FRIDAY’S FIVE

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

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.

2019 Lestrillle-Capmartin Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle (Entre-Deux-Mers, France)… $16.

Aromas of cut grass and melon with a kiss of lemon and grapefruit. Bright grapefruit notes on the palate with a hit of wet stone on the mid-palate and a little stainless steel action underneath. Melon and lemon notes join up on the fresh finish. (B-)

2015 Monchiero Carbone Pelisa Barbera d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy)… $19.

Aromas of rose petal, cherries, black olives and perfumed licorice. Solid acidity makes this wine dry on the palate with notes of black pepper, black olive, red flowers and a good shot of minerals front to finish with a touch of funk. This is what old world is about, and this baby screams for stews, lamb or roast. (B-)

2015 Chateau Larose-Trintaudon Les Hauts de Trintaudon (Haut Medoc, France)… $17.

Aromas of tobacco, dark cherries, red plums, worn leather and hints of red flowers. There is a huge leather attack on the front of the palate, joined by notes of dark cherries and wilted red flowers. Wood tannins hide underneath front to finish. There is a high tone of acidity that comes out on the mid-palate into the finish where worn leather and cherry notes linger with a dusty minerality. Still needs 5-8 years to hit its peak. Please decant before imbibing. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (B+/A-)

2018 Masseria Li Veli Primonero (Salento, Italy)… $11.

Aromas of currants, tobacco, wood, oregano and thyme with hits of red licorice, red flowers and BBQ spices. Currant notes on the palate, with dried herb notes underneath. Smooth tannins that have a mineral edge to them. Tobacco notes hide underneath and come out in force on the finish where herbs and red berry notes join up and linger. Good balance and integration. fresh on the finish. A blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo (B)

2018 JorJao Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)… $16.

Dark cherries on the nose with slight burnt wood, vanilla and red flower notes sneaking in. Brooding dark cherry notes on the palate with wilted red flower notes thrown in and a touch of gritty minerality. Fresh and slightly thin finish where the grit lingers with red flowers. (C-/C)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAY’S FIVE

Posted on January 22, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

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 Bodega Catena Zapata “Catena Historico Tinto” (Mendoza, Argentina)

Aromas of boysenberries, plums and currants with a hit of bacon fat, coconut and red flowers. Currant notes hit on the palate up front, blended with notes of boysenberries on edgy, approachable sweet tannins. Brooding in the mouth with a fleshy edge to it, front to finish where bacon fat notes sneak in with a hit of white pepper that lingers. Good balance. A blend of Malbec, Bonarda and Petit Verdot (B+)

2019 Chateau De Costis Bordeaux Blanc (France)… $11.

Grape seeds, melon and a kiss of lemon on the nose. Bright acidity in the mouth, supports notes of lemon and melon front to finish with a kiss of cut grass. Clean and simple and cheap! (C+)

NV De Saint-Gall Grand Cru Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc Champagne (France)… $55.

Aromas of yeast, almond, pear and apple. Laser-sharp acidity cuts through the palate, carrying notes of citrus, almonds and green apple. Dry and clean with elegant bubbles. (A-)

2016 Chateau Reindent Bordeaux Superieur (France)… $15.

Licorice on the nose, joined by notes of perfumed red berries, cherries and underlying currants. Soft, structured tannins support notes of currants and dusty rocks. There are slight sour cherry notes that sneak in on the mid-palate into the finish where there is a big hit of leather that lingers with the sour cherry notes. Another solid, inexpensive Bordeaux from a great vintage. 100% Merlot. (C+)

2018 Tenuta Di Sesta Rosso Di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy)… $20.

Rusty and musty (not corked) on the nose with notes of ripe cranberry, red flowers and a kiss of worn leather. Soft tannins support notes of rust and black olives with earth notes riding underneath. Sour cherry notes sneak in on the back end. A classic expression of Sangiovese from Montalcino. Not complex, just old world. (C+/B-)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

New Year’s resolutions are a waste of time really. How many of us, including myself, feel inspired to accomplish things we have failed to accomplish in the past at the start of a new year. We declare loudly to everyone we know, that this year we are going to do this or that. Instead of making resolutions, I’ve decided to just go for it and do the things that I want to get done without making any sort of proclamation. That way, if my intentions don’t come to fruition, I won’t feel like a failure. For those of you who made some sort of New Year’s resolution at the start of 2020, I think it is safe to say you are off the hook. What a shit-show 2020 ended up being. Now, here we are in 2021 with the hope that things will turn for the better. Being positive is never a bad thing. I have things to do, Susie and I have things to do and we will do them.

Social media has certainly exacerbated the things going on in the world today. Can you imagine what the Spanish Flu would have been like if Twitter, Instagram and Facebook had existed? Many folks in the world at that time had no idea the extent of that flu and the lives it took. Today, rumors fly on social media. Everyone’s an expert and propagates untruths with the absolute confidence that what they are saying is the truth. My worry is, that many people buy into what others are saying without doing any proper research. I use social media a lot myself, but only for the things I know. You won’t find me Tweeting about Covid-19 or re-posting something on Facebook about it from a source that has no validity. I’m a wine guy and therefore most of my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook content has to do with the subject of wine. I stick to what I know and if everyone else in this world did the same, we wouldn’t have the panic we see around us. Denzel Washington, a well known celebrity said something that has stuck with me. “If you don’t read the paper you are uninformed, if you read the paper you are misinformed.” Don’t let yourself be brought down by the media or social media. Do your best to be positive and that positivity will rub off on those around you. One day, this will all be behind us.

What do you know, I have not mentioned a word about wine in this column. I guess it was time for me to blow off a bit of steam. I promise to write on the subject of wine next week. I hope your new year is awesome!

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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STAN’S PICK FOR JANUARY 2021

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

It makes me feel good when I find good wine at a great price and there is a cause behind the label. The wine is Colby Red which is named after Colby Groom who at a young age, was diagnosed with a defective aortic valve and underwent two open-heart surgeries. Colby fully recovered but did not sit still. He approached his father who is a winemaker and presented the idea to create a wine and use the proceeds to support heart health charities. Colby Red has now raised over $1.5 million for the American Heart Association and other heart health research organizations. What a cool story! And, the wine is good. It’s a nice way to kick off the new year.

2017 Colby Red

2017 Colby Red Blend (California)… $10.

Aromas of dark cherries and raspberries with hints of licorice and chocolate. Rich dark cherry notes hit on the front of the palate, balanced by a nicely integrated acidity front to finish. Black raspberry notes join up on the mid-palate into the finish where hits of chocolate, tobacco and blueberry join the palate party. This is a nicely balanced wine with juicy fruit notes that are kept in check by soft, structured tannins and that nice beam of acidity that gives the wine a lift in the mouth. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petite Sirah, 10% Zinfandel, 5% Syrah, 4% Merlot. (B)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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