In a week’s 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 on Stanthewineman.com. Here for your reading pleasure, are five wines that I have reviewed in my Moleskine (good or bad), this past week.
2019 Lu & Oly Flowerhead Rose’ (Columbia Valley, WA)… $18.
Watermelon all day on the nose with a touch of peach and orange citrus. Fresh and zesty on the palate with notes of watermelon and citrus, driven by a healthy dose of balanced acidity. It dances in the mouth with a slight tartness into a long, lemon and orange finish with watermelon notes underneath. This baby makes the palate sing. (B)
2017 Mark Ryan Winery Water Witch Red (Red Mountain, WA)… $55.
Aromas of dark currants, licorice and tobacco. Balanced and fresh on the palate with notes of currants and a backbone of tobacco. The tobacco notes dominate the finish. Structured, approachable tannins and a clean finish. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot (B)
2017 Mark Ryan Winery “Crazy Mary” Mourvedre (Red Mountain, WA)… $60.
Plums, currants, tobacco and smoke on the nose. Plum and currant notes meld nicely in good balance on edgy, approachable tannins, Ripe fruit notes expand on the mid-palate into a tobacco, currant driven finish. Red flower and smoke notes linger in the background front to finish. (B+/A-)
2018 Time & Direction “Fretboard” Viognier Corfu Crossing Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $30.
Peach and popcorn kernel action on the nose with a kiss of quince and apple. Good texture on the palate. Notes of quince, peach and apple flow seamlessly across the palate expanding on the mid-palate into a quince and apple dominate finish. This wine has a slick edge to it in the mouth. (B-/B)
2017 Time & Direction “Diamond Cutter” Red (Columbia Valley, WA)
Boysenberries and plums on the nose with a backdrop of Worcheshire and bacon fat. Red flower notes all day on the palate, joined by notes of raspberries and cherries with a kiss of citrus on the back-end. Bright and delicious with a mouth-watering finish where the citrus and red flower notes linger. Good intensity and balance. (B+)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
