N: FRAGRANTLY toasty with notes of lemons & undertones of vanilla
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish oak/frt nicely balanced by acidity, all of this seamlessly transitioning into a fairly LONG, pleasantly toasty, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish. *Nice* QPR (in the style) for drinking by mid-summer '18 (if not sooner). [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows 2 sources @ $15].
N: Tropical frt (pineapple?) with grassy undertones
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) adequately balanced by an acidity which, if anything, seems to build into the LONG, very slightly bitterish, very, VERY slightly honied finish. At this juncture, poss still coming together, could well improve through the remainder of '17, then drink nicely through '18, POSS longer? 90 pts & #57/100 of WS's Top Wines of '17, and 87 pts @ $19 from WE. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows 3 sources from $15-$19].
Addendum: Also tasted 10/7 & 11/25/17, + 2/10 & 4/21/18.
Syrah, Grenache, & C.S. from 10-30 yr old vines grown in clay-limestone soil with rolled pebbles; 20% aged in barrels;
N: Reasonably fragrant garigue with some violets as well?
P: Med body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which slowly, fairly seamlessly, morphs into a LONG, ult pleasantly bitter/SWT finish. Look for this gem to improve over the next 6-9 mos, then drink nicely into & probably through '20. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher shows no current sources].
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
“1654, 1125, BVR C12, 2626, & Heritage clones; Vyd blocks were harvested & vinified separately. Fruit was destemmed & transferred into fermentation tanks for pre-fermentation maceration, then fermented @ controlled temps for up to 7 days. Upon completion of fermentation, the wine was racked & underwent malolactic fermentation. It was then aged for 12 mos in French, tight grain, medium toast, oak barrels. 14% ABV, 0.8 g/L R.S., 6.5 g/L T.A., & 3.56 pH;”
N: Closed; Some berries/iron?
P: Med body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which only somewhat mitigates by the LONG finish with a BITTER/swtness to the dusty tannins. LOTS of potential for this price pt, but NEEDS 2 yrs or so to reveal it, & assuming the frt holds (a decent bet), should drink nicely through its 10th yr. 90 pts ea WS & WE (Czerwinski) @ $20, 87 winealign.com, + Gold @ '16 Cincinnati Intl Wine Comp and Bronzes @ the '15 Intl. Wine Challenge & Intl. Wine & Spirits Challenge. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows sources from $10 - $20].
Note: Also tasted on 3/4 & 5/6/17, today's sampling (for whatever reason) showing MARKEDLY > structure than the previous 2.
Typically, 40% ea Cariñena & Syrah with 20% Garnacha; "The Cariñena & Garnacha vines used for the production of these wines have an ≈ age ranging from 25-40 years. The vyds of Garnacha are on slate soils ≈ 2,000 ft altitude in the area of Cornudella de Montsant, the Cariñena vyds in the Darmós and Masroig areas are on clay soils, & the Syrah vyds are located on limestone soils. Aged for 12 mos in FR oak barrels."
N: Closed, but seems ripe & probably earthy; Minerals & notes of tar with increased air?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which only PARTIALLY resolves by the fairly LONG finish with ult a bitterswtness to the fine tannins. NEEDS 18-30 mos, I'm guessing, but the frt & body for that? IF so, a potential steal @ its price pt! 90 pts ea Guía Peñín & Guía Repsol, and 88 WS. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows several sources $11-$16.49].
2015 Gold Crush Wines Chardonnay
USA, California
N: FRAGRANTLY toasty with notes of lemons & undertones of vanilla
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish oak/frt nicely balanced by acidity, all of this seamlessly transitioning into a fairly LONG, pleasantly toasty, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish. *Nice* QPR (in the style) for drinking by mid-summer '18 (if not sooner). [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows 2 sources @ $15].
Addendum: Also tasted 11/12/16 + 1/7 & 12/16/17
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2016 Mason Cellars Sauvignon Blanc
USA, California, Napa Valley
13.75% ABV, TA: 0.51 g/100ml, pH: 3.45, & RS: .25 g/100ml; 100% S/S & NO malolactic.
N: Tropical frt (pineapple?) with grassy undertones
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) adequately balanced by an acidity which, if anything, seems to build into the LONG, very slightly bitterish, very, VERY slightly honied finish. At this juncture, poss still coming together, could well improve through the remainder of '17, then drink nicely through '18, POSS longer? 90 pts & #57/100 of WS's Top Wines of '17, and 87 pts @ $19 from WE. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows 3 sources from $15-$19].
Addendum: Also tasted 10/7 & 11/25/17, + 2/10 & 4/21/18.
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2014 Domaine Vallon des Glauges Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rouge
France, Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
Syrah, Grenache, & C.S. from 10-30 yr old vines grown in clay-limestone soil with rolled pebbles; 20% aged in barrels;
N: Reasonably fragrant garigue with some violets as well?
P: Med body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which slowly, fairly seamlessly, morphs into a LONG, ult pleasantly bitter/SWT finish. Look for this gem to improve over the next 6-9 mos, then drink nicely into & probably through '20. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher shows no current sources].
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2013 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
“1654, 1125, BVR C12, 2626, & Heritage clones; Vyd blocks were harvested & vinified separately. Fruit was destemmed & transferred into fermentation tanks for pre-fermentation maceration, then fermented @ controlled temps for up to 7 days. Upon completion of fermentation, the wine was racked & underwent malolactic fermentation. It was then aged for 12 mos in French, tight grain, medium toast, oak barrels. 14% ABV, 0.8 g/L R.S., 6.5 g/L T.A., & 3.56 pH;”
N: Closed; Some berries/iron?
P: Med body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which only somewhat mitigates by the LONG finish with a BITTER/swtness to the dusty tannins. LOTS of potential for this price pt, but NEEDS 2 yrs or so to reveal it, & assuming the frt holds (a decent bet), should drink nicely through its 10th yr. 90 pts ea WS & WE (Czerwinski) @ $20, 87 winealign.com, + Gold @ '16 Cincinnati Intl Wine Comp and Bronzes @ the '15 Intl. Wine Challenge & Intl. Wine & Spirits Challenge. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows sources from $10 - $20].
Note: Also tasted on 3/4 & 5/6/17, today's sampling (for whatever reason) showing MARKEDLY > structure than the previous 2.
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2015 Cellers Can Blau Montsant Can Blau
Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant
Typically, 40% ea Cariñena & Syrah with 20% Garnacha; "The Cariñena & Garnacha vines used for the production of these wines have an ≈ age ranging from 25-40 years. The vyds of Garnacha are on slate soils ≈ 2,000 ft altitude in the area of Cornudella de Montsant, the Cariñena vyds in the Darmós and Masroig areas are on clay soils, & the Syrah vyds are located on limestone soils. Aged for 12 mos in FR oak barrels."
N: Closed, but seems ripe & probably earthy; Minerals & notes of tar with increased air?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which only PARTIALLY resolves by the fairly LONG finish with ult a bitterswtness to the fine tannins. NEEDS 18-30 mos, I'm guessing, but the frt & body for that? IF so, a potential steal @ its price pt! 90 pts ea Guía Peñín & Guía Repsol, and 88 WS. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows several sources $11-$16.49].
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