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.
2017 Liberation de Paris Cabernet Sauvignon (Vin De France)… $14.
Aromas of earth, cherries and currants with a kiss of raisins and oranges. Dark currant notes on the palate with a hint of orange peel underneath. A kiss of licorice sneaks in on the back of the mid-palate into a decently long finish. Soft, structured tannins and nicely integrated acidity give the wine a lift in the mouth and an edge on the finish. Solid Cab for the money. (B-)
2017 Time & Direction Diamond Cutter Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $33.
Boysenberries and plums on the nose, with a hint of bacon fat and Worcestershire sauce. 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 on the palate with a mouthwatering finish where citrus and red flower notes linger. Good intensity and balance. (B+)
2017 Domaine des 3 Cellier Alchimie Chateauneuf Du Pape (Rhone, France)…. $37.
Tons of cherries on the nose joined by notes of red flowers, crushed red brick and licorice. Smooth and polished on the palate with notes of cherries, coffee bean and earth. Roasted meat notes hit on the mid-palate leading into the finish where coffee bean and earth notes linger. Nice integration, intensity and balance. Great old world wine for a new world palate. What a price for a quality CDP. (A-)
2016 Boniperti “Carlin” Colline Novaresi Nebbiolo (Piedmont, Italy)… $24.
Earth and strawberries on the nose with a kiss of rusty nails and oranges. Solid acidity on the palate, balanced by notes of strawberries and cherry notes that are nicely integrated with mineral and earth. Soft, earthy finish with a little rust action on the back-end. Smooth yet old world at the same time. (B)
2017 David Duband Bourgogne Rouge (Burgundy, France)…. $36.
Slightly challenged on the nose with hints of cranberries, cherry and licorice. Soft fruit notes of cherries and cranberries on the palate with a touch of earth underneath and a kiss of citrus. Thins out on the mid-palate into the finish. (C-)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
