Sat, 02/23/19, $2 Tasting

Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA
Tasted Saturday, February 23, 2019 by srh with 109 views

Flight 1 (5 Notes)

  • 2014 Château de Sours La Fleur D'Amelie

    France, Bordeaux

    PROBABLY something like 60% S.B. & 40% Semillon, with ~ 12.5% ABV

    N: Grass slightly atop earth, with notes of apples way underneath? Forest floor with addt'l swirling?

    P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt deftly balanced by an acidity which fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, pleasantly tangy/swt finish. For now & into (POSS through?) '20, but if one DOESN'T enjoy acidity... My VG+/EXC-, likely the higher for the QPR of this vendor's $11.95, for which I saw no other source with which to compare.

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  • 2016 Meiomi Chardonnay

    USA, California

    Grapes from: Monterey 37%, Sonoma 33%, & Santa Barbara 30%;

    N: BUTTER with undertones of lemons?

    P: Med, poss MF, body; Very RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish OAK/frt (threshold R.S.?) adequately balanced by an acidity which DOES seem to control the action into & through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness which, at least CURRENTLY, is not a problem. Decently done in the style, but I'd drink during '19 to avoid the potential of increased bitterness. 13.8% ABV; My VG+, poss VG+/EXC- *if* one attends to QPR. 90 pts Anthony Dias Blue (The Tasting Panel), 88 & "Editors' Choice" WE @ $21, and the ff medals in '18 contests: Gold @ S.F. Chronicle, Silver @ Sommelier Challenge, & Bronze @ CA State Fair. [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]

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  • 2017 Château La Roque Pic St. Loup

    France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pic St. Loup

    Typically, 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, & 10% Mourvèdre from 40 yr old vines grown in 18 ha of clay & limestone soils on scree slopes; "Hand harvested,completely de-stemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in cement tanks where it is aged for 1 year;"

    N: RIPE berries & something medicinal (iodine, POSS turpentine?) but NOT unattractive

    P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (with hints of choc) firmed by a bit of astringent pucker which loses the majority of its pucker by the LONG finish with perhaps just a TOUCH of very, VERY slight bitterness & a tangy/SWTNESS to the fairly innocuous dusty tannins. For now & through '21, poss '22, + could well improve somewhat for 6 mos or so. My VG+, poss VG+/EXC-. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

    Addendum: I sensed more structure on 3/30/2019.

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  • 2015 Cavas Valmar Mezcla de Tintos

    Mexico, Baja California, Valle de Guadalupe

    N: RIPE frt (prunes, poss plums) with notes of spice & earth

    P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (suspect threshold R.S., + something greenish I can't quite ID), poss with just a touch of heat, firmed by a bit of astringency which pretty much resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. Needs/DESERVES through '19, then drinking for 2-3 yrs more. My VG/VG+.

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  • 2015 Bodega Norton Malbec D.O.C.

    Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo

    100% Malbec, 24° Brix ave @ harvest, from vines 15-30 yrs old, yielding 3.6 tns/acre; Aged 12 mos in 1st & 2nd use FR oak barrels, ff'd by 12 mos in bottle; 13.7% ABV, 2.10 g/L R.S., 5.25 g/L T.A., & 3.70 pH.

    N: RIPE berries with notes of coffee & POSS undertones of pyrazines?

    P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent PUCKER which slowly morphs into a LONG, PERHAPS very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a TANGY/swtness (65:35) to the very, VERY fine tannins. For now & the ff 3 yrs, + could well improve a tad through '19. Nonetheless, probably best for aficionados of high acidity. My VG+/EXC-. 92 pts WS & 87 WE @ $15; [This vendor's $12.95 now puts it in the top 1/2 of wine-searcher's listings.]

    Note: Also tasted on 7/21 & 9/8/2018 with fairly consistent notes.

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Closing

Ok, Wagner Family Fans, I wasn't at ALL mean-spirited to the Meiomi Chard, even making extra effort to look up contest results for where I thought they MIGHT have entered their '16. ;) [Guess they feel they don't HAVE to bother with such themselves... ] :(

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