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.
2015 Alloro Vineyard Pinot Noir (Chehalem Mountain, OR)… $40.
Aromas of Asian spices and ripe dark cherries, with a kiss of orange citrus and black tea, with just the slightest hint of Root Beer. Excellent balance on the palate with notes of Asian spice, cherries and red flowers, framed by nicely integrated acidity front to finish. Root Beer notes hang-out in the background and comes out on the long finish. This is very Burgundy-like with a solid new world kiss. (A)
2015 Alloro Vineyard Chardonnay (Chehalem Mountain, OR)… $35.
Apples, melon and white flowers on the nose, with a touch of wet stone. A load of apple notes mingled with pear and melon on the palate, that expand on the mid-palate into a dry finish. Wet stone notes lie underneath into the finish where white pepper notes join up. Solid structure with well-integrated acidity. Pear and apple notes linger for some time. (B+/A-)
2015 Alloro Pinot Noir Reserve (Chehalem Mountain, OR)… $50.
Some what closed on the nose with slight cherry, earth and red flower notes coming through. Juicy acidity on the palate, frames notes of cherries, earth and red flowers front to finish where the acidity peaks. Asian spice and black tea notes linger in the background with tea notes coming out stronger on the savory, long finish (A-)
2017 Tinto Negro Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)… $11.
Char, plums and blackberries on the nose. Blackberry and plum notes on the palate, framed by char notes and soft tannins. The fruit expands on the mid-palate into the finish where a kiss of tobacco comes through. Balanced acidity keeps it fresh on the back-end. (C+/B-)
2012 Maison Nicolas Perrin Saint-Joseph (Rhone, France)… $46.
Very meaty on the nose with a pinch of red flowers and flower stem along with a solid hit of thyme and nutmeg. Solid acidity carries earth and meat notes front to finish on the palate. Tobacco and mineral notes show up on the back-end with nutmeg trying to sneak out. This baby is tightly wound up and needs another five-plus years to start coming out of its shell. Made form 100% Syrah. (B+)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
