92+ points ~ Wine Advocate 91 points ~ Vinous/Tanzer 94 points ~ Jeb Dunnuck 93 points ~ James Suckling
We’re going to have to learn French. This Merlot is reminiscent of a St. Emilion. Hits all the notes of cassis, blackberry, crushed stone and pencil that says, “I’ve been here before, time to sign up at Rosetta Stone.”
Vineyard & Vintage Notes
(100%) Alluvial fan gravel bed, the site rests above the flood plain of the Columbia River. Under the topsoil is a layer of caliche and basalt 6-12’’ deep, creating a calcium and iron rich media that forces roots to struggle.
The 2016 vintage started early and warm in Washington State. When summer arrived, the season saw cooler evenings that helped retain acidity, extended the growing and ripening period into September and October. This allowed the fruit to gain more complexity and deeper charm without sacrificing the acid or producing higher alcohol content. The vintage has created deeply rich and focused wines that we will be able to enjoy for a long time to come.
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Yield: 1.3 tons per acre Yeast: native
100% whole berry fermentation 45 days on skins
45% new french oak barriques 22 months barrel-aged on lees
92 points ~ Wine Spectator 91 points ~ Vinous/Tanzer 94 points ~ Jeb Dunnuck 94 points ~ James Suckling
Stoneridge Cabernet. I have to say it again; with every vintage it continues blackberry, fresh herb, tobacco, full-bodied, crushed seashell, gravel and forest floor. All this hangs on and never lets go through the endless finish.
Vineyard & Vintage Notes
Alluvial fan gravel bed, the site rests above the flood plain of the Columbia River. Under the topsoil is a layer of caliche and basalt 6-12’’ deep, creating a calcium and iron rich media that forces roots to struggle.
The 2016 vintage started early and warm in Washington State. When summer arrived, the season saw cooler evenings that helped retain acidity, extended the growing and ripening period into September and October. This allowed the fruit to gain more complexity and deeper charm without sacrificing the acid or producing higher alcohol content. The vintage has created deeply rich and focused wines that we will be able to enjoy for a long time to come.
The Substance brand was created in 2015 by winemaker Charles Smith with a distinct ambition in mind; to produce the best value-priced Cabernet Sauvignon in America. After eleven 90+ scores across four vintages of Substance ‘Cs’, it’s safe the say the journey has been successful, but Charles’ work is far from done. As the world caught on to Substance ‘Cs’, he was compelled to build the brand further. One by one, he began to add limited production, single vineyard expressions of Bordeaux-style reds and a Loire-style Sauvignon Blanc, giving way to the Substance Vineyard Collection.
Across the entire Substance portfolio, each wine is made with fruit grown on the highest quality vineyards in Washington State and using traditional winemaking techniques, including native fermentation, French oak barrel-aging, and unfiltered and unfined bottling. Bottom line…Charles maintains small-batch winemaking integrity, regardless of price-point or production size. Quality is what matters most. https://d2b8wt72ktn9a2.cloudfront.net/mediocre/video/upload/v1601328246/qchln5blbyeklknrdtpv.mp4
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Substance Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Red Duo
4 bottles for $114.99 $28.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $299.99 $25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
I have some 2014 merlot from an offer some time ago. It’s from a different vineyard so can’t really compare it to the current offer but I’ll pull a cork tomorrow to see what it’s like.
For what it’s worth, I just tried out the 2014 merlot. It’s from a different vineyard so take that into consideration but this is a very well made wine, extremely tasty and a very big big merlot. Excellent example of what Washington can offer to the wine world.
Definitely has limited acid as expected but makes up for it in fruit and tannin.
Based on what I’m tasting, I’m willing to go in on this offer.
I have the 2015 Cab, but it’s not a vineyard designate. Picked up locally for $15. It wasn’t my thing, but lots of notes in CT if folks are interested. Most thought it was a solid qpr at the $15 tag, so this must be a different tier for them at $25 discounted here. Lots of really good WA cab under $25 FWIW.
My wife and I are the participants in this tasting under the tough scrutiny of our Newfoundland Alfred.
My apologies for not being a professional sommelier, so our review is pretty simplistic.
Today we tasted a 2016 Merlot and 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon both by Wines of Substance.
Both are from Stoneridge Vineyard in Washington State.
2016 Merlot
On initial pop and pour, smelled of plum, leather, and mostly cherry.
Taste was cherry, blackberry, blueberry with just a slight oak.
We tasted the merlot with some cheese including a salty, creamy Brie (not stinky) which it went extremely well with. The wine enhanced the flavor of the cheese and was an ideal pairing.
We both felt like it was also pretty tannic. Overall, we really enjoyed this wine and felt like it was at least a $40 Merlot and we would easily pay $20 on Casemates but we have also been spoiled by some of the screaming deals we have come across on this site.
It looks like this wine on the Wines of Substance site retails for $45.
After an hour, the wine had slightly less fruit but was otherwise very similar…
The next day, we didn’t have much left to try but it was very tannic and maybe a little more oak and less fruit again.
We both enjoyed the Merlot more than the Cabernet.
2016 Cabernet
The Cabernet seemed very light. Even from initial look, the color was a light garnet and lighter then I would come to expect.
We got some earthy and leathery scents along with some baking/vanilla spice and oak. Also some cherry.
Tastewise - Not a lot of oak or fruit, mainly leather/earthy and a little spice, I believe my wife said Cardamom.
It seemed a little closed but to be honest, I am not sure if we missed when it opened because we felt like it didn’t evolve when we tried it the next day.
Essentially, we really love the Merlot and felt like it was top notch but we were so/so on the cabernet.
I am not sure if it was just the surprising lightness of this cab but by comparison we recently had the Gard Cabernet also from Columbia Valley from Casemates that we enjoyed a little more.
Just reading the previous comments, acidic did not come up in our tasting.
I tasted these last fall in Walla Walla. I recall the merlot being memorable, but the cab being so so. I’d love to see a deal on the K Vinters series. Maybe some King Coal?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Substance Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Red Duo - $45 = 13.03%
The merlot, from Jeb D (don’t know what he is comparing it to or when tasted):
94 Points. “The 2016 Merlot Stoneridge Vineyard Collection is cut from the same cloth yet has slightly more iron and bloody notes as well as ample spiced red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied and balanced, with a terrific mix of sexy fruit and elegance, it’s another top-notch Merlot to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.”
Suckling (copied from producer website):
93 Points. “An array of ripe red plums and some earthy, root-vegetable nuances on the nose that lead to a fleshy and composed palate with assertive, long and succulent tannins, which hold sleek and composed on the finish.”
The cab, from Jeb D
94 Points. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stoneridge Vineyard Collection is another exotic, complex and perfumed Cabernet from this team. Ample dark fruits are supported by notes of dried cherries, rose petals, apple blossom, and spice. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s a seamless, finesse-oriented 2016 that has everything in the right places, no hard edges, and a great finish.”
Wine Spectator
92 Points. “Refined and elegantly layered, with expressive blackberry and blueberry flavors, laced with lead pencil and dusty dried herb notes. Builds richness toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2025. 598 cases made.”
Suckling
94 Points. “Impeccably pure cabernet with a fragrant, floral, violet-like edge to the nose, together with roasting herbs and really pure cassis. The shape and structure of the palate is so refined, delivering a St. Julien-esque impression of real depth and intensity of flavor with assertive yet supple structure and effortless tension. Such value and style is hard to find. Drink or hold.”
@kaolis@Twich22 We’ve normally heard of the dumb phase for a traditionally made Cabernet starting around 7-8 years from vintage and lasting 2-3 years. This would be awfully early.
Another option is that the rat bottle could be marginally corked. The earliest sign is a loss of fruit and interest - the wine ends up flat. Sometimes that happens in absence of the characteristic TCA aromas.
I was unprepared for the two-fer package that UPS handed over for rattage. Nothing has gone my way in well over a year now, so I wasn’t quite sure why the wine gods picked at me for a double tasting. I’ve never been so happy to take one for the team.
tl;dr: Cab was good. Merlot was great. I prefer Cabs, but the Merlot was better. Pyjamas are awesome, and waistbands suck.
The color was rich - one of the deepest purple-y reds I’ve seen in a wine yet. The nose on it was full of dark fruit - black cherries, blackberries, and plum jam.
My first sip delivered more fruit and less tannin than I expected. The tannins were there, but they were a lot softer than I expected from a Cab. It’s like the tannins were building structure in the flavor. The nose and flavors opened quickly. This was completely drinkable between 10-15 minutes.
Dinner was a cheese manicotti with red sauce. In hindsight, I wish I would have made something more umami - beef or mushrooms or something of the like. Despite the tomato sauce, this Cab overpowered the pasta by leaps and bounds.
My glass opened up nicely by ten minutes into dinner. I read more of those dark plummy fruits, but there was also an “earthy” something I couldn’t really put my finger on lying in the background. It brought back memories of of a hike I took as a kid on vacation. We waked down a wooded trail to a waterfall in late summer - that smell, the leaves and the water and that slight woody mustiness - that’s what I got out of this glass. Not necessarily oak or leaves or mineral, but…something like that. It was lovely.
An hour after dinner, and I think I finally figured out the definition of “round” in wine. The tannins faded and the taste shifted to more black cherry. This was some smooth stuff.
I wish I could give you a report from later, but it was gone within 90 minutes, and I wished I had another bottle. Both my husband & I thought that was extremely drinkable now.
Confession here - I like Merlot, but it’s not the first or second (or 5th) wine I’d choose. I’ve always thought of Merlots as “red table wine” - kind of generic, nothing to make you shout “YEA, BUDDY! We got MERLOT!” To me, Merlot is like the pajamas of wine. Not your favorite pyjamas mind you, but a reasonably comfy pair that says “At least you’re not wearing pants with a waistband.”
This Merlot was way better than my favorite pyjamas. Also, screw waistbands. It was more complex than I’ve had in other Merlots. I’d yell for this one. For lack of a better word, it was a little sexy.
This wine was a deep but bright red. I got a lot of cherry and berries on the nose with a tad of white pepper. That’s exactly what I got on the first sip along with a hint of something leafy (tobacco maybe?). The tannins were a wee bit pointy at first taste, but I expect that in newly-opened reds.
I drank this with burgers from 5 Guys. A steak might have been nicer, but the Merlot was a resonable compliment to the burger. Neither the burger nor the wine overpowered the other.
Like the Cab, in 15 minutes, the wine had opened up and brought a lot of red cherry forward. The tannins didn’t round out, but they did become much less pointed. I could taste blackberry behind the cherry. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought this was a Cab blend.
An hour in, and this wine was amazing! The cherry never backed down. The tannins rounded a bit and a little of the the white pepper came back.
Like the Cab, I’d say this is drinkable right now. If you don’t want to drink it yourself, you can send it to me.
Have not tried these particular wines, but I’ve been drinking Wines of Substance for the past few years. I think they are well-made, and I’ve definitely enjoyed their Merlots. I’d suggest buying these, if you’re on the fence. Just do it!
Interesting enough but I’ve purchased so much wine on here this year that there are grapevines growing in my yard now! I need one of those, what-do-ya-call-it…SIWBM!!!
2016 Substance Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Merlot
Tasting Notes
92+ points ~ Wine Advocate
91 points ~ Vinous/Tanzer
94 points ~ Jeb Dunnuck
93 points ~ James Suckling
Vineyard & Vintage Notes
Specs
2016 Substance Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes
92 points ~ Wine Spectator
91 points ~ Vinous/Tanzer
94 points ~ Jeb Dunnuck
94 points ~ James Suckling
Vineyard & Vintage Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $540/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Oct 26 - Tuesday, Oct 27
Substance Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Red Duo
4 bottles for $114.99 $28.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $299.99 $25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Substance Vineyard Merlot
2016 Substance Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Pretty high pH, seemingly moderate acidity. Any rats?
@klezman First thought was to reread the high pH chapter from Clark’s book.
I have some 2014 merlot from an offer some time ago. It’s from a different vineyard so can’t really compare it to the current offer but I’ll pull a cork tomorrow to see what it’s like.
And fwiw, the pH on the 2014 was 3.88
For what it’s worth, I just tried out the 2014 merlot. It’s from a different vineyard so take that into consideration but this is a very well made wine, extremely tasty and a very big big merlot. Excellent example of what Washington can offer to the wine world.
Definitely has limited acid as expected but makes up for it in fruit and tannin.
Based on what I’m tasting, I’m willing to go in on this offer.
/giphy unequal-respectful-chicken
I have the 2015 Cab, but it’s not a vineyard designate. Picked up locally for $15. It wasn’t my thing, but lots of notes in CT if folks are interested. Most thought it was a solid qpr at the $15 tag, so this must be a different tier for them at $25 discounted here. Lots of really good WA cab under $25 FWIW.
Super Lucky to receive two bottles to rat.
My wife and I are the participants in this tasting under the tough scrutiny of our Newfoundland Alfred.
My apologies for not being a professional sommelier, so our review is pretty simplistic.
Today we tasted a 2016 Merlot and 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon both by Wines of Substance.
Both are from Stoneridge Vineyard in Washington State.
2016 Merlot
On initial pop and pour, smelled of plum, leather, and mostly cherry.
Taste was cherry, blackberry, blueberry with just a slight oak.
We tasted the merlot with some cheese including a salty, creamy Brie (not stinky) which it went extremely well with. The wine enhanced the flavor of the cheese and was an ideal pairing.
We both felt like it was also pretty tannic. Overall, we really enjoyed this wine and felt like it was at least a $40 Merlot and we would easily pay $20 on Casemates but we have also been spoiled by some of the screaming deals we have come across on this site.
It looks like this wine on the Wines of Substance site retails for $45.
After an hour, the wine had slightly less fruit but was otherwise very similar…
The next day, we didn’t have much left to try but it was very tannic and maybe a little more oak and less fruit again.
We both enjoyed the Merlot more than the Cabernet.
2016 Cabernet
The Cabernet seemed very light. Even from initial look, the color was a light garnet and lighter then I would come to expect.
We got some earthy and leathery scents along with some baking/vanilla spice and oak. Also some cherry.
Tastewise - Not a lot of oak or fruit, mainly leather/earthy and a little spice, I believe my wife said Cardamom.
It seemed a little closed but to be honest, I am not sure if we missed when it opened because we felt like it didn’t evolve when we tried it the next day.
Essentially, we really love the Merlot and felt like it was top notch but we were so/so on the cabernet.
I am not sure if it was just the surprising lightness of this cab but by comparison we recently had the Gard Cabernet also from Columbia Valley from Casemates that we enjoyed a little more.
Just reading the previous comments, acidic did not come up in our tasting.
@kray05 I want to pet Alfred.
@kray05 Thanks for the great report. And that puppy is waaaayyy cute.
I tasted these last fall in Walla Walla. I recall the merlot being memorable, but the cab being so so. I’d love to see a deal on the K Vinters series. Maybe some King Coal?
@kookie00 Same, if this was just the Merlot I’d probably be in for a case. And yes, we need some King Coal in here
@KingKoopa @kookie00 Interesting - based on the specs the Cab looks more interesting to me.
This should be a good buy. The specs look good.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Substance Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Red Duo - $45 = 13.03%
The merlot, from Jeb D (don’t know what he is comparing it to or when tasted):
94 Points. “The 2016 Merlot Stoneridge Vineyard Collection is cut from the same cloth yet has slightly more iron and bloody notes as well as ample spiced red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied and balanced, with a terrific mix of sexy fruit and elegance, it’s another top-notch Merlot to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.”
Suckling (copied from producer website):
93 Points. “An array of ripe red plums and some earthy, root-vegetable nuances on the nose that lead to a fleshy and composed palate with assertive, long and succulent tannins, which hold sleek and composed on the finish.”
The cab, from Jeb D
94 Points. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stoneridge Vineyard Collection is another exotic, complex and perfumed Cabernet from this team. Ample dark fruits are supported by notes of dried cherries, rose petals, apple blossom, and spice. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s a seamless, finesse-oriented 2016 that has everything in the right places, no hard edges, and a great finish.”
Wine Spectator
92 Points. “Refined and elegantly layered, with expressive blackberry and blueberry flavors, laced with lead pencil and dusty dried herb notes. Builds richness toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2025. 598 cases made.”
Suckling
94 Points. “Impeccably pure cabernet with a fragrant, floral, violet-like edge to the nose, together with roasting herbs and really pure cassis. The shape and structure of the palate is so refined, delivering a St. Julien-esque impression of real depth and intensity of flavor with assertive yet supple structure and effortless tension. Such value and style is hard to find. Drink or hold.”
fwiw
@kaolis the cab does not sound like what our rat tasted. Hopefully we have another rat to settle the debate. Could be going through a dumb phase.
@kaolis @Twich22 We’ve normally heard of the dumb phase for a traditionally made Cabernet starting around 7-8 years from vintage and lasting 2-3 years. This would be awfully early.
Another option is that the rat bottle could be marginally corked. The earliest sign is a loss of fruit and interest - the wine ends up flat. Sometimes that happens in absence of the characteristic TCA aromas.
@kaolis @klezman looks like you may be right given the second rats report. Sound like totally different wines!
I was unprepared for the two-fer package that UPS handed over for rattage. Nothing has gone my way in well over a year now, so I wasn’t quite sure why the wine gods picked at me for a double tasting. I’ve never been so happy to take one for the team.
tl;dr: Cab was good. Merlot was great. I prefer Cabs, but the Merlot was better. Pyjamas are awesome, and waistbands suck.
2016 Substance Vinyard Collection Stoneridge Cabernet Sauvignon -
The color was rich - one of the deepest purple-y reds I’ve seen in a wine yet. The nose on it was full of dark fruit - black cherries, blackberries, and plum jam.
My first sip delivered more fruit and less tannin than I expected. The tannins were there, but they were a lot softer than I expected from a Cab. It’s like the tannins were building structure in the flavor. The nose and flavors opened quickly. This was completely drinkable between 10-15 minutes.
Dinner was a cheese manicotti with red sauce. In hindsight, I wish I would have made something more umami - beef or mushrooms or something of the like. Despite the tomato sauce, this Cab overpowered the pasta by leaps and bounds.
My glass opened up nicely by ten minutes into dinner. I read more of those dark plummy fruits, but there was also an “earthy” something I couldn’t really put my finger on lying in the background. It brought back memories of of a hike I took as a kid on vacation. We waked down a wooded trail to a waterfall in late summer - that smell, the leaves and the water and that slight woody mustiness - that’s what I got out of this glass. Not necessarily oak or leaves or mineral, but…something like that. It was lovely.
An hour after dinner, and I think I finally figured out the definition of “round” in wine. The tannins faded and the taste shifted to more black cherry. This was some smooth stuff.
I wish I could give you a report from later, but it was gone within 90 minutes, and I wished I had another bottle. Both my husband & I thought that was extremely drinkable now.
2016 Substance Vinyard Collection Stoneridge Merlot
Confession here - I like Merlot, but it’s not the first or second (or 5th) wine I’d choose. I’ve always thought of Merlots as “red table wine” - kind of generic, nothing to make you shout “YEA, BUDDY! We got MERLOT!” To me, Merlot is like the pajamas of wine. Not your favorite pyjamas mind you, but a reasonably comfy pair that says “At least you’re not wearing pants with a waistband.”
This Merlot was way better than my favorite pyjamas. Also, screw waistbands. It was more complex than I’ve had in other Merlots. I’d yell for this one. For lack of a better word, it was a little sexy.
This wine was a deep but bright red. I got a lot of cherry and berries on the nose with a tad of white pepper. That’s exactly what I got on the first sip along with a hint of something leafy (tobacco maybe?). The tannins were a wee bit pointy at first taste, but I expect that in newly-opened reds.
I drank this with burgers from 5 Guys. A steak might have been nicer, but the Merlot was a resonable compliment to the burger. Neither the burger nor the wine overpowered the other.
Like the Cab, in 15 minutes, the wine had opened up and brought a lot of red cherry forward. The tannins didn’t round out, but they did become much less pointed. I could taste blackberry behind the cherry. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought this was a Cab blend.
An hour in, and this wine was amazing! The cherry never backed down. The tannins rounded a bit and a little of the the white pepper came back.
Like the Cab, I’d say this is drinkable right now. If you don’t want to drink it yourself, you can send it to me.
POPSOCKETS! SPA KITS! POLLY POCKETS! AWESOME!
@fait Thank you for the fun report. I love a good pyjama & wine pairing.
Have not tried these particular wines, but I’ve been drinking Wines of Substance for the past few years. I think they are well-made, and I’ve definitely enjoyed their Merlots. I’d suggest buying these, if you’re on the fence. Just do it!
Interesting enough but I’ve purchased so much wine on here this year that there are grapevines
growing in my yard now! I need one of those, what-do-ya-call-it…SIWBM!!!
@ttboy23
/giphy juicy-hilarious-asiago
