Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.

N: INIT forest floor which blows off to notes of minerals, poss some flowers?

P: Med body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S.?), acidity trying to balance as it transitions into a LONG, decently balanced, pleasantly tangy/swt finish. A quaffer (I've my doubts it has sufficient acidity for food) to drink now & through '20. 12.5% ABV; My VG+, poss > for QPR? [This vendor's $14.95 puts it @ the TOP of wine-searcher's large posting!]

Note: 1st tasted on 8/10/19, when I was somewhat > impressed.

100% Friulano from marl & sandstone flysch soils of Eocene origin; "The grapes are carefully destemmed & left to macerate for a short period. Next, the fruit is soft crushed. The must obtained is then allowed to settle before fermenting in temp controlled s/s tanks. After fermentation the wine settles on the lees in the s/s containers for 6 mos. The bottled wine ages in temp-controlled binning cellars for a minimum of 2 mos." 13.00% ABV, "dry";

N: CLOSED; Guessing minerals?

P: Med body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) counterbalanced by an acidity which subtly leads the charge into & through the LONG, BALANCED finish with nothing out of place. Artfully done for NOW & through '20. My EXC-; [This vendor's $20.95 now puts it @ the bottom of the TOP quartile of wine-searcher's fairly limited postings.]

"The unusual style of our S.B. has been created by a confluence of factors. A key component of this wine is the highly floral Sauvignon Musqué selection from Sancerre, which comprises 1/3 of the blend. The Shenandoah clone balances this out nicely with its classic herbal, somewhat grassy character. For the first time, a substantial proportion of grapes were harvested from our own young estate vyds — nearly 30%.
"Full fermentation in barrels crafted by Tonnellerie Cadus (18% new) moderates green flavors. Elevage in barrel also allows for our biweekly lees-stirring protocol, vital to developing rich mouthfeel." 10,500 cases made.

N: Tropical frt slightly atop grass; Tough to parse more

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by an acidity which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly evolves into a quite LONG, BALANCED finish with absolutely EVERYTHING in place! IMPRESSIVELY done for now & through '21! 14.1% ABV; My EXC+. 97 (Whitley) & 96 pts (Apstein) winereviewonline.com , 91 Wine & Spirits (4/1/19), and 90 ea WS (4/30/19) & WE (3/1/19) @ $36. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

FYI, I thought ColoradoHat's TN of 8/6/19 *perfectly* cut to the chase on this wine: “This is not a typical S.B. It is almost a cross between S.B. & Chard.” Sooooooo... this might well NOT be a wine everyone should seek out...

“85% S.B. & 15% Sémillon, harvested 8/14 - 9/19/18 @ an ave of 22.4° Brix; 92% s/s & 8% new FR oak for a 21 day fementation @ 55°F; Barrel aged 5 mos sur lie; 13.5% ABV, 0.62 g/100 ml T.A., & 3.38 pH;”

N: Grass atop (poss) tropical frt with HINTS of toast

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt counterbalanced by an acidity which seamlessly transitions into a LONG, beautifully BALANCED finish with an elegant tangy/swtness. For now, could well improve for 3-6 mos, then drink through '22, poss into early '23. My EXC/EXC+ (92-95/100 using that metric), the higher poss for QPR? 95 (Whitley) & 94 pts (Cook) from winereviewonline.com . [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]

“Dominated by the Martinelli Charles Ranch Vyd, planted in 1982 with mixed Wente & other Chard clones in sandstone & shale soils; Harvested 9/19-22/16 @ 24.8 ̊ ave Brix; We press the fruit whole cluster for delicacy. Native-yeast & full native malolactic fermentation take place in barrel, with sur lies bâtonnage. After aging 12 mos in 12% new FR oak barrels (François Frères & Taransaud Beaune), the Chard was traditionally fined for clarity & texture during the following harvest, & bottled without filtration in January 2018. 3,017 cases made & released July 2019 @ $42."

N: Butter (but discretely) with lemons & minerals

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish OAK/frt offset by an acidity which subtly becomes the face of the wine into & through the LONG, balanced finish with OCCASIONAL *glimpses* of a (bourgeoning?) very, VERY slight bitterness. NICE enough for NOW & (safely, given the potential bitterness) the next 6-9 mos. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-, given that proviso. 96 pts & "Editors' Choice" WE (7/1/19) @ $42, 93 WS (6/30/19), and 92 ea WA, Vinous (Galloni) & Dunnuck! [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]

Note: Vis-a-vis "most" tasters (including Pro reviewers), I may WELL have a blind spot with respect to HOW 100% malolactic Chards such as this age &/or accompany food ONCE they've aged. :(

Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.

N: CHOC with RIPE berries, poss hints of spice?

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt offset by a SMIDGIN of astringent pucker which QUITE resolves by the LONG, *poss* very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a bit of tangy/swtness to the virtually negligible, very, VERY fine tannins. For now & through '21. My VG+/EXC-, & for me a relative disappointment vis-a-vis their '05. :( [This vendor's $26.95 is as good as ANY of wine-searcher's currently limited offerings.]

Addendum: For whatever reason, this showed better when retasted 12/28/2019.

Likely 100% Nocera cultivated on just a few Ha in the province of Messina, facing the sea, probably from La Baronia Vyd on Capo Milazzo; “Soils are of alluvial origin, & are loose, dark, deep, & with little structure; They are generally rich in small areas of lime.” Typically, “The hand gathered grapes are destalked, fermented in s/s & remain on the skins for 7 days at 25°C with continual mixing throughout. Racking with soft pressing follows, & the wine thus obtained carries out its malolactic fermentation in s/s.”

N: Pyrazines & earth slightly atop ripe berries

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which works its way into & through the LONG, balanced finish with an intriguing TANGY/swtness (60:40) to the very, VERY fine tannins. Best suited for acid aficionados? NEEDS 12-18 mos, then making its 10th? My EXC-, more eventually? [I saw no other source with which to compare this vendor's $22.95.]

From vines ave 40 yrs of age grown in stony soils on argillocalcareous soils, typically hand-sorted in the winery & 100% destalked; Aged in FR oak barrels (5-10% new).

N: Slightly closed; RIPE berries with toasty oak & poss some earth?

P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat resolves by the LONG, balanced, poss very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS through '21, & then drinking through '25? My EXC-, EXC *if* it develops addt'l nuances/depth. [I saw no other source with which to compare this vendor's $43.95.]

Note: Today I noticed > structure than on but 10/19/2019.

Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.

N: ATTRACTIVELY *ripe* blk, poss red, rasps

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by the BAREST *hint* of an astringent pucker which DOES manage to hold into the LONG, BALANCED finish with an elegant, tangy/swtness to the firming, but innocuously, dusty tannins. For now™, might improve for 6 mos or so, then drink through '23, poss '24? 14.1%; My EXC-/EXC, the higher arguably for the QPR of this almost dark, deeply fruited wine. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

™Assuming the frt wasn't masking > astringent pucker than I detected today. [However, IF I missed said "structure", won't be the 1st time... ] :(

"12.5% ABV, 5.8 g/L T.A., & 3.5 pH;" For addt'l info, be SURE to access the "Wine Article" by LindsayM for this specific vintage!

N: Something medicinal (wintergreen, though a > experienced taster thought spearmint), certainly "different", but also refreshingly attractive; A (poss) leafy component, with notes of minerals?

P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it seamlessly evolves into a LONG, balanced finish with a TANGINESS & hints of impending swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS through '22 to unravel, then at least approaching its 10th? My EXC-/EXC, with potential for even more... eventually. Quite an eye-opener with its distinctive styling! 96 pts Suckling (Stock, 10/15/18). [This vendor's $55.95 is an IMPRESSIVE $11 < than the only other U.S. source I saw.]

“From 40 ha of vyds next to Châteauneuf de Gadagne [to the S of Châteauneuf du Pape] & similar to the Crau plateau in CdP. The vines (ave 65-yrs-old) grow on Plio-Quaternary terraces covered with river stones, @ 125 m elev;” Typically, “55% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault, & 5% Carignan; Wine-making in underground concrete vats; Destemming of underripe stalks; The wine stays on the skins for over 4 wks. Gentle extractions; Aging in old oak casks & 600 L barrels for ≈ 18 mos;”

N: CLOSED; Guessing RIPE berries with notes of garrigue? Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat resolves by the LONG, POSS very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a bitter/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, & IF that helps, my VG+ will be low. 16/20 Jancis Robinson (Hemming, 3/18/19). [This vendor's $26.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's only current posting.]

64% P.S., 23% Syrah, 10% Zin, 2% Lagrein, & 1% Tannat; 15.5% ABV

N: Pyrazines slightly atop RIPE berries

P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (POSS just a TOUCH of heat?) met by an astringent pucker which QUITE works itself out by the LONG, balanced finish with a pleasant tangy/swtness to the FEW, firming, dusty tannins. For now & through '22. My VG/VG+™, the higher arguably for QPR in a ripely approachable, flirting with R.S. style. 92 pts WE & "Editors' Choice" (10/1/19) @ $29, 90-92 WA (Kelley, 5/31/18), 90 Dunnuck, + Silver & Region Class Champ @ '19 Rodeo Uncorked! [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

™I at least SOMEWHAT struggle "scoring" wines in this genre. As I wrote in my 5/12/18 TN for the '16 of this, "While I don't PERSONALLY 'like it', it IS reasonably done for what I suspect the winery desired, *&* LOTS of folks WILL derive pleasure from it."

“100% C.S. from 3 separate vyd sites in the E hills of Calistoga, Soda Canyon, & Pritchard Hill, along with frt from our Howell Mtn Estate. Aged 22 mos in 75% new FR oak.”

N: Closed; RIPE berries with notes of toast & hints of earth; Intensity lurking?

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which at least SOMEWHAT works itself out by the LONG, balanced finish with a TANGY/swtness (60:40) to the FAIRLY innocuous, dusty tannins. Not at all overblown, & cellaring through '21 could yield potential elegance. 14.8% ABV; My EXC- with > eventually a DISTINCT possibility. 93+ pts WA; [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

“100% C.S. (42% Mast Ranch, 
35% Flat Rock Ranch, & 23% Linda Vista Ranch); 21 mos in FR oak (42% new); 14.8% ABV; 2,060 cases produced.”

N: Closed; VANILLA with poss hints of dill seed, berries underneath? Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it somewhat resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a potentially elegant tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, poss '23, then drinking through '27? My EXC-/EXC, certainly the higher for QPR from this AVA, + poss even >... eventually? 93 pts Suckling & 90 Vinous (Galloni). [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price!]

Note: Today I sensed > underlying structure than when 1st tasted this on 9/21/19. From having SOME experience with previous vintages from this producer's estate, I'd wager today's was likely the more reliable.

Dan, thanks to YOUR *perceptive* "scoring" of this stash, I'm getting to try some "classic" wines to which I'd not have otherwise been exposed. ¡BRAVO, my friend! :)

From a collection of questionable storage

N: Closed; Leather, earth, poss some HINTS of forest floor? Intensity lurking?

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish "frt" met by a BIT of astringent PUCKER which stays within hailing distance of the init "frt" as it seamlessly transitions into a LONG, balanced finish with an elegant tangy/swtness to the few, firming, unoffensive, dusty tannins. Would still work now with food (I suspect 'cuz of its acidity & balance), & I'm guessing it could have continued to do so through '22, poss >? 14.3% ABV; My EXC/EXC+. 88 pts WS (9/30/96).

Robert, THANK you for so graciously sharing this! Regardless of how it turned out, it's the intentions & FELLOWSHIP that *truly* count! :)

TCA: 1st smelled 90 min or so after opening, then ≈4-1/2 hrs after having been initially aired -- & it had worsened.

13% ABV; 90 pts WA & 87 WS (1/31/01). [As of mid Nov '19, wine-searcher still shows 2 sources @ $35 & $40].

Rick [Mr. Barbaresco, of late ;) ], THANK you soooooo MUCH for keepin' me "up" on what the shop carries from this DOCG!

Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.

N: Earthiness, slight TCA? [A much, MUCH > experienced Piedmonte taster assured me NO chlorine;]

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, balanced finish with glimpses of swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, poss '23, to potentially emerge as a swan. 14.5% ABV; My EXC. [This vendor's $34.95 is now $2 < wine-searcher's lowest.]

Note: 1st tasted on 7/20/19

Dan (Qualcomm), THANK you for sharing this Réserve bottling that many (MOST?) of us had never even *realized* Bonny Doon produced!

“39% Mourvèdre, 33% Grenache, 26% Syrah, & 2% Cinsaut from the ff vyds: 27% Alta Loma, 26% Del Barba, 16% Ventana, 15% Bien Nacido, 13% Rancho Solo, & 3% Bechtold; After a short tenure in barrel, assemblage, & completion of malolactic fermentation, the wine was removed to 5-gallon glass carboys (bonbonnes), where it reposed sur lie for 23 mos. 13.5% ABV, 5.5 g/L T.A., & 3.6 pH; 645 cases produced.”

N: Vanilla (?) slightly atop ripe berries with hints of garrigue? Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which PRETTY much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a refined tangy/swtness to the few, dusty tannins. For now & likely making its 10th. My EXC; 92 pts WE (12/31/17) @ $60.

Danny, THANK you for sharing this gem -- 'fore it (at least temporarily) was sold out!

"Blandy's 10 yr old Bual undergoes pelicular maceration followed by fermentation with natural yeast @ temps of 18°C - 21°C in temp controlled tanks. After approximately 3 days, fortification with vinic alcohol takes place, arresting fermentation at the desired degree of sweetness.

"Blandy’s 10 yr old Bual a blend of wines with an ave of 10 yrs in seasoned AM oak casks. The wines were aged at the family’s Lodge in Funchal in the traditional ‘Canteiro’ system, whereby the wine is gradually transferred from the higher floors where the temps are higher, to the middle floors, & eventually to the ground floor where temps are cooler. The process of transferring the barrels is absolutely critical to ensure the right balance of ullage & concentration. All through the ageing process, the primary fruit flavours of the wine are gently transformed into tertiary dried fruit notes that produce unique Madeira hallmark bouquet.

"This wine was regularly racked during this ageing process & was fined before bottling [apparently in 2016]. 19% ABV, 100 g/l R.S., 7 g/l T.A., & 3.4 Baumé;"

Once again, 1n a small tasting glass for ≈5 hrs before I got to it. Also, my TN for today's bottle is SUBSTANTIALLY the same as on 10/26/2019. In short, this is a MARVELOUS sipping/desert wine for the price! Once again, My EXC; 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Harding, 9/26/17). [This vendor's $23.95/500 ml is $4 < wine-searcher's lowest.]