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Sat, 7/22/17, $2 Tasting
Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA
Tasted July 22, 2017 by srh with 234 views
Flight 1 (5 notes)
White
2016 Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Classic
N: Attractive minerals, apples, flowers
P: Med, poss LM, body; VERY RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) & notes of lemon met by a balancing, almost watery acidity which extends into a fairly LONG (albeit lacking intensity) tangy/swt & DISTINCTLY honied finish. Possibly disjointed -- & needing until the end of '17 to remedy that? For now, the jury's still out. [This vendor's $6.95 is as good as any.]
P: Med, poss LM, body; VERY RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) & notes of lemon met by a balancing, almost watery acidity which extends into a fairly LONG (albeit lacking intensity) tangy/swt & DISTINCTLY honied finish. Possibly disjointed -- & needing until the end of '17 to remedy that? For now, the jury's still out. [This vendor's $6.95 is as good as any.]
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White
2015 Rivera Chardonnay Castel del Monte Preludio No 1
NO oak; 90 pts WA
N: Closed, but toast slightly atop apples?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish oak/frt balanced by a TOUCH of astringency which somewhat resolves by the fairly LONG (albeit very slightly insipid) honied finish with a VERY slight bitterness. Decent for the PRICE, drink in '17 before the bitterness totally takes over. [This vendor's $7.95 TOTALLY *crushes* the one other U.S. source currently listed on wine-searcher.]
N: Closed, but toast slightly atop apples?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish oak/frt balanced by a TOUCH of astringency which somewhat resolves by the fairly LONG (albeit very slightly insipid) honied finish with a VERY slight bitterness. Decent for the PRICE, drink in '17 before the bitterness totally takes over. [This vendor's $7.95 TOTALLY *crushes* the one other U.S. source currently listed on wine-searcher.]
Red
2012 Stephane Aviron Fleurie Vieilles Vignes Domaine De La Madriere
NEEDS air, IMHO
N: Slightly closed; plums & earth with undertones of flowers; gains intensity & complexity with air
P: LM body; Still nice frt met by some firming astringency, which only SOMEWHAT mitigates by the LONG, ultimately bitterswt choc finish. Interesting, but I suspect has taken on a different character from what I'd imagine it once was. 87 pts WS [This vendor's $12.95 is BUT ~ 52% of the only other listed source on wine-searcher!]
N: Slightly closed; plums & earth with undertones of flowers; gains intensity & complexity with air
P: LM body; Still nice frt met by some firming astringency, which only SOMEWHAT mitigates by the LONG, ultimately bitterswt choc finish. Interesting, but I suspect has taken on a different character from what I'd imagine it once was. 87 pts WS [This vendor's $12.95 is BUT ~ 52% of the only other listed source on wine-searcher!]
Red
2011 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
95% C.S. & 5% Merlot from Stone Tree, Beverly, & Wautoma Springs Vyds; 14.5% ABV, 0.58g/100ml T.A., & 3.78 pH; 6,000 cases
N: Fairly fragrant VANILLA atop pyrazines & berries, which DO come forward with air
P: Med, poss MF, body; Almost swtish frt met by some VERY slightly puckerish astringency, this only SLIGHTLY mitigating by the fairly LONG, slightly bitter finish. While this MIGHT improve over the next 6-12 or more months, I doubt it will ever lose the bitterness which seems endemic. [However, when one considers other cellar tracker posters & the positive press, looks like I'm the voice in the wilderness on this one.] 91 Pts from Harvey Steiman of WS, 90+ WA, 89 ea Vinous & WE, and 88 Wine & Spirits. Gold @ the '14 Critics Challenge Comp along with Silvers @ the '15 L.A. International & S.F. Chronicle competitions. [This vendor's $13.95 is *unbelievably* only 42% the AVERAGE of the other 19 sources listed on wine-searcher. Even more relevant, it's < 30% off the next lowest price there!]
N: Fairly fragrant VANILLA atop pyrazines & berries, which DO come forward with air
P: Med, poss MF, body; Almost swtish frt met by some VERY slightly puckerish astringency, this only SLIGHTLY mitigating by the fairly LONG, slightly bitter finish. While this MIGHT improve over the next 6-12 or more months, I doubt it will ever lose the bitterness which seems endemic. [However, when one considers other cellar tracker posters & the positive press, looks like I'm the voice in the wilderness on this one.] 91 Pts from Harvey Steiman of WS, 90+ WA, 89 ea Vinous & WE, and 88 Wine & Spirits. Gold @ the '14 Critics Challenge Comp along with Silvers @ the '15 L.A. International & S.F. Chronicle competitions. [This vendor's $13.95 is *unbelievably* only 42% the AVERAGE of the other 19 sources listed on wine-searcher. Even more relevant, it's < 30% off the next lowest price there!]
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Red
2015 Viña Cobos Cabernet Sauvignon Felino
N: Attractive melange of vanilla, berries, & flowers -- with more to give?
P: Med body; Almost swtish frt met by some puckerish acidity, this SLOWLY transitioning through a slight bitterness into quite a LONG, very slightly spicy, VERY slightly bitter finish. I'd give this 12-18 mos, then drink over the ff 3 yrs or so. NICELY made, this shows a potential for elegance that is EXTREMELY rare in this price range! :) 89 pts WA; Gold @ '17 TEXSOM Intl Wine Awards [This vendor's $13.95 is QUITE competitive.]
P: Med body; Almost swtish frt met by some puckerish acidity, this SLOWLY transitioning through a slight bitterness into quite a LONG, very slightly spicy, VERY slightly bitter finish. I'd give this 12-18 mos, then drink over the ff 3 yrs or so. NICELY made, this shows a potential for elegance that is EXTREMELY rare in this price range! :) 89 pts WA; Gold @ '17 TEXSOM Intl Wine Awards [This vendor's $13.95 is QUITE competitive.]