A boatload of wine
2012 Ontanon Vetiver Rioja Blanco (Rioja, Spain)… $12.
Aromas of ripe pears, a touch of banana and lime with a little wet stone thrown in. Clean and fresh on the palate and very citrus driven. The citrus notes are joined by hits of cardamom, and other interesting baking spices on the mid-palate and into the clean, delicious finish. If you haven’t tried a Rioja Blanc yet, this might be a good place to start. Made from 100% Viura. (B)
2013 Gravel Bar Alluvial Red (Columbia Valley, WA)…$18.
Slightly challenged on the nose with hits of candied cherries and rose petal. Sweet tannins back notes of ripe cherries and chocolate from start to finish, with just a touch of tobacco on the back-end. Fresh on the palate with good balance…Just slightly thin. (C+/B-)
2013 Ontanon Maceracion Carbonica (Rioja, Spain)…$11.
Aromas of plums and cherries with notes of rust, violets and dill coming through. Smooth notes of plums and cherries on the palate with a splash of black olive and tobacco. Violet and baked earth notes sneak in on the mid-palate into the finish with traces of spice. Good structure and balance. (B)
2011 Ontanon Rioja Crianza (Rioja, Spain)…$13.
Rusty cherries on the nose joined by notes of cranberries, vanilla and chocolate, with a pinch of tobacco and violets. Loads of dill on the palate joined by notes of cranberries, blueberry and a touch of violets on the finish. Fairly smooth for a Rioja wine, but the acidity you would expect “pops” on the finish. A blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha. (B)
2005 Ontanon Rioja Reserva (Rioja, Spain)…$22.
Fleshy on the nose, with notes of dill, tobacco, cinnamon and violets. The flesh element comes through on the palate with notes of black olive, spice and currants. There is a nice richness to this wine without going into fruit-forward mode, finishing with a touch of chocolate and nutmeg on the lingering finish. (B+/A-)
2012 Vino Teon del Condado Roble (Ribera Del Duero, Spain)…$13.
Interesting aromas of blood, tobacco, maple, violets and licorice. Rustic but smooth at the same time. Currant and olive notes hit on the palate with a backbone of chocolate and earth. (B+)
2013 Lionello Marchesi “Poggio Alle Sughere” Sangiovese (Tuscany, Italy)…$9.
Cherries and violets on the nose with hints of earth and tobacco. Tart cherries and cranberries on the palate with a heavy dose of acidity. Very rustic with notes of tobacco and earth underscoring the tart fruit notes. Clean, bright finish. (C-)
2011 Romanico Tinto De Toro (Toro, Spain)…$15.
Heady aromas of boysenberries, black plum and currants (hardly old world). It goes old world on the palate with a heavy dose of minerals that integrates well with the boysenberry, bark and red currant notes. Violet notes hit on the mid-palate leading into a fresh, clean, mineral driven finish and a touch of white pepper. Excellent structure and balance. This baby threw me off with the nose, but then showed its true colors on the palate. (B+)
2014 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose`(Willamette Valley, Oregon)…$20
Aromas of strawberries and cherries with a touch of tea and watermelon rind. Round, plump notes of strawberries and cherries on the palate, underscored by a tea and herbal component. There is a hint of Root Beer on the backside with a splash of white pepper. This is a very interesting rose` that shows a fair amount of complexity. (B+/A-)
2012 Raimat Castell De Raimat Albarino (Costers Del Segre, Spain)…$9.
Wet stone on the nose with a gravel element joining in. Notes of honeydew, Jolly Rancher watermelon and ripe lemon jump in the fray. Wet stone all day on the palate, doused with notes of honey, white flowers, melon and a touch of lemon. Fresh and clean with a seamless flow across the palate into a decently long finish. (B/B+)
2008 Raimat Castell De Raimat Tempranillo (Costers Del Segre, Spain)…$9.
Aromas of smoked currants, baked earth, rose petal, spice and tobacco. Just a touch dirty on the nose. Currants and blackberries on the front of the palate with a backbone of tar, spice and tobacco. A touch thin front to back, but a nine in the delicious category. Blackberries and spice linger with a hint of leather. (C+/B-)
2013 Jean Perrier et Fils Abymes 100% Jacquere (Savoie, France)…$9.
Apples and pears all day on the nose with a splash of wet stone and white flowers. On the palate it tastes a little like grandmother’s homemade applesauce with metal shavings thrown in. White flowers and wet stone join the party with a slate element coming through. Finishes with hits of orange blossom and lemon drops that linger. (B+/A-)
2012 Jean Perrier et Fils Apremont 100% Jacquere (Savoie, France)…$11.
Aromas of slate, granite, white flowers and lemon. Clean slate on the palate with an underscore of orange blossom and lemon front to back. Very bright on the palate but open at the same time, showing a little roundness on the under-belly. Excellent balance and structure with a mouth-watering, bright finish. (B+/A-)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
