The Wines of July 2024

It is summer and the heat is on. Going to jump into the wines:

2018 Izadi Reserve (Red), 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.

91 Wine 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

An enjoyable old school style Rioja wine. Would drink within a few years, but still has a nice backbone and great fruit. Priced under $20, a real buy.

2020 Annick Bachelet Morgon Les Charmes, France

This rich, structured wine comes from one of the top sectors in Morgon. The density, with full-bodied black fruits sustained by acidity, mean this wine needs to age. Drink from 2023. 92 Points— Roger Voss

A very nice Beaujolais wine that is very serious. Neec backbone for food and generous fruit flavors, mostly dark berry. Priced under $20, this is a knock-out wine.

 

2022 L’Ecole no 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vine, Yakima Valley, Washington

This is a true Washington wine classic that is also a spectacular value. Gravenstein apple and lemon verbena aromas swirl about your head as notes of river stones and white pepper try to sneak up on you. There's some body here, with a rich texture and flavors like grilled lemons, Bosc pears and a lemon granita. — Michael Alberty 92 Points

A beautiful example of Chenin Blanc – the apple and pear stick to your palate but the minerality shows through also. Good body to match light food. I love this – priced around $21, this is a big winner.

 

2021 Bouchard Aine & Fils Pinot Noir Rose, France

Crimson red color, the bouquet on this Pinot is pronounced with juicy raspberries and plum. The palate is supple with round tannin and flavors of ripe strawberries and cherries.

This is a porch pounder – sit on the deck with this chilled and just enjoy. Enough fruit and body to go with light fare, but mostly a great sipper. Priced at $10, should have bought a case!

 

2019 Casa Castillo El Molar, Jumilla, Spain

94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Garnacha bottling from 2019, the 2019 El Molar, was produced with the grapes from three plots of vines planted on gravel and sandy soils covered with tosca stones planted in 2004, 2006 and 2010. 2019 was marked by torrential rains on September 13th that changed everything, but the Garnacha (and the Syrah) were harvested before the rain, so this wine is from a "normal" Mediterranean vintage. Fifty percent full clusters were used for the native fermentation in underground stone pools with a short maceration. It matured in 500-liter oak barrels and 5,000-liter oak vats for 12 months. It's a little lower in alcohol but shows ripeness (without excess), but the core is floral, perfumed and elegant. The tannins are very fine-grained with the essence of the limestone soils, that chalky quality of the texture. Very impressive for a 2019. 26,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2020. Best after 2022.

This is a good wine – deeper and richer than expected for Garnacha. The red fruits are ripe and expressive with a nice backbone of acidity and fine tannins. Priced at about $24, this is a good bottle to enjoy with a nice meal.

2012 Prunetto Mompertone Monferrato, Alba, Italy

Deep ruby red in color with purple highlights, this wine has rich fruity aromas of plums and cherries with hints of violets, coffee and spices. The palate is ample, dense and full with soft tannins that are elegant and long on the finish.

It is an excellent match with roasted meat dishes, pot-au-feu and fresh cheeses.

92 James Suckling

A red with dense and silky tannins plus ripe strawberry, spice and almonds. Full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. I like this solid blend of barbera and syrah. Drink now.

I’ll admit that Barbera is far from my favorite grape. This was still drinking nicely when I opened it this month. No tannins left but deep red fruits with a moderate aftertaste.  We closed it out at $20, pretty good for an average price.

2019 Casa Castillo Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain

91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The entry-level red, the old Monastrell, has been reverted to the varietal name, even if in 2019 it has some 15% Garnacha because it was a very good year for the variety (because it was harvested before the rain). As with the other wines, I had the chance to compare the 2019 Monastrell with the 2020. This 2019 fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter barrels and 5,000-liter oak foudres for 10 months. It has an expressive nose of Mediterranean herbs and a combination of ripeness and lightness, a little in the style of 2016, a little more fruit-driven. They had to sort and discard and produced less wine. It's medium-bodied and has very good balance and fine tannins. 160,000 bottles produced. I tasted the September 2020 bottling, but all the bottlings are from the same master blend. Best after 2022.

This is the “little brother” of the El Molar, but it drinks nearly as well. Expressive red fruits with good backbone to match grilled foods. Priced at $20, this is another bottle to get several and drink over the next few years.

2022 Arilie Gewurtztraminer, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Tasting Notes: Dry in style with notes of rose, citrus and apple. This Gewürztraminer is a full-bodied wine with a soft lingering finish, bold enough to pair with spicy foods.

I haven’t had a Gewurtz in several decades. The over the top fruit makes it seem almost sweet, though it is not. Would recommend with spicy dishes to cut through the apple and citrus. Priced under $20, I would use it only in certain occasions.

Lots going on, so I'll end here. Stay well and keep popping thoise corks. I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.