P: MF, poss M, body; Almost swtish frt (with notes of lime, poss quince) nicely balanced by acidity. Long, lip smackingly tangy finish. While drinking VERY nicely right now, I see no reason why it shouldn't CONTINUE to do so through '19. 90 pts WS 12.5% ABV [This vendor's $11.95 for a split figures WAY at the head of the class!]
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
N: ATTRACTIVE, quite SMOKY aromas currently atop notes of spice, berries WAY underneath? With air spice comes forward
P: Med, poss LM, body; Almost swtish frt on front met by puckery tannins mid palate, this SLOWLY, & fairly seamlessly resolving thru the LONG, very, VERY slightly astringent finish which ultimately terminates with a dance between the astringency & an ALMOST sweet sensation. Excellently balanced, & VERY well made, this LOVELY wine DESERVES cellaring for 2-3 yrs, then drinking thru '22-'23 min! 13% ABV 90 pts WA [This vendor's $47.95 is AS good as any!] :)
N: Closed/muted; earth atop berries with notes of flowers/spice? Intensity POSS lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Almost rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by slightly puckerish acidity & very fine tannins, this somewhat resolving by the very long, slightly firm, VERY slightly spicy finish with [ultimately] almost swtish notes. Needing cellaring thru '19 (poss a tad longer), then drinking thru 21' min, this has the potential to represent STUPENDOUS value in a quasi-Burgundian style! (Think one of the Cote du Beaune villages, probably a lieu ditz, POSSIBLY even a 1er cru -- & check what THOSE go for!) [This vendor's $16.95 is as good as any.]
N: Earthy, poss smoky, atop berries, with notes of acidity? Intensity lurking?
P: MF, pos Med, body; Almost swtish frt nicely balanced by acidity. Long, VERY slightly astringent finish. A ripe, relatively low (for this var/appellation) acidity style for drinking now & into '19, though limited cellaring (max of 6 mos?) MAY improve it. Perhaps its the vintage, but could WELL fool in a blind tasting. [As is often the case, this vendor's price ranks @ the TOP of the class.]
N: Slightly closed/muted; Forest floor (mushrooms?) with undertones of roses? Intensity POSS lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Almost swtish frt met by tannins & pucker late mid palate, this fairly seamlessly somewhat resolving by the LONG, dustily tannic finish. Elegantly styled & DELIGHTFULLY balanced, this likely BUT needs cellaring into 2020 min. Assuming the frt holds (a MORE than "decent" gamble), it SHOULD then provide EXCELLENT drinking for several more yrs. The 1st 2013 I've tasted, it only confirms what I've read about the '13s being vastly superior to the '12s, "decent" enough wines, but tuff for me (at least) to imagine a REAL light @ the end of the tunnel. ( 93 pts Suckling [This vendor's $29.95 is a leader, as I've grown almost to EXPECT.] ;)
N: VERY slightly closed/muted; Init jammy notes evolve into berries with notes of smoke; Intensity poss lurking?
P: Med body; Almost rndish/swtish frt entry NICELY balanced by very slightly puckery acidity mid palate, this FAIRLY seamlessly extending thru the LONG (albeit VERY slightly faint) finish, VERY nicely made with WONDERFUL balance, I'm guessing most would want to cellar this for 6-9 mos, then drink over the ff 18 mos, QUITE poss longer. 14.4% ABV 93 pts Wine Review Online (@ $42), 90 ea WE, Connoisseurs' Guide, WA, & Anthony Dias Blue, and 89 WS [This vendor's $27.95 **crushes** the next CLOSEST listed "wine-searcher" competitor by $10!]
P: MF body; Almost rndish/swtish entry somewhat firmed by mid palate sturcture, this, if anything, building through he long (albeit currently faint), VERY slightly firm finish. I'm guessing this either needed a LOT more air or is currently in an awkward phase with the "guts" of the wine dormant. Otherwise, a disappointment & poor QPR [even @ this vendor's HIGHLY competitive $59.95.] Either way, MIGHT be a risky buy. :( [Ending note: after 2-1/2 hrs in a tasting glass it looked like it was finally evolving.] 93 pts Int'l Wine Review
80% Zinfandel, 17% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah; 14.8% ABV
N: Closed/muted; potentially LOTS going on -- jam, CERTAINLY, but OTHER addt'l, tough to parse aromas
P: Med body; Almost swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.) met by BALANCING, slightly puckery structure mid palate, this slowly, SEAMLESSLY, somewhat reeolving by the LONG, very, VERY slightly astringent finish. BEAUTIFULLY made in its style, this DESERVES celaring into '19, then drinking thru '21-'22 min. 93 pts WA, 92 Int'l Wine Report & Vinous, 91 & "Very Highly Recommended" CA Grapevine, and 90 WS. [This vendor's $33.95 is near the TOP of the pack.]
2014 de Ladoucette Sancerre Comte Lafond
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
[From a 375 ml]
N: FRAGRANT grass with notes of cat pee
P: MF, poss M, body; Almost swtish frt (with notes of lime, poss quince) nicely balanced by acidity. Long, lip smackingly tangy finish. While drinking VERY nicely right now, I see no reason why it shouldn't CONTINUE to do so through '19. 90 pts WS 12.5% ABV [This vendor's $11.95 for a split figures WAY at the head of the class!]
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2014 Mongeard-Mugneret Nuits St. Georges Les Plateaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
N: ATTRACTIVE, quite SMOKY aromas currently atop notes of spice, berries WAY underneath? With air spice comes forward
P: Med, poss LM, body; Almost swtish frt on front met by puckery tannins mid palate, this SLOWLY, & fairly seamlessly resolving thru the LONG, very, VERY slightly astringent finish which ultimately terminates with a dance between the astringency & an ALMOST sweet sensation. Excellently balanced, & VERY well made, this LOVELY wine DESERVES cellaring for 2-3 yrs, then drinking thru '22-'23 min! 13% ABV 90 pts WA [This vendor's $47.95 is AS good as any!] :)
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2013 Friedrich Becker Becker Family Pinot Noir
Germany, Pfalz
N: Closed/muted; earth atop berries with notes of flowers/spice? Intensity POSS lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Almost rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by slightly puckerish acidity & very fine tannins, this somewhat resolving by the very long, slightly firm, VERY slightly spicy finish with [ultimately] almost swtish notes. Needing cellaring thru '19 (poss a tad longer), then drinking thru 21' min, this has the potential to represent STUPENDOUS value in a quasi-Burgundian style! (Think one of the Cote du Beaune villages, probably a lieu ditz, POSSIBLY even a 1er cru -- & check what THOSE go for!) [This vendor's $16.95 is as good as any.]
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2015 Giacomo Grimaldi Barbera d'Alba
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba
N: Earthy, poss smoky, atop berries, with notes of acidity? Intensity lurking?
P: MF, pos Med, body; Almost swtish frt nicely balanced by acidity. Long, VERY slightly astringent finish. A ripe, relatively low (for this var/appellation) acidity style for drinking now & into '19, though limited cellaring (max of 6 mos?) MAY improve it. Perhaps its the vintage, but could WELL fool in a blind tasting. [As is often the case, this vendor's price ranks @ the TOP of the class.]
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2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
N: Slightly closed/muted; Forest floor (mushrooms?) with undertones of roses? Intensity POSS lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Almost swtish frt met by tannins & pucker late mid palate, this fairly seamlessly somewhat resolving by the LONG, dustily tannic finish. Elegantly styled & DELIGHTFULLY balanced, this likely BUT needs cellaring into 2020 min. Assuming the frt holds (a MORE than "decent" gamble), it SHOULD then provide EXCELLENT drinking for several more yrs. The 1st 2013 I've tasted, it only confirms what I've read about the '13s being vastly superior to the '12s, "decent" enough wines, but tuff for me (at least) to imagine a REAL light @ the end of the tunnel. ( 93 pts Suckling [This vendor's $29.95 is a leader, as I've grown almost to EXPECT.] ;)
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2013 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
N: VERY slightly closed/muted; Init jammy notes evolve into berries with notes of smoke; Intensity poss lurking?
P: Med body; Almost rndish/swtish frt entry NICELY balanced by very slightly puckery acidity mid palate, this FAIRLY seamlessly extending thru the LONG (albeit VERY slightly faint) finish, VERY nicely made with WONDERFUL balance, I'm guessing most would want to cellar this for 6-9 mos, then drink over the ff 18 mos, QUITE poss longer. 14.4% ABV 93 pts Wine Review Online (@ $42), 90 ea WE, Connoisseurs' Guide, WA, & Anthony Dias Blue, and 89 WS [This vendor's $27.95 **crushes** the next CLOSEST listed "wine-searcher" competitor by $10!]
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2014 Quilceda Creek CVR Columbia Valley
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
73% C.S., 14% Merlot, 6% C.F., 4% Petit Verdot, & 3% Malbec
N: SLIGHTLY closed/muted; Earth init atop berries with choc undertones? Seems ripe/deep; intensity lurking?
P: MF body; Almost rndish/swtish entry somewhat firmed by mid palate sturcture, this, if anything, building through he long (albeit currently faint), VERY slightly firm finish. I'm guessing this either needed a LOT more air or is currently in an awkward phase with the "guts" of the wine dormant. Otherwise, a disappointment & poor QPR [even @ this vendor's HIGHLY competitive $59.95.] Either way, MIGHT be a risky buy. :( [Ending note: after 2-1/2 hrs in a tasting glass it looked like it was finally evolving.] 93 pts Int'l Wine Review
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2014 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
80% Zinfandel, 17% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah; 14.8% ABV
N: Closed/muted; potentially LOTS going on -- jam, CERTAINLY, but OTHER addt'l, tough to parse aromas
P: Med body; Almost swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.) met by BALANCING, slightly puckery structure mid palate, this slowly, SEAMLESSLY, somewhat reeolving by the LONG, very, VERY slightly astringent finish. BEAUTIFULLY made in its style, this DESERVES celaring into '19, then drinking thru '21-'22 min. 93 pts WA, 92 Int'l Wine Report & Vinous, 91 & "Very Highly Recommended" CA Grapevine, and 90 WS. [This vendor's $33.95 is near the TOP of the pack.]
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