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.
2016 Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon (California)… $22.
Aromas of dark cherries and currants, with sweet cedar notes and a touch of chocolate. Cinnamon, currants and spice on the palate framed by structured tannins. A kiss of vanilla and chocolate join up on the finish with cinnamon lingering on the back-end. Good balance of fruit, acidity and tannins. (B/B+)
Non-Vintage Bonanza Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon (California)… $26.
A little challenged on the nose with slight notes of red licorice and currants. Currant and brown sugar notes on the palate supported by structured tannins and fresh acidity. Currant notes
2015 Feudo Zirtari Nero d’Avola-Syrah (Sicily, Italy)… $13.
Tobacco and dark cherries on the nose, with a touch of smoke, raspberries and beets. Quite thin on the palate with notes of bark, earth and tobacco, with cherry notes coming through underneath. There is a hit of red flower on the mid-palate. Fresh and thin. Not much going on with this wine, almost watery. 55% Nero d’Avola, 45% Syrah (D-)
2016 Feudo Maccari Nero d’Avola (Sicily, Italy)… $18.
Aromas of currants, bark, plums and a pinch of raspberries and chocolate. Solid currant and boysenberry notes on the palate, complimented by a solid core of acidity. There is a touch of chocolate on the back-end with a little tannic grip and a kiss of tobacco and dirt. Long dark fruit finish with an underbelly of tobacco. Nice complexity and freshness from the acidity. (B/B+)
2013 Coppo La Rocca Gavi (Italy)… $17.
Wet stone and petrol on the nose with a kiss of grass and nuts. There is a ton of rubber boot on the palate with a little lemon and crushed rock thrown in. Crushed rock and rubber boot notes linger on the lemony finish. (C+)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
