Apparently 20% spends 5 mos in 2-4 year FR oak where it undergoes malolactic; 3,800 cases

N: Floral with an intriguing note -- almost grn olive-like?

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish oak/frt deftly bal by acidity. The finish is LONG, tangy/swt, & with the butter under fairly tight wraps. Nicely done for now & through '19! 13.4% ABV per label; My VG+/EXC-. 91 pts Jeb Dunnuck (@ $22) & 90 WA. This vendor's $14.99 puts it towards the bottom of wine-searcher's top 1/3 of entries.

N: CREAMY oak, but intriguing (due to the uniqueness?)

P: Med body; Rndish entry with almost swtish frt met by some very, VERY finely tannic astringency which only SOMEWHAT mitigates by the LONG, very slightly puckery/tannic finish with HINTS of swtness. While I doubt this will "smooth out" WITH frt still remaining, my G+/VG- would DEFINITELY be higher *if* it did. 13% ABV. This vendor's $11.99 matches the only other current wine-searcher listing.

100% Grenache "...from every vineyard (vines from 50-90 yrs of age) in the estate. Through different soils, orientations and microclimates, it expresses San Martin de Valdeiglesias’ terroir." Aged "...11 mos in FR oak barrels of various sizes and tonneliers, then 6 mos in inox tank for natural stabilization before bottling."

N: Red rasps, straws, with floral notes

P: Lt body; NICE frt QUICKLY met by a tannic pucker yet while retaining the initial frt swtness, all of this slowly morpphing into a LONG finish of the the same ilk. NEEDS/deserves into late Summer '18, though the lack of body makes me wonder how this will do beyond, say, '19. 14% ABV; My VG+ with EXC *clearly* a poss. 92 pts Guia Peñin & 91 WA. [This vendor's $18.99 is as good as anyone else on wine-searcher.]

Supposedly 50% Carignan with 25% ea Syrah & Grenache from Domaine de la Dourbie in Minervois

N: RIPE berries with some smoke?

P: M body; RNDISH entry with frt almost immediately met by a bitterish astringency which DOES quite lose the bitterness as it transitions into the LONG, bit/swt (20:80) milk choc finish, which is what "flavors" the very, VERY fine tannins. MIGHT improve through '18, then drink for 3 yrs more? 13.5% ABV; My VG-/VG. [This vendor's $9.99 is $2 < the 2 other wine-searcher listings.]

Possibly 64% Merlot, 31% C.F., & 5% Syrah aged in 2nd use FR oak barrels for 12 mos

N: Minerals (iron?) with berries & undertones of pyrazines?

P: LM body; NICE frt met by a very slightly puckerish astringency which slowly transitions into a LONG finish with a tangy swtness to the occasional notes of very, VERY fine tannins. For now & COULD well improve thru '18, then drink through '21, poss a TAD longer. NICELY done! 13.5% ABV; My EXC-. [This vendor's $13.99 would APPEAR to be QUITE competitive!]

Typically a 95 % Merlot & 5% C.F. selection from the best parcels of old wine branches, situated on the plateau of Saint-Philippe-d’Aiguilhe with a clay-limestone subsoil.

N: Slightly closed, but seeming ripe with notes of earth, poss pyrazines

P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by almost sweetish, very, VERY fine tannins which pretty much carry through the LONG finish of the same nature. A nicely balanced wine that NEEDS into, if not through, '20 (poss longer), then going THROUGH its 10th. 14.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, likely more... eventually. [This vendor's $19.99 matches the only other currently listed wine-searcher source.]

100% C.F. from the 67% Weinbau, 21% Ciel du Cheval, 6% Tapteil,
4% Olsen Bros, & 2% Summit View Vyds; Aged 18 mos in 100% FR oak, 20% new, 25% 2nd yr, & 55% 3rd yr barrels, coopered from select forests of Taransaud, Orion, Sylvain, & Vicard; 14.1% ABV, 3.63 pH, & 6.30g/L T.A.; 1,200 cases

N: RIPE, JAMMY, berries, earth, more to give?

P: LM, poss Med, body with AMOST swtish frt met by some tangy astringency which NEVER loses the initial swtness as it transitions into the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy swtness (40:60) to the very, VERY fine tannins. MIGHT improve through '18, then drink for 3+ yrs more. My EXC-. 90 pts enobytes.com & 89 WE @ $30; probably 91 WS & Jeb Dunnuck, though I was unable to verify those. [This vendor's $18.99 is $4 < its closest competitor on wine-searcher's currently limited listings.]

78% C.S & 22% Petite Sirah, aged 13 mos in FR oak barrels, 30% new; Bottled 12/12-13/17; 4,000 Cases

N: Slightly closed; Berries, earth, more to give?

P: M body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by tangy swt, very, VERY fine tannins which pretty much resolve as it morphs into a LONG finish with a LOVELY swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. IMPRESSIVE stuff for now & through '21, with some short term improvement poss. 13.8% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. [This vendor's $18.99 is $4 < the next of wine-searcher's currently limited entries.]

Estate grown & bottled, aged 14 mos in 70% AM oak and 30% FR oak, 20% new; 15.3% ABV, 6.0 g/L T.A., & 3.56 pH; 1274 cases bottled 4/6/16.

N: Slightly closed; Berries with note of earth, rest tough to parse

P: LM body; NICE frt met by some tangy astringency which transitions into a LONG, poss very, VERY slightly faint, balanced finish with hints of swtness to the verY, very fine tannins. MAY improve through '18, then drink into '21. My VG+, poss EXC-. 92 pts & "One of the Best US Zinfandels of the Year" in Wine & Spirits [Feb '17], 90 pts RJonWine, and 88 WS. [This vendor's $18.99 is as good as any price on wine-searcher.]

N: Earthy, almost funky, with notes of jam?

P: LM body; ALMOST swtish frt nicely counterbalanced by a puckerish astringency which transitions into the LONG, somewhat spicy finish, ULT with a tangy/swtness to whatever very, VERY fine tannins remain. A "closeout" for $5.99 (!) @ San Diego Wine Co, this is a SENSATIONAL value for a Beaujolais-like / CdR-styled wine that is fresh, zesty, & with enough stuffing for drinking now & into '20, I'd guess. My EXC+ based upon this QPR -- while it lasts. :(