Stan The Wine Man

Something really cool happened last week that I wasn’t expecting. While I was trying some new wines at a trade tasting up in Bellingham, a woman turned to me and said… “Bits and Bobs?”. I looked at her for a few seconds trying to absorb what she was saying and responded: “Yes, that’s me.” I didn’t catch her name, but I remember she was from Laconner. She told me that she followed my blog. How cool is that! I know many of my friends follow me, but to have a complete stranger recognize the person behind the blogging was pretty cool.

Patrick stopped by my department the other day with a crap-load of wines from Mexico (Baja to be exact), for me to try. I was very excited for this as I have probably only tasted maybe two wines from this area if my memory serves me correctly. We tasted fifteen wines and most were stellar. In fact, C+/B- was the lowest grade I gave one of the wines. My project now is to create a Mexican wine section in my set. Both the whites and reds were top-notch with the highest priced wine being $47. and most were in the $20. range. Patrick waxed poetic about the region where the wineries operate and it inspired me to think about planning a trip down there to check it out. The wines had a nice balance of acidity, tannins and fruit. I was really impressed with the crunchy acidity most of them had, but balanced nicely with solid fruit. I am very eager to bring them into the store so my customers can give them a try themselves. And for those of you who know what I am talking about….Yes, I have booked Patrick for a future event.

I am now collecting notes on my top forty wines under twenty bucks for 2018. It looks like I have decided what my #1 wine might be and I think a lot of you will be surprised. I am actually! I have also narrowed it down to two choices for my winery of the year in ’18. I’m pretty sure I know which winery it will be, but I never pull the trigger until December. I am very excited about all of the wines I’ve tasted from the winery I am leaning towards, and I think once I reveal my choice you will agree.

I am gearing up for a few episodes on You Tube where I will discuss and review wines for Thanksgiving. After experimenting over the years with many different wines, I have decided to switch gears and throw out a few of my past go-to wines. I will discuss why that is the case and dabble into some new (old really) choices. It can be one of the tougher holidays to match wine with simply because of the mix of sweet, tart and savory. I encourage you to follow me on You Tube as I venture into wines for Thanksgiving. I’m getting really close to four-hundred episodes. If you have any ideas for what I should do for that landmark episode, I would appreciate any input I could get.

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). I 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 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.

2014 Idiots Grace Chardonnay White Salmon Vineyard (Columbia Gorge, WA)… $24.

Slightly challenged on the nose with slight apple and melon notes. Creamy on the palate with a little spice action going on along with notes of apple and melon. Nice balance of acidity and fruit with a slight bitter edge on the back-end, joined by a kiss of minerals. Good complexity and a semi-long finish. (B+)

2014 Memaloose Mistral Ranch Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $21.

Aromas of dirt, coffee, plums and boysenberries, with hits of perfumed red flowers. Plush on the front of the palate with notes of plums, earth and coffee bean front to finish. Boysenberry notes lie underneath along with a little black raspberry. Nice depth and good balance. Dirty and delicious. 57% Syrah, 43% Grenache (B+/A-)

2014 Monte Zovo Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore (Valpolicella, Italy)… $20.

A little stink action on the nose, joined by bark and dirt with hits of cherries and black currants. Rich and light at the same time. Earth and currant notes blend nicely on the palate with a poopy element underneath and a little spice action. Spicy and fresh on the finish with a little raisin and black pepper sneaking in. Good structure and balance. (B+/A-)

2017 Passatempo Vinho Verde (Portugal)… $7.

A dried herb garden on the nose with a splash of melon. Sparkly melon and apple notes on the palate with a hint of Root Beer and apple skin. Simple and delicious. (C+)

2016 Longship Cellars “Gingerman” Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… $30.

Blueberries and vanilla on the nose with hits of coffee bean, chocolate and licorice. Loads of coffee bean on the palate joined by tobacco and roasted meats. Notes of blueberry lie underneath. Well-integrated bright, solid tannins that are smooth with a little edginess to them. Meaty finish with tobacco lingering. Jammy element tries to sneak out but is held in check. Very Saint-Joseph like. (A/A+)

2014 Thurston Wolfe JTW’S Blend (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $15.

Aromas of tobacco, black plums, blackberries and hits of dried bark and dark cherries. Big hit of ripe, black currants on the front of the palate, sprinkled with white and black pepper on smooth, sweet tannins. Bark and tobacco notes linger underneath leading into a spicy, long finish with currant notes lingering. A jam fest with a lot of savory thrown in. (B-/B)

2016 Pilota Hondarrabi Zuri (Getariako Txakolina, Spain)… $19.

Aromas of melon and wet stone with a touch of apple and a bit of stink action. Bright, stainless steel like acidity on the palate supports notes of lemon, green apple and kiwi front to finish. Laser sharp, crisp and vibrant into a long finish. Reminds me of a Champagne without the bubbles. (B+/A-)

2017 Barinas Rosado (Jumilla, Spain)… $12.

Light strawberry and plum notes on the nose with a little pie crust thrown in. Strawberry and watermelon notes on the palate, underscored by bright acidity and a kiss of citrus. Vibrant on the mid-palate with citrus and watermelon notes lingering on the finish. It grips the gums a bit. Made from Monastrell. (B-)

2015 For A Song Syrah (Columbia Valley, WA)… $16.

Deep boysenberry and dark cherry notes on the nose, mingled with licorice, dark flowers and a kiss of bacon fat. Dark cheery and boysenberry notes rest on tannins that have a little attitude. It goes meaty on the mid-palate with tobacco notes joining the palate party with a kiss of blueberry underneath on the finish. The is old school wine mixed with a little new world love. (B-/B)

2015 Bodegas Zugober Belezos Rioja Reserva (Spain)… $28.

Aromas of mint, currants, tar, violets, cinnamon and tobacco. Intensely wound up on the palate, with notes of blueberries, currants and raspberries on bright, almost minty acidity. Blueberries meet citrus and raspberry on the tight but long finish. This baby needs time in the bottle. (B+)

2013 Parusso Barolo (Piedmont, Italy)… $50.

Aromas of rust, strawberries, sweaty socks, crushed brick and wilted rose petals. Very savory on the palate with notes of fennel, caraway seed, crushed brick and rust with faint strawberry notes underneath. Caraway and crushed rock linger on the back-end with a little calamata olive sneaking in. This is what Barolo is all about. (B+/A-)

2014 Thurston Wolfe “Conglomerate” Cabernet Sauvignon Upland Vineyard (Snipes Mountain, WA)… ?

Savory on the nose with notes of meat marinate, currants, dried herbs and vanilla. Currant notes on the palate supported by sturdy tannins joined by a little spice action. Tobacco and BBQ spices join up on the mid-palate into the finish. Well-integrated acidity kicks up the fruit notes giving it brightness on the lingering tobacco and currant notes. (B/B+)

2017 Minuty Rose’ (Provence, France)… $20.

Aromas of strawberries, cherries, herbs and a hit of tangerine. Dried herbs, cherries, white pepper and a kiss of citrus on the palate. Minerality rolls in and out with watermelon joining up on the finish with hits of crushed rock. Dry and savory with solid acidity. (B/B+)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man