FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Stan The Wine Man

A boatload of wine

A boatload of wine

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 Terra Blanca Triple Threat Red (Red Mountain, WA)…$15.

Aromas of raw meat, tarragon, red flowers and currants. Meaty, earthy currants front to finish. Savory but ripe at the same time. Smooth with a little edge to it. A touch of tobacco and earth, mixed with ripe currants on the meaty finish. Nice integration of fruit, earth and acidity. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Syrah, 19% Merlot (B+)

2017 Dunham Cellars Rose` (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Slight plum and strawberry notes on the nose. Good minerality front to finish, supporting notes of under-ripe cherries and strawberries, joined by tart watermelon underneath. A slight stainless steel and honey edge in the mouth. (C+/B-)

2015 Dunham Cellars Shirley Mays Chardonnay Lewis Estate Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $25.

Slightly challenged on the nose with faint butter, pear and apple notes. Butter, apple and pear notes on the palate muscled out by prominent oak. Fruit notes try to sneak out from underneath the butter, but are punched in the face by wood. Hard to get passed the oak on this baby. (D+/C-)

2014 Dunham Cellars Riesling Lewis Estate Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Diesel all over the nose with a solid splash of apple and rubber boot…Love it! Solid, cutting acidity on the palate that supports notes of diesel and sweet apples. Tangerine and apricot notes hang in the background. Citrus notes linger on the long, mouth-watering finish. (B+/A-)

2015 Disruption Wine Company Merlot (Columbia Valley, WA)… $13.

Dark cherries all day on the nose, with notes of fermenting grape skins and a pinch of tobacco. Smooth tannins with just a little attitude, support notes of dark cherries, tar and tobacco with a freshness underneath. Tobacco notes hit hard on the finish with a tar element coming through. Dark cherry notes sneak in on the back-end. (B-)

2014 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Red Destiny Ridge Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $25.

Aromas of currants, meat, red flowers and a pinch of licorice. Meaty, ripe currants on the palate that rest on solid tannins. Excellent structure and complexity with well-integrated acidity. Red flower notes lie underneath front to finish with tobacco notes showing up on the back-end. Acidity pops the wine in your mouth on the finish. This baby is drinking nice now, but will also benefit with a little age. (B+/A-)

2016 Airfield Estates Sauvignon Blanc (Yakima Valley, WA)… $13.

Oatmeal all day on the nose with underlying grapefruit notes. Round grapefruit notes on the palate, joined by notes of bubblegum and apple. There is an interesting hit of lettuce on the finish. A touch simple. (C+/B-)

2015 Baer Winery Shard Stillwater Creek Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $25.

Light apple and pear notes on the nose with a hint of pineapple. Round apple and pear notes on the palate that are kept in check by the fresh acidity. Solid fruit front to finish with a creaminess coming through on the mid-palate. Fresh finish that hangs around for some time. Excellent balance and structure. This is a unoaked Chardonnay… (B+/A-)

2014 Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State)… $19.

Aromas of cherries and black raspberries with hits of licorice, chocolate and strawberries. Tar and dark cherry notes come through on the palate, supported by soft, structured tannins. There is a chocolate underbelly front to finish. A touch thin on the mid-palate and finish. (C+/B-)

2013 Cavatappi Wines “San Pietro” Tuscan Style Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $18.

Sweet dark cherries on the nose with a good hit of tobacco and a pinch of violets and licorice. Round currant, cherry and tobacco notes on the palate on sweet, sturdy tannins front to finish. Spice and chocolate notes join the party on the mid-palate into the finish where tobacco notes linger. Solid structure. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. (B+)

2014 Rotie Cellars Southern Red Blend (Washington State)… $50.

Strawberry pizza with a little burnt crust and a side of red flowers on the nose. Good intensity and structure on the palate with notes of licorice, cherries and white pepper. Strawberry and char notes try to sneak in on soft tannins and balanced acidity. Red flower notes hang out on the back of the finish. (A-/A)

2013 Purple Star Winery Syrah (Columbia Valley, WA)… $19.

Raspberries all day on the nose with underlying cherry and bacon fat and a hit of smoke. Solid structure and acidity that is balanced by juicy cherry, raspberry and blackberry notes. There is a kiss of smoke that lies underneath and a little Heath Bar action. Tannins get a little chalky on the finish with hits of white pepper. Chalky element lingers on the palate. (B/B+)

2015 Purple Star Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Aromas of currants and plums with a hit of veggie and licorice. Nice plump cherry and currant notes on the palate with veggie trying to sneak in but getting kicked out. Tobacco notes join up on the finish. Soft, structured tannins. (B/B+)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS…

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Stan The Wine Man

I hope a lot of you noticed that I missed putting Bits & Bobs up last week. Unfortunately, I am a die-hard procastinator when it comes to writing, even though I enjoy doing it. Last Monday I was off to Seattle to partake in a very special tasting event. When I woke up early that morning to get ready to catch the ferry, I realized I had no time to sit down and write the piece. Yes, I could have brought my computer with me and tried my best to write on the ferry ride, and then find a place to connect to the internet and send it off. Problem is, I need the internet to write the article, and for all of you that ride the ferry like I do, you know that can be difficult. There you go. If I put off writing this piece until Monday I’m screwed if I am going somewhere. I tell myself every week that I need to start writing these things at least a week in advance, and here I am once again pounding the keys at six a.m. on a Monday morning. Consistent content is the key to a successful blog, I know this. My apologies for missing last week, I will try harder.

The special tasting I went to in Seattle is connected to the Auction of Washington Wines held for those in the wine trade (restaurants and stores), in Woodinville on August 16th. It’s a non-profit event to benefit the WSU Viticulture and Enology Research Program. The tasting I went to last Monday was a trade and media preview of some of the wines that will be available during the private barrel auction in August. This list of wines I had a chance to taste was crazy. Long Shadows, Col Solare, Canvasback, Avennia, Baer, Betz, Buty, Leonetti, Rotie Cellars, Sleight Of Hand, Sparkman Cellars, Woodward Canyon and more. There were a couple that really stood out to me and I’m hoping to talk my boss into going down in August to bid on some of the wines. The 2014 Aquilini Red Mountain absolutely blew my mind. The fruit, structure and balance of the wine is memorable. Also, the 2014 Pedestal Merlot from Long Shadows is silky smooth, open knit, delicious and ready to drink. It was nice to get a chance to taste the hard-to-get Psychedelic Syrah from Sleight Of Hand out of Walla Walla. This is one that wine maker Trey Busch is very proud of as he should be. A classic Washington State Syrah. Floral with loads of finesse and enough structure and power to age quite nicely over the next 10-15 years. In fact, being a 2015, I personally wouldn’t pop the cork for at least three years from now. A great tasting on the shores of Lake Union.

March is the official Washington Wine Month. I say official, because a few years ago, August was added as an additional Washington Wine Month. I used to fight the August thing, believing that March was good enough. With over 900 wineries in Washington State, I have now come to appreciate that August is a necessary addition. I will be focusing a lot on Washington State wines in both my blogs and on You Tube. My first “Pick Of The Week” on my blog The Blue Collar Wine Guy, hosted by the Seattle P.I. is a Washington State wine. My last You Tube episode featured value Cabernet Sauvignon from where else…Washington State. Also, my “Pick Of The Month” featured on this blog will be a Washington State wine, stay tuned. I am giving Washington State my full support this month, which is not really hard to do since our state produces some of the most outstanding wines in the world.

Susie and I are doing our best to slow time down a bit, enjoy each day and not let our trip to South Africa consume our time. Unfortunately, my plate is full going into April. There are four wine tasting events the last three weeks of March that will be held in Friday Harbor for the trade only, along with a wine makers dinner. It is of course my obligation to attend all of these events, juggled around my tasting event this week and in April, my You Tube episodes and my blogging. I’m not looking for sympathy in any way. I am simply trying to convince myself that if Susie and I stay reasonably organized and focused, this whirlwind of events will not steal our time and before you know it, we are off on a plane to Dubai and South Africa. I don’t know about you, but I cherish each day that I have a chance to live in, and I don’t ever want to rush life, it is too precious.

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Stan The Wine Man

A boatload of wine

A boatload of wine

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.

2016 Domaine de Casteinau “Le Ronces” Chardonnay (Languedoc-Roussillon Pays d’oc, France)… $10.

Aromas of wet stone, apples and slight pear and lemon. Minerals all day on the palate with a little grass and chalk thrown in. Lemon and melon notes are the core with a nice expansion on the mid-palate. Good acidity lies underneath. Very aggressive on the palate, yet delicious at the same time. Clean, citrus driven finish.This white was hard to wrap my mind around. (B/B+)

2015 Chateau Tour de Barbereau Bordeaux (Bordeaux, France)… $10.

Red berries and cherries on the nose with a hit of red flowers, crushed red brick and earth. Slight currant notes sneak in. Cranberry, rust and cherry pit on the palate with notes of under-ripe cherries and earth. High acidity is out of balance with the fruit…Tight and tart. (D+/C-)

2015 Chateau Cap Leon Veyrin Bordeaux “Listrac-Medoc” (Bordeaux, France)… $25.

Currants and plums on the nose with hits of red flowers and tobacco. Solid cherry and currant notes on structured, approachable tannins . Red flower hit big-time on the mid-palate with some grip action on the back-end. Tobacco notes lie underneath and come out with earth and tobacco on the long finish with a kiss of mushroom. This baby will age nicely over the next 8-12 years. (B+/A-)

2016 Hahn Vineyards Chardonnay (Monterey County, CA)… $15.

Aromas of roasted nuts, oak, pears and a splash of butter. Slightly sweet and buttery up front on the palate, evolving into ripe pears and melon. Oak is present, but not over-powering. Sweet, buttery, long finish that cleans up on the back-end with pear notes sneaking in. (C/C+)

2015 Powers Winery Spectrum Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $12.

Aromas of ripe blackberries, dark cherries and licorice all mingled together. Blackberry stem, tobacco and dark cherries on sweet tannins hit the palate with candied blackberry notes hitting on the mid-palate. Candied blackberry notes lead into the finish with a hit of tobacco joining the party. 23% Cabernet Franc, 22.5% Malbec, 18.5% Malbec, 18% Syrah, 18% Merlot. (C+/B-)

2014 Milbrandt Vineyards Brother’s Blend (Columbia Valley, WA)… $13.

Ripe currants and rose petal on the nose with a pinch of chocolate and violets. Ripe currants rest on edgy tannins on the palate backed by solid, integrated acidity. Tobacco notes lie underneath with a little cola action on the mid-palate. A little green tobacco/stem hit joins up on the finish. Good balance and structure. 32% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre, 6% Primitivo, 6% Petite Sirah (B)

2014 Hedges CMS Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $12.

Wilted red flowers on the nose, joined by notes of tobacco, cherries and blackberries. Solid tannins support notes of blackberries, cherries and tobacco on the palate with underlying white pepper notes. Solid acidity lifts the wine in the mouth and makes the finish fresh with the tannins opening up and tobacco notes lingering. Good balance. (B-/B)

2013 Clivi Brazan Friulano (Italy)… $26.

Aromas of salt, wet stone, grape seeds and melon. Dusty stones blended with grape seeds and apple on the palate. Nice freshness underneath (almost stainless steel-like) front to finish where dusty rock notes linger. (C+/B-)

2015 Emmanuel Giboulot Les Pierres Blanches Cote Du Beaune (France)… $52.

Aromas of lemon and wet stone with a hint of pineapple and dried herbs. Lemon notes and a kiss of butterscotch morph into wet stone and crushed rock on the palate. Solid acidity that is well-integrated. There is a leafy component that comes through on the back of the finish. (A-)

2014 Montenidoli Tradizionale Vernaccia Di San Gimignano DOCG (Italy)… $19.

Nuts and melon on the nose with a little slate action. Salted nuts all day on the palate backed by notes of melon and slate. There is a salted fig component that comes through on the mid-palate leading into a fresh, salty, steely finish. (A-)

2015 Domaine Emmanuel Giboulot Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits La Gregoire (Burgundy, France)…. $36.

Raspberries and strawberries on the nose with a little cranberry thrown in along with a splash of red flowers. Solid acidity backs notes of under-ripe strawberries and a dose of cranberries, red flowers and hits of licorice. Minerality front to finish where it takes over and lingers. (B/B+)

2015 Domaine Emmanuel Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits Sous Le Mont (Burgundy, France)… $33.

Aromas of violets and cherries with a hint of Asian spice, leaf and tea. Cherry, dried bark and Asian spice notes are solid on the palate backed by nicely integrated acidity. Earth elements expand on the finish with Asian spice lingering. Fresh on the back-end. (B+/A-)

2015 Kelley Fox Wines “Ahurani” Pinot Noir (McMinnville, OR)… $35.

Dark cherries, violets and a kiss of Root Beer on the nose. Dark cherries on the palate with a cranberry, citrus backbone. Earth and crushed rock notes hang in the background front to finish with crushed rock notes lingering. (B/B+)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS…

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Stan The Wine Man

I don’t know how many of you who read my blog have tried a Sangrantino. I recently shot an episode for my You Tube channel that features this varietal. It is a grape that is grown primarily in Umbria, which is a landlocked region in Italy, north of Rome. Australia is messing with this grape a bit, but it got its start in Umbria especially in the town of Montefalco in the southeast of Umbria. Sangrantino di Montefalco is now a DOCG, a status not given to any region, only those that produce top-notch juice. In this episode which I am putting out there tomorrow evening, I discover a couple Montefalco Sagrantinos that blew my socks off. The cool part is that one of them goes for a mere twenty bucks. The other was substantially more, but worth every penny of sixty-one dollars. If you haven’t tried this varietal yet, I suggest you watch episode 346 on Tuesday and see what I am talking about. I think it will peak your interest in expanding your palate horizons. A side note; the Sagrantino I was very excited about for twenty bucks closed up a bit on the second day opened. This is a good thing, because it means it has great aging potential. I’m guessing 8-10 years. I’ll try it again on the third day to see what happens. I’ll let you know.

Last week, a group my friends and I got together to taste several Mourvedre. Mourvedre is another grape that I feel a lot of you may not be familiar with. It’s used a lot in France, particularly in southern Rhone where they blend it with Grenache, Syrah and other grapes to produce Cotes-du-Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape (where they allow up to thirteen grapes in the blend). Mourvedre is also used extensively in Provence, particularly in Bandol where they make some amazing reds using this grape. We had one from Bandol, Languedoc (France), Spain, California and two from Washington. We took a vote at the end of the flight and all agreed the Bandol was by far the best. Crazy Mary Mourvedre from Mark Ryan Winery garnered second place with the Kerloo Cellars and Tablas Creek close behind. For a couple of the guys there, it was their introduction to this varietal and they were impressed. It never ceases to amaze me how well Washington State does with so many different varietals. Probably one of the most diverse growing regions in the world.

Our trip to South Africa is less than two months away and Susie and I are going from nervous to excited. We are fine tuning the trip and nailing down our itinerary. We now have five wineries that we are visiting and of course Susie will excuse herself from a couple to go off exploring on her own. She is a good sport about my job, and actually very interested. I just don’t expect her to accompany me to all the wineries where I will be shooting You Tube episodes and interviewing the winery staff. Cape Town has been having water issues, but it looks like they got rained on recently which pushed back the critical water restrictions slightly. I hope they get more rain soon as I hate to see locals being put on water restrictions while the tourists like us are not. I know they do not want to discourage the tourist trade, but it still makes me feel funny.

I have been striving to keep up with all my blogging including this piece, as well as Friday’s Thirteen and my pick of the week on The Blue Collar Wine Guy P.I. blog. It isn’t easy, but I am doing a better job of it recently. I am also trying to put out a You Tube episode on Tuesdays and Fridays. Of course, I miss one now and then due to unseen events, but all in all it looks like I should be able to keep up with that schedule. I want to thank all of you who have subscribed to my You Tube channel and those of you who have watched my episodes. It makes me feel good to know that I have so many supporters out there. I hope you are enjoying my content.

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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