TN: 2014 Sandlands Carignane (USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County)

[D@vid Bu3ker]

2014 Sandlands Carignane - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County (12/2/2019)
After a few years in the cellar, this is beginning to turn a corner into a more complex and interesting place. It still has the wildness of Carignan, the red fruit alternating between sweet cherry and tart cranberry, with a touch of astringent crab apple. It has not added a green tobacco element, reminiscent of Cabernet Franc, and which makes the entire package much more interesting. Another two or three years could bring more definition to the complexity, and round out that crab apple astringency, but it's a good wine for the table right now.

Posted from CellarTracker

[danupdike]

Thanks for the note. I still have one and thought about pulling it for Thanksgiving.

[Chris Seiber]

I've really loved the Sandlands reds.

The Chenin still doesn't do it for me -- I tried opening a 2014 Amador one of the weekend, and it just doesn't have the acids, structure or energy I'm looking for. But the reds really click for me.

Thanks for the note. I'm interested in how these wines age, especially since I end up buying a lot of them.

[D@vid Bu3ker]

I've really loved the Sandlands reds.

The Chenin still doesn't do it for me -- I tried opening a 2014 Amador one of the weekend, and it just doesn't have the acids, structure or energy I'm looking for. But the reds really click for me.

Thanks for the note. I'm interested in how these wines age, especially since I end up buying a lot of them.

I feel the same way. I still have a few Chenins, and never reach for them.

[AlexS]

Love the Carignane and agreed on the Chenin, just never really hit my sweet spot. There's no question Tegan is a master with reds. The one vintage of Blush he made was awesome too.