Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Minerals, grass, almost gooseberries?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) nicely counterbalanced by an acidity which subtly defines the wine into & through the LONG, BALANCED finish with a delightful tangy/swtness. VERY nicely done for ow & through '21, poss EARLY '22. My EXC-/EXC, poss the higher for QPR? [This vendor's $11.95 is $3.54 < wine-searcher's lowest!]
Note: Today I enjoyed this CONSIDERABLY > when 1st tasted on 9/28/19!
Hand-harvested from vyds in Clarksburg, Monterey, & San Luis Obispo; "Whole cluster pressed, 1/2 of the grapes going directly into s/s tanks, the other 1/2 being fermented in new AM oak, where it ages on the lees for 9 mos, with monthly stirring. The finished wine is blended together just before bottling." 13.5% ABV, 0.66g/100ml T.A., & 3.51 pH; Released 6/15/18;
N: BUTTER with notes of sandalwood
P: Med, poss MF, body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish OAK/frt (threshold R.S.?), acidity adequately counterbalancing. The finish is LONG, balanced, tangy/SWT (40:60), & with but an OCCASIONAL glimpse of a very, VERY slight bitterness. Decently done for now & probably through '20 in its flirting with R.S. style. My VG+/EXC-, the higher arguably for QPR in this style. 88 pts Beverage Testing Institute, & the ff'ing '19 Contest Results: Golds & "Best of Class" @ $10 in the "Barrel Fermented" class @ S.F. Chronicle & Sunset Int'l, and Bronze @ CA State Fair. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano
"94% Sangiovese, 4% Syrah, & 2% Colorino (vines 10-26 yrs old) planted @ 270-375 m elev in clay rich soils of marine origin from the Pleistocene (3 million-120,000 yrs ago) & Pliocene (3-5 million yrs ago) eras; Grapes were picked between the end of Aug & the beginning of Sept; Alcoholic fermentation with the use of indigenous yeasts & maceration on the skins lasted 15 days, depending on the individual lots. Malolactic fermentation took place in large, Slavonian oak casks, ff'd by aging for 6 mos in oak and a minimum of 3 mos in the bottle." 7,750 cases made, 2,438 cases imported.
N: CHOC with hints of vanilla, undertones of earth, with ripe berries slightly beneath? A *bit* short on stamina?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a BIT of astringent pucker which QUITE works itself out by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL *glimpses* of a very, VERY slight bitterness to the few, VERY innocuous, very, VERY fine tannins. Unless the frt is masking structure, for NOW & through '22. 13.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC, the higher for QPR in a drink now style. 88 pts WS (10/31/19) & 87 WE (4/1/19) @ $13. [This vendor's $14.95 is as good as any on wine-searcher.]
Note: Also tasted on 7/27 & 10/26/19, & while I enjoyed both of those, today was the MOST positive of the 3!
50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, & 10% Mourvèdre from vines ave 35 yrs of age, planted in "varied soils, sediment, limestone, granite, pebbles, & alluvia," with an ave yield of 40 hl/ha; "Traditional winemaking methods, temp controlled fermentation. Long soaking on the skins. Aged 1½ years in oak foudres." 333,000 cases made.
N: Slightly closed; Tough to parse out, but ATTRACTIVE! POSS smoke, ripe berries, & garrigue? Intensity lurking?
P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish, blkberry frt met by an astringent pucker which quite resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL *glimpse* of very, VERY slight bitterness to the few, unoffensive, yet firming, very, VERY fine tannins. For now & through '21, probably '22. Nicely done! 14.0% ABV; My EXC-, & I'd listen to pleas for higher based upon QPR. 91 pts WA (Czerwinski), 90 ea Dunnuck, Vinous (Raynolds), & WE with "Best Buy" @ $15, 89 ea Suckling & winealign.com , 88 WS, and 16.5+ & 16/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $12.95 now puts it in the TOP 15% of wine-searcher's MASSIVE field!]
Note: Also tasted on 5/25 & 6/5/19, when I noticed < structure than I did on 9/7/19, today being more like the first 2.
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat works itself out by the LONG, balanced, TANGY/swt (60:40) finish to the fairly innocuous, yet still firming, dusty tannins. Surprising structure (at least with respect to acidity) still showing on this, making it a poss steal for acidophiles. Regardless, for now & likely through '22. My EXC-/EXC, the higher arguably for QPR, but with the proviso re acidity. 91 pts '18 Ult Bev Challenge, 89 WS, 87 & 88 winealign.com , 88 WE (9/1/18) @ $20, Silver @ '16 Int'l Wine & Spirits Comp, and the ff'ing '18 Contest results: Golds @ the Denver Int'l & West Coast Wine Comps, 7 Silvers, & 6 Bronzes! [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
Note; 1st tasted on 9/7/19, when I didn’t sense the level of acidity that I did today.
2018 Villa Matilde Falanghina Rocca dei Leoni Campania IGT
Italy, Campania, Campania IGT
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Minerals, grass, almost gooseberries?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) nicely counterbalanced by an acidity which subtly defines the wine into & through the LONG, BALANCED finish with a delightful tangy/swtness. VERY nicely done for ow & through '21, poss EARLY '22. My EXC-/EXC, poss the higher for QPR? [This vendor's $11.95 is $3.54 < wine-searcher's lowest!]
Note: Today I enjoyed this CONSIDERABLY > when 1st tasted on 9/28/19!
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2017 Bogle Vineyards Chardonnay California
USA, California
Hand-harvested from vyds in Clarksburg, Monterey, & San Luis Obispo; "Whole cluster pressed, 1/2 of the grapes going directly into s/s tanks, the other 1/2 being fermented in new AM oak, where it ages on the lees for 9 mos, with monthly stirring. The finished wine is blended together just before bottling." 13.5% ABV, 0.66g/100ml T.A., & 3.51 pH; Released 6/15/18;
N: BUTTER with notes of sandalwood
P: Med, poss MF, body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish OAK/frt (threshold R.S.?), acidity adequately counterbalancing. The finish is LONG, balanced, tangy/SWT (40:60), & with but an OCCASIONAL glimpse of a very, VERY slight bitterness. Decently done for now & probably through '20 in its flirting with R.S. style. My VG+/EXC-, the higher arguably for QPR in this style. 88 pts Beverage Testing Institute, & the ff'ing '19 Contest Results: Golds & "Best of Class" @ $10 in the "Barrel Fermented" class @ S.F. Chronicle & Sunset Int'l, and Bronze @ CA State Fair. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
Note: Also tasted on 2/16, 4/27, & 5/25/19.
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2017 Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano
"94% Sangiovese, 4% Syrah, & 2% Colorino (vines 10-26 yrs old) planted @ 270-375 m elev in clay rich soils of marine origin from the Pleistocene (3 million-120,000 yrs ago) & Pliocene (3-5 million yrs ago) eras; Grapes were picked between the end of Aug & the beginning of Sept; Alcoholic fermentation with the use of indigenous yeasts & maceration on the skins lasted 15 days, depending on the individual lots. Malolactic fermentation took place in large, Slavonian oak casks, ff'd by aging for 6 mos in oak and a minimum of 3 mos in the bottle." 7,750 cases made, 2,438 cases imported.
N: CHOC with hints of vanilla, undertones of earth, with ripe berries slightly beneath? A *bit* short on stamina?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a BIT of astringent pucker which QUITE works itself out by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL *glimpses* of a very, VERY slight bitterness to the few, VERY innocuous, very, VERY fine tannins. Unless the frt is masking structure, for NOW & through '22. 13.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC, the higher for QPR in a drink now style. 88 pts WS (10/31/19) & 87 WE (4/1/19) @ $13. [This vendor's $14.95 is as good as any on wine-searcher.]
Note: Also tasted on 7/27 & 10/26/19, & while I enjoyed both of those, today was the MOST positive of the 3!
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2015 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, & 10% Mourvèdre from vines ave 35 yrs of age, planted in "varied soils, sediment, limestone, granite, pebbles, & alluvia," with an ave yield of 40 hl/ha; "Traditional winemaking methods, temp controlled fermentation. Long soaking on the skins. Aged 1½ years in oak foudres." 333,000 cases made.
N: Slightly closed; Tough to parse out, but ATTRACTIVE! POSS smoke, ripe berries, & garrigue? Intensity lurking?
P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish, blkberry frt met by an astringent pucker which quite resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness & OCCASIONAL *glimpse* of very, VERY slight bitterness to the few, unoffensive, yet firming, very, VERY fine tannins. For now & through '21, probably '22. Nicely done! 14.0% ABV; My EXC-, & I'd listen to pleas for higher based upon QPR. 91 pts WA (Czerwinski), 90 ea Dunnuck, Vinous (Raynolds), & WE with "Best Buy" @ $15, 89 ea Suckling & winealign.com , 88 WS, and 16.5+ & 16/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $12.95 now puts it in the TOP 15% of wine-searcher's MASSIVE field!]
Note: Also tasted on 5/25 & 6/5/19, when I noticed < structure than I did on 9/7/19, today being more like the first 2.
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2014 Rodney Strong Merlot Sonoma County
USA, California, Sonoma County
"Harvested 9/9-10/6/14; Aged 20 mos in 100% small, FR oak barrels; 14.5% ABV, 0.59g/100 mL T.A., & 3.63 pH;" 57,375 cases made.
N: Pyrazines SLIGHTLY atop RIPE berries; Intensity lurking?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat works itself out by the LONG, balanced, TANGY/swt (60:40) finish to the fairly innocuous, yet still firming, dusty tannins. Surprising structure (at least with respect to acidity) still showing on this, making it a poss steal for acidophiles. Regardless, for now & likely through '22. My EXC-/EXC, the higher arguably for QPR, but with the proviso re acidity. 91 pts '18 Ult Bev Challenge, 89 WS, 87 & 88 winealign.com , 88 WE (9/1/18) @ $20, Silver @ '16 Int'l Wine & Spirits Comp, and the ff'ing '18 Contest results: Golds @ the Denver Int'l & West Coast Wine Comps, 7 Silvers, & 6 Bronzes! [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]
Note; 1st tasted on 9/7/19, when I didn’t sense the level of acidity that I did today.
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