A boatload of wine
Non-Vintage Kestrel Vineyard Lady In Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $12.
Aromas of smokey currants and boysenberries with a candied edge to it. Boysenberries and currants dominate on the palate as they rest on soft tannins and a solid acidic spine that integrates nicely with the fruit. This red is clean and balanced. It screams for pizza, burgers or pretty much anything BBQ. Don’t let the label fool you, this is serious wine. (B)
2010 Anciano Reserva Tempranillo Aged 5 years (Valdepenas, Spain)… $11.
Dried currants and dill on the nose, joined by plum and blackberry notes with an edge of tobacco. Dill, plum and blackberry notes come through on the palate with an underbelly of dried bark, tobacco and vanilla. There is an acidic edge on the front and finish where the minerals start to show themselves in spades along with bark notes and tobacco. This is a wine with a lot of character and rusticity. (B-)
2013 Lenz Moser Blaufrankisch “Trocken” (Burgenland, Austria)… ?
Aromas of smoked bark, tobacco and cherries with a little chocolate Graham Cracker action…Smoke lingers. This baby dances lightly on the palate with notes of cherry and cherry skins coming through. Notes of raspberries and blueberries hit on the mid-palate leading into the finish. Raspberry and cherry notes linger. Light tannins make this a good red for foul. (C+/B-)
2015 Browne Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, WA)… $18.
Grape seeds and perfumed grapefruit on the nose. This sauv blanc is not high in acidity, but has a bit of a cutting edge on the finish. Notes of grape seed up front joined by slight grass notes. Grapefruit comes on strong on the finish. Clean and delicious without the cutting acidity. Some like it soft, some like it sharp…It’s your call. (B)
2015 Alexandria Nicole Pinot Gris (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $15.
Apples on the nose with a touch of honey and melon. Medium to light on the palate with apple notes and a touch of bitter apple skin. Honey notes join up on the mid-palate with an interesting lemon oil element. The bitter apple skin element persists front to finish. (C+/B-)
2014 Adelsheim “Breaking Ground” Pinot Noir (Chehalem Mountains, OR)… $43.
Classic aromas of Asian spice, earth, cherries and hints of sarsaparilla. Excellent structure supports notes of ripe cherries, bark, cranberries and a good dose of Asian spice. Acidity shines through on the lingering finish. A well-built wine that shows great now and most likely better in 5-10 years. (B+/A-)
2014 Nine North “Hullabaloo” Zinfandel (Napa Valley, CA)… $17.
Currants, licorice and black raspberries with underlying spice on the nose. Good acidity on the palate with raspberry and red currant notes coming through and a hit of white pepper underneath. White pepper notes linger with the currant notes that edge towards the darker side on the finish. The tannins are a touch edgy but still smooth. (B-/B)
2015 Farmlands Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR) certified Biodynamic … $21.
A little poopy on the nose with notes of cherries, grapes and hits of cinnamon. Fairly light but balanced with notes of cherries, apples and orange coming through. Good structure but approach this one more like a Gamay than a Pinot and I think you will be happy. (C+/B-)
2013 Bishop’s Peak Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, CA)… $20.
Ripe currants on the nose with hits of brown sugar, tobacco and wilted rose petals. Good balance on the palate with structured tannins that are quite approachable. Ripe currant notes are balanced by earth and tobacco and an undertow of acidity. The acidity springs up on the finish giving this zin a little citrus edge that lingers with the currant notes. (B/B+)
2015 Cristom Vineyards Mount Jefferson Cuvee’ Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR)… $32.
Aromas of Asian spice, Cinnamon Imperial and ripe cherries in a big way with underlying Root Beer notes. Good balance of acid and fruit that plays lightly on the palate with authority. Earthy, with notes of cherries and orange peel joined by hits of Asian spice and Root Beer. Citrus and earth notes linger. (B/B+)
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2015 Cristom Pinot Gris (Eola-Amity Hills, OR)… $20.
White flowers, wet stone and melon on the nose. Very old world style with notes of wet stone, honeysuckle and melon front to finish. A slight hit of bubblegum comes through on the mid-palate and evaporates quickly. (B/B+)
2013 Handcraft Wines Petite Sirah (California)… $11.
Caramel and dried cardboard on the nose. Blueberries front to back on the palate with an underscore of red raspberries. Fairly simple but a “7” in the delicious category. (C)
2013 Olianas Cannonau (Cannonau Di Sardegna, Italy)… $16.
Very tight on the nose with hints of violets, rose petals minerals and bittersweet chocolate. Plums, rocks, and red raspberries on the front of the palate with the minerals taking over. Loads of red flower notes front to finish with the acidity gaining strength on the finish. Red flower notes linger. (B)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
