2010 Quails' Gate Estate Winery Optima Late Harvest Botrytis Affected

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 89.5 points

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  11/20/2019 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  10% alcohol.
  
  Deep golden yellow to pale bronze color. Fragrant, developed and very nuanced nose with sweet aromas of wizened stone fruits, some minty or even slightly cassis-like foxy notes, a little bit of canned tuna, light beeswax tones, a hint of dried pineapple and a touch of caramelized onion. Not your typical array of aromas, but they manage to harmonize with each other really well. The wine is sweet, medium-bodied and very balanced on the palate with rich flavors of caramel, bruised apple, some burnt sugar bitterness, light Earl Grey notes of bergamot, a hint of lemon marmalade and a candied touch of sweet foxy character. The high acidity keeps the wine very lively and fresh, but the mouthfeel is nevertheless quite oily and somewhat viscous. The somewhat sticky finish is sweet and oily with rich and lengthy flavors of lemon marmalade, some apple juice concentrate, a little bit of crema catalana, light Earl Grey tones of bergamot and a hint of sugared lemon wedges.
  
  A very lovely, fresh and attractive Botrytized sweet wine that is showing some developed characteristics, but still comes across as pretty fresh, focused and youthful at the same time. Drinking really well right now, but most likely will develop wonderfully for years more. Terrific stuff. Recommended.

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  1/2/2016 - neilemc Likes this wine: 87 Points

  Nose of lime, marmalade, and honey, with floral and pear notes. Rich, sweet fruit, guessing its reisling but no info anywhere. Thinner up front than a Sauternes and not as complex but good for BC and it ages effortlessly.

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  9/29/2012 - Kitura wrote: 90 Points

  Beautiful rich golden colour. Apricots, pears, butter and nuts. Great dense mouthfeel. Good acidity. Not overly sweet or candy like. Delicious stuff. Well done quail's gate. Why would you buy Icewine when this stuff is available for half the price for the same quality? This is at least an equal to any bottle of Sauterns I've had so far.

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  7/1/2012 - Kitura wrote: 88 Points

  Golden yellow colour. Similiar to Sauterens, but more apple than apricot. Good balancing acidity. Doesn't seem too sweet, very well done. Delicious stuff. Bravo! Will buy more.

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