France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet
N: Floral slightly atop minerals
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt balanced by an acidity which basically defines the wine into & through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with an interesting trialectic between tanginess, honey, & a very, VERY slight bitterness. For now & into '20. My VG+, POSS more with the right food. 87 pts & a "Best Buy" Wine & Spirits. [This vendor's $9.95 puts it in the bottom 1/2 of wine-searchers limited entries.]
49% Monterey County (Garcia Vyd, near the Santa Lucia AVA), 30% Russian River Valley (Oak Meadows Vyd), & 21% Napa Carneros (Stanly Ranch); Fermented in small s/s tanks, 79% aged in once used FR oak barriques, the remaining Stanly Ranch portion in new barriques. 14.3% ABV
N: BUTTER, perhaps apple butter?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with marginal "frt" QUITE overwhelmed by oaky harshness/bitterness which does mitigate more than I'd have thought as it morphs into the LONG, bitterish, ULT marginally pleasant finish. Drink... yesterday IF you've any of this. :( 88 pts WE @ $20. [This vendor's $10.95 is competitive, one current wine-searcher source beating it by 56¢.]
Aged 10 mos in 100% FR oak (20% new); 13.5% ABV, 0.63 g/mL T.A., & 3.77 pH.
N: Cherries, smoke, forest floor, poss some stemminess way underneath
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt firmed by an astringency which does lose its harshness by the LONG finish with notes of bitter/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now with food, but DESERVES another 8 mos or so, then drinking for the ff 3 yrs. My VG+, arguably more, given the QPR of an approachable, decently varietal P.N. @ this vendor's $13.95, which is $2 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's burgeoning listings.
Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla
Apparently 100% Tempranillo from "...30-70 year old vyds with limited yield."
N: CLOSED; Cherries, earth, poss smoke?
P: Med body; Rndish entry with nice, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which DOES lose the majority of its astringency by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the still ample, dusty tannins. Doable now with food, this deserves/NEEDS into, if not through, '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more? Amazing depth for the price! 13.5% ABV; My VG/VG+, arguably more given the QPR of this vendor's $5.95, which is as good as anyone currently listed on wine-searcher! 90 pts Suckling & 85 Guia Repsol.
N: RIPE, JAMMY, cherries, poss straws, notes of pyrazines & perfume with addt'l air/swirling?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by an ALMOST puckerish astringency which slowly, fairly seamlessly morphs into a LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. For now with food, but DESERVES another 6-12 mosn, the drinking for 2, poss 3, yrs more. My VG+, arguably EXC- *if* one considers QPR. [This vendor's $6.95 is at least $2 < wine-searcher's next lowest offering!]
2017 Les Costières de Pomérols Picpoul de Pinet Hugues de Beaulieu
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet
N: Floral slightly atop minerals
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt balanced by an acidity which basically defines the wine into & through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with an interesting trialectic between tanginess, honey, & a very, VERY slight bitterness. For now & into '20. My VG+, POSS more with the right food. 87 pts & a "Best Buy" Wine & Spirits. [This vendor's $9.95 puts it in the bottom 1/2 of wine-searchers limited entries.]
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2014 Cherry Pie (Hundred Acre) Chardonnay Cherry Tart
USA, California
49% Monterey County (Garcia Vyd, near the Santa Lucia AVA), 30% Russian River Valley (Oak Meadows Vyd), & 21% Napa Carneros (Stanly Ranch); Fermented in small s/s tanks, 79% aged in once used FR oak barriques, the remaining Stanly Ranch portion in new barriques. 14.3% ABV
N: BUTTER, perhaps apple butter?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with marginal "frt" QUITE overwhelmed by oaky harshness/bitterness which does mitigate more than I'd have thought as it morphs into the LONG, bitterish, ULT marginally pleasant finish. Drink... yesterday IF you've any of this. :( 88 pts WE @ $20. [This vendor's $10.95 is competitive, one current wine-searcher source beating it by 56¢.]
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2016 Sean Minor Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Aged 10 mos in 100% FR oak (20% new); 13.5% ABV, 0.63 g/mL T.A., & 3.77 pH.
N: Cherries, smoke, forest floor, poss some stemminess way underneath
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt firmed by an astringency which does lose its harshness by the LONG finish with notes of bitter/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now with food, but DESERVES another 8 mos or so, then drinking for the ff 3 yrs. My VG+, arguably more, given the QPR of an approachable, decently varietal P.N. @ this vendor's $13.95, which is $2 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's burgeoning listings.
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2015 Dominio de Eguren Protocolo
Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla
Apparently 100% Tempranillo from "...30-70 year old vyds with limited yield."
N: CLOSED; Cherries, earth, poss smoke?
P: Med body; Rndish entry with nice, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which DOES lose the majority of its astringency by the LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the still ample, dusty tannins. Doable now with food, this deserves/NEEDS into, if not through, '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more? Amazing depth for the price! 13.5% ABV; My VG/VG+, arguably more given the QPR of this vendor's $5.95, which is as good as anyone currently listed on wine-searcher! 90 pts Suckling & 85 Guia Repsol.
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2016 Big House Wine Company Prohibition Red
USA, California
N: RIPE, JAMMY, cherries, poss straws, notes of pyrazines & perfume with addt'l air/swirling?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by an ALMOST puckerish astringency which slowly, fairly seamlessly morphs into a LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. For now with food, but DESERVES another 6-12 mosn, the drinking for 2, poss 3, yrs more. My VG+, arguably EXC- *if* one considers QPR. [This vendor's $6.95 is at least $2 < wine-searcher's next lowest offering!]
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