Too cold

"Sourced from 4 different vyds in the hills above the city of Krems. The soils are primarily löss & the temperature is moderated by its steep elevation." Fermented & aged in s/s;

N: Minerals slightly atop grn apples? Intensity lurking?

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a balancing, init spritzy, acidity which evolves (fairly seamlessly) into a LONG, BALANCED, attractively tangy/swt finish with JUST enough emphasis on the tang to encourage another sip/bit of food. VERY nicely done for now & through '21, I'd guess. 12.0% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 92 pts WS & 91 WE @ $19. [This vendor's $15.99 puts it in the top 15% of wine-searcher's postings.]

WAY too cold

86% of this wine is from the Musque Clone of S.B. + 5% Riesling; Sources: 65% Great Oaks, 9% Roblar, 12% McGinley, 9% La Presa, & 5% Lafond Vyds [Riesling]; Cool s/s fermentation; 13.7% ABV, 0.75 g/100ml T.A., & 3.17 pH; 3,580 cases bottled March, 13-15, 2018;

N: CLOSED; Minerals, poss some apples?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with nice, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) counterbalanced by an acidity which defines the parameters as it evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness. For now & through '20, + MIGHT improve a bit for 6 mos or so. My VG+, arguably VG+/EXC- for the QPR of this vendor's $12.99, which is as good as any on wine-searcher. 88 pts WE @ $18, & Double Gold @ '19 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp. [Check the winery's URL for more contest results.]

Way too cold

Frt from the ff estate Vyds: 45% Rincon, 37% Rosemary’s, 11% Las Ventanas, & 7% Monte Sereno; “Naturally barrel fermented with native yeasts, then aged sur lie 13 mos in FR oak barrels (14% new, 25% 1 yr old);” Bottled Dec 2017;

N: CLOSED; Toast with lemons, poss minerals?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish OAK/frt firmed by init almost harsh acidity which smooths WAY out as it evolves into a LONG, ULT VERY slightly bitterish finish. Disjointed &/or in a "bad" phase right now? If not, my VG; otherwise I've *quite* downrated it. 92 pts Vinous (Raynolds), 90 ea Jeb Dunnuck, WS, & WE @ $28, and "One Star, Good Value" Connoisseurs' Guide; [This vendor's $19.99 is $2 < anyone else on wine-searcher.]

From 10-20 yr old vines grown in the clay & limestone soils of a .35 ha vyd "located in Serralunga within the Barolo DOCG;" Only indigenous yeasts; Typically, maceration in cement vats lasts 20-25 days with pumping over 3-4x/day; Aged 6-8 mos in s/s and cement tanks;

N: Cherries, poss roses

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtih rt met by some astringent pucker which loses the bulk of its bite by the LONG, balanced finish with a bitter/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins, the swtness picking up steam as the finish continues. VERY nicely done! NEEDS/deserves through '19, POSS '20, then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-; [This vendor's $19.99 certainly compares favorably with Kermit Lynch's $27!]

Supposedly 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, & 10% Syrah, ave 45 yr old vines, from a 5 ha vyd with "terraces of pebbles on 'blue' clay from deposits in the Pliocene gulf;" Typically macerated for ~ 30 days, the Syrah & Mourvèdre being aged in large oak casks for 12 mos;

N: Smoke, poss bacon fat, with RIPE berries

P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish, Beaujolais-textured frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it transitions into the LONG, *perhaps* very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a pleasant sense of swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '19, then drinking for 4 yrs more? 15% ABV; My EXC-, poss EXC-/EXC; 90 pts Jeb Dunnuck; [This vendor's $14.99 is at the TOP of wine-searcher's currently limited entries.]

Typically, 44% ea C.S. & Merlot, 10% C.F., and 2% Petit Verdot; 100% barrel aged (33% new)

N: Cherries & pyrazines with undertones of vanilla

P: Med, poss LM, body; Rndish entry wtih NICE, almost swtish frt met by astringent pucker which, while staying in touch with the frt, transitions into a LONG, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a bitter/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '20, poss longer, then at least approaching its 10th. 13.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, poss EXC- for the combination of QPR & cellarworthiness. 91 pts WA, 88-91 Falstaff Magazine, 88 (2x) Decanter, 86 Jeannie Cho Lee, 16.5 (2x) & 16/20 Jancis Robinson, 15.5/20 Bettane et Desseauve, and 15/20 Gault & Millau. [This vendor's $19.99 puts it solidly in the top 1/2 of wine-searcher's current listings.]

Supposedly 59% C.S., 21% Merlot, & equal parts Malbec, C.F., & Petit Verdot -- & named after the vyd's's Jack Russell terrier;

N: RIPE berries slightly atop toast

P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which morphs into a LONG, poss very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a TANGY/swtness (60:40) to the dusty tannins. Deserves/NEEDS through '19, then drinking for 3, poss 4, yrs more. A high acid style that could well be a STEAL for those who gravitate to such. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-, poss EXC-/EXC *if* one hones in on the QPR of this vendor's $12.99, which is an ASTOUNDING $10 < the least of wine-searcher's 3 listings!

75% C.S., 10% Malbec, 9% Merlot, 4% P.V., & 2% C.F. from vyds in Luján de Cuyo & Valle de Uco situated @ high elevation (3,180-3,940 ft) with a semi-desert climate; Yields: 2.45 to 4.0 tons per acre; "Aged for 15 mos in new AM oak (20%). 5,700 cases bottled (unfined & unfiltered) in October 2017."

N: Closed; Smoke atop ripe berries

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it evolves into a LONG, PERHAPS very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '20 (though would be fine with fatty meats prior), then drinking for 3-4 yrs more. Potentially elegant in style over time. 14.0% ABV; My EXC-, though certainly with a GOOD chance for more down the line. 93 pts Suckling, 91+ WA, & 90 WS. [This vendor's $29.99 puts it in the top 1/3 of wine-searcher's postings.]

Supposedly 82% C.S., 11% Malbec, 6% Merlot, & 1% C.F., aged in FR oak for 23 mos (40% new);

N: Closed, but seems ripe with notes of pyrazines?

P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the dusty tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '19, POSS '20, then drinking for 4 yrs more? 14.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. 91 pts Jeb Dunnuck & 90 WA. [This vendor's $29.99 is as good as any of wine-searcher's current postings.]

N: Slightly closed; Smoke slightly atop ripe berries?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by the BAREST hint of astringent pucker which transitions into a LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish, VERY slightly tangy finish with a distinct swtness to the dusty tannins. Deserves/NEEDS 12-18 mos, then drinking for 2-3 yrs more. 15.1% ABV; My VG+, *poss* VG+/EXC- for the QPR of this vendor's $14.99, which is $2 < wine-searcher's only other current listing.