Good thing I put my glasses on…thought it was Cinnamon, some Christmas spice blend or something
…but enough of my pre-espresso weekend drivel…
Reverse Wine Snob just had this up 8/4. 6 bottles for $70 plus $10 two day ship.
The 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Lake County Red Blend begins with a very enticing aroma of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla, dried herbs, cola, tobacco and more.
The wine features a wonderful smooth and savory mouthfeel and is loaded with juicy, delicious, rich, vibrant and tart fruit. All the flavors from the bouquet continue in the mouth along with velvety layers of spice and black pepper in this well-balanced wine. While quite good when popped and poured, I’d recommend giving it some time to breathe to get the maximum enjoyment out of it as there is quite a lot of enjoyment to be had. The grippy finish is dry, fruity and long with lingering black pepper, spice and a hint of tobacco. This is a succulent wine that is once again just a pleasure to drink.Taste: 9 (91-93 points)
Wine Enthusiast:
89 Points. This concentrated and focused wine emphasizes vivid fruit flavors and good acidity for a lively, mouthcleansing effect. Black-cherry, cranberry and blackberry notes make it engaging, and moderate tannins keep the mouthfeel fresh. JG 12/30/20
let us not forget Wilfred Wong (as much as one might want to…ha!)
89 Points. The 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Wine is well-built and attractive. This wine exhibits charming and lively red fruit aromas and flavors. Pair it with grilled cheeseburgers garnished with seeded jalapeños. WW 5/12/20
Regarding price, yes it is $25 msrp. The Vigilance wines are line priced at $25 but from strictly a personal observation these wines never sniff that at retail. Right now this wine is on sale at Binny’s for $9.99, regular price $11.99.
LAB RAT REPORT:
1st off, apologies for slightly tardy posting. Family stuff this AM.
Was happy to get the nod for lab rattage and eagerly awaited my surprise bottle. I was happy to see a GSM type blend, as this is my wheelhouse (aside from a big petite sirah)… anyways. Threw it in the wine fridge for a day or two to settle and await Friday night.
Like a poster above, I also saw “cinammon” and had to re-read the label. Not a cinnamon wine, thankfully.
Last night I grilled a couple of sirloins to have with some roasted potatoes and broke out the bottle. On the pop it was a bit hot, but that blew off by the time I poured a full glass and let it rest for a moment. To me this reminds me of a fairly basic, daily drinking cote du rhone. It has good structure, some dried fruits on the nose/palate after the heat faded, and is somewhat tannic (I don’t think I’m really saying what I want to say here, but if you’re familiar with lower priced cote du rhone, this tastes like that - a bit more tannic than would be perfectly balanced but thats the style at that price point, if you know what I mean?).
I had a second glass after dinner, sitting outside, enjoying the lower humidity in NYC this weekend. It was very nice, and I would buy/drink this again, although I don’t think I would necessarily go crazy seeking it out. I can’t comment on day 2 yet, but if I have the opportunity to drink it tonight, I will.
Overall, I think this is a buy if
you like CdR
and
you need some basic, CdR style wine in your house for a basic drinker
I expected the price to be at or below 20 bucks so seems appropriately priced seeing the list price today.
@icarus8 Thanks, it’s a helpful review including the “not saying what I want to say but … you know what I mean” part, and I think I understand that.
If I were in need of a default red blend this probably would be a good option.
I’ve liked Lake County wines but mostly that has been the dry white varietals. Have not had much experience with red from that region.
Also in the Northwest where I am now, we actually do have some good local GSMs. There used to be a few in this price range but have not looked lately; would not be surprised if they were most costly now.
It was nice to see a Clay Shannon wine arrive on our doorstep.
The wine was not opaque, but a medium ruby red in color.
Got a touch of oak on the nose and some dense blackberry.
On the palate we find cranberry, strawberry, young/tart blackberry. Well integrated oak, but not much apparent.
Thought the wine was simply tart at first, but once given a 30-minute decant and enjoyed with some barbecue chicken, the wine complemented the food perfectly and took on a bolder mouthfeel.
The wine finishes bright without food and no so with, Cimarron is a GSM-blend (grenache, syrah, Mourvèdre), grown in Lake County, California. While this doesn’t have a long-finish, I think this is a perfect daily-drinker, and a great wine to have with BBQ.
More of a Summer red, IMHO, it would be perfect served with grilled meat or poultry and fresh seasonal salads, perhaps one with richness like goat cheese and walnuts to compliment and highlight the fruit.
The 2017 Cimarron Red Blend is powerful and wild in itself. We ferment the varietals separately and later blend this Rhone-style wine. The integrity of each component - Syrah, Mourvédre, Grenache, and a splash of Petit Verdot - are more pronounced with late blending vs co-fermentation.
“Plums, raspberries, and spices fill your palate. The aromas of berries, caramel, and tobacco resonate long after your last sip.” ~Joy Merrilees, Director of Winemaking and Production
Our vineyards are sustainably farmed using native cover crops and sheep to control the seeds between the rows. Ever vigilant, our watchful sheep dogs stand guard over the flock and vines, protecting them from harm. It is this same spirit that drives us in our obsession to craft wines that honor and respect the earth. ~ Clay and Angie Shannon, Proprietors
Specs
Blend: 50% Syrah, 30% Mourvédre, 15% Grenache, 5% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14.1%
Acidity: 0.57
pH: 3.79
RS: 0
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend, Lake County
Case:
12x 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend, Lake County
At Shannon Ridge, we live in harmony with Mother Nature. The vineyards feed the sheep, the sheep feed the vines; lamb feeds the people, people drink the wine and wear wool.
We are dedicated to creating a family of wines that consumers love at top-quality and affordable prices. We are passionate about preserving our land, not only for great vineyard sites but for the wild creatures which share our property. Our sustainability practices integrate a flock of sheep that clean the vineyards, remove the excess canopy, and reduce the need for chemicals while providing natural fertilizer.
“We grow incredible mountain fruit at a great value for our customers. You can’t find this level of quality at an everyday drinking price.”
Clay grew up on a farm in Healdsburg in Sonoma County. He began his career as a vineyard manager in St. Helena, traveling the wine regions of California and managing the company’s vineyards. A short time later he started his own vineyard management company, growing grapes for some of the top wineries and fruit companies in Northern California. Owner and visionary leader of Shannon Ridge Family of Wines, Clay Shannon has transformed his ranch into one of the agricultural icons of California’s North Coast, and in doing so is changing the face and substance of grape-growing in the USA.
In 1995, Clay discovered a magnificent piece of property in the hills overlooking Clear Lake in Lake County, thirty-five miles north of Napa’s famed vineyards. He quickly set out to develop vineyards, Clay’s vision was simple: “We wanted to grow the best fruit in the world,” says Clay, “but we wanted to do it in a way that made us happy living there.”
“Sustainability wasn’t some philosophical concept; it is the way we live our lives.”
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations.)
2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend from Shannon Ridge - $35 = 21.20%
@SmilingBoognish My off-(wine)-topic comment. The Cimarron was a GM “J-car” which was a universal compact platform for several lines of GM. The Cadillac version just got nicer trim and seats and stuff. It followed on the equally-unliked but ubiquitous K-car of the time (80s-early 90s I think).
The Caterra came out of the partnership with Saab in the 1990s, and is apparently very similar to the early 9-5 (the larger Saab sedan that followed the 9000). Though FWD, it had improved road feel and handling compared to the “luxurious squishiness” that was expected of Cadillacs of that era. Hence the “Caddy that Zigs” marketing line, which was actually somewhat accurate (unlike many marketing lines…)
@pmarin I’ve made and probably continue to make bad decisions in my life. One of them that stands out is my purchase of a brand new Cadillac Cimarron, the only new car I ever purchased. A dolled up bad Chevy Cavalier, member of the the “J-car” that @SmilingBoognish mentions. It was my first new car purchase and was so bad it was last new car purchase.
@kaolis@pmarin@SmilingBoognish my friend in college had one that same color. Bought it used. It was nice for a few months then it was in the shop every few weeks, lol. After that I never saw it again. He told me he gave it to the guy at the garage. Guess he had no choice! They never could get it to run right.
@pmarin@SmilingBoognish - The Cadillac Catera was a rebadged Opel Omega imported from GM‘s European Opel division. Was short lived - and not related to Saab in any ways.
@micronio@SmilingBoognish Yes, you are right. It was the Opel base. I remember the Catera coming up on Saab discussion boards I was on in the late 90s when I had a 9000. It seems at some point the Saab did get the same V6 engine, but I was wrong about the Saab being the common platform.
Good thing I put my glasses on…thought it was Cinnamon, some Christmas spice blend or something
…but enough of my pre-espresso weekend drivel…
Reverse Wine Snob just had this up 8/4. 6 bottles for $70 plus $10 two day ship.
The 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Lake County Red Blend begins with a very enticing aroma of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla, dried herbs, cola, tobacco and more.
The wine features a wonderful smooth and savory mouthfeel and is loaded with juicy, delicious, rich, vibrant and tart fruit. All the flavors from the bouquet continue in the mouth along with velvety layers of spice and black pepper in this well-balanced wine. While quite good when popped and poured, I’d recommend giving it some time to breathe to get the maximum enjoyment out of it as there is quite a lot of enjoyment to be had. The grippy finish is dry, fruity and long with lingering black pepper, spice and a hint of tobacco. This is a succulent wine that is once again just a pleasure to drink.Taste: 9 (91-93 points)
Wine Enthusiast:
89 Points. This concentrated and focused wine emphasizes vivid fruit flavors and good acidity for a lively, mouthcleansing effect. Black-cherry, cranberry and blackberry notes make it engaging, and moderate tannins keep the mouthfeel fresh. JG 12/30/20
let us not forget Wilfred Wong (as much as one might want to…ha!)
89 Points. The 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Wine is well-built and attractive. This wine exhibits charming and lively red fruit aromas and flavors. Pair it with grilled cheeseburgers garnished with seeded jalapeños. WW 5/12/20
Regarding price, yes it is $25 msrp. The Vigilance wines are line priced at $25 but from strictly a personal observation these wines never sniff that at retail. Right now this wine is on sale at Binny’s for $9.99, regular price $11.99.
Ok, got one double in, time for another…
fwiw
@kaolis LOL Wilfred Wong joke…
LAB RAT REPORT:
1st off, apologies for slightly tardy posting. Family stuff this AM.
Was happy to get the nod for lab rattage and eagerly awaited my surprise bottle. I was happy to see a GSM type blend, as this is my wheelhouse (aside from a big petite sirah)… anyways. Threw it in the wine fridge for a day or two to settle and await Friday night.
Like a poster above, I also saw “cinammon” and had to re-read the label. Not a cinnamon wine, thankfully.
Last night I grilled a couple of sirloins to have with some roasted potatoes and broke out the bottle. On the pop it was a bit hot, but that blew off by the time I poured a full glass and let it rest for a moment. To me this reminds me of a fairly basic, daily drinking cote du rhone. It has good structure, some dried fruits on the nose/palate after the heat faded, and is somewhat tannic (I don’t think I’m really saying what I want to say here, but if you’re familiar with lower priced cote du rhone, this tastes like that - a bit more tannic than would be perfectly balanced but thats the style at that price point, if you know what I mean?).
I had a second glass after dinner, sitting outside, enjoying the lower humidity in NYC this weekend. It was very nice, and I would buy/drink this again, although I don’t think I would necessarily go crazy seeking it out. I can’t comment on day 2 yet, but if I have the opportunity to drink it tonight, I will.
Overall, I think this is a buy if
and
I expected the price to be at or below 20 bucks so seems appropriately priced seeing the list price today.
I hope this helps!
@icarus8 Thanks, it’s a helpful review including the “not saying what I want to say but … you know what I mean” part, and I think I understand that.
If I were in need of a default red blend this probably would be a good option.
I’ve liked Lake County wines but mostly that has been the dry white varietals. Have not had much experience with red from that region.
Also in the Northwest where I am now, we actually do have some good local GSMs. There used to be a few in this price range but have not looked lately; would not be surprised if they were most costly now.
It was nice to see a Clay Shannon wine arrive on our doorstep.
The wine was not opaque, but a medium ruby red in color.
Got a touch of oak on the nose and some dense blackberry.
On the palate we find cranberry, strawberry, young/tart blackberry. Well integrated oak, but not much apparent.
Thought the wine was simply tart at first, but once given a 30-minute decant and enjoyed with some barbecue chicken, the wine complemented the food perfectly and took on a bolder mouthfeel.
The wine finishes bright without food and no so with, Cimarron is a GSM-blend (grenache, syrah, Mourvèdre), grown in Lake County, California. While this doesn’t have a long-finish, I think this is a perfect daily-drinker, and a great wine to have with BBQ.
More of a Summer red, IMHO, it would be perfect served with grilled meat or poultry and fresh seasonal salads, perhaps one with richness like goat cheese and walnuts to compliment and highlight the fruit.
[1]
Estimated delivery is on my bday
2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend, Lake County
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$300.00/Case for 12x 2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend, Lake County
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Friday, Sep 9 - Tuesday, Sep 13
2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend from Shannon Ridge
4 bottles for $54.99 $13.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
The blend of these varietals does sound enticing. Love a good domestic Rhone (if that makes any sense).
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations.)
2017 Vigilance Cimarron Red Blend from Shannon Ridge - $35 = 21.20%
The caddy that zigs!
@SmilingBoognish oops, that was the Caterra. The Cadillac Cimarron just plain sucked. Lol
@SmilingBoognish My off-(wine)-topic comment. The Cimarron was a GM “J-car” which was a universal compact platform for several lines of GM. The Cadillac version just got nicer trim and seats and stuff. It followed on the equally-unliked but ubiquitous K-car of the time (80s-early 90s I think).
The Caterra came out of the partnership with Saab in the 1990s, and is apparently very similar to the early 9-5 (the larger Saab sedan that followed the 9000). Though FWD, it had improved road feel and handling compared to the “luxurious squishiness” that was expected of Cadillacs of that era. Hence the “Caddy that Zigs” marketing line, which was actually somewhat accurate (unlike many marketing lines…)
@pmarin I’ve made and probably continue to make bad decisions in my life. One of them that stands out is my purchase of a brand new Cadillac Cimarron, the only new car I ever purchased. A dolled up bad Chevy Cavalier, member of the the “J-car” that @SmilingBoognish mentions. It was my first new car purchase and was so bad it was last new car purchase.
@kaolis @SmilingBoognish
Doesn’t this just give you a sense of quality and luxury?
EDIT except instead of WTP, the license should start with WTF.
@kaolis @pmarin @SmilingBoognish my friend in college had one that same color. Bought it used. It was nice for a few months then it was in the shop every few weeks, lol. After that I never saw it again. He told me he gave it to the guy at the garage. Guess he had no choice! They never could get it to run right.
@pmarin @SmilingBoognish - The Cadillac Catera was a rebadged Opel Omega imported from GM‘s European Opel division. Was short lived - and not related to Saab in any ways.
@micronio @SmilingBoognish Yes, you are right. It was the Opel base. I remember the Catera coming up on Saab discussion boards I was on in the late 90s when I had a 9000. It seems at some point the Saab did get the same V6 engine, but I was wrong about the Saab being the common platform.
WOW = as good as I thought