FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Stan The Wine Man

In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). I lot of my friends think that 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 thirteen wines that I have reviewed in my Moleskine (good or bad), this past week.

2011 Tortoise Creek Wines “The Chelonian” Zinfandel (Lodi, California)… $11.

A little stink action on the nose with notes of ripe currants, bark, dark cherries and rose petals coming through (just a reminder that the stink is not a bad thing). Black raspberries, currants, dark cherries all come out on the front and mid-palate, leading into a very interesting crushed rock and leather finish with a little white pepper hit on the back-end. This zin is lighter in style, but has some interesting elements. Definitely a zinfandel, but showing some old world attitude on the finish. This is a great BBQ red and will go nicely with hamburgers or hotdogs, and is a great price. (B)

2012 Carol Shelton Monga Old Vine Monga Zinfandel Lopez Vineyard (Cucamonga Valley, California)… $20.

This AVA (American Viticultural Area) was established in 1995, and it is a very hot one, many times reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a perfect spot to grow zinfandel, especially if you are a fan of the bigger style varieties.

Aromas of raspberries, cranberries, licorice and violets. Raspberry jam all over the front of the palate. A hit of Cinnamon Imperials on the mid-palate joined by spice and white pepper. Finishes with a little grip action with notes of violets, raspberries, cinnamon and a hint of currants lingering. This zin is big in alcohol (14.9%), but has excellent balance and integration of fruit, oak and alcohol. Although my friend that I was tasting this wine with seemed to thing it was an alcohol bomb, I have a different opinion. I got some effect from it, but over-all this zin is well made. A zin lovers zin. (B+/A-)

2009 Gamache Vintners Malbec (Columbia Valley, Washington)… $28.

Notes of eucalyptus, rose petals, red currants, brown sugar, baking spices and alfalfa come through on the nose. Currants dominate the palate with a backdrop of alfalfa and tomato stem. Dark cherry notes show up on the mid-palate leading into a mineral and violet finish with a touch of white pepper that lingers.
This is a very interesting Malbec, but unfortunately it suffers from being three times as expensive as many Malbec from Argentina. Malbec from Washington really deserve our attention, so if you are getting tired of the Argentinian versions, I encourage you to look to this state for some awesome examples. (B)

2011 Gamache Vintners Cabernet Franc (Columbia Valley, Washington)… $14.

Cabernet Franc is a varietal I am very fond of, and I love many that come out of Washington State. They have a veggie quality to them, but they do not get as tossed salad as Chinon out of the Loire Valley, France (I like those also).

Very aromatic (perfumed) notes of sweet currants, rose petals, a hit of beauty bark and an edge of blackberries. Notes of currants and mocha on the palate backed by bark notes. There is a veggie hit on the mid-palate finishing with a little cranberry action, loads of mocha and a hit of leather and minerals. This is a very interesting cab franc that tetters between new and old world in style. (B-)

2013 Gilbert Cellars Rose of Mourvedre (Wahluke Slope, Washington)… $14.

My two favorite styles of rose` come from the Mourvedre and Cinsault grapes, so I was really looking forward to giving this a try.

Notes of rose petals, watermelon and white peaches on the nose. Watermelon Bubbleyum on the palate with notes of white peach skin on the dry finish. Very low in acidity, so it doesn’t “pop” on the palate leaving you feeling a bit cheated. This is a simple rose` with very little to offer in the form of complexity and liveliness, like going on a blind date, and the person doesn’t converse with you…Boring! (C-)

Non-vintage Monmarte Rose Sec (France)… $9.

Aromas of watermelon, strawberries, peach skin and herbs. Notes of peach, watermelon, strawberries fill the mouth with a sweet edge on the mid-palate. It finishes dry with a hit of watermelon rind coming through. For nine bucks this is a pretty good deal for some delicious pink bubbles on a warm day. (C+)

Non-Vintage Monmarte Brut (France)… $9.

Apples and citrus on the nose with a touch of sweetness. Sweet apples on the palate with big bubbles that fill the mouth. There is a tiny hit of orange blossom on the mid=palate into the sweet finish. I know there are a few of you out there looking for some sweet stuff and this will do the trick. However, this is really too sweet for a brut sparkling wine. Just saying. (D+)

2013 Andrea Faccio Moscato D’ Asti (Piedmont, Italy)… $18.

A citrus medley on the nose with notes of soap, white flowers and orange blossoms. Tangerines and orange sorbet dance around the mouth leading into a delicious finish and a touch of honey. (A-)

2011 Schoenheitz Gewurztraminer “Holder” (Vin D’ Alsace, France)… $22.

Very perfumy on the nose with notes of Lemon Pledge, white flowers, tangerine, pine needles and wet stone. Spicy on the palate with notes of mango and figs. It has a creamy mouth feel with hits of hazelnuts and walnuts. Finishes clean and spicy. This is a sweet wine, but it has a nice fresh side that keeps everything in balance. (B+/A-)

2013 RoxyAnn Pinot Gris (Rogue Valley, Oregon)… $16.

Steely on the nose with notes of lemon, mandarin orange and white flowers. Honeysuckle, fig and mango notes on the palate with a touch of orange. Round on the palate front to back with a nice peppery finish and a little wet stone action. (B)

2012 Dr. Loosen “Red Slate” Dry Riesling (Mosel, Germany)… $17.

Clean on the nose (I hope you understand that), with notes of lemon, melon, fig and walnuts and a backdrop of wet stone. Zesty citrus notes on the palate. Lemon and tangerine, blended with minerals that dance across the palate into a tropical fruit, citrus finish. Very fresh, clean and delicious. (B+)

2012 Lemelson Vineyards Riesling (Willamette Valley, Oregon)… $22.

Wet stone, peaches, petrol and white flowers on the nose. Steely on the palate, with notes of peaches and apricots. mouth-watering and juicy with an acidic, razor-sharp, bone-dry finish and a touch of minerality. This is for the Riesling geek for sure. (B+)

2012 Boedecker Cellars “Pappas Wine Co.” Pinot Blanc (Oregon)… $17.

Aromas of white flowers, honeysuckle, wet stone and lemons. Honeysuckle, orange peel and orange blossoms in the mouth with a steely backbone. Lemon notes bleed in on the mid-palate with minerals and orange notes on the clean finish. (B)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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Great Vid On The Washington Wine Industry…

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAYS THIRTEEN…

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Stan The Wine Man

In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). I lot of my friends think that 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 thirteen wines that I have reviewed in my Moleskine (good or bad), this past week.

2012 Milbrandt Vineyards “Traditions” Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, WA)… $11.

Very aromatic on the nose with notes of pears, lemon and baking spices. Nice and creamy on the palate with a steely edge on the back-round. Notes of pears and spices come through in spades with a touch of lemon and steel start to finish. Very balance with a nice integration of fruit, acidity and oak (although the oak treatment is not heavy as the price indicates). (B)

2012 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills, Oregon)… $42.

Just so you are not confused in any way, Dundee Hills is now a sub-appellation in the much larger Willamette Valley appellation. Domaine Drouhin is a huge player in the Willamette Valley and puts out some of the best Pinot Noir I have tasted in my wine career. This is no exception, especially from this outstanding vintage.

Aromas of dark cherries, strawberries, dusty rocks, leather, black tea and root beer, with some interesting herbal components. Full almost plush notes of cherries and currants on the palate, joined by leather, root beer and black tea on the mid-palate and finish. There is a nice bright back-bone front to back with a little “grip” on the long finish. Excellent structure and balance, this wine will only get better over the next 5-8 years. (A-/A)

2011 Foris Pinot Noir (Rogue Valley, Oregon)… $17.

The 2011 vintage in the Willamette Valley had mixed reviews, as mother nature did no favors for the wine makers. There were some really nice pinot noir and some not so good. Down south in the Rogue Valley where it is a little warmer, the 2011 vintage was not as tough. This Foris Pinot Noir is testament to that.

Aromas of black tea, dark cherries, earth, leather, bark, root beer, thyme and a little black raspberry hit on the back-end (now that is an interesting nose my friends). Black raspberries and dark cherries on the front of the palate with an edge of black tea. Solid fruit front to finish with underlying Earl Grey tea and beauty bark notes. A little sarsaparilla joins the party on the medium length finish. Nice balance, not high in acidity, but still lively. For the price, this is a steal. (B+)

2011 Milbrandt Vineyards “Brothers Blend” Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $15.

This wine got some special treatment. The assistant wine maker (former now) inadvertently put vineyard designate syrah in this blend, so you are not only getting what is normally a very good “kitchen sink” red, you are getting an especially good blend with some juice that was intended to be bottled as a single vineyard wine (I wasn’t sure if this was to be kept secret…Too late!).

Aromas of blackberries, currants, licorice, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and a touch of tobacco. Very perfumed on the nose. Nice bright edge of blackberries, cherries and currants come through on the palate. Tobacco and baking spices join the party on the mid-palate followed by a spicy red cherry driven finish with licorice and baking spice notes lingering. Nice balance of acidity and fruit giving it a freshness on the palate. Not too shabby for fifteen bucks. (B+)

2012 Kevin White Winery La Fraternite Red (Yakima Valley, WA)… $28.

This is the second vintage from Kevin and I have to tell you that I fell head-over-heels for the first one, and I have been so looking forward to this release. I was a little disappointed that the price went up but that did not stop me from giving it a try.

Red cherries, strawberries, white pepper, marinated meat, thyme and red flower notes come through on this complex nose. Polished fruit on the palate, with notes of cherries and strawberries coming through. Thyme, rose petal and white pepper notes join the party backed by fresh, sweet tannins. The fruit darkens as it comes through the finish that has just a little grip on the back-end. This second effort did not let me down and I would not be afraid to lay this down for 5-8 years. 41% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 19% Syrah. (B+/A-)

2012 Kevin White Winery En Homage Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $28.

There are only two wines in Kevin’s portfolio, and this is the second one. The composition on this one is almost reverse of the La Fraternite. 82% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 3% Mourvedre.

Aromas of charred black cherries, smoke and bacon fat with a hint of blueberries. Dark red cherries and blueberries all over the palate, backed by notes of smoke and tobacco. The wine expands on the mid-palate leading into a clean finish with smokey notes lingering. There is excellent balance of acidity and fruit with smooth tannins that show just a touch of attitude on the finish. The Syrah really comes through on this blend. (B+/A-)

2011 Waters Winery Interlude Red (Washington State)… $30.

Aromas of red cherries, blackberries, sage and thyme come through on the nose with a hit of alcohol. This red has a bright core front to back on the palate with notes of cherries, under-ripe blackberries, sage and tobacco with a hit of cranberry sneaking in on the back-end. There is a little blueberry action that lingers on the finish. Dusty, structured tannins give this red a little “old world” feel on the palate. 61% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, 11% Petit Verdot. (B-)

2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Lavieres 1st Cru (Burgundy, France)… $77.

I’m reading my notes, and wracking my brain trying to remember who tasted me on this Burgundy…I simply cannot recall. Such is life in the world of wine, where you taste a zillion wines over the course of a month.

Aromas of red flowers, cherries and earth. This wine is very youthful, exhibiting notes of cranberries, lemon, orange peel and crushed rock. Mouth-watering acidity backs the fruit and earthy notes, yet the wine has good balance, and should age nicely. (B)

2012 Sartarelli Verdicchio (Castelli di Jesi, Italy)… $14.

Sartarelli is an iconic Verdicchio producer, so I was excited to give this a try. Brine aromas of peaches, tangerine and lemon grass. Saline notes come through on the palate with a little oily component. Notes of peaches and tangerines are backed by bright acidity that penetrates and compliments the oily texture in the mouth. There is a slate element that comes through on the finish with hits of peach skin and lemon pith. If you haven’t experienced a Verdicchio from Italy, I would suggest you give this a try. (B+)

2011 Waterbrook Winery Syrah (Columbia Valley, WA)… $14.

Aromas of red flowers, blueberries, red licorice, currants and a touch of toasty oak. Blueberries all day on the palate with a kiss of red currants, licorice and bark. Good acidity front to back with a fresh blueberry, licorice finish. (B+)

2013 Arca Nove Vinho Verde (Portugal)… $10.

Vinho Verde is known as the “green wine” and usually has a little spritz to it. It also has a reputation for being relatively inexpensive and an easy drinking white with low alcohol. That being said, it is sad when one comes in at a mere ten bucks and is considered expensive. One taste of this little gem and you will feel quite comfortable spending a couple of bucks more.

On the nose, notes of cantaloupe, grass, minerals and apples. Cantaloupe notes come through on the palate, joined by notes of lemon, limes, cut grass and a dash of crushed rocks and apples. Citrus notes linger on the dry finish. This white has a lot to offer for the price, and talk about a summer sipper… BANG! (B+)

2013 Le Cole No 41 Chenin Blanc “Old Vines” (Columbia Valley, WA)… $16.

Slightly perfumed on the nose with notes of lanolin, apples and lemon pith. Lemon oil notes come through on the palate joined by notes of apples and lanolin. The wine seems almost oily on the palate, but the citrus and tangerine notes cut it. It finishes with a slight savory edge with a steely edge to it on the finish. This is a creamy white with a bright edge to it, keeping it lively on the palate. I believe that this may be the best Chenin Blanc I have tasted from this winery. (B+/A-)

Non-Vintage Albert Bichot Brut Reserve Cremant De Bourgogne (Burgundy, France)… $22.

Melon, apples and dusty rocks come through on the nose. Bubble-gummy on the palate with notes of yeast, apples, marzipan and a touch of bread dough. Very dry on the finish with good length. Some of the best values in sparkling wine carry the “Cremant” signature. (B+)

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WINE AND AUTOMOBILES….SEE ANY SIMILARITIES?

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Stan The Wine Man

I had an epiphany the other day and then this sort of weird metaphor started taking root in my mind. It had to do with the similarities between shopping for wine and shopping for cars. But, it was more than that. It started to occur to me that interest in wine or cars can go from casual to super nerdy, and somewhere in between.

For instance, how many people buy a car simply because they like the looks? I’m willing to bet a years pay that this is the case at least most of the time. Why else would automobile makers spend so much time on marketing, and research on what will catch the consumers eye. Although packaging isn’t everything, it has a lot to do with the success of brand. The car may not do well on the road, may get terrible gas mileage, is totally uncomfortable to drive, but hey! It looks so cool.

Buying a car can be a serious investment for some folks, so they put a little more into the purchase than just being impressed by the design and look of the automobile. This group will look at consumer reports to see how the car fairs with other people, will look at fuel efficiency, durability, compartment comfort, trunk space and safety standards. They want to spend their money wisely, and looks don’t have a lot to do with their final decision (although it might come into play from time to time).

Then, there is the super nerdy car buyer. This person understands the reputation of the automobile maker. They know all about what is under the hood of a car and will research any new data that comes available. They are more concerned with the type of engine or transmission, and looks mean nothing to them. To this group, it is about quality…Nothing more. It doesn’t have to be an expensive car to be a good car, and they are aware that the more research they do, the better automobile they can get for the money.

Not to be over-looked, are the car buyers who are concerned about nothing but prestige. This person only buys a car with a reputation for being top of the line. It has to be a Cadillac, Porsche, BMW, Lexus or?…You get the picture. They want to drive down the road and have folks think…”Wow, that person is rich or has class!” I’m not saying that the car they are driving is not well-made. A lot of those cars are some of the best as far as engineering and safety. However, that is not what concerns this type of person. No, it is all about what other people think about them as they drive down the road. “Look at me, look at what I drive. I hope you are melting with envy!” I think by now you are getting some idea about where I am going with this.

Many wineries spend a lot of money on label design, hoping to catch the consumers eye and lure them towards a purchase. For the wine buyer with a casual interest in the product inside the bottle, label shopping is a big thing for them. Many times as I am working the wine aisle, I will hear someone declare that they are going to buy a wine because it has a dog on the label and they absolutely adore dogs. There is little interest in whether or not the wine inside is any good, they just want to buy it because of the label. Fortunately for them, they are in my department where a wine with a cute label is not placed on the shelf unless the wine inside is good. However, that is not true in a lot of wine departments, where many a bottle is sold despite the fact that the wine inside is poor quality. When it comes to wine and automobiles, packaging is a big part of the picture.

Buying wine can be a serious investment for a lot of people. They love wine, but they have trouble parting with money that could be spent better elsewhere (like food or rent). They put a little more into their wine purchase, because they do not want to be disappointed when they open the bottle. They do some research, perhaps reading wine periodicals to see what their report is on certain wines. They may seek the advice of their local wine guru or their wine drinking friends to get feedback. They will not buy a wine unless they are sure they are getting the best bang-for-the-buck.

Then there is the wine nerd. This person knows about producers, their reputation, their consistency in putting out good wines. They know what’s under the hood so to speak. They know about vintages, and whether or not the grapes are bio-dynamically or organically grown. This person is not concerned with labels or price, it’s all about the wine itself and how it is built. They more than likely will seek out wines that express terroir and are not manipulated in such a way that the personality is taken from the juice. They don’t care what Robert Parker Jr. or James Suckling or The Wine Spectator say about the wine, because they are comfortable with their palate and choices. However, they do know each critics palate so that they can assess the value of the scores, stars, glasses or grades given each wine. The wine nerd is simply absorbed in the wine world.

Last but not least is the prestige wine buyer. This is the person that walks into a wine department and immediately seeks out the big name labels such as Silver Oak, Caymus, Jordan, Cakebread or Dom Perignon. They are not looking for the best wine for the money. No, they want to impress their friends with a well-known label…It makes them look good and wine savvy. Believe me when I tell you that the aforementioned wines are very good, but not always the best you can get for the dollar. But, like the guy who drives a Porsche to show-off, some buy certain wines simply to show-off. I am not saying that everyone who buys these wines is intending to impress others. However, there is a group that falls into the show-off category.

Buying cars and buying wine…Who would have put the two together. My mind works in twisted ways sometimes, but I do see a connection and I hope I was able in some way to clarify my thoughts. Wine and automobiles…Do YOU see the similarities?

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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