Tamarack Rose of Mourvedre 2015

Tamarack Firehouse Red is 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 3% Sangiovese, 2% Grenache, 2% Cinsault 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Counoise, 1% Mourvèdre and 1% Carmenere.

Deceptively sweet aromas of strawberries, raspberries and rose petals. The flavors are dark, rich, lusciously mouthwatering, with cherries, boysenberries, tart plum skins, hints of leather, sweet pipe tobacco, and coffee beans. The tannins are firm, but not a bit edgy and the finish lingers with just a touch of anise. A truly lovely vintage.

Tamarack Merlot is made from 100 percent Merlot.

Dark aromas of cherry, mocha and blueberry lead to ripe plum, blackberry pie and flavors of a savory red wine reduction steak sauce, layered with intense chocolate and rich, velvety tannins.

Crushed gently and dropped by gravity into 1.5 ton bins, cold soaked 48 hours minimum, then inoculated with a variety of yeasts, hand-punched and pressed directly to barrel where the wine finishes both primary and secondary fermentations. The individual lots of wine that comprise the Merlot are kept separate for at least 12 months before they are blended. 50% new oak, the majority being American with some French and Hungarian oak from select coopers & a variety of forests with the wine aging in the oak for 19 months.

Xavier Vignon, along with Philippe Cambie, are probably the two most highly renowned oenologists in Chateauneuf du Pape as well as some of the surrounding Cotes du Rhone regions. Vignon’s office and laboratory are next to the Auto Route A7, in the same complex as Chateau Husson. He is the consultant for such well-known domaines as Raymond Usseglio, Jerome Quiot, Beaurenard, La Nerthe, Mont Redon, Marcoux, Grand Veneur and La Gardine. I tasted through the new and upcoming Xavier Vignon releases. The blend of Xavier Vignon’s Chateauneuf du Pape can vary considerably. Vignon told me that it is a selection from nearly 120 different parcels in the appellation. Fashioned from the best fruit from old vines planted in the finest parcels is the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme. Xavier Vignon is not going to release the 2007 Anonyme (his greatest Chateauneuf du Pape to date) until 2013 so readers have a chance of getting some of this production. I tasted three vintages of this cuvee with Vignon.

Review:

The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape started out slightly reticent, yet blossomed with time in the glass. Cassis, leafy herbs, lead pencil/graphite and earthy notes all flow to a ripe, full-bodied, beautifully balanced 2015 that has sweet tannin. Made from 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah, aged in very old barrels, it’s a terrific base cuvée in 2015 that’s going to drink nicely for a decade. -Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points

2011 Domaine de la Roche Redonne, "Mas Redonne", Bandol Rosé is made from 55% Mourvèdre, 35% Cinsault, 10% GrenacheNice light salmon color, typical of Bandol.

The wine expresses some citrus, Pomelos (a delicious type of grapefruit) and lots of white fruit aromas and minerality.
The flavors are fresh, fruity and very aromatic with tons of Apricot and Mango.

Yield : lower than 38 Hectoliters per Hectare
Alcohol per volume : 12.4%
Total Acidity : 3.46
Residual sugar: 0.23
PH: 3.28

The knock-out, full-bodied 2012 La Dame Rousse Tavel Rose (60% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Bourboulenc and Clairette) offers complex notes of flowers, raspberries, loamy soil, pepper and spice. Dry, exuberant and loaded with personality as well as character, it should provide plenty of pleasure over the next year.-Wine Advocate #208 Aug 2013 90 Points

"The color is a light salmon rose. The nose reveals dried floral and red grapefruit aromas followed by textured, sweet spices. The mouth follows the nose with dry, delicate red fruit, a little dusty in texture, and fresh acidity. There are some ripe tannins and spices in the finish and aftertaste. All of this is delivered with confidence and moderate weight. In the end this is quite a pretty wine for drinking over the next several years. Now-2015."
 - Hogshead wine blog (September 4th 2012),***

Bavencoff Meursault Blanc Premier Cru is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Pale yellow in color, this is very charming with a rich bouquet of white fruits, grilled almonds and buttery aromas. The palate is ample, full-bodied and smooth. The delicate brioche flavors come beautifully before its fresh finish on citrus notes.

Aging: 100% oak barrels – 10 to 12 months

Manual harvest.
Produced fromp 100% Chardonnay.

Thanks to its clay rich soil, the vineyard produces a rich, opulent and luscious wine that can be enjoyed young. This is a powerful and elegant white Burgundy, expressive, fresh and fruity with intense and strong flavors. Unctuous and well-textured in the mouth with a distinguished acidity.

The array of intense aromas and exceptional balance will allow the wine to go with the most delicate yet intense dishes: rump of veal, crawfish, grilled lobster, risotto with morels.

Dark and chocolate, spiced with pretty notes of allspice and clove, this wine is round and rich, bursting with ripe berries, combined with an earthy complexity and a velvety finish.

Made from 42% Cabernet Sauvignon,  29% Merlot,  29% Cabernet Franc 

The wine spent 22 months on 75% new French oak with the remaining 25% second vintage French oak. Select barrels from the best forests of Taransaud, Boutes, Quintessance, and Vicard cooperages.

Review:

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Merlot, this wine seems a little green out of the gate, with aromas of herbs, cocoa, vanilla, black licorice, woodspice and black fruit. The fruit flavors display the warmth of this region, with the tannins providing some heft, stretching out over time. - Wine Enthusiast 91 Points 

Tamarack Cellars’ 2011 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Reserve is an outstanding blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months (each variety is kept separate until 12 months after the harvest) in 50% new and 50% once-used French oak. Classically styled, with lots of smoke tobacco, licorice and blackcurrant aromas and flavors, it has everything in the right place, in the right proportions, and is incredibly enjoyable to drink. Enjoy this medium to full-bodied, moderately tannic, balanced beauty over the coming decade, although it will probably last longer. - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 91 Points