A boatload of wine
2010 Sur Decos Andes Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza, Argentina)… $15.
Aromas of tobacco, violets, dark cherries and currants with a touch of beauty bark. Plush tannins support ripe currant notes with underlying minerals. Tobacco joins up on the mid-palate leading into a long finish with bark notes showing up on the back-end. Smooth wine with just a hint of grit on the edges. B/B+
2011 Ca’ De’ Calle Red (Mendoza, Argentina)… $20.
Meaty on the nose with notes of cherries and currants blended with red flowers and a hit of eucalyptus. Bold currant and boysenberry notes on the palate supported by sturdy, approachable tannins. Intense fruit notes that don’t go jammy. Red flowers hit on the fresh finish with just a touch of licorice. (B+)
2010 Les Allees de Cantemerle Haut-Medoc (Bordeaux, France)… $25.
Fairly intense aromas of meat marinade, tar, sweet tobacco, bark and cherries with cinnamon and licorice sneaking in. Very meaty and crunchy on the palate. Notes of dark cherries, minerals, rust and cranberries. Worn leather notes join up on the mid-palate with a core of red flowers front to finish. Good acidity underneath with a cranberry and rust driven finish. Give this some decanting before you dive in, and you’d better like old world. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot (B/B+)
2010 Moulin Rouge Medoc (Bordeaux, France)… $22.
Aromas of rose petal and cinnamon with an underbelly of dark cherries, worn leather and a pinch of BBQ spice. Earth driven on the palate with notes of worn leather, minerals and dark cherries that blend harmoniously with notes of rust and rose petal underneath. Cinnamon notes are quiet but linger in the shadows. Another old world wine for those of you that love it. 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc B/B+
2012 Chateau d’Arvigny Haut-Medoc (Bordeaux, France)… $15.
Rust, wet stone, red flowers, cherries and a hint of leather on the nose. Bright, crunchy acidity supports leather, wet stone, red flowers and sour cherries on the palate. Slightly thin on the finish with earth and rust notes lingering. (C/C+)
2015 Xiloca Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain)… $11.
Brooding plum notes on the nose joined by berries, wilted rose petal and old bark. Nice, fresh berry notes on the palate with underlying plum and red flower notes coming through. Seamless and balanced with a pinch of earth coming through on the finish. Another great value from Spain. (B-)
2014 Joel Gott Zinfandel (California)… $17.
Aromas of blackberries, black raspberries, tar and menthol with a hit of vanilla. Big and powerful on the palate with vanilla and mocha notes front to back, joined by ripe currants, rose petal and spice notes that linger on the surprisingly fresh and clean finish. A zin lovers zin that doesn’t go over-the-top. (B-)
2013 Joel Gott Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR)… $25.
Asian spice, sarsaparilla and cherries on the nose with hints of dried bark and black tea. Structured bright cherry notes on the palate with hints of rose bud and cranberries. There is a little grip action on the finish of dried bark and tar notes blended with the fruit and Asian spices that linger. This is still quite youthful…Give it a couple of years. (B/B+)
2015 M. Chapoutier “Belleruche” Cotes-Du-Rhone (Rhone Valley, France)… $12.
Aromas of iron, cherries, blackberries and forest floor with a hit of tobacco. Plush, dark cherry notes on the palate joined by boysenberry and plum. Soft tannins with a seamless flow across the palate and a little acid kick on the finish. Bark and tobacco notes sneak in on the mid-palate and finish with a kiss of leather lingering. (B/B+)
2015 M. Chapoutier “Belleruche” Rose` Cotes-Du-Rhone (Rhone Valley, France)… $12.
Perfumed mango, papaya, peaches and banana on the nose. Clean on the palate with notes of mango and papaya front to finish with a pinch of white pepper sneaking in on the back-end. Nice balance with a finish that lingers with notes of mango skins white pepper. Nice juice for the money. (B-)
2015 Joel Gott Chardonnay unoaked (California)… $15.
Apples and white peaches on the nose. Soft on the palate, but the flavors are laser sharp. Notes of pears and apples that round out a little on the mid-palate. Smooth, seamless and delicious. Without the oak, this makes for a great seafood Chard. (B)
2012 Robert Ramsay Cellars Syrah McKinley Springs Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $30.
Smokey blueberries on the nose joined by violets, boysenberries and tobacco. Intense dark fruits with an edge of blueberries on the palate. It expands on the mid-palate leading into the finish with hits of minerals, BBQ spices and lingering black pepper notes. This is what Washington Syrah is all about. 91% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre, 5% Viognier (B+/A-)
2014 Suavia Monte Carbonare Vineyard Soave (Italy)… $30.
Aromas of mushroom, wet stone, lemon oil, basil and papaya. Peach and papaya notes up front supported by notes of wet stone and a solid, bright acid backbone. A little dirt action joins up on the bracing, steely, fresh finish that lingers. A mouth-watering, delicious Soave that begs for shellfish. 100% Garganega (B+)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
