A boatload of wine
2015 Jo Landron Muscadet “Les Houx” (Loire, France)… $18.
Aromas of honey, lemon, herbs and wet stone with a hint of green apple. Lemon and apple notes on the palate with just a kiss of honey. Mineral notes lie underneath with a solid core of acidity that integrates nicely with the fruit and minerals. Lemon, apple and mineral notes linger on the finish. This baby screams for shellfish. (B)
2015 Christopher Michael Pinot Noir (Oregon)… $12.
Cola and roasted meats on the nose with hits of rosemary, cherries and rose petal. Cherries all-day on the palate backed by notes of sarsaparilla and an underscore of acidity. Simple and delicious with sarsaparilla and cherry notes lingering with just a touch of bark on the back-end. (C+/B-)
2014 Christopher Michael Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State)… $12.
Smells like cherry cobbler with a splash of chocolate, oats and a hint of dried bark. Cherries and currants on the palate with an interesting rust and bark element coming through. A background of chocolate with a nice spine of acidity, making this cab a good food wine. Finish is a little thin. (C+/B-)
2015 Saviah Cellars The Jack Rose` (Columbia Valley, WA)… $10.
Strawberries and watermelon on the nose with a kiss of cherries. Strawberries and cherries are balanced nicely with citrus, herbs and a hint of watermelon supported by balanced acidity. (B)
2015 Saviah Cellars The Jack Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, WA)…$15.
Light aromas of apples and pears with a hint of clove and baking spices. Nice baking spice notes on the palate joined by notes of pears and apples all day. Creamy mouth-feel with just a hint of butterscotch into a clean finish where baking spices linger. A little on the sweet side for me, but I know a lot of folks will love this one. (B-)
2014 Domaine Jomaine Bourgogne Aligote (Burgundy, France)… $20.
Aromas of wet stone and melon with hits of banana and herbs. Nice core of fresh acidity on the palate with a stainless steel component coming through. Melon and lemon notes with a good dose of crushed rock. Lemon and melon notes on a bed of stainless steel lingers on the palate for a long time. Bring on the oysters baby! (B/B+)
2016 MDZ Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)… $10.
Smells sweet on the nose with notes of black raspberries, dark cherries and red plums. Plum and cherry notes on the palate with an edge of tar and tobacco. A slight herbal element comes through underneath. Finishes with a raspberry, tobacco, tar and plum party in the mouth. Nice complexity for the money. (B-)
2015 Condes De Albarei Albarino (Rias Baixas, Spain)… $10.
Perfumed aromas of licorice, melon, white flowers and tangerine. Fresh, clean notes of tangerine, white flowers and a touch of honey. Carnation notes join forces with the citrus on a bracing finish. Not super complex, but not one-dimensional. (C+/B-)
2015 Gerard Bigonneau Sauvignon Blanc Quincy (Loire Valley, France)… $13.
Just a touch of stink action on the nose joined by notes of mango, apple and papaya. Mango and papaya in spades on the palate with underlying apricots. The acidity is well-integrated, giving it a nice flow across the palate into a delicious mango/papaya finish. This is a sexy Sauvignon Blanc that is almost Viognier like. (B/B+)
2014 Chateau Reynon Bordeaux Blanc (Bordeaux, France)… $20.
A little funky on the nose with notes of melon, white flowers and wet stone. Almost fleshy on the palate with notes of melon, gooseberry and a pinch of quince. There is a spine of wet stone front to the citrus, quince finish. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. (B/B+)
2015 Caves Des Vins De Bourgueil “Lieu-Dit-Beauregard” Bourgueil (Loire Valley, France)… $12.
Aromas of candied cherries, baked earth, and licorice with hints of chocolate and red flowers. Almost lush on the front of the palate with notes of cherries and tobacco. A little tobacco leaf sneaks in underneath as it finishes with notes of licorice, red flowers, tobacco and a kiss of minerals. 100% Cabernet Franc. A great one for those trying their first old world Cab Franc. (c+/B-)
2013 Queen Of Hearts Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara, CA)… $14.
Cherries, red flowers and a hint of strawberries and tobacco on the nose. A little on the tart side, with notes of under ripe cherries and strawberries and a touch of earthiness. Red flower notes hit on the mid-palate into an acidic finish with cranberry notes hitting on the backside. This baby is bright front to back and will need food. (C+)
2011 J. Lebegue & Cie Bordeaux Saint-Emilion (Bordeaux, France)… $25.
Aromas of leather and mushroom with a little funk thrown in. Hits of ripe currants and candied cherries with pinch of cinnamon. Crushed rock and leather on the palate with hits of citrus underneath. The acid kicks up its heels on the mid-palate into the finish with notes of citrus and tobacco lingering. (C+)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
