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.
A quick note before I write my five reviews. I want to thank all of you who read my blog and put up with my inconsistency in posting. I will improve, that is my goal.
2015 Shannon Ridge Urgency Red (California)… $15.
A touch of stink on the nose with notes of bark, red cherries, pomegranate and tobacco. Red cherries, pomegranate and tobacco notes hit on the palate on smooth tannins. A touch of spice action shows up on the mid-palate into the finish where currant notes join the palate party with a hint of licorice and tobacco sneaking in on the clean finish. Nice expansion of fruit and spice on the mid-palate showing good balance front to finish. (B)
2018 Abbey Page Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.
Apple and pear notes on the nose with a walnut element coming through. Apple and apple skin notes on the palate with pear notes riding underneath and coming out on top of the finish. Fresh acidity makes this wine dance lightly on the palate. Butterscotch notes sneak in near the finish with a slight bitterness. (C+)
2016 Basel Cellars Claret (Columbia Valley, WA)… $15.
Blackberries, plums, tobacco and dark cherries on the nose. Smooth tannins that get a chalky edge on the back-end, support notes of dark cherries, blackberries and black plums on a backbone of chocolate and tobacco. Good integration and balance. The chocolate notes linger with a slight hit of white pepper. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc and Malbec. A seriously good value. (B+)
2017 Saracina “Atrea” Old Soul Red (Mendocino County, CA)… $26.
Aromas of currants dark cherries, chocolate and a touch of worn leather. Currant and chocolate notes hit big-time on chewy, meaty tannins with underlying blackberry notes coming through. This baby expands on the mid-palate into the finish where spice, white pepper, tar, tobacco and leather notes join up and linger on the long-ass finish. (B+/A-)
2018 Paul Buisse Cour de Poc Sauvignon Blanc (Vin de France)… $9.
White flowers lemon and melon on the nose with a kiss of grass and grapefruit pith. Solid acidity and a nice undertow of dusty stones back up citrus and melon notes front to finish where light grapefruit and lemon notes join up and linger. Bright and fresh with good integration and balance. For ten bucks? Get out! (B)
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
