FRIDAY’S FIVE

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

Another week has flown by and it’s time once again to share with you my notes I’ve taken as I taste through samples that have been presented to me. Writing down my thoughts on wines I’m tasting is a satisfying endeavor and one I take quite seriously. When I feature a wine at the store, I want to put tasting notes that help you the consumer make an informed decision whether or not to spend your money on that wine. So, here for your reading pleasure are five wines I have reviewed recently.

2020 Cloudline Cellars Pinot Noir Rose’ (Willamette Valley, OR)… $18.

Strawberries and cherries on the nose with a splash of pink rose petals and earth. Watermelon rind notes come through on the palate, joined by notes of strawberries and cherries. Dry and juicy at the same time with watermelon rind notes hitting big-time on the finish, joined by a hit of citrus. Fresh, clean, well-made Rose’. (B+/A-)

2017 Les Vignobles Gueissard Bandol Cuvee G Red (Provence, France)… $25.

Aromas of currants, tobacco and earth, with a little cinnamon action underneath. Earthy currant and BBQ spices on the palate backed by a solid spine of acidity. Structured, approachable tannins that have a little grip on the back-end. Red flower and leather notes (not red leather) hit on the mid-palate into the long, earthy finish. This wine is bright and intense at the same time. Good balance and complexity. Lay it down for five years and it will just get better. 70% Mourvedre, 15% Grenache, 10% Carignan, 5% Cinsault (B+/A-)

2017 Vietti Langhe Freisa Vivace (Piedmont, Italy)… $25.

Barnyard and baking spices on the nose, joined by notes of blackberries, plums and worn leather. Blackberry cola on the palate with a little barnyard action and leather. Crunchy tannins and fresh acidity make this baby bright and tight front to finish where the barnyard notes sneak out on the back-end. 100% Freisa (B-)

2017 Caymus-Suisan Grand Durif (Suisun Valle, CA)… $61.

Big-time boysenberry notes on the nose with an undertow of plums, brown sugar and tobacco. Brown sugar-coated boysenberries on the palate with plum and leather notes on the underbelly on sweet, soft tannins front to finish. This is a hedonistic style wine that is just a bit too much money for what you get. Durif is another name for Petite Sirah, (C+)

2018 Brickhouse Chardonnay (Ribbon Ridge, OR)… $26.

Pears and orange citrus on the nose with a little white flower action sneaking in. Solid pear notes on the palate with citrus notes sneaking in underneath front to finish where oak and citrus notes linger with a kiss of fig. Nicely integrated acidity keeps it fresh in the mouth. This is made for food. (B/B+)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

It was sure nice to see spectators at The Masters golf tournament. Professional sports without the presence of fans is just wrong. I know that the show must go on even during the threat of Covid, but it just isn’t the same watching golf or any sporting event for that matter without fans cheering the athletes on. How weird was it to watch the NCAA basketball playoffs without a fan in the seats? Things are slowly creeping back to normal, although some things will never return to what they were in the past. How many businesses will continue to use Zoom as a meeting place instead of traveling across the globe for an important discussion? However, you will never stop humans from enjoying the tactile experience of getting together with one another. It’s in our blood. There are of course the exceptions.

For the past year, I have been setting up wine tasting events on Zoom. Some of my group like it a lot and are hopeful I will continue to conduct them this way. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as soon as I can get my group back together at the normal venue for my wine tasting events it will happen. It has been an interesting experience using Zoom and it will always remain an option. However, getting together and discussing the wines in a group setting can never be replaced. I know it can get noisy from time to time and some folks (just a few) complain they have trouble hearing the presenter. That is part of the ambience that makes the tasting events a fun experience. It’s a learning party, that Zoom cannot emulate.

Susie and I are about ready for a quick trip down to the Gorge near Oregon. Susie found some nice accommodations for us and I made a few appointments at wineries in that area. Neither of us has been to this part of Washington State before, so we are excited about a new adventure. It will be nice to visit my friends at Syncline Cellars, Cor Cellars and Savage Grace Winery and will give me plenty to write about over the next couple of weeks. Until we can get back to Europe or Africa, side trips are essential for us both. We enjoy each other’s company immensely and we travel well together, it doesn’t get any better than that!

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

Last month was productive for me on YouTube. March is the original Washington State Wine Month and at first, I thought I would do a couple of episodes featuring Washington Wines. As it turned out, every episode in March featured something different from Washington. The last, which went out there last week, featured red blends, one of the hottest categories in the wine retail. It’s been a fun and interesting ride and I’ve found some gems in the journey. I love wines from around the world, so it’s hard for me to focus on one area in particular. Washington, unlike many other wine-growing regions, is known not for one or two varietals. Washington State can grow and produce amazing wines from a number of different grapes which is both a blessing and a curse. I’ve always said that Merlot or Syrah should be its signature varietal, like Cab is to Napa or Pinot Noir is to Oregon. I’m not sure if Washington State will ever get there as they keep pumping out amazing wines from so many different varietals. I hope you take some time to check out a few of my episodes from March.

The Seattle Times had a nice feature article on Tom Stockley who for years wrote a wine column for them. Tom and his wife died in a plane crash off the coast of California in 2000. Now, twenty-one years later, his daughters are publishing a book featuring the many recipes their father jotted in his journals over the years. Evidently, Tom was a passionate cook and collected many recipes in his travels. I had great respect for Tom’s approach to wine writing and the reviews he did on many wines. He had a passion for Washington wine and was an advocate for the state’s wineries. His reviews were honest and down to earth. I think I may have picked up a few tips from his writings along the way. The thing I remember most about him, was the customers who would walk into my wine department with a clipping from the paper with Tom’s wine recommendations. It was a weekly thing and of course, I would not carry many of the wines that he reviewed. At first, I was annoyed by this. Then, I started reading his column and became a fan myself. I would try the wines he was particularly fond of and in many cases agreed with his assessments. I would search them out and if we agreed, I would bring them into the store. Although he didn’t know me, he was a mentor in my formative years as a wine steward.

It’s going to be an interesting week. I am putting together a Zoom tasting event featuring Mexican wines from Valle de Guadalupe in Baja. Patrick, owner of Beso Imports will be the guest of honor and he is very passionate about the wines from this region. He has done an amazing job searching out quality wines from this area. I think my group will be quite impressed. Also, my cell phone has gone on the fritz and like most of you, it’s a very important tool for my job. Now, I have to email all the sales reps and let them know to call me at the store to get their orders. Living on an island has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to solving a cell phone issue. However, life goes on and I’ll survive this temporary inconvenience.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAY’S FIVE

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

When I review wines, I strive to be as honest as possible. I also try to describe the wine as I think people will experience it. Wine is tough because it is subjective. If you’ve never had a Kiwi, you are not going to get Kiwi notes out of a white wine, it’s that simple. However, crafting tasting notes in a way that people can relate to is what I have tried to achieve over the years. I hope you enjoy the notes I take and here for your reading pleasure are five wines I have reviewed recently.

2016 Cana’s Feast Two Rivers Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $18.

Aromas of tobacco, currants, bark and rose petals. Rust and currant notes on the palate are nicely integrated front to finish where bark and tobacco notes join in on the clean finish. Good balance of acidity and fruit with a good dose of rust and minerality. Old world style from the new world. 35% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec (B/B+)

2019 Domaine Amido “Los Galets” Cotes du Rhone Villages (Rhone, France)… $13.

Meat and meat marinade on the nose with a big hit of red flowers with a splash of tobacco, pomegranate, cherries and plums. Pomegranate and cherry notes on meaty tannins with a kiss of plums, while red flower notes ride underneath, front to finish. The red flower notes come out large on the finish, joined by white pepper and spices that linger. (B/B+)

2017 Lapostolle Grand Selection Carmenere (Central Valley, Chile)… $16.

Tobacco and currants on the nose with a touch of wilted rose petal and dried twigs. Deep currant notes on the palate, supported by edgy, approachable tannins. There is a spine of tobacco and forest floor notes, joined by rose petal notes on the mid-palate into the long, fresh finish. (B+)

2018 Kind Stranger Alter Red (Washington State)… $15.

Aromas of blackberries and cherries, with a touch of licorice, chocolate and black plum. Blackberry notes big-time on the front of the palate, joined by cherry and black plum notes with chocolate hiding underneath. Licorice notes sneak in on the mid-palate. Acidity comes out and dominates on the finish where bark and black pepper join the palate party. The tannins are very approachable but not soft. This wine is fruit-driven on the front and earthy on the finish. Good complexity for the money. (B/B+)

2019 Domaine de la Janasse Viognier (Vaucluse Principaute’ D’Orange France)… $20.

Banana, orange, peach and melon on the nose. Creamy in the mouth with notes of banana, white peach and melon front to finish where a kiss of fig comes through joined by hints of veggie and orange citrus. Balanced acidity keeps it fresh on the palate. (B+)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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