A boatload of wine
2014 Gard Isidro Red Lawrence Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.
Perfumed currants, violets, tobacco and natural licorice on the nose. Plush currant notes on the palate, backed by BBQ spices and tight tannins. Starts out open knit, than closes up. Chocolate and tobacco notes sneak in on the mid-palate into the tight Finish with a hit of BBQ spices. This baby is still in its adolescence. Give it 5-8 years to start showing itself. 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, 18% Merlot, 7% Malbec (B/B+)
2014 Paco & Lola Paco Red (Galicia, Spain)… $18.
Aromas of violets, rose petals, crushed red brick and a backdrop of cherries and blackberries. Blackberry and cherry notes on the front of the palate with a little dirt and tobacco thrown in. The tannins have a little attitude, but don’t get out of line. Chocolate notes sneak in on the mid-palate into a dirty finish. Dry, but delicious. 50% Grenache, 50% Tempranillo (B+)
2016 Alexandria Nicole Shepherd’s Mark White (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.
Apricots, mango, papaya and petrol on the nose. Mango and papaya on the palate with a slight bitter edge on the back-end. Good weight in the mouth, but fresh and packs a punch. Orange notes come through on the finish and linger. Almost orange sorbet like with a bitter edge. Great food wine. 62% Viognier, 20% Marsanne, 18% Roussanne (B)
2015 Adelsheim Chardonnay (Willamette Valley, OR)… $22.
Aromas of apples and pears with a little fan belt action coming through. Lean and mean on the palate. Bright and tight. Notes of pears and apples on a bed of minerals and a big wet kiss of citrus. Very clean on the palate with a slight rough edge underneath. Chablis-like and a great shellfish white. (B-/B)
2016 Vina Reboreda Mencia (Ribeiro, Spain)… $14.
Cherries, blended with veggies, earth and brick on the nose with a big hit of red flowers. Good texture on the palate with a touch of grip action on the finish. Notes of cherries, BBQ spice and earth are blended nicely together front to
finish where a hit of white pepper sneaks in. Nicely integrated acidity leads to a fresh finish. (B-)
2015 Macedon Tikves Cabernet Sauvignon (Povardarie, Macedonia)….$13.
Aromas of violets and crushed red brick with slight chocolate tones and a bret component that comes through. Violets and the flavor of grapefruit (without the citrus) on the palate with a splash of cherries, tobacco and a slight cinnamon component underneath. Well integrated acidity and easy structured tannins give it nice complexity. Finishes earthy and savory. (B-/B)
2016 Raphael Rosso Piceno (Marche, Italy)… $10.
Baked bread dough on the nose with hits of violets and candied blackberries. Blackberries and tobacco all day on the palate with a little dirt thrown in on the mid-palate into the finish where it meets up with notes of rust and tobacco that lingers with a dirty edge. A blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano (C+)
2016 Poggio Vignoso Chianti (Tuscany, Italy)… $13.
Aromas of bark, Root Beer, dark cherries and currants with a kiss of tobacco. Round cherry and currant notes on the front of the palate with a good dose of tobacco and a touch of funk. Root Beer notes hit on the mid-palate into a dry, grippy finish where the tobacco notes linger. Almost new world up front and old world on the finish. 85% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Malvasia (C+/B-)
2015 Domaine de la Meuliere Chablis (Burgundy, France)… $21.
Dried herbs, chalk, dust and Asian pear on the nose. Lemon and pears on the palate with a backdrop of dusty rocks and chalk. Fresh, bright and balanced. Gets a little fatness on the mid-palate into the finish with a lingering dusty rock and chalky finish. Balanced with good structure. (B/B+)
2016 Domaine Girard Chardonnay Pays D’Oc (Languedoc-Roussillon, France)… $12.
Dusty rocks on the nose with a touch of butter and apple. Bright acidity up front on the palate with notes of citrus, pears and apple. A dusty rock component lies underneath with a little butter sneaking in on the finish. Good balance and a great shellfish white. (C+/B-)
2014 Seven Hills Red (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… ?
Aromas of dried bark, currants, black tea and a hit of licorice. Solid tannins support notes of spicy currants, earth and red berries. There is a spine of red flower notes with licorice showing up on the long finish. Nice integration of acidity, tannins and fruit. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot (B+/A-)
2015 Double Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $28.
Black currants, brown sugar and bacon fat on the nose. Concentrated currant notes on the palate with a good hit of acidity and spice. Good structure and almost crunchy with nice balance and integration. Vibrant, mouth-watering and delicious. Not your typical Washington State Cab. (B+)
2015 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Premier Cuvee (Willamette Valley, OR)… $50.
Aromas of bark, black tea, old twigs, Root Beer, currants and cherries with a kiss of char. Solid round cherry notes on the palate with a trace of Root Beer underneath. Oak is present, but nicely balanced with the fruit. Good texture and nicely integrated acidity. Cherry notes linger with a kiss of spice. (B+/A-)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
