New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough, Awatere Valley
100% S.B. from the Blind River area, s/s only; 13.5% ABV, 2.7 g/L R.S., 7.9 g/L T.A., & 3.23 pH; 11,500 cs imported
N: Fragrant grapefrt, grn beans, & grass
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE frt beautifully braced by an ACIDITY which makes itself felt into a through the LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish. Nicely done for now & through '20, poss a tad longer. My VG+/EXC-, likely the higher. 90 pts ea WS & WA. [This vendor's $12.95 is at LEAST as good as anyone else on wine-searcher.]
Note: Impressions consistent with previous tastings on 5/12, 6/2, & 7/14/2018.
"Winemaker's notes: '100% Chard, 96% Los Alamos Santa Barbara County, 4% Paso Robles. Clone 4 & Dijon Clones, vines between 13 & 33 yrs old, 630-1,000 ft. elevation. Vertical Shoot Positioned Canopy. Planted on rolling hills of sandy loam & loam soils. S/s, 3 week fermentation, lees stirred, no malo-lactic fermentation.'"
N: Fragrant butter [or, at least something reminiscent of butter] with undertones of lemons?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE OAK/frt firmed by an acidity which keeps things in line into & through the LONG, tangy/swt (55:45) finish with a very slight sense of oaky harshness. However, to avoid the poss of that increasing, drink NOW & into EARLY '19. My EXC- (poss more for QPR -- but with the proviso of the drinking window I mentioned). [This vendor's $10.95 is $2 < the wine-searcher's next lowest.]
Sangiovese, C.S., Merlot, & Syrah, ea fermented separately; "Aged partly in oak and partly in s/s tanks before bottling in Sept. 2016;" 7,200 cs imported to U.S.
N: Slightly closed; Berries (lingons?) with notes of earth, poss smoke?
P: Med body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG finish with an init very, VERY slt bitterness ULT giving way to a tangy/swtness for the very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now (IF one does not mind the mid-P jolt of structure), but deserves through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-, the higher IF one focuses upon the the QPR of this vendor's $9.95, which puts it in the TOP of wine-searcher's 2nd quartile. 90 pts Suckling & 89 WS (& 1 of their Top 100 Values for '17 @ $13).
Grapes from Russian River Valley, Clarksburg, & coastal Monterey hills, aged 11 mos in AM and FR oak; 13.5% ABV, 0.54g/100ml T.A., & 3.74 pH.
N: Slightly closed; Notes of RIPE, wild straws & other tough to parse elements
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, pleasant finish with an ultimate swtness to the scant tannins. For now IF one can handle the brief mid-P structure. Otherwise, cellar for a yr, then drink for the ff 2-3. As a Pinot [given its minimal var character], my VG/VG+; But, as red table wine, my VG+/EXC-. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.] 95 pts & Gold @ '18 CA State Fair, and Silver @ '18 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp.
Addundum: Also tasted on 5/12/2018 & 04/20/2019, impressions fairly consistent. [FYI, I've noted similarly MINIMAL var character with previous vintages: cf. my TNs of 9/30/2017 & 10/22/2016.]
"Destemmed prior to fermentation in 100% s/s," then aged partially in tank & partially in FR & AM oak barrels; 13.5% ABV; 0.59 g/100mL T.A., & 3.76 pH.
N: Smoke atop berries with notes of pyrazines
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by some VERY slightly astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG finish with a swtness (& OCCASIONAL glimpses of raisins) to the unoffensively dusty tannins. For now & into '21, + should improve a bit over the next 6 mos. In a ripe, "everyday" style, my EXC-, based, at least in part, upon QPR. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
2017 Barker's Marque Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Three Brooms Single Vineyard
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough, Awatere Valley
100% S.B. from the Blind River area, s/s only; 13.5% ABV, 2.7 g/L R.S., 7.9 g/L T.A., & 3.23 pH; 11,500 cs imported
N: Fragrant grapefrt, grn beans, & grass
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE frt beautifully braced by an ACIDITY which makes itself felt into a through the LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish. Nicely done for now & through '20, poss a tad longer. My VG+/EXC-, likely the higher. 90 pts ea WS & WA. [This vendor's $12.95 is at LEAST as good as anyone else on wine-searcher.]
Note: Impressions consistent with previous tastings on 5/12, 6/2, & 7/14/2018.
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2015 Foxglove Chardonnay Central Coast
USA, California, Central Coast
"Winemaker's notes: '100% Chard, 96% Los Alamos Santa Barbara County, 4% Paso Robles. Clone 4 & Dijon Clones, vines between 13 & 33 yrs old, 630-1,000 ft. elevation. Vertical Shoot Positioned Canopy. Planted on rolling hills of sandy loam & loam soils. S/s, 3 week fermentation, lees stirred, no malo-lactic fermentation.'"
N: Fragrant butter [or, at least something reminiscent of butter] with undertones of lemons?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE OAK/frt firmed by an acidity which keeps things in line into & through the LONG, tangy/swt (55:45) finish with a very slight sense of oaky harshness. However, to avoid the poss of that increasing, drink NOW & into EARLY '19. My EXC- (poss more for QPR -- but with the proviso of the drinking window I mentioned). [This vendor's $10.95 is $2 < the wine-searcher's next lowest.]
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2015 Santa Cristina (Antinori) Toscana IGT
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Sangiovese, C.S., Merlot, & Syrah, ea fermented separately; "Aged partly in oak and partly in s/s tanks before bottling in Sept. 2016;" 7,200 cs imported to U.S.
N: Slightly closed; Berries (lingons?) with notes of earth, poss smoke?
P: Med body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG finish with an init very, VERY slt bitterness ULT giving way to a tangy/swtness for the very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now (IF one does not mind the mid-P jolt of structure), but deserves through '19, then drinking for 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-, the higher IF one focuses upon the the QPR of this vendor's $9.95, which puts it in the TOP of wine-searcher's 2nd quartile. 90 pts Suckling & 89 WS (& 1 of their Top 100 Values for '17 @ $13).
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2015 Bogle Vineyards Pinot Noir
USA, California
Grapes from Russian River Valley, Clarksburg, & coastal Monterey hills, aged 11 mos in AM and FR oak; 13.5% ABV, 0.54g/100ml T.A., & 3.74 pH.
N: Slightly closed; Notes of RIPE, wild straws & other tough to parse elements
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, pleasant finish with an ultimate swtness to the scant tannins. For now IF one can handle the brief mid-P structure. Otherwise, cellar for a yr, then drink for the ff 2-3. As a Pinot [given its minimal var character], my VG/VG+; But, as red table wine, my VG+/EXC-. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.] 95 pts & Gold @ '18 CA State Fair, and Silver @ '18 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp.
Addundum: Also tasted on 5/12/2018 & 04/20/2019, impressions fairly consistent. [FYI, I've noted similarly MINIMAL var character with previous vintages: cf. my TNs of 9/30/2017 & 10/22/2016.]
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2016 Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon Valley Oaks
USA, California
"Destemmed prior to fermentation in 100% s/s," then aged partially in tank & partially in FR & AM oak barrels; 13.5% ABV; 0.59 g/100mL T.A., & 3.76 pH.
N: Smoke atop berries with notes of pyrazines
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by some VERY slightly astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG finish with a swtness (& OCCASIONAL glimpses of raisins) to the unoffensively dusty tannins. For now & into '21, + should improve a bit over the next 6 mos. In a ripe, "everyday" style, my EXC-, based, at least in part, upon QPR. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
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