Wines of November 2018

Another Month - a Few More Wines

I'll get right to it this month

2014 Ogier Dentellis Gigondas, France

APPELLATION    Gigondas

GRAPE VARIETIES

80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre

WINEMAKERS   Edouard Guerin

TASTING NOTES

Deep red cherry color. On the nose a bouquet of ripe red fruits with hints of leather and mild spices. The palate is complex with mineral characters. Full bodied with fresh aromas. Very elegant, silky and attractive tannins with a long finish on vanilla notes.

This was an excellent wine – bought on sale for around $15. The nose was bright and the flavors on the palate were well blended and smooth. Great example of the wines of this region – pick up some if you can.

2010 D’arenberg D’Arry’s original Shiraz Grenache McLaren Vale, Australia

91 POINTS           Wine Enthusiast               Editors’ Choice

A terrific value, this 50-50 blend displays gentle oaking and a hint of warm asphalt, just enough to highlight the wine's plum and black cherry fruit. It's full bodied and features a long finish, outlined by wonderfully fine, dusty tannins. Drink now–2018.

I bought the last two bottles of this from Matt, my wine guru. It is at a perfect drinking window – the tannins are mostly gone, but the full flavor remains, with good fruit and enough acid to make it do very well with food. Closed out at $10.

2013 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa

(14% alcohol; aged for 18 months in new French oak):  Healthy red-ruby.  Lovely lift to the aromas of plum, raspberry and menthol complicated by spicy, cedary oak and floral notes.  Densely packed and ripe, with a very suave texture and distinctly high-pitched red fruit, mint and spice flavors.  Very firmly built, tight wine with a serious spine–but no hard edges–for aging.  Finishes with tongue-dusting tannins and lovely perfumed lift.  Classic, youthfully backward Cabernet with finesse, precision and a light touch but also serious structure.

This was an outstanding South African wine. Refined yet with bold flavors; opened up with our meal and was a good surprise. Should be priced around $24 – 28, very good wine that could age a few years.

2014 Chateau Bel Air Gloria, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France

A generous wine, robust, balanced, with fruit intensity. Featured in the April 2017 edition of Decanter magazine in the tasting of Cru Bourgeois 2014 crop, which appears as highly recommended. According to the magazine, it is a wine with good tannic structure and lots of fruit, which will benefit from one more guard time.

I remember drinking this wine before they added the “Gloria” to indicate where it is located. It was the less expensive Bordeaux you could try and see what the vintage was like. Frankly, this did not hold up compared to other cabernet; it seemed a little “weak” and missed some on the middle of the palate. It was tannic, but it wasn’t seamless – dry yet making the finish a touch bitter. Priced around $25 – I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

2013 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Australia

"Bright ruby. Smoke-accented cherry and raspberry on the nose, plus a hint of cedary oak in the background. Juicy and focused on the palate, showing very good lift to the bitter cherry and red berry flavors. Turns sweeter on the youthfully tannic finish, which hangs on with strong, spicy tenacity."

Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2017

A lifted, concentrated and layered nose, consisting of blackcurrants, red cherries and boysenberries. Fragrant violets, clove, anise, cassia bark and black cardamom suitably sit in the background. The palate is vibrant and tightly coiled with blackcurrant, cocoa and finely tuned oak. Subtle spice, underlying char and roasted coffee bean offer delicate complexity. Laced acidity with silky ripe tannins provides both length and balance.

Surprising how good this Aussie Cabernet tastes! Very New World, but not over the top like some Shiraz tends to be from here. Lovely nose with typical Cabernet flavors – dark red fruits and spices. Tannins were smooth yet present; acidity was good to match our meal. Priced around $25, a real good buy. This label makes a more expensive wine, but this would be hard to beat at that price.

2014 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Happy Canyon, California

94 POINTS           Cellar Selection                 Wine Enthusiast

This vintage is the first that was under complete control of winemaker Tyler Thomas, and his studious touch shows magically. There's a powerful density of ripe but not sweet black fruit on the nose of this bottling, along with hints of violets, turned earth and leather. The structure is firm, dense and chalky but with a vivid acidity, offering ethereal, supple flavors of black currant and cocoa on the finish. Drink 2018–2034.

95 points Vinous

 The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Star Lane Vineyard is bold, pungent and bursting with fruit. Deep and unctuous in texture, but with considerable aromatic lift, the 2014 offers a terrific expression of Happy Canyon. Black cherry, blackberry, grilled herbs, menthol, sage and licorice infuse the rich, inviting finish. (AG) 95+

These folks also own the Hermanoff Winery in Missouri.  A very well made Cabernet – it had power, tannins and acidity, but not quite a Napa Cabernet. Less dark red fruit and more perfumed and a touch of earthiness. None of this made it bad, instead it was surprising how well it went with the meal and after setting and opening up, it drank on its own. Finish was modest, but drinking very well at this time. Could age a number of years. Nice wine – priced around $40 – 45, OK for a minor splurge.

2014 Ondarre Rioja Reserva Rioja, Spain

85% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, 10% Graciano

Tasting notes:  A first-rate example with a bevy of fleshy red fruit flavours of strawberry, cherry, and plum accompanied by spice, a lovely lick of vanilla-peppery oak, and exemplary tannins, which are sufficient for extended cellaring. A benchmark example - fine, supple and harmonious. An excellent wine for gastronomy.

Another bargain from Spain – this wine has excellent balance to drink with food, or on its own.  The fruit is good with a full mouth of the dark red fruits and spices. The finish has smooth tannins and lingers nicely. I think it was only $15 – under $20 for sure. Great bottle to have on hand for any occasion.

2009 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville Selection, Napa Valley, California

This ambitious effort stars flavors so ripe and fantastic, they defy description. The wine, with a few drops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, explodes in blackberries, black cherries, currants, mocha, sweet licorice, plum and new oak flavors. The tannins are magnificent, the oak integration beautiful. The chief criticism is that the alcohol level is high, and gives the wine a burn of heat.

Full-bodied and well balanced, this Cabernet Sauvignon is packed with black cherries, cassis and mocha with a whiff of cardamom. Its supple and smooth mouthfeel lingers with a long, elegant finish. Having the patience to cellar this wine will reward you in the glass years from now. Serve with simply roasted meat dishes or all by itself to fully enjoy the wine’s complex flavors.

Don’t ask the price – my brother got half bottles of this and sent me one for Thanksgiving. The wine was excellent – in a good drinking window. The tannins were smooth; the mouthfeel was very elegant and the finish was lingering. Wonderful bottle of Cabernet from Napa.

2016 Patterson Cellars Alder Ridge Syrah, Washington

Produced using classic Côte-Rôtie techniques, this single vineyard Syrah was co-fermented

with 2% Viognier yielding a Syrah that is both darker in color and lighter on the tongue.

Dark, saturated purple with a nose that opens with intense blackberries, vanilla bean, cedar,

cloves and orange rind. Look for notes of caramel as it sits in the glass. Big flavors of

dark berries fill the mouth, while the Viognier adds just a bit of “lift”, preventing the overall

flavor profile from becoming too heavy. Silky, plush tannins give way to lingering fruits and

a hint of cocoa nibs on the finish.

98% Syrah, 2% Viognier

Another gift from Tony – this is a special offer from Patterson. The color is excellent, and the wine is an example of a great Syrah – styled like great Northern Rhone wines. Wonderful flavors meld into the palate, the finish is medium but very pleasant. This is a great example of what Washington can produce with the Syrah grape.

Another Month and the Holidays are almost here. Keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grapevine. Peace.

The Wines of October, 2018

Another month has flown by - Halloween coasted right past...
Here are some wines I enjoyed in October

2014 Edmeades Zinfandel, Mendocino County, Ca

Offering plenty of Zinny character, it’s dry and brisk in mouth-cleansing acidity, with soft tannins and rich flavors of dusty baking spices, blackberry purée, cherry compote, cola, shaved dark chocolate, red licorice and a savory coating of toasted cedar wood. The addition of a small percentage of Petite Sirah (15%) and Syrah (8%) contributes complexity. A great accompaniment to barbecue, game, roasted chicken, stews and lasagna.

A nice zin, meeting the qualities you expect from this grape. Good flavors, moderate finish, very nice wine that matches food very well. Close out at about $12, well worth buying.

2012 Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia

Wine Spectator 91

"Dark and brooding, with blackberry, cherry and gentle spice flavors unfolding on the smooth, meaty frame. The finish persists against velvety tannins. Drink now through 2020. 15,000 cases made."

James Halliday 93

"This is undeniably medium- to full-bodied, but does not overwhelm you with the Parkeresque gobfuls of fruit; here tannins replace the bitter chocolate to provide a savory/earthy florish to a very good wine."

Vinous Media 91

"Bright purple. Ripe, highly perfumed aromas of blueberry, cassis, smoky minerals and violet. Plush and sweet but focused, with a silken texture to its dark fruit and floral pastille flavors. Youthfully taut but promising, finishing with very good lift, soft tannins and lingering floral and spice notes."

This is a great wine, drinking in its prime. Nice finish, good fruit without being a bomb; enough acid to match a meal. Purchased as a close out at $20 – well worth buying a few.

2016 Fabre Montmayou Reserve Cabernet Franc, Mendoza, Argentina

Cab Franc is an emerging variety in Mendoza and this jammy fleshy version won't hurt the cause. Inky berry aromas are wide and fruity, not specific. A full-volume palate is a bit heavy, with blackberry, chocolate and peppery flavors. The finish hangs around with similar flavors, grapy weight and just enough acidity to maintain integrity.      90 Points

I like a good Cab Franc – and this one qualifies. Jammy with good fruit, enough acid to be food friendly – really nice bottle of wine. Priced under $15, buy several.

2016 Vaglio 'Aggie' Malbec, Uco Valley, Argentina

This is 100% Malbec from a single vineyard in Gualtallary, Uco Valley. The wine shows notes of butterscotch, chocolate, and baked blueberry pie sprinkled with powdered sugar. A round and creamy mid palate laced with hazel nuts round out this lighter style, mineral driven Malbec.

This is a lighter, somewhat minerally Malbec – nice fruit but not overpowering. Initially, a little laid-back, but a nice sipping wine. Little tougher match with food, but doable. Priced around $16.

2014 Tarapacà 'Etiqueta Negra' Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley, Chile

The Etiqueta Negra is Viña Tarapacá’s top Cabernet Sauvignon. It has been vinified after a rigorous selection of the best Cabernet Sauvignon blocks in Maipo Valley and was aged in French and American oak barrels for 14 months. Is characterized by its deep red color, blackberry aromas, graphite and spices. In mouth it is smooth with black fruit notes and liquorice.

The incredible nose of this wine is enough to draw you in – like a distillation of blackcurrant pastilles, violets and raspberries. Complex, layered and elegant, full of spiced, creamy choc-cherry fruit, it is worth what many may think is a hefty price tag from Chile. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 11% Syrah and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Only made in the best years, this was matured in French oak barrels (30% new) for 14 months.

Drinking Window 2018 – 2022     93 points Decanter

A big dark color wine with a surprisingly soft nose. The mouthfeel is very full, blockbuster fruit and chewy tannins make a long finish. A real big wine that could use some age to be at its best. Priced around $35 or so.

2014 Polkura Syrah 'Marchigue', Colchagua Valley, Chile

Tasting notes: Deep red-violet in color. On the nose, there is lots of fruit. Red principally, with blackberry and plum. In the mouth, it is silky despite its youth. It is well-balanced between its acidity

and the sweetness of the tannins. It is an intense wine with good persistency and complexity

Being from Chile, it had a touch of “funk” (earthiness) in the nose, but a very nice depth of fruit flavors. Finish was moderate, but good. A real surprise – Syrah from Chile, but a good bottle of wine. Drink soon – priced a little over $20.

2012 Marques de Caceres Reserva Rioja Spain

#19 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

Dark red in color, this wine offers aromas of forest fruits (wild berries), with a touch of vanilla and floral notes. It is well-balanced on the palate with good structure and tasty tannins.

WS93 Wine Spectator

Smart Buy Black cherry, currant and floral notes are expressive and alluring, balanced by loamy earth, tobacco and mineral elements that add a savory quality. Firm, well-integrated tannins give support to the polished texture, while orange peel acidity fuels the fresh finish.

JS92 James Suckling

A rich and dense Rioja with aromas and flavors of dark berries and hints of hazelnut and mahogany. Full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink now or hold.

What can you say about a classic Reserva Rioja? This is drinking very well right now, but could hold for several years. Good fruit in a great balance with the acidity – excellent food wine. Bought on special at $20 – purchase several bottles and space out drinking them

Well, time to head off - remember, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.

The Wines of September

First of October and it is 90 degrees in the Heartland. Never fear, it will cool off soon.

How about some recent wines?

2014 Aptus, Ribero del Douro, Spain

This wine is made from fruit grown on vines between 15 and 25 years old, planted in sandy soils with a layer of clay at the surface. The vineyards are based around Aranda de Duero in the villages of Castrillo de la Vega, Aranda de Duero, and Hoyales de Roa. The vines are farmed organically, but are not certified. Grapes from these vineyards were among the last harvested in Ribera del Duero. The grapes were lightly crushed and destemmed prior to alcoholic fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine saw malolactic fermentation half in stainless steel and half in oak barrels. The different lots were aged in French and central European oak barrels for 6 months prior to assemblage.

Wine Advocate: 89 Points

The 2014 Aptus is a young and fruit-driven Tempranillo with 5% Garnacha from ten-year-old, organically farmed vines. The grapes fermented in stainless steel tanks with natural yeasts and the wine matured in French and American oak barrels for six months. It's clean, fresh and feels alive, the nose has an herbal touch and something wild/balsamic that makes it feel quite young. The palate is juicy, pleasant and easy, with fine tannins and moderate acidity.

I enjoyed this wine, bought on special for around $12. Has nice fruit flavor and bracing acidity – wouldn’t hold up to long aging, but good now.

2015 Altos De La Hoya Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain

90 points Wine Advocate:

 “The 2015 Monastrell Altos de la Hoya is dry-farmed, ungrafted, old Monastrell with some 5% Garnacha fermented in 10,000-liter stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and aged in used barriques and larger oak vats for six to eight months. This is more serious and has more depth and concentration, with black fruit and the oak nicely integrated into the wine. There are mineral notes of graphite and earth and a medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins and a tasty finish. Olivares is one of the most reliable producers in Jumilla. Very good value for money. They have recently changed the design of all their labels." (12/2017)

Very nice Monastrell – dark wine with serious flavor profile. Holds up well to beef and grilled food items. A little tannin but not a long aging wine. Drink now and over the next year. Priced around $10 – a good buy.

2015 Chateau Lamothe Saint Germain, Bordeaux, France

Varieties 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot

Alcohol 14.5%

Nose     The nose displays intense, almost jammy, red and dark fruit notes.

Palate   The wine is fruit-forward due to no time in oak. It's rounded and full on the palate, and underpinned with soft, refined tannins. A very well-structured Bordeaux wine, and absolutely delicious.

When you buy a $10 bottle of Bordeaux, you don’t expect a lot. This was a decent little wine, pairing adequately with food; mostly a light sipping wine to enjoy on a nice day. Nice to drink while fixing the meal, just OK with a meal.

2017 Lo-Fi Gamay Noir, Santa Barbara, Ca

Lo-Fi Gamay Noir, Santa Barbara County 2017, 70 % from Rancho Real Vineyard (clone 358) just north of Los Alamos & 30 % from his own unrooted Clos Mullet vineyard. Now Rancho Real was sold to Gallo so they can't get the grapes anymore. Gamay Noir is the legal name in the US, like for Côt, you can only use the name Malbec here. Gamay is the first grape they bring in at the harvest season. Vinified in concrete tank and aged in demi-muids. Semi-carbonic, whole clusters, no crushing, no pigeage. Stomped over once a day during about 10 days. 12 % alcohol.

Very nice nose, although Mike feels some reduction; Aromas of flowers, dry leaves, rather delicate wine. there's very little sulfur here, maybe 25 ppm total. They tried some with no sulfur before but for this vintage they did a bit. He adds that people say they like without sulfur but the bottles don't sell fast, the problem is that domestic retailers will rather sell French no-so2 wines, kind of looking for the originators of the thing.

This wine has bright fruit – lots of raspberry and a modest finish. Closest thing to Beaujolais Nouveau you can get from the United States of California. Little pricey at $21.

2017 Delinquente Wine Co. “Bullet Dodger” Montepulciano, SE Australia

Winemaker Notes

2017 was the perfect vintage for these late ripening Southern Italian varieties. Dry conditions throughout vintage, moderate day time temperatures and most importantly cool, clear nights meant the fruit maintained natural acidity and allowed for steady, even ripening. Harvesting of the Montepulciano occurred mid-March, allowing the fruit to develop those smooth, juicy flavors Monte is known for.

Medium bodied with bright berry fruits and smooth, even tannins, this is an easy drinking, fruit forward wine, perfect with a wide variety of foods.

Critical Acclaim  JH           89           Australian Wine Companion

An easy-drinking red, full of vigour. Fresh, crunchy, light, energetic, fun; all these descriptors apply. Cherry, anise and herb flavours. Refreshing. More suited to summer than to winter; would even chill well.

I know, an Italian grape in Australia – an all “natural” wine, to boot. Pretty nice mulberry flavors with hints of earthiness, modest finish. Not my favorite at $20, but interesting.

2016 Broc Cellars Nero d’Avola, North Coast, Ca

Not a grape associated with California, but it seems to work and is definitely worth trying. The nose is packed with vibrant red and black fruit flavours combined with a refreshing acidity and nice grippy tannins. The wine has seen no oak, but 10% of the grapes were fermented by carbonic maceration in terracotta vessels for added complexity. The delicious bright fruit intensity will pair nicely with simple Italian pasta dishes.                Decanter,  Tasting score 90 points.

I have enjoyed wines from the grape from Sicily – this one started out very sharp, unbalanced. Over a little time, it became better, with a lingering aftertaste. Some plum and spice on the palate but not great overall. Priced around $30, I’d go back to Sicily.

2015 Tarapaca PlusRed Blend Grand Reserve, Maipo, Chile

Winemaker Notes

This Gran Reserva is a wine made exclusively from organically certified grapes from Maipo Valley, Chile. The final blend is a barrel selection made by the oenologist, which was aged for 12 months in American and French oak barrels. Concentrated and fruity, this wine presents red fruit aromas such as raspberry and cherry as well as black fruit such as plum, blackberry and cassis, combine with tobacco aromas and subtle vegetal and mineral notes. Seductive on the palate, with exquisitely smooth tannins that bring on a pleasurable finish.

Blend: 36% Cabernet Franc, 29% Carmenere, 22% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon

This was a pleasant blend – not too deep, but good with a meal. The fruit flavors were subdued but nice; the finish lingered some with hints of earthiness (vegetal and mineral notes).  Worth trying – can be found for under $20.

2012 Mr Riggs X Truant Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia

Fragrant and vibrant with generous notes of chocolate and cocoa powder over a green, leafy character. Lively and clean palate with fresh fruit and a cool pepper character. A very attractive and easy drinking wine.

Despite the age on this Shiraz, the deep black and blue fruit still shine through the palate. Modest finish, but drinking very well. On close out for around $11, well worth picking up.

I hope you had a good month and until next time, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines. 

Wine of August 2018

The heat came back

All right, I'll quit talking about the weather. Can't make up it's darn mind. Hey, how do you make "blush" wine? Tell the white grapes dirty jokes until they blush and then squeeze them! Eh, close enough - Now for the August wines.

2015 Chateau Bauillon, Bordeaux, France

No information available on this – I must have written the name down wrong.

Not a big deal – it was $10 and barely worth that. Not undrinkable, but nothing memorable.

2012 El Coll Pieza, Calatayud,Spain

The nose on this blend of Grenache, Carignan and other grapes burns and smells of iodine, mushroom, olive and rustic berry fruits. High acidity and an obtuse mouthfeel house salty, briny, minerally plum flavors, while the finish runs low on fruit.

A very rustic Spanish wine, I found the finish to be very earthy. Moderate fruits but not very bright in flavor. Found out it is Biodynamical farmed grapes.  Can’t really recommend…even under $15.

2013 Quinta do Vallado Vino Tinto, Douro, Portugal       

Winemaker Notes

This blend is dark red, with crimson highlights and an intense, mature red fruit nose, with hints of violets and “esteva” (a local Portuguese herb that has sweet, warm balsamic aromas with a hint of earthiness). The palate shows great structure and a full-bodied elegance, with mature, round tannins, leading to a long, persistent finish.

Pair with light meat dishes, such as pork, or flavorful, hard cheeses, such as Italian cow and sheep’s milk cheeses.

I was looking for lighter wine to drink in the heat and Matt recommended this gem from Portugal. Moderately priced, it was a very pleasant sipper with nice fruit surrounded by herb flavors. Moderate finish – well worth the $12-15 price.

2017 Marques De Caceras Rosado, Rioja, Spain

Winemaker Notes

Pretty, pale strawberry color. Fresh bouquet of floral notes and strawberries/raspberries that blend together exquisitely. Delicious and refined on tasting with a pleasant fullness and refreshing, luscious flavors that awaken the taste buds.

Critical Acclaim

90           James Suckling

Aromas and flavors of strawberries and lemon-stem in this wine. Medium body, bright acidity and a clean finish. Fruitier style of rosé, but all here.

This is a very good year for this Rosado – very bright fruit with nice body and acidity to make it a good sipper and food wine. Priced around $10 – this is a great pink to share with friends.

2014 Azul y Garanza Garciano, Navarra, Spain

Top 100 AWEsome Wines 2016 (Association of Wine Educators) 'Raspberry and peppery spice on the nose; dry, fine tannins with gutsy red fruits and intense flavours. The name Garciano refers to the blend which is a mix of Garnacha and Graciano. The Garnacha brings soft, fruity flavours, which delivers a rich complexity. The Graciano gives the deep, rich colour, its spicy flavours and aromas, its freshness, acidity and long life.'

A blend of two Spanish grapes, this bottling does a good job of bringing the best of both to the wine. Surprisingly bright, yet good acidity to balance with many foods. Not at all flabby, has a decent finish to top off the flavors. Available for under $20, a nice surprise wine for guests.

2016 Bodegas Ponce “Clos Lojen’ Bobal, Manchuela, Spain

Clos Lojen is a pure joy to drink—and gives those of us always searching for new wines the opportunity to get to know a varietal not found outside of Spain. Made with 100 percent Bobal from organically farmed vines ranging in age from 35 to 50 years old, the wine is aged 7 months in old barrel French oak to help preserve the freshness and lively characteristics of the grape. Bright purple hues excite the senses; aromas of blackberry and sour cherry jump out of the glass. A subtle smokiness with mineral undertones easily coats your palate. Earthy youthfulness and perfect maturity are juxtaposed to create a delightful red. Juan Antonio hits a home run with this humble yet gutsy tinto

A very good bottle of Bobal, the odd, thick skin grape from Spain. Once it was just made in to humble local wines, very rustic with little care taken in producing it. Now, serious winemakes are putting out examples like this. Good fruit, somewhat dusky and a light tannic finish – works well with any beef or pork dish. Priced under $20, a good buy.

2012 Grand ‘Arte Touriga Nacional, Lisboa, Portugal

Rich, vibrant and intensely fruity red with juicy black fruit & spicy flavours. João Paulo Martins; Vinhos de Portugal 2016; "Tasted in 2015. The wine shows up elegant aroma, very fine in the fruit and floral notes but all very pleasant and very well balanced. Elegant in the mouth with very fine tannins with a very attractive fruit that makes the tasting a pleasure."

Not bad, but an earlier vintage was much better. Decent broad flavors but it tended to fade away quickly. Next day was not very good – tannins seemed to just fade away and leave little fruit. OK for the $12-14 price.

2015 Emilio Moro Tempranillo, Ribera Del Duero, Spain

Winemaker Notes                           #59 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017

The wine has a very intense cherry red color. On the nose, it is opulent and very expressive, with a base of great quality ripe black fruit and balsamic notes in the background. On the palate, it has good acidity -- and is broad and tasty with a long aftertaste.

Critical Acclaim

91           James Suckling

Always a go-to red with cherry and blueberry character and just a hint of lemon. Medium body, fresh acidity and a bright finish.

90           Wine Spectator

Black cherry, red plum and currant flavors are fresh and lively in this firm red, backed by dark chocolate, licorice and toasty notes. Light, firm tannins and citrusy acidity keep this focused. Drink now through 2023.

This is a very nice, focused bottle of wine. Very good fruit, balanced tannins and nice acidity made this wine a great match for dinner. Worth keeping for company but only prices around $25. Really nice.

Well, that's all for now. Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines!

Wines of July 2018

Where did the heat go?

Last month I complained it was already hot. This month - the end of July is in the 80's. Hope it doesn't snow in August! (No, it will be oven hot, again).

I didn't come up with what I wanted to discuss before getting to the wines, so let's just do that.

2017 Colonia Los Liebres Bonarda Classica, Mendoza, Spain

 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

"Bold and super-fresh (slight reduction) this is an extremely expressive red with attractive cherry, blueberry, herbal and savory notes. You need to like tannins and acidity to get excited about this, but their interplay is exciting. A great food wine. Drink or hold."

This wine was about $7-$9 on special. Worth much more than that – good fruit, nice texture and mouthfeel and acidity to be a very good food wine. Tasted better the next day. Buy a case of this stuff…

2016 Broc Love Red, North Coast, Ca

WINEMAKER’S NOTES: The grapes were harvested during the third week of September to help preserve their natural acidity. The Carignan and Valdiguié were 100% destemmed and fermented in 5-ton, open-top wood fermenters. Malolactic fermentation was allowed to happen naturally.

VINEYARD NOTES: This is our fourth bottling of Love Red. As with the last bottling,we used grapes from 50-70 year old vines from Frei Vineyard in Solano County's Green Valley. Green Valley is small pocket of land, about 3 miles long and a mile wide, tucked between the south eastern corner of Napa Valley and southwestern edge of Suisun Valley. It’s unique in that it still contains many of its old-vine Carignan and Valdiguié vineyards on clay-loam soils. Using dry-farmed/head-pruned vines, this is mostly a field blend with a small percentage of Syrah blended in from neighboring Wirth Ranch.

BLEND: 54% Carignan, 31% Syrah, 15% Valdiguié

The wines are made in Chris Brockway’s Berkeley, California warehouse (hooray for urban winemaking!) from grapes that are sustainably, organically, or biodynamically farmed. The goal is to make wines that express their site – and the grapes are often from unexpected places. This unusual blend is light and delicious, packed with red fruit notes and earthy undertones. Yum!

My notes indicated this was really good – a touch of biodynamic funk, but bright and slightly unusual flavors. Nice long finish – tasters good when chilled for summer enjoyment. Price is around $20.

2016 Domaine de la Prebende, Beaujolais, France

Domaine de la Prébende produces a deeply mineral Beaujolais from a predominantly clay and limestone terroir, a rarity in a region dominated by granite soils. “Une prébende” essentially means “a tax,” and the domaine sits on the location where monks used to collect taxes from the villagers. As Ghislaine Dupeuble puts it, “Monks didn't like to own low end vineyards!”

The Prébende Beaujolais cuvée, “Anna Asmaquer,” is named for Ghislaine's great grandmother, who married Jules Dupeuble in 1919. The family wanted to add her name to the label because it was Anna who managed the vineyards and winemaking—she is the true source of inspiration for what has become Domaine de la Prébende today.

The Anna Asmaquer Beaujolais is an old vines blend with profound minerality, a bright wild berry nose, and possesses typique Beaujolais finesse. The grapes are harvested manually and vinified completely without SO2. The wines are not chaptalized, filtered, or degassed and only natural yeasts are used for the fermentation. La Prébende crafts one of the best Beaujolais AOC values available today.
87 POINTS           Wine Enthusiast

This wine is rich, full of black-cherry flavors while also having a crisp texture. With its light tannins and intense acidity, it is juicy, ripe and ready to drink.

 I noted this was a nice wine – flavors were “gentle” with a good finish.  A good wine to sip or have with summer meals, from grilled items to salads. Price it good – a Kermit Lynch import – priced at around $20, probably available for 15-16. Well worth the effort to try…

2016 Invivo Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand

Dusty garnet color. Aromas of spiced kiwis, proscuitto wrapped honeydew, cherry paste, and Indonesian sweet soy sauce with a satiny, dry-yet-fruity medium body and an effortless, interesting, medium-length pomegranate, dates, and marinating spices finish with woody tannins and light oak. A very interesting and bright pinot with a spicy, savory palate.

I noted that this Pinot had a good nose – broad fruit flavors and a long finish. Really bright for a Central Otago wine – and the acid balance made it very good with food. Worth looking for – price will be between $20 – 25.

2017 Vina Maitia 'Weon' Carigane, Maule, Chile

This 100% unoaked Carignan is from the Maule region in Chile. Notes of blackberry and cassis dusted by cinammon and cedar show on the nose. The palate shows hints of mushroom and earth tones underneath the dark fruit. A touch of black pepper spice and a solid dose of structural tannins round out the wine.

Robert Parker Wine 91 Points

The 2016 Weon Carignan ("weon" is a basic slang word that is used for almost everything in Chile, mostly equivalent to "mate") is produced with a field blend in Loncomilla where most of the plants are Cariñena, but there is also some País. It had a soft vinification in lagar aiming at a fruit-driven, fresh and varietal wine with low alcohol (12.5%), aged in concrete à la Pipeño for six months. This is more reticent than the Aupa, with a more serious nose and palate dominated by Carignan with no influence from oak. It has fine, slightly dusty tannins, a lighter style of the grape with shorter macerations.

I rated this as fair – not a bad mouthfeel but it didn’t hold well – then end seemed dusty. The acids seemed too high for the fruit – I can’t really say I would go out and find this wine. OK but not one I’d look for. Price is $13 -16.

2015 Castano Monastrell, Yecla, Spain

There are only a handful of wineries remaining in Yecla since the phyloxera plague, and they are led by the forward-thinking Bodegas Castano, which has helped to reinvigorate the winemaking in the region.

Created by Ramon Castano Santa and his 3 sons, Bodegas Castano is not nearly as old as the vines it owns. Starting quite small, the family has nurtured these old plantings and re-planted other parcels and now owns 350 hectares of some of the prime vineyard land in Yecla. Today, Daniel Castano, one of Ramon's sons, runs the winery with the help of other members of the family.

The extremely talented Mariano Lopez has taken over the winemaker reins at the Bodega, and has turned the focus toward more balanced bottlings of older vine Monastrell. Both traditional and carbonic maceration techniques are used and all wines pass through malolactic fermentation. Daniel believes that the fruit and tannin structure of the Monastrell varietal stands up well to the use of oak, and as such, many of the wines pass (in varying degrees) through a barrel regime.

Winemaker Notes

Deep shiny cherry-red of medium intensity. Expressive aromas of well ripen red fruit. Well structured and balanced, rich and meaty tannins.

This bottle was under $8 – you never expect much, but this is one heck of buy! Surprising full bodied, great fruit and tannic underlayer with a moderate finish. No one will believe you paid that little for this wine.  Buy a bunch…

Troublemaker Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2, Central Coast, Ca

Troublemaker Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2, Central Coast, Ca

Every Troublemaker needs a partner in crime – that’s why we’ve introduced Troublemaker Sauvignon Blanc. A refreshingly zesty Sauvignon Blanc with a splash of Riesling and Grenache Blanc, this wine is the crisp counterpart to the dark and brooding Troublemaker Red Blend.

Troublemaker Sauvignon Blanc is the epitome of porch pounder. Flashy fruit aromas and flavors of lychee, starfruit, papaya and guava, with notes of gardenia and grapefruit pith. On the palate, the flavors are brought to life by vibrant acidity and long, lush finish.

Yup, this is a good porch pounder for hot summer days. Cool it down and drink away. Enough balance to go with light entrees or appetizers, I got it on sale for under $9. Pretty good for that price – from the Austin Hope family of wines. 

Well, that is July - hope you enjoy another month of wines. Until we are together again, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines!

Wines for June 2018

Seems Summer has come early

Another month flew by - I didn't even come up with anything interesting to say here. Well, how about an old definition of "Buzz"? It was the an English College saying for the pour out of the bottom of a bottle of Port. Probably with a bunch of stuff in it...Now to the Wines

2015 Castellare di Castellina Chinai Classico, Italy

The 2015 Chianti Classico opens to vivid aromas of cherries, red plums, spices floral and hints of tobacco and earth. On the palate this is medium-bodied, silky and balanced with lovely acidity leading into the finish, which leaves behind red fruits, spices and floral notes lingering. Overall and excellent showing, however allow it another year to flesh out a bit more. (Best 2018-2022)

Varietal composition:     95% Sangioveto and 5% Canaiolo

Fermentation container:  Stainless steel tanks

Length of alcoholic fermentation: 14 days

Length of maceration: 7 days

Malolactic fermentation: Yes

Type of aging container: Barriques and Tonneaux

Age of aging container: One year

Type of oak: French

A classical style Chianti, with red fruits and a good body and acidity to make it a very good food wine. I got it for under $18, good price for a good Italian wine. Notice the pretty label

2015 Palacio del Burgo Tinto, Rioja, Spain

90 points Vinous

  Bright violet. Vibrant red and dark berry scents are complemented by hints of cola and candied flowers. Fresh and energetic on the palate, offering juicy raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that deepen and become sweeter on the back half. Gentle tannins build slowly on the clinging finish but are no match for the plush, primary fruit. This delicious Rioja drinks surprisingly well already. (JR)    (5/2017)

Palacio del Burgo is produced by Burgo Viejo, one of the more serious producers of value oriented Rioja in the entire region. From their base in the Rioja Baja village of Alfaro, this family owned company has a range of vineyard holdings, from clay sites to very stony ones reminiscent of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with the abundance of rounded stones and the strongly Mediterranean climactic influence. We have worked with this winery over the years with various bottlings and have found that the wines always over deliver and are consistently terrific values.

A bargain wine (around $10) from Spain – one of my standby type of wines. This Rioja was well made, not one to age very long, but bright flavors with good acidity to make it very quaffable as well a great food wine. Get several, you won’t regret it.

2014 St. Francis Merlot, Sonoma Valley, California

90 POINTS           Wine Enthusiast

Sanguine in cranberry while offering a velvety smooth, rounded approachability, this well-made, robust wine will appeal to a wide range of palates, expressing a big, leathery backbone of tannin and toasted oak.

This polished Merlot shows off layered aromas and flavors of espresso, red cherry and chocolate that finish with a touch of savory spices. Medium­ to ­full bodied with good structure and a long, lingering finish.

I haven’t had much St. Francis in recent years, but always appreciated the Sonoma County producer’s wines. This wine is available around $15 and lives up to expectations. Nice medium body, the flavors are exhibited in a somewhat nuanced way. Nothing over the top, but good red fruits and spices with good acidity to be a great food wine. Well worth it in my opinion.

2017 Espirit du Mistral Rose, Aix-En-Provence, France

No Picture Available

You will not find anything in the press about the wine, which is a special cuvee bottled exclusively for Roche Mere Wine Selections and only available to those distributors working with us.   The wine is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah cultivated using sustainable farming methods from vineyards in Coteaux d’Aix AOP.  The grapes undergo a light cold pressing and temperature controlled fermentation in steel tanks.   Bottled in February 2018.

2017 Espirit du Mistral Rosé         Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence

50% Grenache – 35% Cinsault – 15% Syrah

This wine, when first tasted seemed a little thin and not really very interesting. A later tasting showed it’s wonderful flavors and adaptability to different foods. Priced around $15, this is a good summer wine.

2016 Milbrandt Vineyards Rose, Columbia Valley, WA

Winemaker Notes

"The 2016 vintage shaped up to be a hot one, but the heat backed off considerably early on giving us grapes that had a chance to mature more slowly to develop flavor. We picked the Rose grapes at the ideal point of flavor development, acidity and tannin level to ensure a wine that was lively, interesting and an elegant pale in color.

Our dry Rose is Syrah dominant and expresses aromas of ruby redgrapefruit, watermelon, cranberry, and a hint of white tea. I likethe fresh herbal and citrus quality that Tempranillo brings to the blend. When blended with Syrah, the two complement one another nicely. Our Rose expresses a bright lively acidity with a round fruit driven mid-palate, finishing crisp and clean." -Emily Haines, Winemaker

Blend: 75% Syrah, 25% Tempranillo

This Rose had a pretty nose, moderate flavors and a good finish. I noted the fruit was light but picked up mid-palate. Real nice hot weather wine – around $13, you can’t go wrong.

2017 Tinto Rey Rose, Dunnigan Hills, CA

2017 Tinto Rey Rose, Dunnigan Hills, CA

Winemaker Notes

The 2017 Tinto Rey Rosé is a blend of Matchbook Estate Grown Tempranillo, Tannat and Verdejo. This wine is unique because it was co-fermented, meaning all three varietals were crushed and fermented together for better flavor integration. Our winemakers’ cold fermented (50˚F) the 2017 Rosé in stainless steel tanks to preserve the just-picked fresh fruit flavors. A wonderfully crisp and refreshing wine, and truth be told a new favorite around here.

The 2017 Tinto Rey Rosé is a beautiful rose petal pink color with alluring aromas of perfume, watermelon and white nectarine that just beg you to take a sip. Fresh stone fruit flavors on the palate are balanced by crisp acidity. Pleasing flavors of white peach and Rainier cherry lead to a delightfully long finish with just a hint of peach pit.

Somewhat unusual blend, this wine was a very good Rose wine. The co-fermenting allowed a good blending of the fruit flavors, giving a full mouthfeel and good acidity to match food. There was a decent aftertaste that made this wine a really good buy. Avaialble for around $15, another great summer choice – serve it to friends, they will appreciate too.

2016 Guillame Gonnet ‘Le Nymphe’ , Tavel, France

This is absolutely classic Tavel. A blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah offering a deep cherry-red color, the wine draws you in notes of raspberries, wild strawberries, a hint of orange blossom and minerality. A tangle of briary fruits envelopes your senses as you dive in for a sip – blackberry and raspberry – especially the wild variety, with their brighter acidity and ripe/tart balance! Hints of Provencal herbs on the finish bring it all together – this is a wine of place… of the earth… of terroir! This begs to be drunk outside – 80 degrees and sunny on Saturday! Perfect! Some olives and cheese while you fire up the grill. Then marinated chicken thighs… some little fingerling potatoes… oohh and fresh spring onions! Yum!

Tavel is the only French wine zone (DOC) to allow only Rose` wines.  A beautiful wine, the flavors hold up to the description. Nicely dry, has full flavors throughout the mouth with a nice finish that lingers. A well made wine, a very good food wine able to hold up against the heat and grilled items. Should be available for around $20, this is a pink that can impress your friends.

2015 Domaine Trotereau, Quincy, France

Kermit Lynch, Importer

Pierre Ragon of Domaine Trotereau is as much an icon of the small appellation of Quincy in the Loire Valley as the appellation itself is a historical icon for the whole of France. Quincy was the second recognized appellation in France in 1936, second only to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grapes had long been planted here, however, with Sauvignon Blanc having been introduced by Cistercian monks in the 12th century. Southwest of Sancerre, on the banks of a tributary of the Loire River, the Cher, the relatively small appellation of 200 hectares is located between the villages of Vierzon and Bourges. The sandy, silex-ridden topsoil with an undercurrent of pink limestone is truly unique, unlike any other Sauvignon Blanc appellation in the world, and gives a very particular wine. Sauvignon is able to ripen more fully here while retaining a very interesting aromatic profile, and the wines are capable of aging quite gracefully.

The mineral-scented Quincy displays a light-bodied personality filled with fresh minerals, stones, and gravel. Dry, crisp, and highly-detailed, with good concentration as well as balance, it is loaded with flavor.

A Sauvignon Blanc that doesn’t taste like every other one. Good nose of  tropical fruits with flavors of stone and fruit. Mid-palate tails off a little, but the finish comes back to a minerally tang. Priced under $20 (can do better as well), this is a white Sauv blanc to forget the endless sea of flavorless ones.

2015 San Fabiano Conti Borghini Baldovinetti Chianti, Italy

Winemaker Notes

Intense ruby colors. A bouquet of sweet and sour cherries, saddle leather, herbs and spices. On the palate, the wine has a black cherry character and good acidity. It is well balanced and smooth with an easy going finish.

The wine is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats; then it ages for 6 months in ceramic vats and 4 months in bottle.

Another Chianti – this one was just OK. The cherry Sangiovese came through although it was not real full in the mid-palate. The finish was a little short, but it had decent acidity to be a decent food wine .A  fine to keep a bottle or two around with a retail of $13 and available around $10. A “school day” wine for pizza and spaghetti.

I hope you enjoyed this little slice of Vino. Until then, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines...