N: Intriguing grassy earthiness with notes of toast? Asparagus as well?
P: Med body; VERY RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S., I'd suspect) with SLIGHT notes of grn olives, but with an acidity which pretty much carries through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness. For now & through '18. Not my style of wine for the $ they ask, though it certainly works for many others. *My* VG-/VG, which would be QUITE an underrate for its fans. [Tasted @ a likely unavailable $14.95, though early Feb '18's wine-searcher still shows NUMEROUS U.S. sources for $16-$28.]
Typically, 45% Cinsault, 35% Grenache, & 20% Syrah; 8% of the Syrah ONLY sees barrels & undergoes malolactic, everything else is s/s & has malo blocked; 13.5% ABV
N: Minerals atop flowers, poss grapes
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST stwish frt NICELY off-set by a TANGY acidity which slowly transitions into a LONG, tangy/SWT finish with notes of raisins? For now & into early '19 with lighter entrees. IMPRESSIVE QPR for this genre! [Tasted @ this vendor's $11.95, which, if anything, would now be for the '17 vintage.] 93 pts Suckling, 91 pts ("Exceptional") with "Best Buy" & Gold @ '17 Tastings World Wine Championships, 89 Vinous (Raynolds), 89 Decanter & Bronze @ '17 World Wine Awards, 88 WE @ $15, & 86 WS.
From distributor's web site: https://www.skurnik.com/sku/rioja-crianza-vina-herminia-2-2/ -100% Tempranillo -Aged 3 months in American oak -Aged 6 months in bottle before release
N: Fragrant cherries, plums, & certainly vanilla
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt/oak met by some ALMOST puckerish astringency which slowly transitions into a LONG, bitter/swt finish with an earthy tanginess that invites another sip. LOVELY now & into '21 min, + may improve into early Fall '18 min. VERY nicely done! My EXC-/EXC. 95 pts Decanter as "Best Red Rioja of the Year" & Platinum Award, 87 WS, & Silver @ '16 Int'l Wine & Spirits Comp. [Tasted @ this vendor's, I believe, now unavailable $14.95, though early Feb '18's wine-searcher still shows several U.S. sources from $14-$18.]
P: L, poss LM, body; NICE frt met by some puckerish acidity & very, VERY fine tannins which pretty much continue through the LONG, SOMEWHAT smoky/earthy finish with those very, VERY fine tannins SLOWLY fading so that the ULT sensation is one of swtness. Deserves/NEEDS into Fall '18, then drinking through '20. A potential QPR *steal* @ this vendor's (out of stock?) $6.95, although early Feb '19's wine-searcher still shows numerous U.S. sources from $9-$13. 85 pts WS
15 mos in 75% AM & 25% FR oak barrels; 13.5% ABV, 0.60g/100 mL T.A., & 3.69 pH; 165,750 cases made
N: SMOKE with undertones of cherries & pyrazines
P: Med body; ALMOST stwish frt met by some very, VERY finely tannis pucker which QUITE resolves by the LONG, SOMEWHAT dustily tannic finish, but ALMOST swtly so. CERTAINLY approachable now with food, many (most?) would likely want to set this down for MOST of '18, then drink through '21. VERY nicely made! My EXC-, & an argument is certainly poss for higher based upon QPR. [Although this vendor is likely selling the '16 in early Feb '19, there are other wine-searcher U.S. sources in the $15-$20 range.]
Addendum: See my TN of 4/21/2018 for reviews & contest results.
2015 Conundrum Wines White Table Wine
USA, California
N: Intriguing grassy earthiness with notes of toast? Asparagus as well?
P: Med body; VERY RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S., I'd suspect) with SLIGHT notes of grn olives, but with an acidity which pretty much carries through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness. For now & through '18. Not my style of wine for the $ they ask, though it certainly works for many others. *My* VG-/VG, which would be QUITE an underrate for its fans. [Tasted @ a likely unavailable $14.95, though early Feb '18's wine-searcher still shows NUMEROUS U.S. sources for $16-$28.]
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2016 Château Routas Côteaux Varois Rosé
France, Provence, Côteaux Varois
Typically, 45% Cinsault, 35% Grenache, & 20% Syrah; 8% of the Syrah ONLY sees barrels & undergoes malolactic, everything else is s/s & has malo blocked; 13.5% ABV
N: Minerals atop flowers, poss grapes
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST stwish frt NICELY off-set by a TANGY acidity which slowly transitions into a LONG, tangy/SWT finish with notes of raisins? For now & into early '19 with lighter entrees. IMPRESSIVE QPR for this genre! [Tasted @ this vendor's $11.95, which, if anything, would now be for the '17 vintage.] 93 pts Suckling, 91 pts ("Exceptional") with "Best Buy" & Gold @ '17 Tastings World Wine Championships, 89 Vinous (Raynolds), 89 Decanter & Bronze @ '17 World Wine Awards, 88 WE @ $15, & 86 WS.
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2013 Viña Herminia Rioja Crianza
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
From distributor's web site: https://www.skurnik.com/sku/rioja-crianza-vina-herminia-2-2/
-100% Tempranillo
-Aged 3 months in American oak
-Aged 6 months in bottle before release
N: Fragrant cherries, plums, & certainly vanilla
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt/oak met by some ALMOST puckerish astringency which slowly transitions into a LONG, bitter/swt finish with an earthy tanginess that invites another sip. LOVELY now & into '21 min, + may improve into early Fall '18 min. VERY nicely done! My EXC-/EXC. 95 pts Decanter as "Best Red Rioja of the Year" & Platinum Award, 87 WS, & Silver @ '16 Int'l Wine & Spirits Comp. [Tasted @ this vendor's, I believe, now unavailable $14.95, though early Feb '18's wine-searcher still shows several U.S. sources from $14-$18.]
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2015 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Rèmole Toscana IGT
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Sangiovese & Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% ABV, S/S [NO oak]; 150,000 cases made
N: Closed; Cherries, earth, poss some spice?
P: L, poss LM, body; NICE frt met by some puckerish acidity & very, VERY fine tannins which pretty much continue through the LONG, SOMEWHAT smoky/earthy finish with those very, VERY fine tannins SLOWLY fading so that the ULT sensation is one of swtness. Deserves/NEEDS into Fall '18, then drinking through '20. A potential QPR *steal* @ this vendor's (out of stock?) $6.95, although early Feb '19's wine-searcher still shows numerous U.S. sources from $9-$13. 85 pts WS
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2015 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
USA, California, Sonoma County
15 mos in 75% AM & 25% FR oak barrels; 13.5% ABV, 0.60g/100 mL T.A., & 3.69 pH; 165,750 cases made
N: SMOKE with undertones of cherries & pyrazines
P: Med body; ALMOST stwish frt met by some very, VERY finely tannis pucker which QUITE resolves by the LONG, SOMEWHAT dustily tannic finish, but ALMOST swtly so. CERTAINLY approachable now with food, many (most?) would likely want to set this down for MOST of '18, then drink through '21. VERY nicely made! My EXC-, & an argument is certainly poss for higher based upon QPR. [Although this vendor is likely selling the '16 in early Feb '19, there are other wine-searcher U.S. sources in the $15-$20 range.]
Addendum: See my TN of 4/21/2018 for reviews & contest results.
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