2018 Tablas Creek Vin de Paille Quintessence
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Tasting notes
Light shimmering yellow-gold. Deeply perfumed, spice-accented pit fruit liqueur, honey, marzipan and floral scents, along with hints of candied ginger and succulent herbs. Lush and broad on the palate, offering intensely sweet apricot, poached pear, honeycomb and vanilla pastry flavors and a strong jolt of spiciness on the back half. Hangs on with superb tenacity on the finish, leaving behind repeating notes of honey, ginger and candied pit fruits.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
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The 2018 Vin de Paille Quintessence is aged one year longer than the regular Vin de Paille, in 100% new oak. It has very spicy aromas of ginger, honey, oats, brown sugar and apple pie with a core of candied peaches. The palate is full and sweet—this has 104 grams per liter residual sugar—packed with spicy flavors and finishing long with just enough freshness. 50 cases were made.
Dried herbs, pineapple, and pure mandarin orange notes all emerge from the 2018 Vin de Paille Quintessence, which is medium gold-colored and medium-bodied, with beautiful balance and a clean finish. A balanced, versatile dessert wine that has moderate overt sweetness, it should evolve for a good decade, although it's great today.