This sexy and approachable wine leads with aromas of boysenberry and blackberry. It greets the palate with lush notes of dark fruit and a smooth hint of chocolate. The finish lingers on your tongue and the taste is heightened with just a touch of spice.
From winemaker Ty Caton, enTycement is a sexy and approachable wine crafted to “entyce” and attract you to the world of our fine red wines. With or without food, enjoy with only the most entycing company.
Specifications
Vintage: 2016
Varietals: 68% Zinfandel, 27% Petite Sirah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery: Ty Caton Vineyards
Owners: Ty Caton
Founded: 1997
Location: Sonoma, CA
Ty Caton Vineyards is committed to producing the finest wines made from the highest quality grapes and winemaking dedication at its best. Our limited production allows us to handcraft wines with varietal intensity and balance.
Ty Caton’s philosophy is that wine is a natural product and should be treated as such. His winemaking uses limited intervention, which allows the wines to speak for themselves and import the true expression of the vineyard. He ferments with wild yeast that naturally occurs in the grapes so that the wines are manipulated as little as possible.
Since inception, Ty Caton wines have received critical acclaim in world-renowned wine publications and competitions, including many Best of Class honors. As a grape grower and winemaker, Ty strives to produce the “wow factor” by making wines that are bold, beautifully structured, and are a true representation of the vineyards they come from. Forging a new definition of quality, Ty Caton is dedicated to Actively Seeking Excellence.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Ty Caton enTycement - $25 = 13.88%
TANGENTIALLY RELATED FACT to help you make conversation over this wine:
Did you know they made The Settlers of Catan into just Catan? Unbelievable.
Do you know what Catan is? Well, it all started in 1995 when it was designed and published in Germany. Each player is a settler and tries to establish a foothold on the titular island of Catan. They gather resources from the land, building settlements and trading with each other until someone gets a certain amount of points for their accomplishments.
Ummm…of course I do. This is a place for nerds to buy wine!
While we’re at it, I’ll trade you three of my sheep for two of your brick or one brick and one wood.
@klezman In times like these, bartering is important… I traded a neighbor some grains (well, Sidedeal beans) for some wood (TP). We have a freezer of sheep too, but they were vegetarian. One could argue beer is grains too… Another guy came up so I could resolder a module for his car. He brought beer, TP, and a bottle of rum in lieu of cash. SoC taught me well.
2016 Ty Caton “Entycement” Lodi Red Wine
68% Zin, 27% PS, 5% Cab
Stored 3 days after shipping, upright in cellar.
Day 1 Pnp 60F - Color is medium to dark garnet. Nose of stewed fruit, mostly plum, and a fair amount of heat. After a few minutes and some vigorous swirls the heat died down a bit, but still quite present, and now getting some black cherry notes and some oak but not much else. On the palate, getting ripe/stewed red fruit, mostly cherry/plum. Medium acid, medium plus tannin, short finish. Tannin presents strangely, reminding me of oak chip/dust. Quite astringent and initially not pleasant.
After 30 minutes in the glass, mostly no change. Still disjointed on the palate. Getting a bit of blueberry and juniper on the palate. After an hour it settled a bit, but I couldn’t get to the bottom of that first glass and had to dump, but will check back on day 2.
Day 2 65F - There is no longer prominent heat on the nose. Still getting plum and now maybe a hint of blackberry alongside the oak. Palate is less astringent, but still unbalanced for my tastes. Again, to me there is something weird about the tannin in this wine. Plenty of this bottle left to check back on day 3 or even 4, so I’ll keep it around, gassed, in case folks have questions I can check in again. In summary I am struggling to like something about this wine. The fruit profile is off, balance isn’t there and the tannin is just odd.
@trifecta Not sure I’d gas it; that would only serve to keep it as it is. Perhaps air that puppy out and see what it’s O2 appetite is?
Was it gassed between day one and two as well?
@rjquillin no gas from day one to day2. I put gas in today because it seemed like it was already starting to roll over the breakpoint. Fruit was almost starting to raisin and taste more oxidized, which is why I ended up going with the gas. I will check it again tomorrow and let it air out some more in the glass. Or worst case go with the Molly dooker shake.
@rjquillin Day 1 was at basement temp, day 2 upstairs temp in colder corner of the house, so yeah ambient, not chilled. It’s possible there could be some bottle variation. I’ll check back in tonight.
@losthighwayz@rjquillin Quite. One of my favorite new finds was a Sauvignon Blanc from Lodi - Sand Point. It’s a steal at BevMo now. Lots of good juice from anywhere. Passing on an entire AVA? Lulz.
@ddeuddeg@losthighwayz@rjquillin@trifecta Yeah, that was one of the interesting learning points of the Tour. So many wineries around the state put a couple percent of Lodi Zin in the blend for various reasons. Sometimes lots more in some California appellation wines even those labelled as varietal wine with other varities.
@losthighwayz I personally love the Lodi region - like Napa probably was in the 70’s.
David Michael, Benton Lane, Klinker Brick, D’Art, Harney Lane, just to name a few. Have not had the Ty Catan yet.
Love enTycement. Hate ‘sexy’ being used to describe a wine. Also hate UPS and summer shipping. The case of WineSmith was suppose to deliver Monday but was ‘delayed’ at the UPS sort facility in my town. Today, loaded on the truck for delivery at 4.36am, then at 7.16pm it was ‘delayed’ for a second time. At least it wasn’t in the 90s today while the wine was crushing around town in the back of the truck… Oh wait…
Summer shipping and brown means we are not buying. It’s great wine for anyone who does, though!
@knlprez Totally agree! UPS + No special summer shipping = no buy.
Tried pushing the envelope for delivery to AZ with 2 cases and both were delayed and pretty warm on arrival. 1 was styro packed. Time will tell if damage was done. When ice pack shipping returns, I will be buying again
@louas@rjquillin Well, UPS ‘attempted’ delivery today, but scanned as customer not home… My wife and I are both working from home and literally have been at the house the entire day. No knock, no door bell, no sticker on the door (do they still do that?)… This was the 3rd day of riding around in the truck with temps again in the 90s…
@knlprez@louas@rjquillin FedEx used to do that to me before I started redirecting to Walgreens…“attempted delivery” when I was working from home all day with no doorbell or knock. I know damn well they never attempted delivery.
@knlprez We’ve been lucky - our guys are just leaving it on the porch since COVID started I presumed UPS had just suspended the signing thing for less contact to protect their workers.
@knlprez@LSeewoester My UPS guys have done the same as well. I’ve had three deliveries from here since the start of the spread of Covid, and 2/3 of the time they just left the package on the porch. I caught him this past Tuesday and he said he didn’t need me to sign.
I did have an issue with FedEx sitting at the end of the driveway for three days before actually delivering a grill. I’m thinking the driver didn’t want to move 150lbs of a big box on those days.
@knlprez@louas@rjquillin mine left that sticker & I wrote all over it that I was Working, couldn’t neighbor sign for it, I signed it ,maybe my dog walker could sign it? The next day I think he just gave up and left it for me!
@louas@rjquillin@Robynnoll Thanks everyone for listening to the venting! With FedEx I would have the wine delivered to a local FedEx Office location. The UPS sort facility is a hike for me, so I have been having wine delivered to my office since the switch. But, working from home I figured I’d just have it delivered, and this is going to sound insane, to my home! Fingers crossed for today, and to no cooked Faux Chablis!
Glad to see a Ty offering, sad that I’ve blown my Casemates budget to hell in the past month and already got the side-eye with the last shipment showing up (and a couple more en-route).
88 Points. Bold in flavor and quite full bodied, this wine is nicely packed with blackberry and black-plum notes. It has a mouthfillng richness and moderate tannins. JG 8/1/19
I’ve always been a big fan of Ty Caton wines and even belonged to their club for a while. That said, my opinion also has always been that they need good long time in the cellar. If I didn’t have several cases of Ty wines already, plus having grabbed 4 various Casemates cases recently, with two in delivery!) this would be an auto-buy. My son and his wife, who live in the Bay Area (I’m in TN) and also have a relatively large wine collection, are of the same opinion. We love Ty’s wines, but feel they need time.
Just ran across a 2013 EnTycement in the cellar, much more of a potpourri, varietal-wise, than the '16. 39% Zin, 27% Syrah, 12% Carignane, 8% PS, 6% Merlot, 4% each Petit Verdot and Barbera. Not much to compare here despite Zin having the highest %, or I’d pop it tonight and post some notes.
We’ve always loved Ty’s wines and it’s been a long time since OH has been on a Caton wine offer! I also like to let Ty’s wines lay down and they’ve been great even after the recommended drinking cycle ended. Just had a 2013 enTycement on 04/14. I didn’t take detailed notes, but I noted that it was well integrated and I remembered really liking it. This is usually an AUTOBUY for me, but my storage area can’t take on any more cases! Going to have to think on this and future offers!
I received the case of Anne Amie Cuvée A Amrita on Friday afternoon and along with it there was a separate smaller package, the kind that could only fit one bottle. I immediately opened it and was excited to discover I’d be a Lab Rat for this offer. I gave it some time to rest and enlisted a friend to share it with on Monday evening in order to put together these tasting notes.
Here are photos of the front and back labels:
After initial pop 'n pour, the color is a dark ruby. Clean, clear, and free of any sediment.
I know some people shy away from Zins, but I tend to enjoy them (as long as they are balanced.) This blend is 68% Zin and it does lead the charge, but don’t let that scare you away if you don’t consider yourself a Zin drinker. The 27% Petite Sirah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon both play their part to mix things up and add interesting elements generally not found in a standalone Zin.
The wine was first enjoyed on its own, and then paired with a few miscellaneous snacks I had on hand.
This is a very aromatic wine. Aromas of bramble, cassis, some spice, and some wood undertones. There was a bit of heat from the alcohol, but it blew off after a few minutes and a few swirls of the glass.
The legs are thin and form slowly. It can be challenging to get good photos of the legs, but I tried my best and I’ve included them here.
Upon tasting, the body is lighter than you might expect for a Zin forward blend, but the wine is bold and full of great flavor. My friend and I came up with the following taste descriptors: currant, blackberry, sour cherry, and a great spice component. It’s bright/sharp on entry, but smooths out and develops towards a nice finish. We determined white pepper was the best way to describe that spice element. The wine is dry and can be enjoyed on its own, but I believe the tartness/acidity would allow it to pair well with some meals. In terms of the snacks we had on hand… the cheese and crackers brought out the tartness of the wine. Milk chocolate was too sweet and overpowers the wine. Dark chocolate (70% cocoa) was phenomenal with the wine.
The bottle was recorked and one glass worth was reserved for tasting the next day. After 24 hours, the aromas and flavors are about the same, but the wine has mellowed out in terms of the tartness/acidity. Ty has commented on a previous vintage saying this is a drink now wine, but that it could be cellared for 5 to 7 years. Much like his other wines, I’d say this will develop and improve with time.
Overall this wine was very enjoyable and it’s no secret to this crowd that Ty makes great wines. I knew from past offerings what the price point would most likely be, but I asked my friend what he’d expect to pay. He said he’d guess it’d be $30 to $40 from the winery and he’d be willing to pay that. I figured it’d be about $15/$16 per bottle, which is right on point with the current 4 bottle offer. At the case price, this is absolutely a no-brainer!
I’d like to give a shout out to Alice, WD, and the entire WCC and Casemates crew. I sincerely enjoy the opportunity to be a lab rat and I greatly appreciate all of the work you all do. Thank you!!!
@kawichris650 Thank you for the great report. There are some great Zin’s that come out of Lodi and like all winemaker’s Ty is very picky about what he will put his name on. I used to work for him and he is very particular. And this price is better than the employee discount. From now on I’m going to ask for the Casemates discount.
@kawichris650 Thanks, perhaps one of the most well-documented (in terms of photos) rat reports. Especially the thing about “challenging to get good photo of legs” and succeeding quite well. Though I never was quite sure about impact on “legs” on wine quality…
@kawichris650@pmarin Regarding “legs” on a wine. In my experience there is not much that they really tell you. In my 50 plus years of wine drinking , including some 30 yrs. in related wine business, I never found a winemaker who said that they pay attention to the “legs”.
I enjoyed Ty’s reds bought on the old site but was going to pass based on the 1st rat report and the fact that I am starting to overflow with wine but this 2nd rat report is making me reconsider. Hmmmm - what to do…maybe sleep on it and see if there are anymore rats to report in.
@ctmariner I had the same thought but really want to at least get a chance to taste it for myself. I’m glad that this deal is offering a fairly good deal (not that big % premium) on the 4-btl purchase – when I’m not sure about something, I might not want a full case of one wine (love the mixed cases BTW). So I’m probably going to go for the smaller purchase but still get some because I don’t want to miss it either. I may regret not buying more, but I’d definitely regret not buying any! Waiting to decide on that later tonight.
Note: The beauty of the LR reports is that everyone has their own palate and interpretations but with 2 very different LR reports, I just had to check this wine out for myself. So I ran down the road to the TC warehouse & picked up a bottle. It’s a tough job but someone had to do it.
Full Disclosure: Worked for Ty Caton and now WCC and I’m a Chardonnay girl.
Pre-tasting thought: is this junk in a bottle? No way, Ty and the Winegods/goddesses would never let that happen, but then again who would’ve thought that a virus would shutter the world in 2020.
Because I could definitely lean, I had the whole family taste without knowing what it was or why. Here is our super amateur findings:
WineHusband: Nice ruby red color and legs. Woodsy aroma. Explosive at first sip leading to a smooth finish.
WineSon: Love the smell. Hearty and full flavored with an overall tangy finish
WineDaughter: Pretty ruby red color. Red wine aroma. Glides on the tongue. I like it. A good everyday wine not overly potent. (Hmmmm, interesting for someone that’s not 21 yet)
Winegirl: Nice pop sound upon opening and cork looked good, gorgeous color and aroma. A zippy, spicy Zin start with a flavorful and creative finish. Definitely a full flavored Zin blend that is smoothing out as time marches on. Can also imagine that it could cellar for a bit too.
My final thought: This wine did not disappoint and now I’m in for a case because at $13 it’s a no brainer for me. No hesitation in recommending. Ty Caton quality at a superb price.
Checking back in on day 3. Pretty much no change from day 2, except the fruit is less stewed at this point and some of the astringency is gone, but that is paired with less fruit now as well. I don’t see a value play at this price, but think its probably fair for what this is. I’m chalking this one up to the fact that my palate isn’t aligned to Lodi zin or the ty house style perhaps. Glad that others enjoyed it.
I have loved Ty’s wines since the old days at Wine Woot, after the first rat I decided not to pull the trigger but now the other two have pushed me over the fence. Love the bottle too BTW.
I like Ty’s wines and really enjoyed Entycement (I had the 2014 vintage) both with food addn on it’s own. I can vouch for the age worthiness. Just looked in the “cellar” and none left. I drank my last bottle of the 2014 vintage in the last year. I think its better after a few years resting. Of course each vintage is different as well as peoples cellaring techniques. My wine has its own storage closet in the basement - should have made it bigger.
You’re killing me. I just yesterday told myself and the missus that I wasn’t buying anymore wine under any circumstances.
Anyhoo, in for a case.
I have had several vintages of the Entycement, and loved them all. I had a few bottles of the 2016 from another source, and they were delicious / went quickly. Great for barbecue season, imo.
I was on the fence, based on the first lab rat report. I do recall people on the old site loving Ty’s wines, but I have never been able to get in on the offers, for some reason.
The Mrs. and I both like Zin, PS, and CabSav, and drink Zin on a fairly consistent rotation. based on the 2nd lab rat review and a few of your comments, I figured this was a safe gamble to try out.
Just checked my cellar-- I’ve got a Tycaton 2002 and 2009 Cab, 2009 Carlton Brooke, 2008& 2009 Petite Sirah, 2008 Ty’s Red, probably all from the WW days? Any suggestions on order I should drink those?
I also just found 6 bottles of 2015 Ty’s Red. I think we drank the 200x Tytanium a while back.
My roommates and I used to read up and decide to buy and split cases of wine from WW long before casemates was a thing (2006-2009?). We weren’t really wine people in our 20s, but occasionally we’re overwhelmed by how tasty certain wines were, the Tycaton stuff never let us down.
My wife was brewing a lot of tasty beer for a few years until the baby came. Once we ran out of time for that hobby, I started working through my wine collection.
@caffeineguy awesome TC collection. Yes, those cute rugrats can hinder one’s hobbies. Had several Tytaniums but every occasion seemed special and alas they are gone now.
@caffeineguy Drink the 2002 now. You may have waited too long. The rest of those wines are still solid. The 2009’s are a treasure. Everything of mine 2004 + is still aging well.
Tasting Notes
88 Points Wine Enthusiast
Specifications
Price Comparison
$487.43/case at Ty Caton Vineyards (including shipping)
Included In the Box
Or
About The Winery
Winery: Ty Caton Vineyards
Owners: Ty Caton
Founded: 1997
Location: Sonoma, CA
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, June 11th - Monday, June 15th
Ty Caton enTycement
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $154.9 $12.91/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Ty Caton enTycement
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Ty Caton enTycement - $25 = 13.88%
Ummm…of course I do. This is a place for nerds to buy wine!
While we’re at it, I’ll trade you three of my sheep for two of your brick or one brick and one wood.
@klezman i’ll trade you three brick and three wood for three ore and two hay.
@asherwitt Three roads for a city? I’ll have to take another look at the board.
@klezman. Heh, heh.
@klezman In times like these, bartering is important… I traded a neighbor some grains (well, Sidedeal beans) for some wood (TP). We have a freezer of sheep too, but they were vegetarian. One could argue beer is grains too… Another guy came up so I could resolder a module for his car. He brought beer, TP, and a bottle of rum in lieu of cash. SoC taught me well.
2016 Ty Caton “Entycement” Lodi Red Wine
68% Zin, 27% PS, 5% Cab
Stored 3 days after shipping, upright in cellar.
Day 1 Pnp 60F - Color is medium to dark garnet. Nose of stewed fruit, mostly plum, and a fair amount of heat. After a few minutes and some vigorous swirls the heat died down a bit, but still quite present, and now getting some black cherry notes and some oak but not much else. On the palate, getting ripe/stewed red fruit, mostly cherry/plum. Medium acid, medium plus tannin, short finish. Tannin presents strangely, reminding me of oak chip/dust. Quite astringent and initially not pleasant.
After 30 minutes in the glass, mostly no change. Still disjointed on the palate. Getting a bit of blueberry and juniper on the palate. After an hour it settled a bit, but I couldn’t get to the bottom of that first glass and had to dump, but will check back on day 2.
Day 2 65F - There is no longer prominent heat on the nose. Still getting plum and now maybe a hint of blackberry alongside the oak. Palate is less astringent, but still unbalanced for my tastes. Again, to me there is something weird about the tannin in this wine. Plenty of this bottle left to check back on day 3 or even 4, so I’ll keep it around, gassed, in case folks have questions I can check in again. In summary I am struggling to like something about this wine. The fruit profile is off, balance isn’t there and the tannin is just odd.
@trifecta Not sure I’d gas it; that would only serve to keep it as it is. Perhaps air that puppy out and see what it’s O2 appetite is?
Was it gassed between day one and two as well?
@rjquillin no gas from day one to day2. I put gas in today because it seemed like it was already starting to roll over the breakpoint. Fruit was almost starting to raisin and taste more oxidized, which is why I ended up going with the gas. I will check it again tomorrow and let it air out some more in the glass. Or worst case go with the Molly dooker shake.
@rjquillin I should have also prefaced by saying that Zin is not something I enjoy on the regular, less a few producers in dry creek and amador.
@trifecta
Room temp D1 to D2, or chilled.
I’m guessing RT.
Just a stinker bottle?
@rjquillin Day 1 was at basement temp, day 2 upstairs temp in colder corner of the house, so yeah ambient, not chilled. It’s possible there could be some bottle variation. I’ll check back in tonight.
@trifecta Thank you for the report. Appreciate you checking back in with the wine and reporting.
AbV just 14.3%
Was '16 a cool year for Ty?
Lodi? Pass for me
@losthighwayz You should have been on the tour.
Plenty of quality Lodi product out there.
@losthighwayz @rjquillin Yeah, lots of good stuff coming out of Lodi. Especially the older vines around there.
McCay was eye-opening. So was Acquiesce.
Had a Flame Tokay from the Mokelumne River AVA the other day and it was amazing. Bizarre, but amazing.
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin I agree Lodi has some great wines, but let’s be honest with ourselves that it’s the exception, not the rule.
@losthighwayz @rjquillin @trifecta Yes, definitely not the rule. A lot of plonk comes from Lodi.
@losthighwayz @rjquillin Quite. One of my favorite new finds was a Sauvignon Blanc from Lodi - Sand Point. It’s a steal at BevMo now. Lots of good juice from anywhere. Passing on an entire AVA? Lulz.
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @trifecta It’s also true that a lot of Zin comes from Lodi, whether the label says so or not.
@ddeuddeg @losthighwayz @rjquillin @trifecta Yeah, that was one of the interesting learning points of the Tour. So many wineries around the state put a couple percent of Lodi Zin in the blend for various reasons. Sometimes lots more in some California appellation wines even those labelled as varietal wine with other varities.
@losthighwayz I personally love the Lodi region - like Napa probably was in the 70’s.
David Michael, Benton Lane, Klinker Brick, D’Art, Harney Lane, just to name a few. Have not had the Ty Catan yet.
@Kraxberger @losthighwayz
For a Zin that might meet your palate, try McCay, especially the Faith bottling.
Maybe @WineDavid49 could get some over here…
@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @trifecta Definitely more quality wine than when I first started tasting Lodi area wines some 50 yrs. ago.
Love enTycement. Hate ‘sexy’ being used to describe a wine. Also hate UPS and summer shipping. The case of WineSmith was suppose to deliver Monday but was ‘delayed’ at the UPS sort facility in my town. Today, loaded on the truck for delivery at 4.36am, then at 7.16pm it was ‘delayed’ for a second time. At least it wasn’t in the 90s today while the wine was crushing around town in the back of the truck… Oh wait…
Summer shipping and brown means we are not buying. It’s great wine for anyone who does, though!
@knlprez Last order I received was shipped in styro, so that helps, a bit.
@rjquillin here’s to hoping! There’s a lot of good juice in that case!
@knlprez Totally agree! UPS + No special summer shipping = no buy.
Tried pushing the envelope for delivery to AZ with 2 cases and both were delayed and pretty warm on arrival. 1 was styro packed. Time will tell if damage was done. When ice pack shipping returns, I will be buying again
@louas @rjquillin Well, UPS ‘attempted’ delivery today, but scanned as customer not home… My wife and I are both working from home and literally have been at the house the entire day. No knock, no door bell, no sticker on the door (do they still do that?)… This was the 3rd day of riding around in the truck with temps again in the 90s…
@knlprez @louas
Feel free to copy/paste any of my rants on this very subject.
@knlprez @louas @rjquillin FedEx used to do that to me before I started redirecting to Walgreens…“attempted delivery” when I was working from home all day with no doorbell or knock. I know damn well they never attempted delivery.
@knlprez We’ve been lucky - our guys are just leaving it on the porch since COVID started
I presumed UPS had just suspended the signing thing for less contact to protect their workers.
@knlprez @LSeewoester My UPS guys have done the same as well. I’ve had three deliveries from here since the start of the spread of Covid, and 2/3 of the time they just left the package on the porch. I caught him this past Tuesday and he said he didn’t need me to sign.
I did have an issue with FedEx sitting at the end of the driveway for three days before actually delivering a grill. I’m thinking the driver didn’t want to move 150lbs of a big box on those days.
Seems like a mixed bag these days.
@knlprez @louas @rjquillin mine left that sticker & I wrote all over it that I was Working, couldn’t neighbor sign for it, I signed it ,maybe my dog walker could sign it? The next day I think he just gave up and left it for me!
@louas @rjquillin @Robynnoll Thanks everyone for listening to the venting! With FedEx I would have the wine delivered to a local FedEx Office location. The UPS sort facility is a hike for me, so I have been having wine delivered to my office since the switch. But, working from home I figured I’d just have it delivered, and this is going to sound insane, to my home! Fingers crossed for today, and to no cooked Faux Chablis!
Glad to see a Ty offering, sad that I’ve blown my Casemates budget to hell in the past month and already got the side-eye with the last shipment showing up (and a couple more en-route).
Same. Really happy to see a Ty offering. More please.
The Wine Enthusiast, as mentioned above:
88 Points. Bold in flavor and quite full bodied, this wine is nicely packed with blackberry and black-plum notes. It has a mouthfillng richness and moderate tannins. JG 8/1/19
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/ty-caton-2016-entycement-red-lodi/
fwiw
I’ve always been a big fan of Ty Caton wines and even belonged to their club for a while. That said, my opinion also has always been that they need good long time in the cellar. If I didn’t have several cases of Ty wines already, plus having grabbed 4 various Casemates cases recently, with two in delivery!) this would be an auto-buy. My son and his wife, who live in the Bay Area (I’m in TN) and also have a relatively large wine collection, are of the same opinion. We love Ty’s wines, but feel they need time.
Just ran across a 2013 EnTycement in the cellar, much more of a potpourri, varietal-wise, than the '16. 39% Zin, 27% Syrah, 12% Carignane, 8% PS, 6% Merlot, 4% each Petit Verdot and Barbera. Not much to compare here despite Zin having the highest %, or I’d pop it tonight and post some notes.
@ddeuddeg is it Lodi fruit?
We’ve always loved Ty’s wines and it’s been a long time since OH has been on a Caton wine offer! I also like to let Ty’s wines lay down and they’ve been great even after the recommended drinking cycle ended. Just had a 2013 enTycement on 04/14. I didn’t take detailed notes, but I noted that it was well integrated and I remembered really liking it. This is usually an AUTOBUY for me, but my storage area can’t take on any more cases! Going to have to think on this and future offers!
It’s nice of Ty to kiss each of these bottles before they go out. Even better than an autograph
It’s the small things…
I received the case of Anne Amie Cuvée A Amrita on Friday afternoon and along with it there was a separate smaller package, the kind that could only fit one bottle. I immediately opened it and was excited to discover I’d be a Lab Rat for this offer. I gave it some time to rest and enlisted a friend to share it with on Monday evening in order to put together these tasting notes.
Here are photos of the front and back labels:
After initial pop 'n pour, the color is a dark ruby. Clean, clear, and free of any sediment.
I know some people shy away from Zins, but I tend to enjoy them (as long as they are balanced.) This blend is 68% Zin and it does lead the charge, but don’t let that scare you away if you don’t consider yourself a Zin drinker. The 27% Petite Sirah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon both play their part to mix things up and add interesting elements generally not found in a standalone Zin.
The wine was first enjoyed on its own, and then paired with a few miscellaneous snacks I had on hand.
This is a very aromatic wine. Aromas of bramble, cassis, some spice, and some wood undertones. There was a bit of heat from the alcohol, but it blew off after a few minutes and a few swirls of the glass.
The legs are thin and form slowly. It can be challenging to get good photos of the legs, but I tried my best and I’ve included them here.
Upon tasting, the body is lighter than you might expect for a Zin forward blend, but the wine is bold and full of great flavor. My friend and I came up with the following taste descriptors: currant, blackberry, sour cherry, and a great spice component. It’s bright/sharp on entry, but smooths out and develops towards a nice finish. We determined white pepper was the best way to describe that spice element. The wine is dry and can be enjoyed on its own, but I believe the tartness/acidity would allow it to pair well with some meals. In terms of the snacks we had on hand… the cheese and crackers brought out the tartness of the wine. Milk chocolate was too sweet and overpowers the wine. Dark chocolate (70% cocoa) was phenomenal with the wine.
The bottle was recorked and one glass worth was reserved for tasting the next day. After 24 hours, the aromas and flavors are about the same, but the wine has mellowed out in terms of the tartness/acidity. Ty has commented on a previous vintage saying this is a drink now wine, but that it could be cellared for 5 to 7 years. Much like his other wines, I’d say this will develop and improve with time.
Overall this wine was very enjoyable and it’s no secret to this crowd that Ty makes great wines. I knew from past offerings what the price point would most likely be, but I asked my friend what he’d expect to pay. He said he’d guess it’d be $30 to $40 from the winery and he’d be willing to pay that. I figured it’d be about $15/$16 per bottle, which is right on point with the current 4 bottle offer. At the case price, this is absolutely a no-brainer!
I’d like to give a shout out to Alice, WD, and the entire WCC and Casemates crew. I sincerely enjoy the opportunity to be a lab rat and I greatly appreciate all of the work you all do. Thank you!!!
@kawichris650 Thank you for the great report. There are some great Zin’s that come out of Lodi and like all winemaker’s Ty is very picky about what he will put his name on. I used to work for him and he is very particular. And this price is better than the employee discount. From now on I’m going to ask for the Casemates discount.
@kawichris650 Thanks, perhaps one of the most well-documented (in terms of photos) rat reports. Especially the thing about “challenging to get good photo of legs” and succeeding quite well. Though I never was quite sure about impact on “legs” on wine quality…
@kawichris650 @pmarin Regarding “legs” on a wine. In my experience there is not much that they really tell you. In my 50 plus years of wine drinking , including some 30 yrs. in related wine business, I never found a winemaker who said that they pay attention to the “legs”.
I enjoyed Ty’s reds bought on the old site but was going to pass based on the 1st rat report and the fact that I am starting to overflow with wine but this 2nd rat report is making me reconsider. Hmmmm - what to do…maybe sleep on it and see if there are anymore rats to report in.
@ctmariner I had the same thought but really want to at least get a chance to taste it for myself. I’m glad that this deal is offering a fairly good deal (not that big % premium) on the 4-btl purchase – when I’m not sure about something, I might not want a full case of one wine (love the mixed cases BTW). So I’m probably going to go for the smaller purchase but still get some because I don’t want to miss it either. I may regret not buying more, but I’d definitely regret not buying any! Waiting to decide on that later tonight.
@pmarin That sounds like a good strategy - thank you!
@ctmariner We do need to hear more so I secured a bottle for myself and am going to check it out.
Very Unofficial Lab Rat Report from WineGirl
Note: The beauty of the LR reports is that everyone has their own palate and interpretations but with 2 very different LR reports, I just had to check this wine out for myself. So I ran down the road to the TC warehouse & picked up a bottle. It’s a tough job but someone had to do it.
Full Disclosure: Worked for Ty Caton and now WCC and I’m a Chardonnay girl.
Pre-tasting thought: is this junk in a bottle? No way, Ty and the Winegods/goddesses would never let that happen, but then again who would’ve thought that a virus would shutter the world in 2020.
Because I could definitely lean, I had the whole family taste without knowing what it was or why. Here is our super amateur findings:
WineHusband: Nice ruby red color and legs. Woodsy aroma. Explosive at first sip leading to a smooth finish.
WineSon: Love the smell. Hearty and full flavored with an overall tangy finish
WineDaughter: Pretty ruby red color. Red wine aroma. Glides on the tongue. I like it. A good everyday wine not overly potent. (Hmmmm, interesting for someone that’s not 21 yet)
Winegirl: Nice pop sound upon opening and cork looked good, gorgeous color and aroma. A zippy, spicy Zin start with a flavorful and creative finish. Definitely a full flavored Zin blend that is smoothing out as time marches on. Can also imagine that it could cellar for a bit too.
My final thought: This wine did not disappoint and now I’m in for a case because at $13 it’s a no brainer for me. No hesitation in recommending. Ty Caton quality at a superb price.
@WCCWineGirl
Blind tasting?
They didn’t see the bottle or know what was in the glass?
Pic is just a TC promo bottle shot?
@rjquillin Very blind, except for me. flattered you thought my pic could be a promo shot.
@WCCWineGirl thanks for taking one for the team!
@TimW haha, i’m a hard worker
Always an autobuy…
/giphy naked-literate-water
/giphy bogus-quality-cabbage
Yup, age appropriate
Checking back in on day 3. Pretty much no change from day 2, except the fruit is less stewed at this point and some of the astringency is gone, but that is paired with less fruit now as well. I don’t see a value play at this price, but think its probably fair for what this is. I’m chalking this one up to the fact that my palate isn’t aligned to Lodi zin or the ty house style perhaps. Glad that others enjoyed it.
@trifecta You (almost) positive the bottle wasn’t in some way compromised and you just didn’t detect it? Otherwise, just seems too much of an outlier.
@rjquillin Nope, pretty sure the bottle I got was sound.
@trifecta there’s something about Lodi Zin that has never sat well with me. Cannot pinpoint what it is but I know it when I taste it
@trifecta really appreciate your input. This is what LR’ing is all about. We want to hear all perspectives. So thank you.
I have loved Ty’s wines since the old days at Wine Woot, after the first rat I decided not to pull the trigger but now the other two have pushed me over the fence. Love the bottle too BTW.
I like Ty’s wines and really enjoyed Entycement (I had the 2014 vintage) both with food addn on it’s own. I can vouch for the age worthiness. Just looked in the “cellar” and none left. I drank my last bottle of the 2014 vintage in the last year. I think its better after a few years resting. Of course each vintage is different as well as peoples cellaring techniques. My wine has its own storage closet in the basement - should have made it bigger.
You’re killing me. I just yesterday told myself and the missus that I wasn’t buying anymore wine under any circumstances.
Anyhoo, in for a case.
I have had several vintages of the Entycement, and loved them all. I had a few bottles of the 2016 from another source, and they were delicious / went quickly. Great for barbecue season, imo.
I was on the fence, based on the first lab rat report. I do recall people on the old site loving Ty’s wines, but I have never been able to get in on the offers, for some reason.
The Mrs. and I both like Zin, PS, and CabSav, and drink Zin on a fairly consistent rotation. based on the 2nd lab rat review and a few of your comments, I figured this was a safe gamble to try out.
/giphy totally-cheerful-nose
That giphy is slightly disturbing…
@KCountry “That giphy is slightly disturbing” I say it is more than just slightly disturbing.
@KCountry It’s the uncanny valley.
/giphy expensive-quickest-pollution
Just checked my cellar-- I’ve got a Tycaton 2002 and 2009 Cab, 2009 Carlton Brooke, 2008& 2009 Petite Sirah, 2008 Ty’s Red, probably all from the WW days? Any suggestions on order I should drink those?
@caffeineguy super curious about that 2002 Cab, Hey maybe I should run down to the warehouse again and see if I can snag one. lol
@WCCWineGirl
I also just found 6 bottles of 2015 Ty’s Red. I think we drank the 200x Tytanium a while back.
My roommates and I used to read up and decide to buy and split cases of wine from WW long before casemates was a thing (2006-2009?). We weren’t really wine people in our 20s, but occasionally we’re overwhelmed by how tasty certain wines were, the Tycaton stuff never let us down.
My wife was brewing a lot of tasty beer for a few years until the baby came. Once we ran out of time for that hobby, I started working through my wine collection.
@caffeineguy awesome TC collection. Yes, those cute rugrats can hinder one’s hobbies.
Had several Tytaniums but every occasion seemed special and alas they are gone now.
POPSOCKETS! ROAD ROCKETS! SONNY CROCKETT! AWESOME!
@caffeineguy Drink the 2002 now. You may have waited too long. The rest of those wines are still solid. The 2009’s are a treasure. Everything of mine 2004 + is still aging well.
@WineTy @WCCWineGirl Thanks! UPS guy just dropped off the enTycement; He’s a great delivery guy, offered him an EssenTyal Services Bottle.
@caffeineguy @WineTy that was very courTyous of you. My case arrive last week and somehow i’m down 6B’s already. Been gifTying away too much of it.
@caffeineguy @WCCWineGirl @WineTy Your generosiTY is impressive!
@caffeineguy @WineTy
Yes, they are. Just amazing. My first TC on WW was for these, and never regretted. Only wish I’d gotten more.
/giphy four-clownish-penguin
/giphy precarious-narrow-lace
/giphy necessary-kinetic-pocket
/giphy squealing-abiding-attraction
@pmarin … said no-one to me ever.