“Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle (Vermention), Syrah, & Tibouren; Destemming & slight crushing @ 7-8°C to avoid oxidation; Both the free run juice & pressed juices are vinified in s/s. ‘Batonnage’ is 2x/wk. Temp controlled;”

N: Almost a sense of charred frt atop minerals?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a counterbalancing acidity which keeps things moving into & through the LONG, t/s finish. I suspect slightly better as a quaff than with food. Drink now & probably into EARLY '21? 13% ABV; My VG+, which is somewhat lower because of the unusual aromas. 92 pts Suckling (5/'19), 91 Falstaff Magazine, 90 Vinous (Raynolds, 8/1/19), 89 WS, & 15/20 Jancis Robinson (1/27/19). [Sadly, & **TOTALLY** atypically, this vendor's $20.95 isn't even remotely competitive.]

N: Toast atop apples, poss pears; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish oak/frt BEAUTIFULLY offset by an acidity which elegantly guides the action through the LONG, balanced finish with an elegant tangy/swtness. DESERVES through '20 as the aromas aren't currently up to the level of the P, then drinking through '23? My EXC, assuming the wine's aromas catch up to the palate. [This vendor's $51.95 is $8 < than wine-searcher's 1 posting's "special"!]

Typically, 40-45% Grenache Blanc, 30% Clairette Blanc, 10-15% Roussanne, 10-15% Bourboulenc, & 5% Picpoul, hand harvested, s/s fermented @ cool temps (16°C), malolactic blocked [“to keep the wine’s natural acidity (low in our climate)”]; Aged 4-5 mos on its lees in tank; 250 cases imported (yet this wine supposedly has the largest production of any white in this AOC?).

N: Lanolin-like, with almost a sense of oiliness?

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a firming acidity which extends through the LONG, balanced, very, VERY slightly bitterish (but not unaattractively so) finish. A change of pace wine for now & probably the next 18 mos or so. My VG+/EXC-; 92 pts ea WS & Vinous (Raynolds), 91 & "Editors’ Choice" WE @ $46, 90 Wine & Spirits, and 15.5+/20 Jancis Robinson. [This vendor's (closeout?) $29.95 is a STUNNING $14 < the lower of wine-searcher's now 2 postings!]

Note: Today I liked it a BIT > than when 1st tasted on 7/20/19.

“The 2016 Rochioli blend was 72% from Mid-40 block, clones 4 (1995) and 76 (1995 & 1998), and the remaining 28% is a combination of River block (clone 5 planted in 1989) and Allen Vineyard, which the Rochiolis have farmed for many yrs (clone 76 planted 2001 & 2005). Harvested 9/6 & 9/9/16 @ 22.9° Brix; We gently press whole clusters for phenolic delicacy. Native yeast and full native malolactic fermentation take place in barrel, with sur lies bâtonnage. After aging 20 mos in 20% new François Frères & Taransaud Beaune FR oak barrels, this Chard was fined & settled in tank following the next harvest. 901cases were then bottled without filtration In Dec ’19 @ $65.”

N: Vanilla, minerals, with notes of lemons & undertones of sandalwood

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish oak/frt met by a LOVELY acidity which transitions into a LONG, ALMOST puckerish finish with hints of swtness to come & the BAREST *glimpse* of a very, VERY slight bitterness. Chablis-like, but with that oak... Nonetheless, I found this preferable to other Chards I've had from this producer. For now & through '21? 14.5% ABV; My EXC-, which may well be low depending upon the what happens with the bitterness. 98 pts WE (10/1/19) @ $65, 95 Dunnuck (6/14/19, 94+ WA (Perroti-Brown, 4/'19), and 94 ea WS (6/30/19) & Vinous (Galloni, 5/1/19)! [By all means, DO check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price!]

FYI, while I'm apparently NOT a fan of this producer's Chards :( , I *did* prefer this bottling over their ’16 Fort Ross & Woolsey Chards.

“From 10-45 yr old vines (2.6 tons/acre ave yield) grown in soils of mixed consistency (tending towards lime) @ 1,083 ft elev in Serralunga d’Alba;” Typically, “The wine ferments for 10-12 days in s/s @ 88-91°F. This is followed by malolactic fermentation & a short period of maturing in s/s; The wine is usually bottled & released for sale during the spring after the harvest.”

N: RIPE berries with notes of smoke & raisins; Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a bit of astringent pucker which evolves into a LONG, balanced finish with a TANGY/swtness (60:40) & an OCCASIONAL very, VERY slight bitterness to the relatively few, firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS another 8-12 mos, then drinking into '23? 14.5% ABV; My EXC-. 93 pts WS, 90 ea Suckling & Decanter (Brook, 8/31/19), and 89 WA (Larner, 6/28/19). [This vendor's $21.95 is $2 < wine-searcher's next current lowest.]

Note; 1st tasted on 11/30/19

N: RIPE, poss jammy, berries with notes of minerals? Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a TANGY/swtness (60:40) to the few, RELATIVELY innocuous, dusty tannins. DESERVES/needs through '20, then drinking through '23, poss '24. Nicely done in the style! My EXC-, & I'd listen to an argument for EXC based upon QPR. [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

FYI, *if* you've had previous vintages of this, I'd say it's VERY comparable.

"Cinsault: 5%, Counoise: 10%, Grenache: 30%, Mourvèdre: 30%, Syrah: 15%, & Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc, Roussanne: 10%; Each variety is harvested separately and manually. Vinification takes place in oak fermenters for the reductive varieties (Mourvèdre, Syrah), and in traditional enameled concrete tanks for the Oxidative grapes (all the others). Once the malolactic fermentation is finished, the Famille Perrin blends the different varieties. The blend is then aged in oak Foudres for a year before being bottled." 3,500 cases imported.

N: Attractively RIPE berries with some unparsables (noting garrigue?)

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (HINTS of raisins?) met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it morphs into the very LONG, balanced finish with glimpses of a potentially elegant swtness to the DUSTY tannins. An impressively attractive bottling, I'm guessing it NEEDS through 2023, then "safely" making its 15th... min? 14.5%; My EXC/EXC+, the higher likely a lock... eventually. 95 pts ea WS (10/'19), Dunnuck (8/16/19), Jeff Leve (9/21/19),& Decanter (Walls, 10/31/18); 94 Suckling (10/'19), 93-95 WA (Czerwinski, 8/30/19), 18/20 (cask) Jancis Robinson (Hemming, 11/19/18), 17/20 Bettane et Desseauve (9/3/18), and 4*(*)/5 drinkrhone.com ! [Sadly, & **TOTALLY** atypically, this vendor's $83.95 doesn't appear to be competitive. :( ]

"40% C.S., 40% P.V., & 20% C.F. harvested from 9/12 – 9/23/15; 28° C fermentation temp with up to 25 days of must contact; Aged 18 mos in barriques (1/2 new, 1/2 used), ff’d by at least 12 mos in the bottle; Bottled June ’17.”

N: Vanilla atop RIPE berries

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which pretty much works itself out by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS another 12-18 mos, then making its 10th, likely >. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-, & I'd certainly not rule out higher with some cellaring. 96 pts Suckling, 95 WA (10/31/18), & 92 WE (4/1/19) @ $70. [I found no other U.S. source with which to compare this vendor's $54.95.]

N: Vanilla SLIGHTLY atop RIPE berries

P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it transitions into a LONG, balanced, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a distinct swtness to the relatively unoffensive, firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '20, then drinking into '24? RELATIVELY nice QPR for this AVA in its style that at LEAST comes CLOSE to flirting with R.S. My EXC-; [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

"75.8% C.S., 16.2% Merlot, 4.0% Malbec, 3% P.V., & 1% C.F. from vines 4-27 yrs old; This blend is a great hand print of the Napa Valley. Valley floor vineyards are well-drained loam & clay loams, formed by alluvial deposits. The W mtn top soils are shallow & acidic with low fertility, while the E. mtn top soils are more volcanic, with poor fertility & incredible minerality. S/s fermenters @ 75-86° for 12-28 days skin contact; Aged 26.8 mos in mixed, predominantly World Cooperage, 60-gal oak barrels (≈35% new FR oak); 14.5% ABV, 0.65g/100ml T.A., & 3.63 pH;” 36,588 cases bottled Mar/Apr ’19.

N: Vanilla atop pyrazines & RIPE berries; Intensity lurking?

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it morphs into a LONG, balanced finish with a potentially elegant tangy/swtness to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS through '21, then poss making its 10th? VERY nicely done! My EXC-/EXC, very arguably the higher based upon QPR for this AVA. 92 pts WA (Perrotti-Brown, 9/30/19). [This vendor's $39.95 is ≈$1 < wine-searcher's next lowest.]

"Harvested 9/2 – 9/29/17 from the same family vyd the Biale family has farmed their whole lives, with addt’l grapes from our neighboring winery vyd in the Oak Knoll District; Hand-picked & hand sorted, the grapes are then crushed & gravity fed into open top tanks. The must is cold soaked for 2-4 days @ 50°F, ff'd by inoculation with commercial yeast strains. Fermentation is usually complete after 14-16 days @ a max temp of 86°F & 2-3 punch downs/day. At dryness, we lightly press to 100% Burgundy oak barrels (20% new). Malolactic fermentation is completed in the barrels, where it’s aged for 14 mos. 14.5% ABV;”

N: Vanilla slighly atop blkberries with earthy undertones

P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a BIT of astringent pucker which quite resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. For now & through '22. My VG+/EXC-. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

“A Cote Rotie twist on Petite Sirah – P.S. co-fermented with Viognier, & blended with a small amount of Syrah. The 2015 Sumo is a blend of 84% P.S., 13% Syrah, & 3% Viognier, all from Shake Ridge Vyd. The Petite comes from 3 blocks, one is 80% rock & produces small, thick-skinned berries with intense aromatics & dense structure. The 2nd Petite block also has very rocky soil with a W exposure - the berries are ever so slightly larger & the skins slightly thinner (remember this is still Petite!), bringing a juicy elegance to the blend. The 3rd Petite block is at the bottom of a N-facing block, & is all about vibrant, fresh fruit - the lifter of the trio. The 2015 Sumo was aged in a mix of barriques, Muids d'Oc, and Demi Muids - all FR Burgundian cooperage (70% new). 295 cases produced.”

N: RIPE, poss JAMMY, boys/brambleberries; Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which does pretty much resolve by the LONG, balanced finish, POSS with burgeoning elegance & notes of bitter/SWTNESS to the dusty tannins? NEEDS/deserves 12-18 mos, then drinking into '24? My VG+/EXC-, *certainly* the higher (poss even more?) IF the elegance fully materializes. 93 pts WS (Fish, 4/30/18). [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

Dan, THANK you for sharing your B-day bottle, thereby allowing me to revisit it after 'bout a yr. ;)

“From vyds of loam soils on a plateau from 800 – nearly 1,000 elev, & close to Mt Amiata, 1 of Tuscany’s highest peaks; Harvest time commenced mid-Sept. The 1st grapes to be harvested are always Syrah & Merlot, while C.S. & P.V. take a little longer to fully express their personality, ripening later. The grapes underwent pre-fermentation cold maceration for 2 days, maceration of the skins in must for 15 days, followed by malolactic fermentation in temp controlled s/s tanks. The varietals are vinified & aged separately for 12 mos in FR, 225 L barriques, & blended just before being bottled unfiltered. 14.23% ABV, R.S. < 1.00 g/L, 5.63 g/L T.A., & 3.57 pH;” 2,083 cases made.

N: Closed, but bacon fat atop RIPE berries? Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into a very LONG finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22 (poss '23?), then should make it through '27... min. An IMPRESSIVE wine with distinct potential! 14% ABV; My EXC/EXC+, the higher a good bet... with time. 97 pts Suckling, 95 WA, & 94 WS. [As of early Dec '19, wine-searcher still shows several sources from $60-$85].

Note: Also tasted on 12/1 & 12/29/18, TNs & scores remarkably consistent.

Dr. Tom, THANK you for your *generous* sharing of this wine, my 2nd vintage ever of it. :)

Had ≈45 mins of air in a small tasting glass before I got to it

“From a vyd planted in 1920 on a 45° ascending slope that faces due-E & has a topsoil layer of pebble ridden clay & subsoil layer of pure ironstone; The vines typically throw a crop in the vicinity of 1,000 kg/acre. These figures are extremely low, & subsequently we produce around just 500 cases for the world.”

N: Earth, leather, POSS licorice, cherries coming forward with air/swirling?

P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an acidity which subtly keeps thing moving through the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the firming, but QUITE innocuous, dusty tannins. I suspect @ its peak (or a bit beyond™), though SHOULD still work with lighter fare through '21. 13.5% ABV; My EXC/EXC+. 93 pts WA, 16/20 Jancis Robinson (5/15/04), + other scores on wine-searcher's Tasting Notes pg. [As of early Dec '19, wine-searcher still shows sources @ $158 & $170].

™A > experienced taster (particularly with respect to older wines) felt this was definitely on the decline.

José, THANK you for your generous sharing of this LOVELY wine! :)

N: ATTRACTIVE toast, smoke, & leather atop a melding of berries & pyrazines?

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a smidgin of astringent pucker which doesn't even remotely lose contact with the init frt as it seamlessly transitions into a LONG, *beautifully* BALANCED, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with an elegantly discrete swtness to the few, firming, dusty tannins. Suspect @ its peak, but SHOULD still work with lighter fare through '23. My EXC+/Exceptional-. 94 pts WS (4/'99); [As of early Dec '19, wine-searcher still 1 bottle @ $75].

THANK you to ALL those who made tasting this possible! :)

“From 8 Ha of vyds with good levels of marl dating to the Eocene period. The altitude of the vyds varies from 260-360m above sea level. Fermented in s/s & glass concrete vats, temp-controlled via cooling plates & jackets; Aged > 24 mos in 20-85 hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by > 8 mos of bottle age.”

N: Vanilla atop RIPE berries; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; NICE, almost swtish, choc tinged (?) frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it works its way into & through the LONG, balanced finish with notes of swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, could TAKE more, then drinking through '27? NICE potential here! 14.5% ABV; My EXC (92,93/100 using that metric), higher a good bet... down the line. 94+ pts WA, 94,93, & 87 winealign.com , 17/20 Decanter (panel), 17++ (Speller) & 16/20 (Jancis Robinson herself), + several other impressive scores on wine-searcher's Tasting Notes pg. [As of early Dec '19, wine-searcher still shows 1 source @... $170 ?!?].

Rick, THANK you for your GENEROUS offering to let me retry this! :)

From vyds > 25 years old in the N. area (Pelagrilli); Fermented in s/s @ controlled temps, then aged in 225 L FR oak for 24 mos, ff'd by aging in bottle; 14.5% ABV, 5.6 gr/lt T.A., & 3.5 pH; 1,660 cs made

N: Bacon fat & smoke, ripe berries underneath; Vanilla with increased air/swirling

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt reasonably quickly met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. VERY nicely made! NEEDS through '22, poss '23, then making its 15th? My EXC/EXC+, the higher a relative "lock" with time! 96 pts Suckling, 92 ea WA & WS, 91+ Vinous (D'Agata), 91 WE @ $42, and 17 & 16/20 (2x) Jancis Robinson. [As of early Dec '19, wine-searcher shows several sources from $46-$60].

Note: 1st tasted on 10/20/18

Rick, THANK you for sharing this surprisingly SUBSTANTIAL wine! :)

“From Nebbiolo grapes grown in vyds of calcareous soils situated @ 1,116 ft elev in Serralunga d’Alba, & typically yielding 2.6 tons/acre. In great years, only the fruit from the young vyds (those up to 10 years old) is used, while in weaker vintages fruit is added which fails to express complexities which we consider to be sufficient to wear the Barolo label.” Typically, “Harvested manually in the 2nd 1/2 of Oct; Ave fermentation & maceration lasting 8-10 days, very similar to that used for Barolo. It ages in traditional barrels for > a year.”

N: Attractive cherries, poss roses, with undertones of vanilla? Hints of tar?

P: LM body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt quickly met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it works its way into the LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish, yet balanced finish with a distinct swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '23 (I'd guess), then easily making its 10th... & a potential STEAL @ that juncture! My EXC/EXC+, arguably the higher for QPR, assuming it evolves the way I suspect. 92 pts Suckling, 91 WA (Larner, 6/28/19), & A- VinePair (Beavers, 12/3/19) @ $28. [This vendor's $23.95 puts it in the middle of wine-searcher's 3 current postings.]

THANK you for sharing this, José, & had you not mentioned it, *I* would not have known it was not up to the bottle you opened within the previous wk.™

N: Earthy, almost Madeira-like notes init, which evolved into something I might describe as prune-like?

P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness & a BIT of very, VERY slight bitterness to the few, fairly unoffensive, yet still firming, dusty tannins. Even as is, would work with food now through '21, poss '22.™ My EXC; 93 pts RJonWine (2/1/10), 89 Tanzer (Beltrani, 7-8/'02), 88 John Gilman (5-6/'11), & 16.5/20 (Jancis Robinson, 5/12/03).

™The contributor felt this bottle was probably drinking 7 yrs or so ahead of what it SHOULD have been, based upon his previous RECENT tasting.