A boatload of wine
2015 Casa Fortunata Red (Calatayud, Spain)… $10.
Aromas of BBQ spices blended with tar and blackberries with hits of raspberry and dirt. Plump blackberry and currant notes on the front of the palate that morph into earth and tobacco notes. Dirt notes lie underneath front to finish. Crushed rock notes sneak in on the back-end, joined by tobacco, BBQ spices and a kiss of tar. 75% Garnacha, 25% Tempranillo (B-)
2016 Toi Toi Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand)… $15.
As close to cat pee as you can get on the nose with notes of grapefruit, gooseberries and white flowers. Fresh and bright on the palate with notes of white grapefruit and grapefruit pith. Solid fresh fruit front to finish with a beam of lime underneath and a hit of white pepper on the back-end. (C+/B-)
2016 Ironside Pinot Noir (Monterey, CA)… $22.
Aromas of Asian spices and cherries with hits of cranberries, leather and tobacco. Ripe dark cherries on the palate blended with black tea and a kiss of Asian spice and Root Beer. Tobacco notes join the party on a long-ass finish. Sweet fruit on the palate that is balanced by solid acidity. Good balance and structure. (B+/A-)
2016 Parusso “Piani Noce” Dolcetto D’Alba (Piedmont, Italy)… $23.
Strawberries and red flowers on the nose with a hit of pomegranate in the background along with a little licorice. Solid acidity and structure with notes of pomegranate and strawberries that have a slight tart edge. Red flower notes underneath front to back with an interesting tangerine twist on the finish, joined by hits of licorice. (B/B+)
2016 Conundrum Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine (California)… $23.
Apples and a touch of funk on the nose. Linear and crisp on the palate with vibrant apple notes. Good depth on the mid-palate into the dry, long finish. (B+)
2017 Harken Chardonnay (California)… $14.
Dusty pears on the nose with hits of baking spices. Creamy pears on the palate front to finish with an underbelly of baking spices and a kiss of butter on the finish. Wants to go fruit forward, but is held in check by a decent amount of acidity that keeps it from going flabby. A “10” in the delicious category. (C+/B-)
2017 Antoine Simoneau Sauvignon Blanc Touraine (Loire Valley, France)… $9.
Aromas of grapefruit, grape seeds, white flowers and slate. High acidity drives notes of lemon and grapefruit pith. It expands on the mid-palate into a laser sharp, vibrant finish. Nice backbone of slate and wet stone. Very clean on the palate with a long, mouth-watering finish. (B+)
Non-Vintage Domaine Saint de Just Cremant De Loire Brut Rose` (Loire Valley, France)… $20.
Raspberries, strawberries and cherries on the nose with a kiss of yeast. Loads of veggies on the palate backed by solid acidity and a background of strawberries and raspberries. It expands a bit on the mid-palate into a dry finish. Very linear on the palate. 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon (B-)
2017 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir (South Africa)… $50.
Baked earth on the nose, joined by notes of crushed brick, Root Beer and cherries. Solid acidity front to finish, supports notes of under-ripe cherries, cranberries, bark and earth. Good balance and a little on the tart side. A slight veggie and citrus component sneaks in on the back-end. This is a baby and needs time in the cellar. I think you will be rewarded if you give it 8 more years of age. (B)
2016 faganan Vinos Atlanticos Tinto (Canary Islands, Spain)… $30.
Aromas of red plums and blackberries with a load of minerals and hints of licorice and red flowers. High acidity supports notes of red flowers, crushed rock, tangerine and cranberries with a solid hit of rust and red flowers on the finish. (C+/B-)
2016 Caprice Crozes-Hermitage (Rhone, France)… $35.
Blueberries and blackberries on the nose with a touch of charred wood and tobacco. Nice intensity on the palate with good acidity. Raspberry and blueberry notes backed by a good shot of tobacco. Super high-toned on the mid-palate into the finish. Once again, this is a baby and needs to age for at least 8-10 years. (B/B+)
2016 Numbskull Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $35.
Currants, black plums and a touch of oak on the nose. Sweet tannins support currant and plum notes with a solid hit of black pepper. Smooth, with good structure and balanced acidity. Fresh on the finish with hits of tobacco and raspberry on the back-end 78% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot (B/B+)
2015 L’Ecole Perigee Seven Hills Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… $55.
Aromas of licorice and currants with a little spice action underneath. A touch candied on the nose. Currant and blackberry notes on the palate supported by edgy, slightly gritty tannins. Tobacco and veggie notes sneak in on the fresh finish. (B+/A-)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
