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

N: FRAGRANT combination of minerals/flowers

P: MF body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) offset by an acidity which morphs into a LONG, balanced finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness that MIGHT still be resolving. For now & through '21, + might improve over the next 3-6 mos. My VG+/EXC- for this food friendly style. [This vendor's $19.95 puts it in the TOP 1/3 of wine-searcher's MASSIVE posting.]

N: CLOSED; Minerals, almost a flintiness (?) atop grassiness, poss gooseberries?

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a CRISP acidity which defines the wine as it works its way into a LONG, crisply balanced finish. Right now best for acidophiles, but MAY loosen through '20. My VG+, *very* likely higher IF the acidity loosens its grip. [This vendor's now $19.95 puts it in the middle of wine-searcher's 3 SKEWED postings.]

00% S.B. picked @ "varied levels of ripeness. After pressing, the juice is cold fermented in s/s tanks to retain bright acidity & preserve fresh aromatics." Aged in "97% s/s & 6% neutral FR oak barrels; 13.8% ABV, 7.3 g/L T.A., & 3.03 pH; Bottled Feb '19, released Mar '19."

N: CLOSED; Guessing minerals & grass, poss with some toast?

P: Med, poss MF body; Very RNDISH entry wtih NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) offset by an acidity which subtly leads into a LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish with possibly an OCCASIONAL *hint* of very, VERY slight bitterness? Nicely done for now & poss through '22? My EXC-; 90 pts steveheimoff.com , and the ff'ing '19 Contest results: Platinum & Best S.B. @ Critics Challenge, Golds @ Sauvignon Summit & Winemaker Challenge, + 4 Silvers & a Bronze! [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive price.]

Note: Also tasted on 8/31, 11/2, & 12/21/19.

N: Closed; Butter slightly atop sandalwood, poss spice?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish oak/frt (threshold R.S.?) offset by an acidity which transitions into a LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish with possibly an OCCASIONAL *hint* of very, VERY slight bitterness? A fairly elegant take (particularly @ this price) on the oak centric, CA style. Drink now & through '21, poss '22, *if* the bitterness remains in check. My EXC-, poss EXC for QPR? 90 pts WS; [This vendor's $23.95 puts it easily into the TOP 1/3 of wine-searcher's current entries.]

“Sourced from hillside vyds @ 270-320 m elev with vines ave 25 yrs of age; Intense pruning, production limited to very few bunches/plant (50ql/ha), harvested by hand with selection of grapes on selection table; Soft pressing of grapes, temp-controlled fermentation (30°C) & maceration (15 days), racking 2x/yr, slow continuous flow bottling in sterilized conditions; Aged 4 yrs, 3 of which are in 50-100hl Slavonian oak barrels, ff’d by 8 mos of bottle aging; 13.50% ABV & 5.30 g/L T.A.”

N: VANILLA atop cherries with notes of spice? Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a surprising low amount (for this AOC & vintage) of astringent pucker which does, however, persist into & through the LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a very, VERY slight bitterness & HINTS of swtness to the firming, very, VERY fine tannins. LESS voluptuous than other '13s I recollect having tasted from this DOCG™, & likely best for acidophiles. NEEDS through '21, then drinking into '25? My VG+/EXC-; 94 pts WA, 93+ Vinous (D’Agata), 93 ea Wine & Spirits and WE (5/1/18) @ $58, 92 ea WS & winealign.com (3/18/19), 91 Suckling, 91 (Brook) & 86 (Morris) of Decanter, + 16.5 & 14.5/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's $41.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]

™Reminds me of a Chianti-like take on Brunello, particularly when one factors in the "feel" of the acidity.

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

N: Vanilla SLIGHTLY atop RIPE berries with notes of spice

P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which works its way into & through the LONG, possibly very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with hints of swtness to the dusty tannins. A lean, almost austere style that may well blossom with cellaring through '22 (poss even longer), then EASILY making its 10th. 14% ABV; My EXC- with higher DISTINCTLY possible... eventually. [This vendor's $49.95 puts it in the TOP 1/3 of wine-searcher's currently somewhat limited postings.]

N: Slightly closed; RIPE berries (plums?) with notes of pyrazines? Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which morphs into a LONG, balanced, *possibly* very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a subtle swtness to the fairly innocuous, yet firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '20, then drinking into '24? Nicely done in a relatively ripe style. My EXC-; [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]

“100% ML; 20 mos in oak (33% Hungarian); 14.2% ABV, 0mg/100ml R.S., 0.66mg/100ml T.A., & 3.55 pH; 300 cases produced.”

N: RIPE cherries, poss wild straws, with notes of flowers? Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which SOMEWHAT resolves by the LONG, poss very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a bitter/SWTNESS to the dusty tannins. Deserves/NEEDS 12-18 mos, then drinking into '24? My EXC- (solidly), + could WELL develop into higher! ’19 Contest results™: Triple Gold & Best of Class @ Dan Berger Int’l; 95 pts, Double Gold, & Best of Class @ Harvest Challenge; 94 pts & Double Gold @ S.F. Int’l!; + Gold & Best of Class @ ’20 S.F. Chronicle! [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

™Ea of these @ $40.

“90% Grenache + 5% ea Syrah & Mourvèdre grown in the clay & pebbled soil debris of the Dentelles de Montmirail; Traditional wine-making in s/s & concrete vats; Crushed & destemmed grapes; Ave of 18 days of vatting with pigeages; Aged mostly in vats with some use of 1-4 yr, 228L oak barrels; Bottled after 12–14 mos;” $ 41.99 sugg retail, per U.S. Importer;

N: Closed; Straws with notes of garrigue; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; Rndish etry 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 firming, dusty tannins. Approachable now (IF one doesn't mind the finishing, dusty tannins), but DESERVES 1-2 yrs, then drinking through '25? VERY nicely done! 14.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 94 pts & “Editors' Choice” WE (Iijima, 12/31/18) @ $33, 93 ea Dunnuck (9/26/18), WA (Czerwinski), WS (6/'19), & Decanter (Walls, 10/8/17), 15.5/20 Jancis Robinson (Hemming, 10/11/17), and 4*/5 drinkrhone.com (10/’17)! [This vendor's $28.95 is as good as any of wine-searcher's currently LIMITED listings.]

“50% C.S., 20% ea Merlot & C.F, + 10% P.V. aged 22 mos in FR oak [coopers include Taransaud, Sylvain, Bel Air, & Dejarnac], 55% new & 45% neutral; 14.5% ABV; 7,496 cases produced & bottled unfined & unfiltered.”

N: CLOSED; Vanilla atop RIPE berries? Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with 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 finish with a tangy/swtness to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS through '21 for the tannins to loosen their grip, & IF the frt still shows, my VG/VG+ would likely be low -- particularly @ this wine's price pt. 92 pts ea Dunnuck (10/15/18) & WE (6/1/19) @ $25, and 88 Vinous (Galloni, 9/’18). [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

N: VANILLA (poss choc?) with RIPE berries WAY underneath?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it leads into a LONG finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, I'm guessing, then drinking into '26? While not even remotely resembling a Piemonte Nebbiolo™, it's nonetheless a VERY interesting take on that varietal with plenty of structure. My EXC-, quite poss > down the line. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

™One experienced taster (PARTICULARLY so with respect to Brunellos) felt it had WAY more in common with the southern rather than the northern "B". ;)

N: Vanilla slightly atop RIPE berries with notes of pyrazines from time to time; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; Rndish entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S., I suspect) met by a bit of astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt & quite resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the fairly unoffensive, DUSTY tannins. For now with food, MAY improve somewhat during '20, then drink through '23. As with their previous vintages, nicely done in a flirting with R.S. style! My EXC-, poss EXC *if* this is your style -- & you can obtain a discount on it! [By all means DO check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price!]

Dr. Tom, I'm *gobsmacked* @ your GENEROSITY in sharing this recently rated 100 pt wine! )

“Our 1st Estate Chard is named after our daughter, Lauren. Located in what we call the ‘golden hills’ of Forestville, the Lauren Vyd features our favorite clonal selections of Chard, & typically produces the most concentrated wine in the repertoire. The gravelly Goldridge soil series is unique and adds purity & lovely perfumes to this wine.”

N: Butter, but with a minerality & hints of lemons, poss spice; Intensity lurking?

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish oak/frt off set by an ELEGANT acidity which SEAMLESSLY evolves into a very LONG, BALANCED finish with a BIT of very, VERY slight bitterness which @ least currently, should be a + with food. VERY well crafted for now & through '22™, assuming the bitterness doesn't worsen. 15.0% ABV; My EXC/EXC+. 100 pts WA (11/27/19), 98 Vinous (Galloni), & 94 WS (Marcus, 7/31/19)!

™I'm undoubtedly being VERY conservative with this date, but as I've had but 1 Aubert Chard with as much as 4 yrs of age on it... ;)

Arturo, THANK you for sharing my 1st ever taste of Ruby Cabernet on cellartracker! :)

N: RIPE plums, quite poss even prunes

P: Med, poss MF, body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init swtness/frt as it fairly seamlessly works its way into & through the LONG, slightly bitterish finish with a distinct SWTNESS to the few, basically innocuously firming, dusty tannins. Not a particularly pleasant finish, though IF time helps, my VG *will* be low. (Poss cellar through '20?) 13.9% ABV

N: Toast, poss a BIT of butter, with apples, poss lemons, underneath

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) oak/grn applish frt counterbalanced by an acidity which evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish, but with a balance & even elegance. Nonetheless, I suspect this is drying out & should be consumed during the next 6-9 mos. My VG+, arguably EXC- for QPR. [See my TN of 7/6/18 re the pricing of this.]

Note: Also tasted on 8/5/17, 7/6/18, + 1/15, 9/1, & 9/21/19.

Yet *another* very, VERY generous shared bottle from this difficult to find producer, Dr. Tom! [I would literally know NOTHING of Cayuse were it not for you.] ;)

I'm guessing this was in a small tasting glass ≈2 hrs before I got to it.

Supposedly 85% C.S. & 15% Syrah, aged in FR oak (40-45% new);

N: RIPE blkberries, poss cherries, with undertones of spice, & POSS pyrazines &/or funk?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which SEAMLESSLY persists as it leads into quite a LONG, BALANCED finish with a bitter/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, I'm guessing, then EASILY making its 10th... min. VERY nicely done! My EXC/EXC+, & I'D not rule out even higher... eventually. 95+ pts Dunnuck & 94 Suckling. [As of late Jan '20, wine-searcher shows 3 sources from $138-$174].

Robert, THANK you for sharing this bottle which served as my introduction to this producer! :)

“Every year the make up differs depending on the vyds we think are the highest performing of the vintage.” 14.8% ABV; 200 cases made.

N: Choc slightly atop a melding of RIPE berries & pyrazines; Intensity lurking

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into the LONG, balanced finish with a bitter/swt (choc?) veneer to the fairly unoffensive, firming, dusty tannins. For now with fatty meats/rich entrees, + may well make its 15th. Nicely done in a BIG, full flavored style. My EXC, though I'd at least LISTEN to pleas for EXC+.

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

≈2 hrs in a small tasting glass before I was able to get to it.

N: Classic faded roses with notes of earth & POSS hints of orange rind?

P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a BIT of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with just ENOUGH very, VERY slightly bitterish, very, VERY fine tannins to, I'd imagine, be ideal with lighter food items for now & poss making its 40th? 13% ABV; My EXC+/Exceptional-.