FRIDAY’S FIVE

In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). I lot of my friends think I’m lucky. Well, they’re right, and I wouldn’t give this job up for the world. The only thing that makes my job hard, is my feeling of responsibility to taste the samples given to me as quickly as possible and to put my reviews either in my Moleskine, on my Youtube channel (Stan The Wine Man TV), or right here on Stanthewineman.com. Here for your reading pleasure, are five wines that I have reviewed in my Moleskine (good or bad), this past week.

2017 Laroque Cabernet Franc (Cite De Carsassonne, France)… $13.

Stewed veggies on the nose with a solid backdrop of cherries, blackberries and a touch of hard candy. Blackberries and cherries on the front of the palate, supported by edgy tannins. Red flower and orangMe citrus notes hit on the mid-palate into the finish where tobacco and veggie notes join up. Orange citrus notes linger. (B+)

2015 Bibi Graetz Toscana Red (Tuscany, Italy)… $17.

Meaty on the nose with hits of meat marinade, dark cherries, tobacco, earth and leather. Nicely integrated acidity and tannins on the palate support notes of earth, leather, tobacco and dark cherries. It expands on the mid-palate and lightens up on the finish where there is a kiss of rusticity and citrus. (B+)

2015 Zabu Nero D’Avola (Terre Siciliane, Italy)… $15.

Aromas of ripe currants with a touch of strawberry and underlying tobacco. Smooth and structured on the palate with notes of currants and blackberries front to finish. Tannins get a little attitude on the back of the mid-palate into the finish where tobacco notes join in with red flower petals. Sweet currant notes linger. (B/B+)

2014 Andre Brunel Grenache (Vin De Pays De Vaucluse, France)… $14.

Very challenged on the nose with tiny hits of petrol, oats, licorice and currants. Light cherry and currant notes front to finish on the palate with a good hit of white pepper on the mid-palate into the finish. Tobacco notes hide underneath and come out on the finish. A little light in the pants, but good. (C+)

2016 The Spanish Quarter Cabernet Sauvignon/Tempranillo (Costers Del Segre, Spain)… $15.

Aromas of cherries and currants with a slight edge of tobacco and red flowers. Solid acidity on the palate supports supports currant notes on somewhat gritty tannins. Candied blackberry notes join up on the mid-palate into the finish that has a touch of grip. Candied blackberry and currant notes linger. (B)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man