BBQ Reds

Suspecting that these might all be retastes (which they were), I at least TRIED to figure how they MIGHT fair with typical, tomato-based, slightly spicy/swt. BBQ sauce.

• 2015 Delas Frères Vacqueyras Domaine des Genêts

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras

  “The partnership with ‘Domaine des Genets’ consists of the winemaking for 62 acres, & involves vyd mgmt & all stages of production up to & including the making of Delas' ‘Vacqueyras Domaine des Genêts’. The soils are alluviums & terraces of glacier origin, formed during the Riss period of the quaternary era (between 120,000-300,000 yrs BC). Typically, the blend is 45-70% Grenache, 20-30% Syrah, 0-10% Mourvèdre, & 0-5% Carignan. After destemming & crushing of the crop, alcoholic fermentation takes place in closed tanks @ 82°F to 86°F for 15 days with daily pumping over. After drawing-off & pressing, malolactic fermentation takes place in tanks. Bottling occurs after up to 12 mos aging, also in tanks.”
  
  N: Iodine atop ripe berries?
  
  P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which quite works itself out by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the few, firming, dusty tannins. For now with food, & through '20, poss '21. 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson; [This vendor's $19.95 is ≈$5 < wine-searcher's only current posting!]
  
  Note: QUITE a defugalty between today's note & that of but 7/20/2019 -- & I've *no* idea as to why. :(

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• 2017 Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  100% Shiraz from "up & coming Shiraz vyds" of Barossa's Marananga, Greenock, Seppeltsfield, Gomersal, Moppa, Lyndoch, & Ebenezer sub-regions; Aged "12 mos in well-seasoned FR oak hogsheads & foudre barrels;" 15% ABV, 5.84g/L T.A., & 3.60 pH; 7,000 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.
  
  N: RIPE, brambleberries; Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by THE *barest* HINT of astringent pucker which morphs into a LONG finish with a raisiny swtness to the firming, fairly innocuous DUSTY tannins. For now with food (BBQ would work), could improve for 6-12 mos, then drink through '23? My VG+/EXC- in the flirting with R.S. style. 93 pts ea Suckling & WS ("Smart Buy"); [This vendor's $17.95 puts it @ the top of wine-searcher's listings.]
  
  Note: Also tasted on 5/25 & 6/1/19

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• 2014 Château Puech-Haut Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Drézéry Prestige

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Drézéry

  65-80 yr old Grenache (55%?) & 45 yr old Syrah (45%?) from "...the limestone-rich terroir of Saint-Drézèry in the eastern Languedoc," fermented & aged in concrete tanks for 12 mos.
  
  N: RIPE berries with an INTRIGUING smoky component
  
  P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which while staying within hailing distance of the init frt, evolves into a LONG, balanced, poss very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the fairly unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with BBQ, & then drinking through '22? 15.0% ABV; My EXC-, *poss* EXC for QPR? 91 pts WA & 83 @ '17 Decanter World Wine Awards. [This vendor's $15.95 is now $3 < the least of wine-searcher's dwindling offerings.]
  
  Note: Also tasted on 6/16 & 9/1/18, and 7/20/19

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• 2018 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Camins del Priorat

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  "40% Garnacha, 30% Samso, 20% C.S., & 10% Syrah planted in schist soils from a combination of estate vyds & purchased grapes in & around the village of Gratallops; The grapes are destemmed & sofly crushed. Fermentation is in s/sl, cement, & large wooden vats with remontages & punching down; Aged 8 mos in barrels & wooden vats; 50,000 cases produced."
  
  N: ATTRACTIVELY *ripe* berries with a floral component
  
  P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat resolves by the LONG, balanced, finish with a tangy/swtness (& occasional hints of raisins) to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS 12 mos or so, then drinking through '23, poss '24? My VG+/EXC-; 94 pts Suckling; [This vendor's $20.95 puts it @ the bottom of the TOP quartile of wine-searcher's postings.]

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• 2014 Seghesio Family Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  92% Zin & 8% P.S. "from old head-pruned vyds (≈70 yrs old ave) in the Alexander & Dry Creek valleys farmed by the multi-generational Passalacqua & Saini families; Small-lot, open-top fermentors with punch-down maceration by hand; Total maceration time 9 days; The free run wines were barreled down to complete primary fermentation & undergo malolactic fermentation in barrel. Barrel aged 14 mos in 20% new FR oak; neutral barrels were a mixture of FR, AM, & Hungarian oak; The lots were racked twice prior to bottling." 10,720 cs produced & released Sept '16 @ $40.
  
  N: Iodine slightly atop earth & ripe berries, though the iodine DOES blow off; Intensity lurking?
  
  P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which QUITE resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the fairly unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with BBQ, but DESERVES through '20, then drinking for 3 yrs more? Nicely done! 14.8% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 90, 91, & 92 pts (2x) WineAlign.com , 91 ea RJonWine & WS, and Silver @ the '18 Int'l Wine Challenge. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]
  
  Note: Today I didn't particularly notice the overextraction I mentioned in my TNs of 5/11 & 5/25/19, POSS because I was thinking with respect to BBQ, where overextraction is likely < of an issue?

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• 2017 Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel California

  USA, California

  A blend of 95% Zin & 5% P.S. "from select vyds in top growing regions: El Dorado (60%), Sierra Foothills (23%), Lake (14%), & Napa (3%) counties, harvested 9/1-10/19/17 @ 27.5° ave Brix; The fruit was hand picked @ dawn & sorted in the vyds, then carefully destemmed & optically sorted. Cold soaked before primary fermentation began in tank; The wine was gently basket-pressed, then racked to oak barrels to finish primary fermentation, malolactic, & aging (16 mos in AM (10% new) & FR oak."
  
  N: SMOKE atop RIPE berries with undertones of pyrazines? Intensity lurking?
  
  P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by the barest HINT of astringent pucker which evolves into a LONG, poss very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a distinct swtness to the unoffensively firming, dusty tannins. For now with, yes, BBQ should this be your preferred Zin style, but with the acidity so as to DESERVE another yr or so, then poss drinking through '22? 15.9% ABV; My VG+/EXC- in the flirting with R.S. style. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
  
  Note: Today I noted somewhat more acidity than I had on just 8/3 & 8/17/19.

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