“From 30-35 yr old vines planted on the clay-limestone soils of Sainte Gemme, a small village located in the heart of the Centre-Loire area; Traditional vinification with low temp fermentation & maturation on fine lees in tank;”

N: FLOWERS atop minerals with notes of minerals

P: Med body; Very RNDISH entr with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a LOVELY acidity that keeps things in check into & through the LONG, BALANCED, TANGY/swt finish. A versatile style POSS *slightly* better as a quaff than with food. For now & probably through '21. My EXC-/EXC; 91 pts Vinous (Raynolds, 8/1/19) & 88 WE (10/1/19) @ $20. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]

N: Closed; Flowers & notes of minerals?

P: Med body; VERY RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish somewhat, lanolin-like frt offset by an acidity which takes charge as it morphs into the LONG finish with a potentially elegant tangy/swtness. For now & through '21. My VG+/EXC-, the higher for QPR? [This vendor's $15.95 has no current competitor on wine-searcher, unless one commits to 12 bottles @ $17.40/bottle.]

“96% S.B. & 4% Sauvignon Gris (3.8 tons/acre ave yield) harvested 9/20 - 9/28/18 @ 24.2° ave Brix; Barrel fermentation with native & cultured yeasts; Bi-weekly bâtonnage for 3 mos; NO malolactic fermentation; Aged 7 mos in 66% FR oak (9% new) & 31% s/s drums; 14.5% ABV, 6.86 g/L T.A., & 3.16 pH; Bottled 6/25/19.”

N: Fairly attractive pineapple SLIGHTLY atop grass

P: Med, poss MF, body; VERY RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S.?) offset by an acidity which at least somewhat keeps things in check as it fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish. "Sneaky" acidity makes this > than a quaffer. For now & through '21, *poss* longer. My EXC-; [Check with this vendor if interested in their pricing.]

“A blend of vyds located in Coombsville, grapes harvested 9/6–10/24/18; 85% barrel fermented, 15% tank; No ML; Aged 10 mos sur lie in FR oak (50% new, 50% once-used); Released October 2019;”

N: An attractive melding of pineapple & toast (which strikes me as almost butterish)

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish oak & frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) counterbalanced by an acidity which leads into a LONG, BALANCED finish with an elegant TANGY/swtness (60:40) & OCCASIONAL *hints* of a very, VERY slight bitterness that would DEFINITELY not be a problem now with food. LOTS of class, is likely still improving, & should be good to go through '22, poss longer. My EXC; Silver from ’20 Rodeo Uncorked! Int’l @ $55. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]

“Area: 0.63 ha; Owner: GFA des ARBAUPINS; This parcel is located next to the GROS family parcel of RICHEBOURG in the N. The draining capacity of the place may explain its name: the natural vegetation would be quickly ‘burned’ during summer because of the dryness of the soil. The soil is very stony, of a 30-35cm thickness, & the subsoil is made of hard limestone (similar to Prémeaux stones).” Typically, “This wine offers a great minerality. It is similar to Richebourg from which it is separated only by a 3m-wide lane. But the soil, which is not as thick as the Richebourg's, brings more softness to the tannins & makes it more rapidly accessible.”

N: Vanilla atop RIPE berries with notes of minerals with poss forest floor? Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it fairly seamlessly transitions into a very LONG, impeccably BALANCED finish with a slight tanginess & sense of swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. NEEDS/deserves through '22 min, then EASILY making its 10th. IMPRESSIVELY done! My EXC/EXC+, the higher a good bet... eventually. 90-92 pts ea Burghound (1/’19) & Vinous (Martin, 1/1/19), and 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (1/7/19). [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

"All fruit was grown in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys (primarily hillside plantings), & principally sourced from the Yarrum Vyd situated on the Brancott / Ben Morven ridge. Typical of this sub- region, the wind-blown loess soils are comprised of clay-loams with differing degrees of gravel content. The various source blocks are cultivated to a mixture of P.N. clones, predominantly the Dijon clones 115, 777, & 667, with smaller parcels of UCD5 & AM 10/5. The grapes were hand-harvested & chilled overnight prior to hand sorting. Most of the fruit was then de-stemmed into open-top fermenters, the majority of which also had a % of whole-bunch inclusion. The fruit was left to soak on skins prior to the onset of indigenous yeast fermentation, then plunged daily. After fermentation the wine was pressed, racked, & filled to FR oak barriques (30% new).
"Individual clones were aged separately in barrel for 18 mos, prior to blending in Sept. 13.5% ABV, 5.5 g/l T.A., & 3.63 pH; Bottled Nov 2017 & released Sept 2018;"

N: SMOKE slightly atop RIPE berries with notes of toast & minerals

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which transitions into a LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, I'm guessing, then drinking into '25? Nicely done. My EXC-/EXC. 95 pts & Suckling's (Stock) #33/Top 100 NZ Wines for '18, 94 Bob Campbell, 91 WA (Czerwinski), & 17+/20 Jancis Robinson (Jackson, 2/24/19). [This vendor's $26.95 is ≈$8 < wine-searcher's lowest!]

Note: Also tasted on 6/2 & 6/29/19.

“From a Vyd in the Bannockburn sub-region with soils of deep heavy silts & a thin layer of loess topsoil; Harvesting began early on 2/28 & proceeded in an orderly & measured pace over the next 3 wks. Gently destemmed directly into open-top fermenters without pumping with approximately 25% as whole clusters; Long pre-fermentation soaks of 8-10 days prior to fermentation with indigenous yeasts, & punched down by hand up to 2x/day with a total time on skins of 21-23 days; Pressed off & barrels filled immediately by gravity to the underground barrel cellars; The wine spent 16 mos in barrel (30% new FR) with 2 rackings & no fining or filtration, before bottling in late-Aug 2019.”

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 fairly seamlessly leads into a very LONG, BALANCED finish with notes of swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS 2-3 yrs to strut its stuff, then drinking into '26? VERY nicely done! 13.5% ABV; My EXC, poss higher down the line. 94-95 pts Suckling (10/16/19). [This vendor's $45.95 is ≈$3 < wine-searcher's lowest.]

50% ea Syrah (yields of ~25 hl/ha) & Grenache (yields of ~20 hl/ha); "The Grenache parcel is one of the most elevated of the estate, S-SE oriented, in very pebbly limestone soil that has an amphitheater shape. The Syrah parcel is @ about 340 m, SW oriented, in very old alluvion soil. The grapes are picked at optimal maturity at the beginning of October, drastically selected & destemmed. Long fermentation & maceration in an oak tank. Malolactic fermentation in barrels. Aged 18 mos in barrels (50% new & 50% 2nd & 3rd yr) with a selection of very tight grains & deep but light toasting. Bottled at the Château." Per the U.S. Importer, "Artemia is only made in top vintages & represents the best the estate can offer." 75 cases imported.

N: Slightly closed; RIPE berries with notes of garrigue; Intensity lurking?

P: LM, poss Med, body; Rndish entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which somewhat resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a bitter/SWTNESS to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS another 12-18 mos, then drinking into '24? 14% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. Decanter: 97 pts with Platinum @ their '18 World Wine Awards, & 95 (Walls, 11/2/18), 94 ea WA (10/31/18 )& Dunnuck, 90 WS (10/31/18), and 15/20 Jancis Robinson! [This vendor's now $32.95 is ≈$2 < wine-searcher's next lowest.]

Note: Also tasted on 3/16, 4/27, & 7/13/19, today's tasting (for whatever reason) being the least impressive.

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

N: CLOSED; RIPE berries with notes of earth? Intensity lurking?

P: MF 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 swtness to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS another 2 yrs, I'd guess, then at LEAST approaching its 10th. 14.5% ABV; My EXC-, & I'd certainly listen to pleas for EXC based upon QPR. [This vendor's $27.95 is as good as any on wine-searcher!]

Note: 1st tasted on 10/26/19

88% Zin, 9% P.S., & 3% Alicante Bousche from a vyd "on the W side of Sonoma Valley, the majority of which was planted 90-120 years ago, portions of it being replanted between 2013—2018;" Harvested 9/21-26 @ 25.1˚ Brix ave; "Grapes destemmed & crushed; Natural primary & secondary (malolactic) fermentations; pumped over a floating cap & pressed @ 9 days; Aged 12 mos in 100% air-dried AM oak barrels (15% new, 30% 1 & 2 yrs old, and 55% 3, 4, & 5 yrs old);" 3,250 cases made.

N: RIPE, poss jammy, berries with pyrazines beneath

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a bit of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a TANGY/swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. Nicely done for now with food, & should safely drink through '23 without problem. 14.8% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 94 pts ea Vinous (Galloni) & Palate Press ("Highly Recommended"), 93 ea Dunnuck, Suckling, & WA (Kelley), 91 ea Connoissers’ Guide, WS, & CA Grapevine ("Highly Recommended"), and 90 The Fine Wine Review! [Check with this vendor if interested in their very COMPETITIVE price.]

Note: Also tasted on 5/25, 10/12, & 10/15/19.

“After harvest, vyd lots were fermented individually in s/s tanks for 10-14 days with extended macerations & carefully managed pump overs. The varietals were aged separately for 8 mos in a combination of 10% new barrels & 25% once used, of which 100% was FR oak. The initial blend was assembled in the summer of 2019 & aged an addt’l 3 mos in 35% new oak, of which 85% was FR & 15% was AM. The wine was racked only 2X during its cellar life, with the final racking occurring just prior to bottling.” Supposedly 93% C.S., 4% P.S., & 3% Merlot

N: RIPE, JAMMY berries; Intensity lurking

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (suspect threshold R.S.) met by an astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the few, INNOCUOUS, dusty tannins. For now & into early '23? 14.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, likely the higher IF one is looking for QPR in a flirting with R.S. style. [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]

“100% estate grown Shiraz; FR (although the U.S. distributor also mentions AM) oak; 14.0% ABV, 6.2g/L T.A., & 3.6 pH;”

N: VANILLA atop ripe berries with hints of pyrazines; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly evolves into a LONG, BALANCED, tangy/swt finish to the relatively few, dusty tannins. For now & through '23. My EXC-; 93 pts Suckling (8/’18), 92 ea WA (3/’18) & The Wine Front (Walsh, 4/10/18), and 91 WE (Pickard, 8/1/18) @ $54. [This vendor's $43.95 is in the middle of wine-searcher's currently limited postings.]

Decanted, & I'm guessing I probably tasted it ≈2+ hrs afterwards

N: A initial funkiness which pretty much blows off to leather slightly atop rip berries with notes of pyrazines

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?)

met by a SMIDGIN of astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it seamlessly transitions into a very LONG, BALANCED finish with an attractive tangy/swtness & a very, VERY slight bitterness (a + with food, I suspect) to the firming, but QUITE unoffensive, very, VERY fine tannins. Should be FINE with food through '23, I suspect, but no REASON to keep longer. 13.0% ABV; My EXC/EXC+.

Jeff, THANK you for allowing me to retaste this fascinating (& at least somewhat atypical) Super Tuscan! :)

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

N: SMOKE atop RIPE berries, rest tough to parse; Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with a very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it evolves into a LONG, poss very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with notes of impending swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, probably '22, to "unpack," then EASILY making its 10th. VERY nicely done in a potentially elegant style! 14% ABV; My EXC/EXC+, the higher... eventually? [This vendor's $49.95 puts it in the TOP 1/3 of wine-searcher's currently somewhat limited postings.]

Note: A > favorable response than when I tasted it just 1 wk prior.

Danny, it was VERY thoughtful of you to share this LOVELY bottle from a local winery that was new to me! :)

N: Forest floor (poss with a TOUCH of barnyrd?) which somewhat blows off to a melding of RIPE berries, choc, & pyrazines; Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which transitions into a LONG, balanced, VERY slightly puckerish finish with notes of swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, POSS '22, then making its 10th (& more?) without problem. VERY nicely done! 15.3% ABV; My EXC/EXC+, the higher with some addt'l cellaring? [As of late Jan '20, this is apparently still avail @ 1 of the winery's Tasting Rooms, although I did not see either a price OR procedure for ordering online].

Dr. Tom, THANK you *so* much for noticing/SHARING this *fabulous* wine! :)

“From a 4.5 acre plot with vines ave 25-60 yrs old planted in soils of hard limestone with low clay levels;” Typically, “Harvested exclusively by hand, & hand-sorted in the winery; Destemming according to the quality of the vintage; Maturing: 60-80% new oak barrels;”

N: VERY attractive red rasps with hints of crans, notes of toast, & undertones of minerals;

P: LM body; Rndish entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly works its way into & through the VERY LONG, very slightly puckerish finish which already shows notes of swtness to the very, VERY fine tannins. While this has the balance POSS to be approachable now with food, it DESERVES through '23, then drinking through '29? 13.5% ABV; My EXC+/Exceptional-, I would think the higher a virtual lock before this is done! 91-94 pts Burghound (1/’19). [This vendor’s last bottle, though as of late Jan '20, wine-searcher still shows several sources from $147.86 - $198.46].

Oscar, I *do* APPRECIATE that you shared this bottle with me! :)

“From vyds (planted in 1960 in calcareous-clay soils) in loc. Annunziata subzone Rocche dell’Annunziata, measuring 3,000 m, facing S @ 270 m asl;” Typically, “5.5-6.0 tons/ha harvested early-mid Oct; Vinified in s/s tanks,with frequent pumping over, for about 6 days, with skins, ff’d by completion of alcoholic fermentation in s/s tanks for about 10 days, & malolactic fermentation in barriques. Aged in FR barriques, 50% new & 50% already used for 24 mos; Bottling in July the yr before sale; Sale in Mar of the 4th yr after harvesting.”

N: Earthiness with minerals & notes of tar?

P: LM, poss 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, puckerish finish with notes of swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, I'm guessing, then should easily make its 20th. Nice potential here, & it's getting... close. 15% ABV; My EXC/EXC+ (92-95/100 using that metric). 95 pts WS (4/30/12) & 93 pts Vinous (Tanzer, 11-12/’11).

Danny, as you did 4+ mos ago, THANK you for allowing me the opportunity to retaste this – PARTICULARLY since it was your *2nd* shared bottle of the day! :)

55% C.S., 28% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 6% P.V., & 3% C.F., 64% from Napa, & 36% from Sonoma; Harvested 9/6–10/28/17 @ 25°– 27.0° Brix; 14.5% ABV, 0.61g/100ml T.A., & 3.77 pH;

N: CHOCOLATE atop RIPE berries with notes of pyrazines; Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S.?) met by the BAREST hint of astringent pucker which somewhat resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the few firming, but quite unoffensive, dusty tannins. A flirting with R.S. style with enough intangibles as to probably also be acceptable to those who prefer drier. For now & through '22. My EXC-, & I could see EXC *if* one is looking for a combination of such a style & QPR. 91 pts + “Best Buy” Wine & Spirits (12/’19), 90 + “Very Highly Rec” CA Grapevine (6/’19), and 88 WE (12/1/19) @ $36. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]

Note: Also tasted on 5/11, 6/15, & 9/14/19.

Arturo, THANK you for sharing this most intriguing wine that I would likely NEVER have tried otherwise! :)

This had reached room temp after having spent ≈4.5 hrs in a small tasting glass.

“Bernkasteler Badstube vineyards border on Graacher Himmelreich, but Badstube is more westwards & less steep. Consequently the vines face less sun in the morning, & they are lighter in the taste. Weather-beaten grey slate soil;
“Grapes are all hand-picked, predominantly single pale, fermentation with wild yeast;” 45 cases produced.

N: Minerals with notes of apples, hints of sulphur WAY below? Intensity lurking?

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with SWTISH frt met by an acidity which directs the action into the LONG, deftly balanced finish that MIGHT be a BIT shy on acidity. (On the other hand, given that this was DEFINITELY tasted *too* warm... ) 7.5% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 96 pts WA (Reinhardt, 6/28/19), 94 ea Vinous (Schildknecht, 1/’20) & WE (Iijima, 4/1/19) @ $33, 93 WS (Zecevic, 5/31/19), & 91 Mosel Fine Wines (10/1/18)! [As of late Jan '20, wine-searcher shows several sources from $40-$52].