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 Il Palagio “When We Dance” Chianti (Tuscany, Italy)… $19.
Aromas of toast, black olive and currants, with a backdrop of dark cherries and perfumed red flowers. Dark cherries and currants on the front of the palate that is buried by dry oak tannins on the mid-palate into the finish. The fruit keeps trying to get out of the oak, but it can’t. Tobacco notes sneak out on the mid-palate. Finishes dry and oak-driven with a kiss of citrus. Food might help this one. (D+/C-)
2017 Fumanelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Veneto, Italy)… $23.
Aromas of black tea, strawberries and cherries with a little Fruit Stripe gum action and wet stone. Balanced minerality on the palate that backs notes of currants, tobacco, pomegranate and orange citrus. Nicely integrated acidity rounds it out front to finish where interesting spice notes sneak out. Bring on the lasagna! (B+/A-)
2018 Big Hand “Red Hand” Red Blend (Columbia Valley, WA)… ?
Red beets and dark cherries on the nose with a touch of violets. In the mouth, it’s a vanilla mocha cherry and coffee latte, with a little wood thrown in. Oak tannins hit big-time on the finish where violet and tobacco notes come through with a kiss of chocolate. (C-/C)
2015 Schooler Nolan Red (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $22.
Tar and tobacco on the nose, joined by notes of old wood, blueberries and hints of currants. Solid blueberry and ripe currant notes on the palate. Underlying tobacco and dark flower notes front to finish where leather and earth notes join the palate party with a kiss of orange citrus. Good complexity and balance. Nicely integrated acidity gives the wine a lift on the palate. (B+/A-)
2017 Writer’s Block Roussanne (Lake County, CA)… $16.
Caramel apple notes on the nose with a big splash of pears. Fresh on the palate with notes of pear and apple supported by baking spices underneath. Clove notes come on strong on the long finish where pear notes join and linger. Good balance and integration of fruit and spices. (B)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
