The Wines of November, 2022

I haven't finished my notes about the 2012 California red wines we had, so I'll finish the November listing first. Typical Fall weather - hot and cold and everything in between but rain.

2016 Finca Collado Fet A Ma Hecho A mano Fait main , Alicante, Spain

GRAPE: 85% Monastrell 15% Cabernet Sauvignon

VINEYARD: Monastrell vines of over 40 years of age, located throughout the municipal area of Salinas, intermingled with Garnacha, Bobal and Forcallat. On honest, sandy and slightly saline soils low-goblet vines with a production limited to 2 kg per vine naturally.  30-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon strains located in Finca Collado on sandy soil.

Fet a mà is a very expressive and tasty wine, where the Monastrell, the degree of maturity and the breeding are fused in a perfect balance.

VISUAL: High-intensity color, without reaching saturation.

NOSE: In the nose it is very intense, with a very well-combined aromas of fruits, balsamics, licorice and coffee, very complex.

MOUTH: In the mouth, it has a good entry, silky, and tasty entry on the palate, with a little ripe tannin. In the finish, a slight acidity and balsamic aftertaste brings the perfect balance to the wine.

I got this on close out for under $9; of the three Finca Collado wines, this was showing the best. Not much in the way of tannins left, but the fruit was still expressive of dark fruits and hints of earth. Really nice everyday wine.

2018 Regina Viarum Mencia, Ribeira Sacra, Spain

A young red wine made from grapes Mencia, fermented in stainless steel tanks and a brief stint in French oak and American. A craftsmanship that every year reports to the winery numerous awards: Regina Viarum won the award for Best tinto de Galicia 2010; Best young red wine from the Ribera Sacra 2010 and 2011; and Baco de Oro 2011 the best young red wine from Spain, becoming one of the most laureates wines, not only de Ribera Sacra, but Galicia.

Another close out, but I really like Mencia from Spain. Very little oak influence, but the fruit is bright – red berry and touches of acidity. Under $15, this is a good wine for grilled food and roasted meats.  Nice, try it if you can.

2019 Andrew Murray Watch hill Vineyard Syrah, Santa Barbara, CA

The 2019 vintage was just truly magical at Watch Hill Vineyard, allowing for a long even ripening window, and several different harvest dates. This allowed us to bring in the Syrah with several different flavor profiles. Harvest began in the middle of October and finished two weeks later. As you all must know by now, this is perhaps my favorite Syrah vineyard and thus my favorite wine to release each year. Critics have been praising this wine since our first Watch Hill bottling. More importantly, you all have really seemed to appreciate this wine as it always sells out VERY quickly. Each vintage, we co-ferment up to 6% Viognier and employ up to 25% whole cluster fermentation. We ferment the wine in small open top tanks and then age the various lots for 18 months in French oak barrels (25% new). This yields an impossibly dark garnet (nearly black) color, with neon tinges at the rim, pointing at the cool climate origins. Right now, the wine has notes of ripe cherry, pepper, flowers, charred bacon, tar, and just a hint of toasty oak. The ideal drinking window for this Syrah is 4 - 12 years from today.

Not just Andrew Murray, but a single vineyard, Oh my. This is a great tasting wine with cherry and berry fruits and a touch of oak. Tannins are very fine grained and the wine has good balance. It runs around $30, but well worth every penny. What a Syrah should be – no over-the-top fruit bomb, but a dense and tasty wine.

2018 Sanford La Rinconada Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills, CA

La Rinconada Chardonnay is very expressive, displaying lemon confit and wet rocks while a touch of hazelnut adds charm. Bright, detailed, and nuanced, La Rinconada Chardonnay has a lot going on aromatically, while the minerally stone fruits on the palate are racy with a long finish.

This classic Chardonnay pairs well with sushi, Asian dishes, or a simple cheese plate.

WE93Wine Enthusiast

Clean while creamy aromas of Meyer lemon zest, honeysuckle and butter show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The tense palate delivers a strong mineral kick from chalk and chiseled stone, offering tight yuzu and lime-peel flavors.

WS90Wine Spectator

Minerally style, with fresh-cut apple, citrus and green pear flavors that are focused and direct. Lemongrass notes linger on the structured finish. Drink now through 2024.

Clean while creamy aromas of Meyer lemon zest, honeysuckle and butter show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The tense palate delivers a strong mineral kick from chalk and chiseled stone, offering tight yuzu and lime-peel flavors.

RATING93           PRICE$50

I don’t know the price besides what the Wine Enthusiast has in the review. This was my Thanksgiving wine, a gift from my brother. The minerality of this wine is wonderful, with soft fruits and hints of citrus.

I ended up drinking it all because it was so smooth and had good balance to be with the meal.  Really nice bottle of Chardonnay.

2018 Andis EN OR, Sierra Foothills, CA

Rich but balanced, this full-bodied wine integrates ripe black cherry and blackberry with nuances of woodsmoke and cocoa wrapped in velvety tannins. Made with one-third each of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, it offers plenty of flavor and polish. JIM GORDON

RATING92           PRICE$45             VARIETYRhône-style Red Blend

APPELLATIONSierra Foothills, Sierra Foothills, California, US

My wine buddy Matt had me try this – priced under $20, I find it to be a very nice bottle of Rhone style grapes. Black fruits dominate though some oak comes through with light tannins. Good balance, making it a good wine for meals. No doubt, this is a good Rhone Ranger example from California.

2020 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso, Campania, Italy

The Vesuvio DOC area is characterized by volcanic, loose soils, very rich in minerals and well-draining. The exposure is mainly South-East facing. Positioned 170m a.s.l., the vines are albarello-trained (head-trained) and Guyot-pruned, with a plant density of 2,500 vines/ha. Average age of the vines is 15 years.

Hand harvested in October, grapes are fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperatures. Refinement in bottle one month prior to release.

Ruby red. Aromas of cherries, plums, raspberries, and black pepper. Refined, light tannins and bright acidity make this a lifting, fruity wine. Pair with salumi, tomato and meat-based sauces and pizza Margherita.

This wine did not jump out on the nose – maybe still a little young? Nice red fruits on the palate, not much in tannins. Excellent balance that made it go really well with a meal. Available around $25, this is the entry wine for this producer (Mastroberardino) – made 100% from Piedirosso grapes.

2019 Mastroberardino Aglianico Irpinia, Campania, Italy

Ruby red. This fresh, youthful red has notes of strawberry, cherry, blackberry and violet flowers. The palate is smooth, medium-bodied, with red fruits on the palate and a fruity finish. Pairs well with a variety of light appetizers, fresh tomato sauce-based dishes and roasted chicken.

This wine, the entry to the Aglianico they grow has a broader nose and quite a bit of red and dark fruit notes. There is a modest aftertaste, with a few tannins in the mix. Good balance and a great wine to pair with Italian dishes and other meals. Priced under $25, nice price for this wine.

2019 Mastroberardino Aglianico ‘Re di More’, Campania, Italy

Deep ruby red. A complex and enveloping bouquet offers aromas of red fruits, particularly strawberry and raspberry, and spices such as vanilla, tobacco, cocoa, and coffee. This is a warm, enveloping wine with great structure and notable softness. Pair with salumi, mushroom and truffle dishes, as well as meat sauces and game.

V92Vinous

Crushed stone gives way to sweet exotic spices, then hints of curry, and finally crushed blackberries and plums as the 2019 Irpinia Aglianico Re di More comes to life in the glass. This is silky and polished upon entry, gaining depths through mineral-tinged black fruits, savory herbs and rosy inner florals that form toward the close. Seamless from start to finish, the Re di More tapers off with a concentration of tart raspberries and hints of violet pastille that last incredibly long. This suave expression of pure Aglianico is going to win a lot of hearts. You get a little bit of new barrique spice, and it’s wonderfully integrated. This drinks like a baby Taurasi, but it’s much more accessible. Best after 2023.

The next step up for Aglianico is the ‘Re di imore’. This wine is fuller than the last one, with a lot of expressive red fruits and a good balance. Longer aftertaste, with a little hint of tannins. This wine is drinking well with a meal right now, but has stability to last a few years in your cellar. Retail is about $35 and well worth every penny.

 

2017 Mastroberardino ‘Radici’ Taurasi, Campania, Italy

#84 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022

Deep ruby red. Full, complex and intense, with notes of cherry, violet, wild berries, and a distinctive spicy aroma. This elegant wine has flavors of plum, black cherry, strawberry and intense spices.

Pair with mature cheeses, truffles, porcini mushrooms, Ragout and other dishes with long cooked sauces and roasted red meats.

V94Vinous

The 2017 Taurasi Radici is a force to be reckoned with, as it bursts from the glass with masses of raspberries, currants and plums, complemented by an array of autumnal spices and crushed violets. Its textural depth and density is something to behold, silky, almost creamy, yet contrasted perfectly by a core of mineral-laced black fruits and brisk acids, as an air of inner rose and cloves forms toward the close. The 2017 is persistent and structured yet also unbelievably fresh, as fine tannins frame its smoky mineral tones, along with lasting hints of blackberry and olive. This is a gorgeous rendition of Radici that should provide readers with a slightly earlier drinking window than normally expected. That said, we are talking in terms of Taurasi here, and this wine has a very bright future ahead of it.

JS93James Suckling

Complex already on the nose with blue and black fruit, as well as notes of nori, goudrons and spices, such as cinnamon and mace. Full-bodied with intense, almost steely fruit and mineral flavors and firm, medium-grain tannins. The quality is evident here. It’s just a bit rough at the moment and needs a couple of years to calm down and expand in all directions. Try from 2023.

This is the “Big Daddy” of this group. This wine is huge – broad shouldered and a tannic beast. Not undrinkable, but you know it when you get it in your mouth. I would cellar this for 3 to 5 years. The red fruits that are in it will stay with age and the tannins will back down. Excellent balance to have with a meal, although right now I’d have it with a rare steak. In a couple years, it will go with any heavier type dish, Italian or other. Priced around $65, this is a wine well worth its price.

Another month - hope all is well. Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.