Wines of October 2019

Scary Good wines for October

First up - your question of the month.

Which of the following Appellations is not in Sonoma County? (In honor of the awful fire that raged through the county this last month)

A. Russian River Valley

B. Anderson Valley

C. Dry Creek Valley

D. Knights Valley

Answer at the Bottom

2017 Bodega Ponce Depaula Monastrell, Castilla, Spain

Wine Advocate 93

“This is very elegant, floral, fresh and mineral, a lot more serious than the price suggests. It’s harmonious, with very fine, chalky tannins and feels very much like a $40 bottle of red. Grab it!”

Depaula is fresh and mineral, with profound aromas, ripe red fruit, toasty notes, caramel and sweetish touches, as well as hints of gunpowder. Once poured into the glass it's lusciously sweet on the nose, and reveals the Monastrell's energetic character on swirling it around. On the palate it gives the feeling of a complete wine, with chewy fruit, and it has that rustic element typical of the variety, yet still very polished. Remarkably complex for a wine at this price, a rounded wine that leaves a most pleasant sensation at the end, a merit justly attributed to its producer of course.

Don't be misled by its price, as you can decant it! This is a wine with plenty of vitality and sinew, especially when it's young, and it will benefit from a good decanting.

Colour: Picota cherry red / violet rim / quite opaque / bright / clean

Bouquet: Highly aromatic / fruit aromas / red fruit / aniseed aromas / spicy notes / vegetal notes / toasted bread / candy sweets / toffee / floral scents

Palate: Flavoursome / good entry / fresh / good acidity / voluminous / fruit notes / herbaceous notes / toffee / marked tannins / long finish

This was a good full-bodied wine, with dark fruit flavors and some spice in the taste. Moderate length of finish, some tannin, but not too much. Available for under $15, buy several bottles of this one.

2017 Lang & Reed Chenin Blanc, Mendocino, California

92 Points Wine Enthusiast

This medium-bodied wine offers depth and complexity that are unusual for the varietal in California. It has lightly earthy, mineral, figgy aromas, a palate-coating texture and layers of flavor that unfold from apple to almond to fig, giving it the substance to be a main-course wine, not just a pre-dinner beverage.

I’m a fan of good Chenin Blanc and this one qualifies. Good depth of flavor with good minerality – acidity and body to hold up well with a meal. Available for around $15 on close-out, you should try this wine. There are not many vines left of this grape, so enjoy the good ones.

2014 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Prelude Vineyard, Margaret River, Australia

92 Points Wine Enthusiast

Leeuwin's characteristic elegance and approachability, combined with ageability, are in full force here. Trademark pencil lead, eucalyptus and red currant characters mingle with dried flowers, herbs and furniture polish. The tannins are dusty and tight-grained, with an herbaceous currant flavor continuing throughout. Drink now–2032.

92 points James Halliday

 This is very good Cabernet, medium-bodied and extracted with a judicious feel for varietal personality: currant and a verdant lift, underlain with black olive and bay leaf skirting across cabernet’s tannic fiber. This is massaged to the tune of mid-term drinkability, without sacrificing the wine’s structural mettle.  

Very nice Aussie Cab – not too much of a fruit bomb – with integrated red fruit, pencil, cigar box and light tannins woven into the flavor and finish. Runs about $30 – I got it for $15 on close out. Should have bought several more and drank over the next 4 years.

2017 Milbrandt Estates Viognier, Wahluke Slope, WA

Aromas of creamsicle, ripe peach, crayon and flower lead to quite ripe, full-bodied stone fruit flavors. It runs warm.

Blend: 85.9% Viognier, 6.9% Chardonnay, 5% Grenache Blanc, 1.4% Piquepoul, 0.8% Clairette

Expressing pure, nearly textbook flavors of white lily, orange blossom, and apricot, this wine is lush in body with concentrated notes of jasmine and white peach. A minerality reminiscent of wet stone balances the floral bouquet, finishing quite clean.

This wine has a higher alcohol content than most of this grape. Nice body with that minerality edge to it. Short finish, but a pretty good sipping wine.  Usually about $26, can be found around $20-22.

2017 CasaSmith “Cervo” Barbera, Wahluke Slope, WA

93 points Jeb Dunnuck: "[$25 list] One of the best expressions of this variety outside of Italy must be the 2017 Barbera Cervo from Charles Smith. Its vibrant purple/ruby color is followed by a fresh, complex bouquet of blue and black fruits, leafy herbs, vanilla, and spice. It’s terrific on the palate as well, offering medium to full body, tons of fruit, and remarkable purity. Drink it any time over the coming 4-5 years. (4/11/19)"

Producer notes: "100% Barbera. Fresh, round and subtle. Raspberry, stone, tobacco and a true sense of place are my first thoughts. Expansive palate with ever-expanding complexities. Fill a glass and let the secrets unfold."

I will admit, I am not a big Barbera fan, even from Italy. For me, the flavors always seem s little flat. Red fruits with some herbs- nicely made wine but not my choice. Runs $24 but can be had for under $20.

2016 Voix de la Vigne Cabernet Franc, Red Mountain, WA

100% Bel’ Villa Vineyard                                100% Cabernet Franc

Aged for 20 months in 2 year old French oak barrels Alcohol 13.9 pH, 4.08 TA

Nice dark, late summer strawberry, cocoa, dried thyme and basil, with a touch of graphite. There is a colorful mix of dried, savory herbs in this wine that pairs beautifully with the fruit. Undertones of cocoa, just a hint of coffee and earthiness really create a lovely blend of aromatics in the classic, yet somewhat bold Cabernet Franc. The bright entry mixes well with the slightly creamy berry mid-palate. The finish is lengthy with fine tannin and flavors of thyme, mocha and just a touch of spice and earth. I love this Cabernet Franc because it shows respect and restraint. It’s a classic, with a bit of a new world twist.

This is a well made Cabernet Franc – the flavors do have a lot of undertones – cocoa, coffee, dried fruit to go with the Red berry flavors. Keeps expanding as it opens up. Very good with a meal – runs about $40, but can be found for $30. Could age several years…

2015 Avennia Gravura Red Wine, Columbia Valley, WA

RP 93      Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The entry-level Bordeaux blend is the 2015 Gravura, and in 2015 it’s a rough mix of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc. It’s a terrific wine, as well as a year in year out great value. The 2015 offers classic notes of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf and violets in a rich, pure, charming and classy style. It has ripe tannin and outstanding purity, and I’m sure it will drink nicely right out of the gate.

The 2015 Gravura is the most hedonistic yet, with aromas of black cherry coulis, red currants, chocolate truffle, violets, and a hint of leather. Rich and palate-coating mouthfeel with dark red and black berries, mocha, and toasted hazelnuts. There is a nice streak of acidity on palate to lift the large-scaled fruit and structure. This wine is tasting great already, but will age 5-8 years at least.

Blend: 13% Bacchus Vineyard Cab, 15% Dionysus Vineyard Cab,18% Red Willow Cab, 21% Red Willow Merlot, 12% Boushey Merlot, 15% Klipsun Merlot, 3% Bacchus Cab Franc, 4% Champoux Cab Franc

This is an excellent blend – a full nose of fruits and flavors of red and black fruits with some pencil shavings, mocha and herbs. A moderate finish with polished tannins – this was great with a meal. Priced around $40, can probably be gotten around $30. This is age-worthy – 5 years easy.

2016 Requiem Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, WA

Grapes were harvested in the later half of September at between 24 and 27 brix, depending on elevation. The grapes were gently pressed into a combination of open top wood and stainless steel fermenters, ranging from 2 to 5 tons in capacity. After a 3 day cold soak, native yeasts were allowed to begin fermentation, which lasted for 18 to 32 days depending on the tank. Once dry, all the wine was racked in to 225L barrels from Taransaud (15%), François Frères (30%), Darnajou (25%) and Saury (30%) for 24 months - 40% new oak.

This very distinguished, super stylish Cabernet Sauvignon was grown biodynamically in Washington's Columbia Valley. Densely layered and quite substantial in the mouth, this bottling delivers generous blackberry and black currant fruit, wrapped around a vibrant core of acidity which keeps the wine pert and lively on the palate. The fruit for this bottling was sourced from 4 vineyard sites in Walla Walla and Horse Heaven Hills.

Very pleasant wine with typical Cabernet Sauvignon fruits, if not a little understated. Flavors come off a little “dusty” but still is a good bottle of juice. Went well with a meal. Priced around $25 – available around $20. Could age a few years

Question answer:

B. Anderson Valley is in Mendocino County, North of Sonoma.

Another month - hope you are all keeping safe from the goblins. Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.