Wines of July 2023

It took summer a couple of weeks, but when it went full blast, it really got hot! Found out that Frizzante has a second fermentation in the bottle, like Sparkling wine, but there is less yeast used and the bubbles are less than half of sparklers. It also takes less time. Often seen in Italy, they are fun little wines to drink.

OK, now for the month of wines:

2020 Philippe Viallet Vin de Savoie+

#55 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2021

Bright light straw with green and grey hints. Discreet and smoky with aromas of stewed fruits and notes of honey. Light and straight, with a good minerality and a slight saltiness on the finish.

Serve with fish, shellfish and with traditional local dishes (cheese fondue, tartiflette).

WS90Wine Spectator

Pretty, with unadorned star fruit, fennel and jasmine notes laced with a hint of lime zest on the breezy finish. Jacquère, Chasselas, Chardonnay and Altesse. Drink now through 2022.

Varietal: Jacquère, Chasselas, Chardonnay, Altesse Taste: The Viallet family have been working the vineyards of Savoie since 1966, when Marcel and Yvonne purchased their first estate, Domaine Clos Réservé, in Apremont, a mere 10km from Chambéry. Their second son Philippe joined the business in 1984, after having studied wine-making in Beaune. He realized the strong commercial potential of the wines of Savoie, and in 1985, he created Maison Philippe Viallet. This wine is a blend of grapes from the region not commonly known to us here (with the exception of Chardonnay) - Chasselas, Chardonnay, Altesse with a majority of Jacquere. In the glass, the wine is a bright light straw color with green and grey hints. The nose is exuberant and bouncy, with an Alpine freshness, crisp orchard fruit and Asian pear notes that follow through to the palate in the most pleasant way. There’s fantastic minerality and texture here, with a slight saltiness on the finish.

A very enjoyable white wine – hint of minerality with fruit flavors of pear, Fuji apple and floral hints. Moderate body, matched well with cheeses and chicken. Got it on special for about $16. Well worth it in a hot summertime.

2019 Four Vines the Biker, Zinfandel, Paso Robles, CA

This Four Vines The Biker Zinfandel is the solution to a boring evening. This classic California wine is produced by Four Vines. It is made from the red Zinfandel grape. The 'biker' variety tastes like black fruit and spice. It complements barbecued meats.

Black cherry and spicy aromas lead to an elegant palate of wild blackberry and plum flavors bolstered by a touch of black pepper and sweet, toasted oak.

The 2019 offers a plush mouthfeel and a long, velvety finish

This is a lighter style of zinfandel, not a heady, high alcohol fruit bomb. Nicely balanced with good fruit and body to match a meal. Red and black fruits dominate the palate with a modest finish.  Not something to age, drink in the next year or so. Priced around $14, worth buying to drink with your grilled foods.

2018 Zeni Costalago Rosso Veronese IGT, Verona, Italy

The label of this wine underlines the origin of Lake Garda in the Würm ice age with its adjacent morainic hills. These hills form an ideal pedoclimatic environment to cultivate the queen of the Veronese grapes: the Corvina grape.

Nino Zeni, eclectic oenologist and father of Fausto, Elena and Federica, started planting Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the early 90s in some vineyards nearby the lake. An idea came up in his mind to create a new wine as a modern expression of our region, a harmonious blend where the local character and the elegance of the Corvina grape are blended with the international character and the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to give a unique and balanced wine.

Tasting notes

Intense ruby red. Floral notes with hints of well ripened fruit. Vinous, velvety and lingering. Pairs well with pasta with sauce, grilled red meat, game and cheese.

Hand selection of the best grape bunches which are collected in small crates and left to raisin for a while.

Soil: hilly soil of morainic and volcanic origin.  Vine yield per hectare: 100 ql./ha.

Grape varieties: Corvina & Corvinone 70% - Merlot 15% - Cabernet 15%.

A modest Italian red that has the right body to go with many foods. Mostly red fruits with a nice mouthfeel; modest finish. Great with pasta and red sauce – priced around $14. Not one to age, but buy now and enjoy

2020 Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County, CA

This Cabernet Sauvignon leaps from the glass with rich ripe flavors of sweet black currant, juicy blackberry, and cherry liquor, intermingled with hints of shaved chocolate, earth, and fresh tobacco leaf. The layers of flavors are balanced by hits of tasty oak. Silky soft yet structured tannins coat the palate and contribute to a long lasting finish.

This is a sumptuous, lush, and full-bodied wine, with flavors of juicy blackberry and cherry fruit, creamy like milk chocolate, and dusty notes all tied together with a toasty oak finish that is lingering.

This is not a cult-cabernet, but an affordable Napa Cabernet that delivers rather well. Dark fruits with some pencil shavings and a fairly long finish. Good body to stand to foods – capable of some aging, though not really tannic. Priced around the mid-20’s (was a gift) worth a try.

2020 Laxas Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain

Clear, brilliant wine, yellow straw color with green nuances. An intense aroma on the nose, perfectly combining the fruity and floral notes, particularly apple and stoned fruit (apricot). Freshness on the palate typical of Albariño, with a touch of acidity perfectly balanced with the structure and body of this wine.

WS90Wine Spectator

Broad and creamy on the palate but trimmed by well-cut acidity, this balanced white shows a pleasing range of baked pineapple, dried papaya and orange peel, with accents of fresh tarragon and green almond. Light- to medium-bodied, with a snappy finish. Drink now

Albarino is a great summer time wine. Crisp, with peach and apple notes that has good structure and body. Good with a summer repast. Priced around $15, well worth buying and enjoying.

2018 Riverside Wines Rio Mendoza Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

Exotic and unusual for value-priced Malbec, with aromas of blueberry and Middle Eastern spice. Feels chunky yet juicy, with good acidity highlighting lightly herbal flavors of plum and tomato. Meaty, round and solid on the finish, with saucy spiciness.

Better than expected – an under $10 bottle that has nice upfront red fruits and a moderate body. Certainly, no aging potential, but at the price you can slug it down or open as a second or third bottle with friends.

2018 Izadi Reserva Rioja, Spain

 

Located in Rioja Alavesa, where Tempranillo thrives in a microclimate strongly influenced both by the elevation and the proximity of the Atlantic ocean, Bodegas Izadi specializes in red wines make almost exclusively from Rioja’s signature grape variety. Izadi Reserva is made from 100% Tempranillo grown in limestone rich soils and aged in American and French oak.

JS93James Suckling

Aromas of ripe plums and blueberries with hints of blue flowers, licorice and dried herbs. Medium-to full-bodied with plush tannins and savory fruit character. Polished and structured, with notes of chocolate and minerals to close. Drink of hold.

RP91Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Reserva, a blend of Tempranillo with 9% Graciano, still feels quite oaky after 15 months in French and American oak barrels, half of each. It has good ripeness for a cooler vintage, at 14.1% alcohol, and has a creamy mouthfeel with tannins and plenty of oak-related flavors in the finish. For fans of oaky modern Rioja.

WS91Wine Spectator

A polished red, layering supple tannins with an aromatic overtone of star anise, mocha and graphite. Fresh and medium-bodied, revealing black cherry coulis and fig cake notes, with a spiced finish. Drink now

This was an email special from Matt at Auburn Spirits. Whether it is 100% or 92% Tempranillo, it is a sturdy, almost rustic wine that has a long finish and tannins to be laid down for up to five years. Dark fruits and dries herbs dominate the palate, with oaky notes and a tannic grip of a wine meant for aging.  Got this for $16 –a tremendous buy. Recommend getting two and putting one down.

Hope all is well - I'm still hanging around, like a bunch of over weight grapes. Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.