Wines of December, 2018

Wines of December, 2018

The Holiday Special

I hope you had a good Holiday Season. Let's talk about some wines!

2017 Tussock Jumper Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa

Ripe peach and pineapple aromas that follow through to the palate. Excellent example of a rich and ripe style of Chenin Blanc. Fresh, flinty flavors and a long, clean, crisp aftertaste.

WS – 88 Pts "Bright, with makrut lime, green apple and honeysuckle notes breezing through. The fresh finish offers a mouthwatering edge. Drink now. 25,000 cases made." –JM

Pleasant, light style South African Chenin Blanc (Steen).  Floral and fruit carry through the palate, moderate aftertaste. Well worth the $10 price point, better in the spring summer, as a sipper and dinner wine.

2010 Terra Bianco Campaccio Toscana, Tuscany, Italy

Deep, lively ruby; ample, intense, elegant of berry fruit, chocolate, leather & roasted almond; full &concentrated on palate, with perfectly balanced freshness and fruit. Superb structure, harmony and depth, silky tannins.

Blend: 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Very nice Super Tuscan – in its prime drinking. Tannins are mostly gone, but good fruit up front and on the nose carry to the palate, with a good acidity to make it excellent with food. Unable to price, was a gift.

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.

2009 Franciscan Clos Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA

A rich and elegant presentation with vibrant dark cherry and plum fruit flavors, followed by notes of tobacco, mocha, rosemary and vanilla. This wine has a balanced and supple palate with a generous finish of berries and spice. Cassis, blackberry, and spice give this wine layers of complexity with subtle notes of cardamom, and cocoa. Over time, notes of coffee, clove, and anise arise with a hint of vanilla and tobacco.

No doubt in its prime drinking window, this wine had a good nose of dark fruits and followed with the same on the palate. Good long aftertaste with no or little tannins; very impressive bottle.Not 100% Cab, tasted like some other blending grapes to smooth out the flavors. Not sure of the price, another gift from my Brother.

2014 Masi Campofiorin Ripasso, Veneto, Italy

Ripe blackberry and earthy aromas lead into a black cherry palate with a lush mouthfeel and silken texture, thanks to the super-soft tannins. It's lacking a touch of definition to the black fruit, but it persists admirably long into the finish.

Drinking Window 2017 – 2019

70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Molinara

One of my favorite affordable Italians – this was actually a magnum bottle. Found out the Amarone for 2014 was de-classified and added to this bottling. A wine to savor or serve with hearty meals – the Magnum was only around $45.

2016 Sette Ponti Crognolo Red, Toscana, Italy

Critical Acclaim  95           James Suckling

Aromas of rosewood, cherries and blueberries follow through to a full body, tight and focused tannins and a long and flavorful finish. This is linear and bright. The tannins are wonderfully polished and poised. Hard not to drink now, but it will improve beautifully in the bottle. A blend of mostly sangiovese with a touch of merlot. Drink or hold.

92           Wine Spectator

Bright, bursting with black cherry, plum, leather, menthol and spice flavors. Smooth and harmonious, with fine grip on the earth- and mineral-tinged finish. Sangiovese and Merlot. Drink now through 2028.

Intense ruby red in color, the wine has a fruity, spicy bouquet and ripe cherry and berries on the palate. It has the vivid acidity typical of Sangiovese, with well-integrated tannins and an earthy finish.

The reviews claim a touch of Merlot but the Kobrand rep indicated they left it out of the 2016. Really nice wine, open nose and wonderful red and black fruits. The acidity made it a natural with many types of food.  Priced around $35 – a good bottle to enjoy.

2013 Masi Cosasera Amerone Classico, Veneto, Italy

Since the 1960s, Masi experts have confirmed the superiority of west-facing sites. Masi combines ancient varieties (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) and winemaking methods (vinifying grapes semi-dried on racks for 3-4 months) with modern techniques. Traditional 600-liter Veronese barrels have been re-introduced, the best to age this wine. 

By end of January, grapes lose 35% of their weight and develop highly concentrated sugars. Only Corvina develops botrytis. After gentle pressing; partially de-stemmed grapes undergo fermentation for 45 days in large Slavonian oak or stainless steel vats at low temperature. The wine is transferred to 30-40 hl barrels; alcoholic fermentation continues 35 days with alcohol-resistant yeasts, before malolactic.

 Aged 24 months; 80% in Slavonian oak botti, 40-80 hl, and 20% in small Allier and Slavonian oak barrels (40% new, 30% one year, and 30% two years old), and at least 4 months in bottle. Can age 30-35 years.

Deep ruby red with brilliant reflections. Intense and elegant aromas of cherry and plum jam with spicy hints of cinnamon and cloves. Firm structure but very soft on the palate with velvety tannins and a marked acidity that balances the alcohol level well. Full flavoured with a fruity finish and soft spiciness.

The big daddy, compared to the earlier ripasso, this is an outstanding wine. The nose is very nice, but the mouthfeel is just gigantic. Wonderful aftertaste, tannins woven into the finish. This is a great wine. Priced in the mid $50’s, really worth having on hand for guests – enough acidity to go with a range of food.

2012 Oakville Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA

90 POINTS           Wine Enthusiast

Soft and juicy, this is a classically crafted wine, medium bodied with savory notes of cedar, dried herb and black olive. Structured and balanced, it finishes rich and refreshing, with a memory of red currant and cherry.

RP           91 POINTS           Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The succulent, lush, flamboyant, and somewhat exhibitionist 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville Winery has plenty of smoky barbecue notes, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, some vanilla and toast. It is medium to full-bodied, with wonderful lushness, low acidity and loads of fruit in a hedonistic, fruit-bomb style of Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

A wonderful, big bodied Cab from Napa Valley. Almost hedonistic, but a great joy to savor. Works with heavy meals, like a slab of meat.  Priced in the mid $40’s, per the internet – I got this as a gift a while back. With the tannins and fruit, it would hold another 10 years easy.

Another Month and the Holidays have flown by. Happy New Year and hopes of many more great wines and wonderful experiences. Keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grapevine. Salut!

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!