Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA
Tasted Saturday, July 7, 2018 by srh with 164 views
MARVELOUS bottles, my understanding is that these came from a collection of questionable storage conditions.
The Tondre P.N. was QUITE a revelation, & at least some corroboration as to why Dan Berger, a MOST experienced wine-writer, is postulating that Tondre Goldfield is THE best P.N. Vyd in the U.S.! Also, there was at least SOME sentiment that the '12 Trinchero BRV C.S. was superior to ALL of the Napa Cabs/Blends tasted on 6/30/18!
2017 Domaines Ott Côtes de Provence By.Ott
France, Provence, Côtes de Provence
"Blended & bottled in the new Château de Selle cellar, where part of the winery is exclusively devoted to its production."
N: Flowers in a dialectic with grapes, minerals underneath? Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt beautifully counterbalanced by acidity which transitions into a LONG finish with a tangy/swtness & traces of bitterness. TIGHT now, this needs/DESERVES a yr, then drinking for 3 more. LOTS of substance for the $, though VERY uncharacteristically this vendor's $19.95 is in the bottom quartile of wine-searcher's listings. My VG+/EXC-, potentially more with aging?
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2017 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
"Vine Age: 4-32 years; Harvest Sugars: 22.5 brix; Vatting: Whole-cluster pressed & cold fermented in small s/s tanks; pH: 3.15, TA: 6.4, & 13% ABV; Bottled: Feb 2018, Cases Produced: 23,000."
N: FLOWERS with undertones of minerals
P: Med body; VERY RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (suspect threshold R.S.) NICELY counterbalanced by acidity which transitions into a LONG, very, VERY spicy, tangy/swt finish with OCCASIONAL glimpses of honey? For now & into '21, + MIGHT improve through '18. My VG+. 87 pts Wine & Spirits. [This vendor's $14.95 is $1 < any of wine-searcher's currently limited listings.]
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2017 Cade Sauvignon Blanc
USA, California, Napa Valley
94% S.B., 3% Sauvignon Musqué, 2% Sémillon, & 1% Viognier, "26% of the fruit came from our Estate vineyard in Oakville & 7% from the CADE 13th Vineyard on Howell Mountain. We also worked with three other properties: Stanley Vineyard in Oak Knoll (27%), Berggruen in St. Helena (22%), & Juliana Vineyard in Pope Valley (17%). Fermentation was carried out in a combination of stainless steel tanks and drums (70%), new French oak barrels (11%), neutral French Oak barrels (16%), with the balance fermented in concrete eggs (2.8%)." Malolactic BLOCKED. "The wine aged in s/s tanks & barrels for 5 mos sur lies without stirring the lees." 7,503 cases bottled March 5th-7th, 2018.
N: Toast atop minerals
P: MF, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by acidity which DRIVES the action into & through the very LONG, tangy/swt (65:35) finish with glimpses of honey. Tight now, this begs for 6-9 mos of cellaring, then drinking for 3 yrs more? Impressively done! 14.0%; My EXC-, quite poss more down the line. [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]
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2016 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley
USA, California, Napa Valley
91% Carneros district, 9% Napa Valley; 100% barrel fermented with 22% malolactic, aged 8 mos sur lie in FR oak barrels (34% new), with periodic stirring of the lees; 14.2% ABV, 0.67 g/100ml T.A., & 3.50 pH.
N: A lovely melange of butter & toast slightly atop minerals & lemons
P: MF body; RNDISH entry with LOVELY oak/frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by an acidity which SEAMLESSLY transitions into a LONG, pleasant finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness yet to shed. Could/SHOULD improve through '18, then drinking through '21? My EXC-, quite poss EXC (though that's down from when I tasted it on 4/27/2018). [This vendor's $33.95 puts it comfortably within the top 10% of wine-searcher's entries.]
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2016 Faiveley Mercurey
France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey
From vines planted in 1962, 1978, & 1981 grown in clay-limestone soils with South-East exposure; "Aged for 12 mos in FR oak barrels (10% new) which have been selected for their fine grain & moderate toast."
N: RIPE, jammy cherries with flowers (& earth underneath?); Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry wtih NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some puckerish astringency which somewhat mitigates by the LONG, very slightly tangy finish but with a swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now with food, this needs/DESERVES 12-18 mos, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more? My VG+, poss EXC-, more for QPR? 93 pts WS. [This vendor's $22.95 is very competitive.]
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2014 Tondré Wines Pinot Noir Tondré Grapefield
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
37% of the wine was aged for 18 mos "in very tight grained Hungarian Oak." 14.2% ABV, 3.62 pH, 0.69 T.A., & 0mg/100ml R.S.; 450 cs
N: Smoke, toast, berries & spice underneath? Intensity lurking
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt beautifully balanced by a structure which seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, beautifully balanced finish with a discrete tangy/swtness. For now & CERTAINLY through '19, quite poss longer. My EXC, *more* given the QPR of this vendor's $17.95, for which I can find no retail comparison other than the winery's $40. 91 pts WS, 90 WA, "Best of Class" @ '18 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp, 98 pts & "Best of Class" @ '17 L.A. Intn'l Wine Comp, & Silver @ '17 Dan Berger's Intn'l Wine Comp.
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2014 Tommaso Bussola Ca' del Laito
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore
Typically, Corvina, Corvinone 40%, Rondinella 45%, & Molinara e altre varietà 15%
N: Slightly closed; Ripe berries, earth
P: MF body; Rdish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a puckerish astringency which loses almost ALL its swagger as it transitions into the LONG, VERY slightly spicy finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now, though could improve for 6 mos, then drink nicely for 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-. [This vendor's $20.95 puts it in the top quartile of wine-searcher's entries.]
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2012 Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
65% Corvina & Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, and 5% other varieties, grown in toar (basalt) & chalky gravel, terraced, steep hillside vineyards (260-300m in elevation);
N: CLOSED
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with SWTISH frt (definite R.S.) deftly counterbalanced by puckerish astringency which fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, slightly spicy, very, VERY slight tangy finish with a DECIDED swtness (& very, VERY slight bitterness) to the dusty tannins. For now with food (though it should improve for a yr or so), then drink for 3-4 yrs more. My EXC-. [This vendor's $53.95 ranks in the top of wine-searcher's 2nd halve of current postings.]
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2015 Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Les Terres Brulees
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
100% Syrah from 3 main plots (vines planted from the 1970s thru early 2000s) with granite soils on steep slopes, destemmed, aged 18 mos in 1, 2, & 3 yr old barriques (with 10% new); Fined, but NOT filtered; 1,300 cs
N: Closed, but RIPE berries, poss toast & spice?
P: Med body; NICE frt fairly quickly met by an astringency (but without losing the initial frt) which slowly transitions into a LONG, VERY slightly puckery finish, with a spicy swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS into, probably through, '20, then at least approaching its '10th? My VG+/EXC-. 94 pts WS & #64/Top 100 for '17 @ $58, 93 Jeb Dunnuck, 90 Decanter's Panel, & 3*(*)/5 drinkrhone.com . [This vendor's $47.95 is $2 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's limited listings.]
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2012 Trinchero Cabernet Sauvignon BRV
USA, California, Napa Valley
Grapes from their estate Haystack (Atlas Peak) & Cloud’s Nest Vyds (Mt. Veeder); Aged 18 mos in 100% FR oak (75% new); Alc: 14.8, pH: 3.95, & TA: 6.0; 127 barrels produced, released January 2016
N: TOAST (almost creamy?), ripe berries
P: Med body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by puckerish astringency (yet without losing the initial swtness) as it transitions into the LONG, very, VERY slightly spicy/tangy finish with a swtness to the few remaining dusty tannins. Should be ok now with food, though DESERVES another 12-18 mos, then going beyond its 10th by probably a yr or 2. My VG+, poss EXC-. 93 pts Suckling, 91 Ult Bev Challenge, 90 WA, 89 WE @ $80, 85 Decanter's Panel, + 2 Golds, 4 Silvers, & a Bronze in various competitions [details on wine-searcher's "Tasting Notes" pg]. [This vendor's $39.95 (a closeout?) *smokes* its closest wine-searcher competitor by ~$30!]
FYI, 2 more experienced tasters found this FAR more compelling than I.
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2013 Bodega El Esteco Cabernet Sauvignon
Argentina, Valles Calchaquíes, Salta, Calchaquies
N: Vanilla slightly atop RIPE berries with notes of pyrazines
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by PUCKERISH astringency which morphs into a LONG, balanced, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. Approachable now with food, this deserves 12-18 mos of cellaring, then potentially reaching its 10th? My VG+/EXC-, more IF one focuses upon the QPR of this vendor's $16.95, which is $3 < the next closest of wine-searcher's limited listings. 91 pts Tim Atkin
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2015 Bear Flag Wine Zinfandel
USA, California, Sonoma County
Supposedly 78% Zin, 9% P.S., 6% Teroldego, 5% Malbec, & 2% other varieties
N: Closed, but seems RIPE; Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by a puckerish astringency which NEVER overcomes the swtness as it transitions into a LONG, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a DECIDED swtness (& poss some raisins?) to the very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now with food, but deserves another 6-12 mos, then POSSIBLY drinking for 3 yrs more. A video on the WE site shows the winemaker saying, in essence, he went for the FULL monty with this wine. While that's not my preferred style of Zin, I can't particularly fault his efforts. 15.3% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. 93 pts Tasting Panel, 92 WS, 90 WE @ $30, & an A- from drinkhacker.com . [This vendor's $19.95 puts it in the TOP 10% of wine-searcher's fairly large # of offerings.]
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