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 Desert Wind Merlot (Wahluke Slope, WA)… $14.

Aromas of currants, and violets with underlying black plum. Currant and tobacco notes hit hard on the front of the palate on sweet tannins. Nice core of acidity that is well-integrated with the fruit along with violet notes that sneak in on the backside front to finish. There is a little leather action on the long finish. Excellent complexity and structure. A testament to how well Merlot does in WA state. (A-)

2015 Goose Ridge Tall Sage Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $10.

Chocolate covered tobacco and currants on the nose with a little bark and graham cracker thrown in…Very interesting. A little toward the fruit bomb category. Ripe currants all day complimented by notes of chocolate and spice. Finishes lean and fresh with chocolate and currant notes lingering. (C+)

2015 Goose Ridge Tall Sage Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)… $10.

Currants, mocha, chocolate and once again, graham cracker on the nose…Hmm! Solid currant and chocolate notes on the palate backed by a nice underbelly of acidity that keeps the fruit in balance. Red flower notes lie underneath and sneak out here and there. Clean, delicious finish with chocolate notes lingering. (B)

2014 Goose Ridge G3 Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $15.

Aromas of cherries, tobacco, apple, citrus and chocolate…No graham cracker on this one. Good structure supports notes of currants, leather and tobacco with a small hit of violets up front. The tannins have attitude but are approachable. Leather and tobacco notes linger. This baby has aging potential…Give it 3-5 years and I think you will be rewarded. A blend of Cab, Merlot and Malbec.
(B/B+)

2014 Goose Ridge G3 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)… $15.

Blueberries and currants on the nose, blended nicely with a little chocolate and tobacco sans the graham cracker :). Ripe blueberry and currant notes front to finish, backed by hits of tobacco and earth. Silky tannins with a little crunch to them. Licorice notes join up on the mid-palate leading into the finish where leather notes join the action. Just a touch fruit-forward for a Cab. (C+/B-)

2014 Portteus Pinot Noir (Rattlesnake Hills, WA)… $12.

Earthy on the nose with notes of cherries, mushrooms and blue cheese. Fat cherry notes on the palate, joined by notes of root beer, cola and bark. White pepper notes hit big time on the finish joined by notes of chocolate and cherry that lingers. This is pretty nice juice for a stupid price. (B-/B)

2013 Camaraderie Cellars Cabernet Franc (Washington State)… $20.

Cedar dust and rust on the nose with underlying dark cherry notes. Dark cherry notes on the palate joined by hits of chocolate and worn leather. Cedar dust notes sneak in on the mid-palate into the finish where rust gives it a kiss and lingers. Just a trace of chocolate on the back-end. (A-)

2016 Aupa Pipeno (Maita, Chile)… $12.

This baby smells like fermenting grapes with a pinch of raspberry. Very gamay like on the palate with notes of blackberries and plums. Tannins are super light with just a little leather like grip action. Serve this puppy with a little chill to it. Think Thanksgiving with this one… (C+)

2013 Particular Old Vine Garnacha (Carinena, Spain)… $15.

Blackberries and tobacco all day on the nose with a touch of licorice and raspberry. Pure raspberry and blackberry notes on the palate with a splash of white pepper and licorice notes that sneak in on the mid-palate. Nice balance with a drier, mineral driven finish. (B-/B)

2011 Azagador Reserva Red (La Mancha, Spain)… $15.

Almost like a menthol cherry cough drop on the nose with a big dose of licorice and herbs and a touch of stink action. Spicy on the front of the palate with notes of white pepper and cherries on concentrated, structured tannins. There is a bright spine front to back. The finish is mineral driven with a kiss of under-ripe blueberries. (C+/B-)

2013 Massolino Nebbiolo (Langhe, Italy)… $30.

Cherry soaked nails on the nose, joined by notes of mushroom, forest floor and a hit of candied cherries. Solid candied cherry notes on the palate with notes of rust backing it up and a good kiss of acidity. A little dirt action sneaks in underneath into a tight, clean finish. This is exactly what I look for in a Nebbiolo! (A-)

2012 Massolino Barolo (Piedmont, Italy)… $50.

Red flower and cherry notes on the nose with an underscore of licorice and leather. Nice cherry notes on the palate wrapped in licorice and minerals. There is a slight tobacco hit on the mid-palate on crunchy tannins that lead into a grippy, leather and cherry finish. Bring on the food if you tackle this baby or age it another ten plus years. (A/A+)

2015 Honora Vera Rose` (Jumilla, Spain)… $9.

Aromas of strawberries and watermelon with hits of cherries and herbs. Strawberries and herbs front to finish on the palate with a little citrus hit in the middle. White pepper notes hit on the back-end. Clean, dry and a great price. (B-/B)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man