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.
2018 Sierra Salinas “Mo” Monastrell (Alicante, Spain)… $10.
Aromas of violets, tobacco, plums, cherries and dusty minerals. Plums and violets on the palate and a splash of cherries that are supported by a beam of acidity and an underbelly of crushed rock. Sweet tannins that appear dry because of the minerality and acidity. A little warm on the finish. An old world wine that a lot of new world palates will appreicate. (B-)
2018 Firriato Feudi Branciforti Nero d’Avola (Sicily, Italy)… $10.
Chocolate, rocks and cherries on the nose with a kiss of rose petal and mint. Chocolate notes hit on the front of the palate, joined by currant notes that morph into a boat-load of crushed rocks into the finish that has a touch of grip to it. Currant notes linger on the back-end with a kiss of rose petal. finishes savory, mineral driven and bone dry. (B/B+)
2015 Shannon Ridge “Vigilance” Cimarron GSM Red Blend (Lake County, CA)… $13.
Note super-expressive on the nose, with slight strawberry, tobacco, blueberry and earth. Ripe strawberries on the palate, joined by notes of plums and tobacco on soft, structured tannins. Earth notes hit on the back of the mid-palate into the finish. Nice expansion of the fruit on the mid-palate, balanced by earthy notes. There is a hit of white pepper and minerals on the back of the fresh finish. (B/B+)
2018 Jacques Bourguignon Chardonnay (Vin de France)… $10.
Aromas of wet stone, apple, white pepper and slight pear. Creamy on the palate with notes of wet stone, light apple and a touch of apple sauce, leading into a dry, minerally finish. Apple notes linger. Simple and clean with not much in the complexity department. (C+)
2017 Tablas Creek Vineyard Vermentino (Paso Robles, CA)… $32.
Aromas of nuts, banana bread, nutmeg and hints of apple. Dry on the palate with a bed of minerals supporting notes of banana bread and baking spices. Good balance and integration. Fresh on the mid-palate leading into an apple, citrus finish with a kiss of crushed rock and white pepper. (B+/A-)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
