N: Peaches, poss pears, with undertones of minerals? Poss flowers? [budosyu picked up on poss reductive notes.]

P: Med body; VERY RNDISH entry with apparently NICE frt met almost immed by a bitterish astringency which slowly morphs into a LONG finish with ULT a burgeoning pleasantness. HOPEFULLY "only" disjointed & but in NEED of 1-2 yrs? Otherwise, my VG-/VG. [I saw no other sources with which to compare this vendor's $15.95, which IS $1 < their price for the '16, which I tried RELATIVELY earlier -- & enjoyed.]

N: CLOSED; Some flowers, earth? budosyu noted hints of honey

P: Med body; Very RNDISH entry with apparently NICE frt met by an astringent acidity which keeps thing in check through the LONG, balanced finish with an intriguing bitter/swtness. Needs into EARLY Fall '19, then drinking through '21. My VG, poss VG/VG+ (which COULD be an underrate); [I didn't see another competitor with which to compare this vendor's NOW $16.95.]

From vines averaging 35 yrs of age grown in "...generally shallow soils. The subsoil alternates between gray marl & limestone beds sometimes very rich in fossils of Exogyra virgula, small comma-shaped oyster characteristic of the middle & upper kimmeridgian marls." Apparently put through malolactic.

N: An ATTRACTIVE melange of gun flint, & lemons (poss apples?), with toasty (?) undertones

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE frt braced by an acidity which makes itself felt through the LONG, TANGY/swt (65:35) finish. For now & into '22, I guess, & could still improve through '19. My EXC-, POSS > down the line. [This vendor's $22.95 is $2 < the lowest of wine-searcher's 3, VERY skewed current entries.]

"Planted in 1971, Sanford & Benedict is the most storied vineyard we work with. Its unique combination of rocky soils & cool climate makes dark & brooding wines that still have elegance & minerality. This chardonnay comes entirely from the old vines. For the 2nd yr in a row these were some of the last grapes to be harvested, being handpicked on September 19 & 20th @ 23 brix. The grapes were pressed & directly put into FR oak barrels (15% new) to ferment. The wine stayed there for 15 mos on its lees & was then racked & lightly fined before being bottled unfiltered in February of 2018." 13.5% ABV; 325 cs

N: Slightly closed; Butter, but with other unparsable subtleties. [budosyu, I believe, noted the popcorn that is mentioned in the winery's TN.]

P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish oak/frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by an acidity which slowly, seamlessly evolves into a LONG, tangy/swt (65:35) finish with a very, VERY slight (oaky?) bitterness. MIGHT still be improving? Otherwise, my VG+/EXC-. 94 pts Jeb Dunnuck, and 93 ea WA & Vinous (Galloni). [This vendor's $32.95 is an UNBELIEVABLE $12 < wine-searcher's next lowest!]

33% of the wine was aged for 20 mos in Hungarian Oak. 13.9% ABV, 3.59, 0.69 g/ml T.A., & 0mg/100ml R.S.; 320 cs

N: RIPE; Dk frts, cherries with swirling; Intensity lurking

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which loses the majority of its snap as it morphs into a LONG, spicy finish, ult with hints of burgeoning swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Certainly approachable now, this DESERVES through '19, poss even '20, then approaching its 10th? My EXC-, a STRONG argument for more QUITE poss based upon the QPR of this vendor's $19.95, for which I saw no other source on wine-searcher.

Revisited after 5-1/2 hrs in a sm tasting glass: P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE, almost swtish frt deftly off-set by a TOUCH of very, VERY slightly astringent tanginess which pretty much continues into & through the LONG, balanced finish with a delightful tangy/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. ∑: I'm upgrading to EXC-/EXC. Everything APPEARS in place, & taking a cue from the shop's proprietor, 6-12 mos of additional bottle aging may REALLY amp it up a notch or 2.

84% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo, & 2% Garnacha from their "Ygay Estate: 300 ha of vyds surrounding the winery in the southernmost point of Rioja Alta. Altitude ranges from 320-485 m above sea level.

"Grapes are first de-stemmed & then fermented in s/s tanks for 8 days at controlled temp in constant skin contact. During fermentation pumping over and punching down operations are regularly carried out. Afterwards the solid parts of the grapes are pressed in vertical presses with double screws. Aged for 19 mos in 225 L AM oak barrels." 10,000 cs imported.

N: Vanilla, smoke atop RIPE frt; Intensity lurking

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which evolves into a LONG, slightly spicy, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES/needs through '20, then making its 10th. My VG+/EXC-. 94 pts Tim Atkin, 93 WA, & 92 WS. [This vendor's $20.95 puts it in the TOP 10% of wine-searcher's postings.]

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

N: Closed; Vanilla, berries, earth

P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by astringent pucker which slowly, SEAMLESSLY transitions into a very, LONG, BALANCED finish that has a delightful tangy/swtness to the few, inoffensive, dusty tannins. Approachable now, this DESERVES through '20, but can take longer. (I'm thinking it may wind up approaching its 15th?) Very, VERY *impressive*, though atypical for Chianti Classico. (I *am* seeing budosyu's feelings that it's as if they were trying to make a Super Tuscan with ONLY Sangiovese.) My EXC/EXC+, though I can see WHY some Chianti Classico fans *wouldn't* be thrilled. [While very competitive, this vendor's $26.95 is $1 > than wine-searcher's lowest listing.]

Typically, "Vinified in steel with a maceration of about 20 days, and as a second passage, it is aged in smaller wooden barrels for about 18 mos, to then rest for a minimum of 3 months in glass. Composition of the grapes : 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo & Colorino."

N: Smoke atop RIPE berries

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which loses the majority of its bit by the LONG, BITTER/swt (60:40) finish. NEEDS through '21, then easily making its 10th. 14% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, & I may well be giving it short shrift. 96 pts Suckling, 95 The Wine Front, 94 WS, 93 CostcoWineBlog, & 90 WA. [This vendor's $21.95 puts it in the bottom of the TOP 1/3 of wine-searcher's entries, although at least SOME Costcos may be selling it for $17.99, which is $2 < wine-searcher's lowest!]

Typically, 70% Sangiovese, 20% C.S. & C.F., and 10% Merlot grown in medium-textured soil with clay & galestro @ 250 m. above sea level; Natural yeast fermentation with the wine resting on its skins for a least 18-20 days; Malolactic & at least 15 mos of aging in "small FR wood containers," ff'd by at least 6 mos aging in bottle.

N: CLOSED, but seems ripe; (budosyu noticed vanilla, poss milk choc)

P: Med boy; Rndish enty with NICE, almost SWTISH frt met by an astringent pucker which, while staying in touch with the frt, slowly evolves into LONG, balanced, very, VERY slightly spicy, tangy/swt finish. Needs/DESERVES through '19, poss '20, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. My EXC-/EXC. 93 pts Suckling & 92 Vinous (Galloni). [This vendor's $23.95 is $1 < the lowest of wine-searcher's currently limited postings.]

70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, & 5% Cinsault; Typically, 70% destemmed with a 4 wk vinification in concrete vats, pumping overs, & manual cap punching; Aged 12-18 mos: 50% in concrete vats, 20% used 228-litre oak casks, 20% used 550-litre oak casks, & 10% large barrels; Bottled unfined & unfiltered

N: Garrigue with undertones of ripe berries (straws?) & poss oak? (budosyu noticed something medicinal)

p: LM body; NICE, amost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which loses almost ALL its roughness as it transitions into quite a LONG, balanced, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a refined swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '21, then drinking at LEAST through its 10th. 15.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC, the higher undoubtedly after cellaring. 95 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 WS & Vinous (Raynolds), 92 WA, 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hemming), & 4*(*)/5* [vat/casks] with a "VALUE" & "STGT" ("faithful to its terroir") from drinkrhone.com ; [This vendor's $39.95 puts it in the top 1/2 of wine-searcher's postings.]

N: budosyu noted RIPE red frt & pyrazines

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) firmed by a bit of astringent pucker which loses virtually ALL its objectionality by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a refined swtness to the dusty tannins. For now & (safely) through '21, + MIGHT improve a tad for the next 6 mos or so. 91-94 pts Vinous (Galloni). My EXC-, & even though this is NOT "my" style, I'd *certainly* listen to an argument for a higher score based upon the QPR of THIS vendor's $41.95 relative to the Napa Cab AVA in general! [The only other wine-searcher source I saw was a STUNNING $26 < this vendor! So, IF this is YOUR wine, move quickly!]

30% P.S., 27% C.S., 12% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Mission, 5% C.F., 3% Malbec, & 1% Merlot from Sonoma & Yolo Counties; Aged 19 mos in s/s & barrel; 2,300 cases produced

N: budsosyu smelled straw on an herbaceous background with notes of smoke

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a bit of astringent picker which ULT *quite* resolves by the LONG finish with notes of BITTER/swt choc to the fairly innocuous dusty tannins. Deserves/NEEDS through '19, then drinking through '22. My VG/VG+. 92 pts WA. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

THANK you for yet ANOTHER *winner*, Dr. Tom! :)

Had been decanted for ~45 mins before I tried it

99% C.S. & 1% C.F., 47% from Bancroft Ranch, 27% Chabot, 25% Home Ranch, & the 1% C.F. from Bancroft Ranch

N: Attractively ripe beries, flowers, & probably smoke, rest tough to parse; [Though relatively inexperienced with Bordeaux, that's what came to mind for me. Moreover, 2 *far* more experienced tasters felt similarly.]

P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some puckerish astringncy which QUITE loses its punch by the LONG, balanced, SPICY, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a pleasant bitter/swt choc aspect that encourages more food/another sip. Right now would still be BEAUTIFUL with food, though fall off WAS noticed after 3+ hrs in a small tasting glass. Nonetheless, SHOULD hold for several more yrs. My EXC+/Exceptional-. 94 pts ea WA (from an 05/2011 review) & WS. [This vendor's $119.95 (1 bottle left?) is $29 < wine-searcher's only other listed source.]

Torben & Dr. Tom, you accomplished MORE than you would have imagined by noticing/SHARING this! [I'd tasted it on 12/1, deciding to purchase several wks later -- only to find it was out of stock. :( In all honesty, had you *not* shared this, I likely would NOT have noticed the shop rec'd what they'd been shorted on their 1st shipment. And such a wine doesn't hang around long: There were 4 in the bin prior to you selecting it, & because of your generosity there now are... NONE. ;) ]

Should you be interested, I’ve uploaded info for this vintage which you can peruse at your leisure. 😉

N: Init closed, though Torben & Dr. Tom both noticed some BRIEF "stinkiness"; Later I got cherries poss with flowers, & budosyu LOTS of earth, tobacco, & blk cherries

P: LM body; LOVELY frt met by an astringent pucker which, while staying in touch with the frt, seamlessly transitions into a very LONG finish with an ELEGANT *swtness* & OCCASIONAL *glimpses* of a very, VERY slight bitterness to the firming, yet unoffensive, dusty tannins. SENSATIONAL stuff for now & __ yrs more? [Yet, DESERVES cellaring through '20, I'm guestimating.] 14% ABV; My EXC/EXC+, more a virtual lock down the line. [This vendor's now out of stock $74.95 was a *stunning* $10 < the next lowest of wine-searcher's LARGE posting!]

José & Oscar, MIL gracias! :)

N: Natural oxygenation; Notes of orange rind? budosyu later smelled dried roses, with brown sugar coming on, poss tobacco?

P: LM body; Still nice frt met by an acidity which is the driving force through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with the barest hint of a very, VERY slight bitterness. STILL with the stuffing for food, so going to make its 50th? My EXC+ (which could even be a underrate).

THANK you for bringing this by, Greg! :)

95% Tempranillo & 5% albillo from 50% old bush vines & 50% trellised vines, ave age 25 yrs, planted in "soil comprised of boulder, round river stones, & sand with a subsoil of clay, sand, & limestone. The fermentation process (with indigenous yeasts) is very gentle without intensive extraction, in 50% ea s/s tanks & oak barrels. Aged 24 months in 80% FR & 20% AM oak (60% new & 40% 1 yr old barrels); Bottled unfiltered & unfined;" 14.5% ABV & 5.3 g/L T.A.; 2,500 cases made

N: José got vanilla with notes of pine, with glimpses of blk frts underneath

P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which loses most of its snap by the LONG finish with a very, VERY slight bitter/swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES through '20, poss longer, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. My VG+, poss VG+/EXC-. 94 pts ea Suckling & WS with #26/Top 100 for '18 @ $45, and 91 pts WA.

Note: Not NEARLY as impressive (or structured) as when tasted on 1/5/2019. As I've not idea for HOW long this bottle had been open, that may be at least 1 reason.