Press - Page 289 of 391 - Regal Wine Imports

Vintage	Producer	Product Name	Notes	Source	Score	Sell Sheet	Updated
2017	Bodegas Bhilar	Phinca Hapa Blanco	The white 2017 Phinca Hapa Blanco has some notes of popcorn and a spicy and smoky twist, but it's very different from the other white I tasted. This is from a vineyard that Melanie bought with her savings and then renamed it after her dog. The wine had some skin contact, so it has a faint golden color and a slightly tannic palate. It's a blend of 82% Viura, 12% Garnacha Blanca and 6% Malvasía from a large vineyard in the village of Elvillar. This is a white of strong character, with notes of quince, peach and beeswax, the texture of a light red that calls for food. 2,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2018.	Wine Advocate	93		2019-07-17
2017	Bodegas Bhilar	Phinca Hapa Tinto	There is a note of iron and fresh meat on the nose of the 2017 Phinca Hapa Tinto. This is from a large-ish vineyard in the village of Elvillar where they have both Tempranillo and Viura, so they make a red and a white from it. It has a different profile from the rest of the wines, younger and more fruit-driven. It also has a shorter élevage, following the style of the 2016, perfumed with wild flowers and berries, mild spices and a fine palate. It fermented with full clusters and has that touch of the stems in the texture that somewhat lifts the wine up. 8,000 bottles should be filled the week after I tasted it, as they were waiting for the correct moon.	Wine Advocate	93-94		2019-07-17
2015	Bodegas Bhilar	Phinca El Vedao	The one varietal Garnacha, a grape that's not that common in the village of Elvillar, the 2015 Phinca El Vedao is from three plots on a south-facing slope at lower altitude, some 500 meters above sea level, where the grape sets and ripens properly. The wine matured in 400- and 500-liter oak barrels for almost two and a half years. It has an expressive Garnacha nose with berry fruit and a floral touch, more in the style of some wines from the north of Navarra than the ones from Aragón. It has the freshness and acidity often linked to the wines from Elvillar. It's very balanced and complete and has very fine tannins, a chalky texture from the limestone soils and great balance. A step up over the first vintage. 2,070 bottles were filled in April 2018.	Wine Advocate	93+		2019-07-17
2015	Bodegas Bhilar	Phincas	Tasted as a sample of the final blend waiting to be bottled, the 2015 Phincas is from a challenging year when they had to move out of their old winery and David broke his foot during the harvest, so he didn't produce some of the wines. So, this has around 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and the rest Viura from all the vineyards except La Revilla and El Vedao, the only single vineyards bottled separately that year. It has an intense balsamic nose of macerated herbs, acid berries and dark chocolate and is spicy but not oaky, with a fine palate with pungent acidity and great freshness. There are 5,000 liters of this that should make it into some 6,500 bottles after almost two years in used barrique and one year in oak vats. When I tasted the bottled wine, it had all the vermouth-like aromas and macerated herbs, and the palate felt quite balanced and with the freshness to develop in bottle.	Wine Advocate	91		2019-07-17
2014	Bodegas Bhilar	Phincas	The 2014 Phincas has a very unusual nose with notes of marzipan and macerated herbs. They didn't produce a Phinca Abejera in 2014, so those grapes, which tend to deliver very balsamic and vermouth-like herbal aromas, were put here. The palate is austere and a little sharp, with some pointy tannins. Unusual. 10,620 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2018.	Wine Advocate	90		2019-07-17
2017	Bodegas Bhilar	Bhilar	The red village 2017 Bhilar was produced with 60% of their own grapes and 40% purchased from local growers. It spent 18 months in oak vats and barriques. It has an expressive nose and is very fruit-driven, with the oak really well-integrated with the fruit. There are notes of ripe berries and herbs with a spicy twist. The palate is medium to full-bodied with chalky, fine-grained tannins. This has to be the best vintage for this bottling so far. 20,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2019.	Wine Advocate	90+		2019-07-17
2015	Pursued By Bear	Cabernet Sauvignon	Distinguished and refined, featuring elegantly complex flavors of blackberry, tobacco and clove, with intriguing dark spice notes that take on polish toward well-groomed tannins. Drink now through 2026. 479 cases made.	Wine Spectator	92		2019-07-17
2015	Pursued By Bear	Baby Bear Syrah	Harmonious and refined, with effortlessly complex boysenberry, licorice and smoked pepper flavors that glide on a long finish. Drink now through 2025. 389 cases made.	Wine Spectator	92		2019-07-17
2015	Pursued By Bear	Baby Bear Syrah	Coming from the Colombia Valley and all Syrah, the 2015 Syrah Baby Bear spent 30 months in barrel prior to bottling. Saturated purple-colored (to the rim), with a stunning bouquet of spiced plums, smoked blueberries, ground pepper, and barbecued meat, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. As always, it's impeccably made and one serious wine.	Jeb Dunnuck	96		2019-07-17
2015	Alain Voge	Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes	Layers of charred meat, granite and anise lend complexity to blackberry and cherry on the nose of this wine. Despite the ample fruit it maintains an earthen, mineral undertone and long finish with ripe, persistent tannins. This riveting wine should open and meld over the next decade and hold further. Editors’ Choice.	Wine Enthusiast	95		2019-07-09