A boatload of wine
2015 L’Ecole Perigee Seven Hills Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… $55.
A touch candied on the nose with aromas of licorice and currants with a little spice action underneath. Currants and blackberries on the palate, supported by edgy, slightly gritty tannins. Tobacco notes with a pinch of veggie sneak in on the lengthy finish. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot (B+/A-)
2014 L’Ecole Apogee Pepperbridge Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… $55.
Tobacco, currants and BBQ spices on the nose with a hit of red flowers and a little alcohol coming through. Solid currant and boysenberry notes up front on smooth, structured tannins. Blueberry notes come through on the mid-palate into the long fresh finish with a hit of chocolate on the back-end. Good balance and structure. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc (A-/A)
2016 Cadaretta SBS (Columbia Valley, WA)… $23.
Stinky melon notes on the nose with a kiss of fresh-cut grass. =Melon notes on the palate with grapefruit and white pepper notes sneaking in. Good balance of acidity and fruit. Grass notes sneak in on the clean, fresh finish. 67% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon (B+)
2013 Cadaretta Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)… $40.
Perfumed currants on the nose (almost soaplike) with a splash of licorice and tobacco. Chewy on the palate with notes of currants, tobacco and leather on serious tannins. Chocolate notes join up on the mid-palate with spice notes hitting on the finish where the acidity sneaks out. Good integration of acidity, fruit and tannins. This is a young pup and will age well over the next 10 to 15 years. (A)
2014 Cadaretta Windthrow Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $55.
Almost bloody on the nose (no pun intended), with notes of raspberries, cherries, vanilla, mocha and chocolate. Solid cherry notes on the palate with a big hit of smoke and tobacco on seriously chewy tannins. It gets somewhat fresh in the mouth on the mid-palate into the finish where leather notes and gritty mineral notes join the palate party. Crushed rock notes linger. This is a baby and needs more time in the bottle, maybe five more years. 76% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 9% Grenache (B+/A-)
2017 Espelt Garnacha Blanca (Emporda, Spain)… $12.
Aromas of melon, backed by light apple, tangerine and roasted nuts. Creamy mouth-feel up front with notes of apple and tangerine, joined by slight wet stone notes on the mid-palate into an apple driven finish with a kiss of white pepper. (C+)
2017 Black’s Station Chardonnay (Yolo County, CA)… $10.
Ginger, pears and apple on the nose. A touch of butter and a burnt element comes through on the palate with peach notes sneaking in on the back-end. Finishes fresh with a kiss of citrus. (B-)
2014 Vermell Tinto (Valencia, Spain)… $11.
Aromas of red flowers, crushed red brick, red berries and blackberries with a hit of licorice. Plush on the front of the palate, with notes of blackberries, red cherries and a little tobacco and earth thrown in. The tannins start off slick and then get a little grit to them. Bark and tobacco notes dominate on the finish with the acidity giving a little “pop” on the back-end. (B-/B)
2016 Black’s Station Red (Yolo County, CA)… $10.
Blackberries and licorice notes in spades on the nose with a hit of ginger coming through. Nicely intense notes of cinnamon, ginger and blackberries on the palate with a little dirt underneath. Fresh and intense at the same time with good balance of acidity and fruit with well-integrated tannins. Ginger and licorice notes linger on the finish. 65% Malbec, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Petite Sirah (B-/B)
2016 Black’s Station Malbec (Yolo County, CA)… $10.
Red licorice, candied plums and chocolate on the nose. Plums and cherries on the palate, supported by well-integrated acidity with a kiss of baking spices and white pepper. Licorice and milk chocolate notes hit on the back-end where the acidity gives it a little lift on the finish that reminds me of a chocolate graham cracker sandwich. (C+/B-)
2016 Black’s Station Cabernet Sauvignon (California)… $10.
A little coughdrop action on the nose with slight notes of currants and dark red flowers. Dark cherry and currant notes hit on the palate, supported by gritty tannins. The fruit expands on the mid-palate than thins out on the fresh finish that has a little stem action. Almost cough syrup-like but not quite. Warm going down on the finish. (C)
2017 Thomas Henry Chardonnay (Napa Valley, CA)… $13.
Baking spices and pear on the nose with a slight hit of apple. Butter and pear notes front to finish on the palate with a kiss of butterscotch and baking spices. A little oak dust component sneaks in on the mid-palate. (C+)
2016 Brooks Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR)… $27.
Aromas of black tea, earth and cherries with a hit of strawberries, Root Beer and red flowers. Chewy cherry notes on the palate with a little cherry skin thrown in. Smooth and structured with Asian spices and Root Beer notes lying underneath. Red flower and tea notes come through on the mid-palate into the finish where cherry and Asian spice notes linger. Nice long finish. (A-)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
