In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). A 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.
2014 Awning Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley (Apalta, Chile)… $12.
Aromas of dark cherries, licorice and tobacco with a touch of earth and hard candy coming through. Dark currants and earth on the palate supported by firm, approachable tannins front to finish. Good balance of acidity, fruit and tannins. Solid finish of leather, currants earth and tobacco. There is a touch of green twig action that lies underneath. Nice Cab at a stupid price. (B/B+)
2017 Weingut Heinrich Naked White (Austria)… $21.
Pineapple and orange citrus on the nose with a pinch of ginger. Funky Pineapple and apple notes front to the finish where apple dominates on the back-end, that has a slightly bitter edge. 68% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Blanc, 7% Neuburger, 5% Muscat Ottonel, 3% Gruner Veltliner (C+)
2015 Memaloose Idiot’s Grace Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.
Aromas of raspberries, black olives, green olives, bark, black tea and chocolate with a touch of funk and a hit of cooked popcorn kernel. Black raspberries, cooked popcorn kernel and chocolate notes hit on the front of the palate, backed by solid, balanced acidity that gives the wine a crunchy feel in the mouth. Chocolate and black tea notes join up on the back of the mid-palate into the long finish. A nine in the delicious category. 34% Sangiovese, 33% Cabernet Franc, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon (B+)
2017 Fantini Sangiovese Terre Di Chieti (Abruzzo, Italy)… $14.
Roasted meat marinated in cherry juice on the nose with a little bark, tobacco and caramel thrown in. Licorice, currants and slight bark notes come through on the palate, supported by balanced acidity and tannins. There is a slight hit of caramel that sneaks in on the back of the mid-palate. Crisp and bright finish with hits of citrus. (C+/B-)
2017 Santa Barbara Winery Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County, CA)… $17.
Slight butter and oak notes on the nose. Butter and pear notes on the palate, supported by nicely integrated acidity front to finish. Oak notes sneak out a bit on the finish but stays in check. Nice and fresh, making it an excellent food Chardonnay. (B-/B)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
