NV Sean Thackrey Pleiades XVII Old Vines

Community Tasting Notes (40) Avg Score: 89.4 points

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  10/25/2021 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Retail $24. Trying to figure out what is in this wine was futile. There were multiple attempts, but none were the same. The best I could find? From one Robert Parker (not a fan, but that is another post): "a kitchen sink blend of Carignane, Barbera, Mourvedre, Syrah, Sangiovese, and a touch of Viognier." OK, if you say so. A friend game me this wine with these words: "I want you to try this, I think you are going to dig it." Let the record show that I accepted the wine begrudgingly as I'm fairly confident that I have never "dug" a wine. Well, maybe, um, until now. My friend (?) Wilfred Wong (can I call you a friend, Willie?) had an absolutely fantastic write-up of this wine on Wine.com which I have no hopes of replicating, but this wine is fruity, fun, nuanced, and even introspective. That is a lot to pack into a wine that is under twenty-five bucks. And as a cherry on top? It got better with more time open. I dig it.
  
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  11/12/2020 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Such a great value. An example of a California red that is at once rich and opulent yet poised and classy. There is California sweetness to the fruit, but it is held in check by a dry finish. This is what the Brits refer to as very more-ish. Always great value and integrity from this one-of-a-kind winemaker. Looking forward to opening my 2014 Orion in the distant future.

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  5/4/2020 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Fascinating wine, as always with Thackrey. First time trying this cuvée. It was quite plush yet very interesting, with all kinds of notes in the flavor spectrum, including some that I would normally associate with aromatic whites. I guess this is a blend of red and white grapes, so kind of makes sense. A good example of a wine that is crowd-pleasing but also has a lot more there if you're interested in following it.

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  11/2/2019 - IJC wrote:

  The cork was in perfect condition, and the wine has been properly stored since purchased (from Thackrey directly), nonetheless, the nose was weird, and the taste was bitter and essentially undrinkable.
  
  I have put a stopper in the bottle, and will come back to it in 24hrs. Sometimes things need time to come around. If this note is not subsequently revised, you may presume that there was no change.
  
  I hope this is not symptomatic of my having kept the bottle too long; if so, I have 3 others that may befall the same fate. Ugh.
  
  No rating.

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  7/15/2018 - IJC Likes this wine:

  I'm writing this note almost 2 years after drinking, so my only memories are the fundamental:
  
  1. delicious complex blend, all in sync
  2. plenty of life left in these bottles; change your due dates
  
  Rated +1 on a scale of -1 to +3

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View all 40 Community Tasting Notes

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