Note: Likely from the same bottle as Vinnut

N: Lemons slightly atop butter with notes of minerals

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by BRACING acidity which sets the parameters into & through the LONG, tangy/swt (65:35) finish. For now & through '22 min, + may well improve a bit through '19. VERY nicely done! My EXC-/EXC. 17/20 pts & "Quite Good Value" from Jancis Robinson. [This vendor's $58.95 is $1 < wine-searcher's only current entry.]

N: Peaches with notes of earth, poss flowers?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, swtish frt (definite threshold R.S.) BEAUTIFULLY off-set by an acidity which keeps everything in check into & through the LONG, tangy/swt finish. LOVELY for now & I'd guess through '20. Nicely done! 12% ABV; My EXC-. [This vendor's $14.95 puts it in the top 1/2 of wine-searcher's currently limited postings.]

From a 2.8 ha vyd planted in 2005 in limestone & clay soils; Typically, fermented for ~ 20 days in s/s; Aged for 7 mos in stainless steel tanks, ff'd by 4 mos in bottle;

N: Floral, poss pears, with undertones of minerals

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt off-set by acidity which controls the action into & through the LONG, tangy/swt finish with OCCASIONAL *hints* of a very, VERY slight bitterness that is likely a +. For now & through '20. My VG+/EXC-. [This vendor's $17.95 is $7 < what importer Kermit Lynch charges!]

Harvested @ 22.8 ̊-25.0 ̊ Brix; Whole-cluster pressed & fermented with wild yeast in individual barrels (75% oak, 25% s/sl); NO malolactic fermentation; Aged 14 mos in 75% new FR oak barrels (Allier, Vosges) and 25% in s/s barrels; 14.9% ABV; Released 3/1/19

N: Attractive butter (?™) with notes of lemons & poss sandalwood

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish OAK/frt off set by a lovely acidity which quite keeps things in check through the LONG finish with room to grow through '19, then holding through '23, IF the oak doesn't add bitterness down the line. My EXC-/EXC, more eventually? 91-93 pts Vinous (Galloni); [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

™Guess it SHOULD read "reminiscent" of butter as is it even POSSIBLE to *get* butter when malolactic has been blocked?

From 15-40 yr old vines planted in a natural amphitheater between 200-250m alt in soils of lime mixed with clay; Typically, "Crushing/destemming, vinification with fermentation in s/sl vats at controlled temp with long submerged-cap maceration for 4-7 wks, depending on the vintage. Natural malolactic fermentation @ 20°C. Aged 24 mos in large Slavonian oak barrels, ff'd by 4-6 mos in s/s & a min 6 mos in bottle;"

N: Closed; Vanilla with notes of tar/roses WAY underneath?

P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the frt as it morphs into a LONG finish with hints of eventual swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS through '22, poss more, but SEEMS to have what it takes for that. 14% ABV; My EXC-/EXC; 95 pts Suckling, 91 WE @ $49, 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson, & Bronze @ the '18 Int'l Wine Challenge. [While competitive, this vendor's $39.95 IS beatable by $6 in wine-searcher's small, but HIGHLY skewed listing.]

"100% Nebbiolo from 30 yr old vines. Maceration occurs over 15-20 days. A part is aged for 18-24 mos in FR oak barriques (60% new – 40% used-once), & a part is aged for 24 mos in 50 hl Slavonian oak, then blended."

N: Flowers (violets?), minerals/earth underneath

P: MF body; NICE, almos swtish fr fairly quickly met by astringent pucker which surprises me by degree to which, without ever losing touch with the frt, it resolves by the quite LONG, very, VERY slightly bitter finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the [currently] amazingly tolerable dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20 [though '22 might be even better], then at least APPROACHING it's 15th. IMPRESSIVELY crafted! 14% ABV; My EXC, poss EXC/EXC+. 93 pts WA, 92 Suckling, 90 Vinous (Galloni, 2/18/18), & 89 WE (11/1/18). [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

From a 3.5 ha vyd with 50 yr old vines planted in schist & porphyry soils; "Vyds are on the E- & NE-facing mid-slopes of the Côte-de-Brouilly, planted to a density of 10,000-12,000 vines per ha; Grapes are hand harvested, techniques in cellar are purely traditional;" Typically, "Fermentation is 100% whole cluster (& does a full carbonic maceration) with natural yeasts. The whole clusters are put into 65-HL s/sl cuves and then are filled 2/3 of the way full to leave room for the CO2 to release from the grapes to form a natural cap over the must. The grapes are removed from cuves & pressed, and the juice is put back into the cuves to finish alcoholic fermentation (15-20 days). The wine is then racked into foudres where it undergoes malolactic fermentation, & then ages for at least 9 mos before being bottled unfiltered."

N: FRAGRANT red rasp/straw gelatin, the folks who detect "bubblegum" DEFINITELY getting it here

P: Med, poss, MF, body; Very RNDISH entry with very NICE frt frimed by a BIT of astringent pucker which only somewhat resolves by the LONG, balanced, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a TANGY/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Deserves through '19, then drinking into (if not through) '21. Probably a wine BEST suited for acidophiles. ;) My EXC-; [This vendor's $18.95 is as good as anyone on wine-searcher, & comes in @ $4 < directly from Kermit Lynch.]

Note: Likely from the same bottle as Vinnut

A debut bottling which "comprises some of the most famous sites in Russian River Valley, vyds that we have planted, farmed, & harvested over the past 20 yrs, featuring the Calera, Massale, Swan, 943, Martini, Pommard, & Dijon clones, vines 9-32 yrs old, from the Ritchie, Occidental Road, Dutton-Upp Road, Widdoes, & Dumol Estate Vyds. Harvested 8/23-9/23/16; Barrel fermented & aged 12 mos in 40% new FR oak (40% new) ff'd by 3 mos settling in tank; 3,250 cases produced."

N: Attractive choc, poss vanilla, slightly atop blk rasps, poss straws

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by SOME astringent pucker which QUITE resolves as it transitions into the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the INNOCUOUS, very, VERY fine tannins -- & PERHAPS an OCCASIONAL *glimpse* of very, VERY slight bitterness. While OBVIOUSLY a well-crafted wine, this struck both budosyu & me as being riper, less "traditionally" structured, & (at least currently) oakier than WE would have preferred, & *therefore* NOT particularly good QPR. For now & through '23? My VG+/EXC-, which will likely be on the low side for some (many?); 92 pts ea Jeb Dunnuck & WA, and 90 Connoisseurs' Guide; [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

Supposedly 47% Syrah, 28% C.S., 10% P.V., 5% C.F., 5% Merlot, 3% Sangiovese, & 2% Viognier; Aged in FR oak (60% neutral, 40% new); 2,450 Cases Produced

N: RIPE, plummy, probably jammy; Intensity lurking

P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by puckerish astringency which only somewhat resolves (& then not until the END) of the LONG, tending towards bitterish, finish with HINTS of swtness to the dusty tannins. Overextracted (budosyu felt not)? If not, MIGHT cellaring through '21 help? IF so, my VG/VG+ *will* be low. 94 pts WA, 93 Jeb Dunnuck, & 91 Vinous (Galloni). [This vendor's $38.95 is $6 < the next lowest on wine-searcher!]

40% Malbec, 30% C.S., & 30% Merlot from vines 50-80 yrs old planted @ 850-1,100m elev, yielding 1.6 tns/acre; Cold Maceration: 5 days @ 8-10 °C; Fermentation: 7 days @ 28 °C; Maceration: 25-30 days @ 22 °C; Malolactic Fermentation: 100% natural; Aged 16 mos in FR oak barrels, ff'd by 12 mos in bottle; 13.7% ABV, 6.22 g/L T.A., & 3.60 pH;

N: Slightly closed; Plummy, ripe

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which only somewhat resolves by the LONG, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, I'm guessing, then making its 10th? My VG+/EXC-; 97 pts, Platinum, & "Best Argentinian Red Blend" @ '17 Decanter Asia Wine Awards, 96 & Gold @ '18 Int'l Wine Challenge, 95 Suckling, 93 ea Wine & Spirits with a "Best Buy" & Tim Atkin, 92 ea WS & WE with #60/Top 100 for '18 @ $25, and 91 ea WA & Vinous (Tanzer)! [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]

84% Merlot, 15% C.S., & 1% P.V.: 92.5% Napa & 7.5% Sonoma; "The 5 blocks of Merlot grapes that contribute to this blend were night-harvested on October 11th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, & 24th of 2016. The wines were fermented separately in s/s vats for 10-25 days before being gently pressed & racked to FR oak barrels (40% new). To the unctuous, dark-hued core of Merlot, we blended in 15% C.S. from our 36-yr-old Rock Arch block, the oldest block on our estate (& also the source of our Reserve Cabernet), as well as just a kiss of Petit Verdot." 4,404 cs bottled 4/2018 & released 8/2018.

N: ATTRACTIVELY ripe with an earthy aspect & poss some smoke; Rest tough to parse

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which pretty much mitigates by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the fairly mild, dusty tannins. Deserves through '19, but approachable now with food, then drinking nicely for the ff 4 yrs. Classically done! :) 14.5% ABV; My EXC. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

80% C.S., 15% Merlot, 3% C.F., & 2% P.V. "planted in 1979 & 1984 from budwood sourced in the 1890’s from Chateaux Margaux;" 1.5 t/acre yield; Harvested 9/13-10/6 @ 23.5 Brix, 3.40 pH, & 6.5 g/L T.A.; "Fermented in small open top tanks, using natural yeast; Macerated 14 days on the skins, punched down by hand; Racked 6 or 7x during the course of its 2 yr barrel aging in 50% new oak (1/2 ea FR & AM) & 50% 2 yr old oak (1/2 ea FR & AM); Bottled July 2016 without fining or filtration."

N: Charming, elegant, budosyu mentioning graphite & describing it as very Bordeaux-like; Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss LM, body; LOVELY frt met by astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the frt as it slowly transitions into a very LONG, BALANCED finish with a refined swtness that hints of future evolution. Deserves/NEEDS through '21, but can TAKE more -- & should EASILY make its '15th. 14% ABV; My EXC/EXC+, with SOME level of Exceptionality a good bet down the line! :) 97 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 96 (Panel) & 95 (Kelly) from Decanter, 94+ Vinous (Galloni), and 16.5+/20 Jancis Robinson! [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]

FYI, & for sake of perspective (seeing as how the only 3 scores currently here are 82, 84, & 90 pts), my "EXC/EXC+" translates out as 92-95 pts via the 100 pt scale.

THANK you for sharing this AWESOME wine, José & Arturo! :)

A blend of C.S. & Sangiovese, the C.S. commonly making up 50-70%?

N: RIPE cherries with a definite funkingess & notes of smoke, leather, poss oranges, & something I can't quite ID?

P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt BEAUTIFULLY counterbalanced by acidity which slowly, without losing touch with the frt, seamlessly evolves into a very LONG, BALANCED finish which has a melding of tangy/bitterish/swt aspects, yet with NOTHING dominating! Should be SENSATIONAL with food now & for the next 4-5 yrs, I'd guess, though I'm thinking @ its ZENITH right now. 13.5% ABV; My Exceptional-, though I'd NOT argue against Exceptional-/Exceptional. 93 pts ea WS & Tanzer, 92 WA, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson. [As of early Mar '19, wine-searcher still shows 1 U.S. source @ $129.]

Steve & Kim, THANK you *so* much for the opportunity to retaste this! :)

N: CLOSED; Notes of vanilla & earth? Intensity lurking

P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE frt met by astringent pucker which somewhat resolves as it transitions into a LONG, tangy finish with a refined swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20, but could take more, then drink at LEAST several yrs beyond its 10th. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC; 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 96 Suckling, 95 WE @ $100, 93 ea Decanter (Morris) & WA, and 17+/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $71.95 now puts it in the top quartile of wine-searcher's fairly skewed entries.]

Had been open ~ 6 hrs (in a small tasting glass) & was now @ a cool room temp

N: Not much

P: Med body with a RNDISH entry & ALMOST swtish frt met by sufficient acidity which morphs into a LONG, tangy/swt, NOW oxidized, caramelly finish. DEFINITELY needs to be consumed, but was FINE for today (at least for THIS palate). 13% ABV; My VG/EXC-, poss EXC- (IF one likes "different" tasting experiences ;) ). [Of the folks who tasted it earlier (& gave me feedback), the consensus was DEFINITELY that it was better... SOMETIME in the past.]

Steve & Kim, once again, I *do* appreciate the opportunity to retaste this! :)

From vines planted in 2000 @ 400 m elev with SW exposure in the mixed consistency soils (but tending towards clay) of "localities in Bussia di Monforte d’Alba & Rivalta di La Morra; Typically, vinified in s/s tanks on the skins @ 25-26 °C for 6-7 days, with daily pumping over. After racking it is transferred into small FR oak casks, where it undergoes malo-lactic fermentation & ages 12 mos, ff'd by a further 3-4 mos pf bottle age." ~4,500 bottles produced

N: Closed; Plummy with earthy undertones; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which DOES lose the majority of its astringency by the LONG, balanced, very, VERY bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. Deserves/NEEDS through '19, poss '20, then drinking for 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-; [I could find no other source with which to compare this vendor's $17.95.]

Note: For whatever reason I found this considerably more approachable than I had on 2/16/2019.