, & July 2018's wine-searcher shows NO domestic U.S. sources.]
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
87% C.S, 6% Merlot, 4% Syrah, 1% Malbec, 1% C.F., & 1% Petit Verdot; Aged 14 mos in AM & FR oak, 32% new; 13.5% ABV, 0.55 /100ml T.A., & 3.85 pH.
N: Initially closed, but opened to jammy notes of blk cherries & toast; Intensity lurking?
P: LM body; NICE frt on front; NICELY balanced with a LONG finish, though on the faint side. Cellar until mid '18. WAY more elegance/polish than one commonly finds @ this price pt, though MAY lack intensity? IF not, a STEAL @ this vendor's now unavail $9.95, though July 2018's wine-searcher shows NUMEROUS sources from $10.89-$23.69. 89 pts WE @ $15.
Note: Improved with 3 hrs in a sm tasting glass!
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Tait The Ball Buster
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Closed; Flowers SLIGHTLY atop berries? Poss earth with notes of choc?
P: LM body; Almost swtish frt nicely off-set by VERY slightly puckerish acidity, this fairly seamlessly extending through the LONG, albeit very, VERY slightly faint, VERY slightly bitter finish. A fairly elegant style that I'm thinking most palates would want to cellar through '17, then drink for the ff couple of yrs. Use where one might a Cru Beaujolais? [Likely no longer available @ the tasted $14.95, July 2018's wine-searcher show various vendors from $16-$23.]
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue