STAN’S PICK FOR DECEMBER 2017

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

Who knew? What the heck! I would never have thought to seek out of all things, a Cabernet Franc from Veneto, Italy. Yet, here we are. The specific area of the Veneto where this little gem emanates is Colli Berici, one of the only hilly areas in the Veneto (colli meaning hills). The soil suggests it is part of an ancient seabed (alluvial soil) with coral, urchins and algae. For all you wine geeks out there, you know what that translates into…Minerality baby! Also layers of flavors not found in all wines. The best part of this pick of the month is its price…

’14 Marcato La Giareta


’14 Marcato “La Giareta” Cabernet Franc (Colli Berici, Italy)… $11.

Smokey aromas of raspberries and cherries with hits of tobacco and licorice. Sweet tannins support notes of cherries and raspberries with a tiny hit of green bell pepper underneath. There is a good spine of acidity that is well-integrated with the fruit. Plum and licorice notes join up on the mid-palate with minerality trickling into the mix. finishes strong with a hit of citrus sneaking into the back-end. This baby is interesting and shows some complexity.

30% of the juice is aged 7-8 months in 4,000 liter old oak casks. The other 70% spends 7-8 months in stainless steel. It spends another 3 months in bottle before release. A seriously good Cabernet Franc for a stupid price. (B+/A-)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Main | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BITS & BOBS…

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

Well, I nailed the prediction for the Seahawks in my last Bits & Bobs (check it out if you don’t believe me). I said the Hawks would spank the Eagles, and they did just that. Pete Caroll kept silent on the sidelines and let the Hawks do what they do…Win big games. No fake this or that, no unnecessary challenges. Bevells still made some bonehead calls as he does so frequently. With Russell and crew, they worked around his play calling and executed when they needed to. All in all it was a great game. It’s amazing to me what they can do with such a weak offensive line. What about Mike Davis? I was very impressed with his running. Maybe they have found a solid starter. We will wait and see. One can only hope the Eagles beat the Rams next week and even things out.

The Wine Spectator came out with their Top 100 wines for 2017. As most of you know, I am very skeptical about any magazine that rates wine and is paid by the same wineries they score, for advertising in their periodical. They of course claim to taste and judge all the wines in the blind format. I have a ton of respect for anyone with a passion for wine that these folks have, but still have reservations. Just remember, wine is one of the most subjective items on the planet. Don’t run out and try to get your hands on one of the top thirty just because they picked it. Consult with a trusted wine steward that you deal with all the time and ask their opinion. They know your palate (hopefully) and will guide you appropriately.

That being said, The Spectator put 2015 Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay at #28 on their list. At $17. that’s an interesting choice. Of course, I had to buy a bottle to see what they discovered to garner such a prestigious position in their Top 100. At first taste, their was nothing that stood out to me that would make me pause and reflect, which is what it would take to make me score it so high. It had good balance. It was smooth and delicious with butterscotch and tropical fruit notes. The finish was medium to long. I probably could find eight to ten in the same price range that might be equal or better. Here is the kicker. I consumed half the bottle, putting the rest in the fridge. Two days later, I pulled it out and tried it again. It held up beautifully, tasting almost identical to the first time around. That is impressive! If you are a chard drinker, you no doubt have consumed KJ at some point in your life. I think this vintage is worthy of revisiting. Top 100? Not sure about that, but it is well made juice.

As we trek towards Christmas, keep your eye on my You Tube channel, Stan The Wine Man TV. I will be focusing on wines that go with prime rib or ham. I am putting an episode up tomorrow that will feature reds made from the noble grape Nebbiolo. Barolo and Barbaresco are classic expressions of this grape, but usually need some age before they are ready to drink. Langhe Rosso which is Nebbiolo can be found for next to nothing compared to it’s bigger siblings, but still packs that Nebbiolo flavor without needing the age. I believe that Nebbiolo is a perfect pairing with ham, which many of you will cook up for Christmas dinner. Along with Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir is a classic pairing with ham, so I hope to review a few of those in upcoming episodes. Of course, I will review some big reds to go with prime rib, a common Christmas meal (one that I look forward to). I have in the queue an episode featuring Petite Sirah as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and some big blends.

I really appreciate all you that take the time to watch my You Tube channel. I do my best to make them entertaining and informative. If you have any ideas for me for future episodes please let me know through email or by commenting on this blog or on You Tube. Any input is appreciated. Sometimes I just need a little help to get those creative juices flowing. Also, if you could subscribe to my channel that would be awesome. The more subscribers, the more privileges on You Tube. My goal is to hit 500 subscribers by the end of 2018. You can make that possible.

Susie and I are getting very excited for our upcoming trip to South Africa. I have set up a couple more appointments with wineries, which I hope will make it on my You Tube channel. We booked a safari and have put some of the final touches on accommodations. I even hope to get a round of golf in while we are in Cape Town (the least of my priorities of course, but silly not to experience it). It always makes such a huge difference in your perspective when you actually visit a particular wine region. The experience is priceless, and it helps one visualize what you are actually writing about. Very exciting indeed. It should give me a ton of material for this blog.

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Main | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on December 1, 2017 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 Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano (Italy)… $17.

Aromas of blueberries, strawberries, cherries, cola and hits of red flowers and worn leather. Solid acidity supports notes of cranberries, under-ripe blueberries and cherries. Tobacco notes join up on the mid-palate leading into a leather driven finish with a kiss of citrus. (C+/B-)

2008 Trefiano Riserva (Carmignano, Italy)… $40.

Meat marinade on the nose joined by dark cherries, currants, red flowers and hits of worn leather. Aromas of licorice and dried herbs lie underneath. Crushed rock on the palate, joined by notes of red flowers and red currants that “pop” on the palate backed by solid acidity. Licorice and earth notes lie underneath. Tobacco and leather notes join up on the long-ass finish that has a kiss of white pepper. Nice complexity and a little old world funk. (A)

2006 Villa di Capezzana (Carmignano, Italy)… $53.

Aromas of crushed rock and leather soaked im raspberries and blueberries with hits of wilted violets and rose petal with a little currant action. Chocolate notes hit on the front of the palate working into black currants and a solid core of acidity. Almost meaty with notes of tobacco, dirt and leather joining the palate party. Currant notes on the long dirty finish. This has a nice funk to it, that you might expect from this area of Tuscany. (A)

2015 Pico Maccario Villa Della Rosa Barbera D’Asti (Piedmont, Italy) … $11.

Earthy on the nose with notes of dirt and crushed red bricks, joined by notes of perfumed cherries and strawberries with strong hits of violets and licorice. A little on the tart side in the mouth, with notes of bright red cherries and red flowers with a touch of rust underneath. Underlying notes of under-ripe strawberries and blueberries with slight hits of licorice leading into a bright, crunchy finish. This baby needs food. (C+/B-)

2015 Marques De Caceres Rose` (Rioja, Spain)… $10.

Aromas of strawberries and watermelon with hits of red plum. Round fruit notes on the palate with underlying wet stone and celery. Strawberry, blueberry and cherry notes join the palate party with a kiss of watermelon and wet stone on the finish. It dries up nicely on the back-end. (B-)

2015 Dusted Valley “Boomtown” Pinot Gris (Washington State)… ?

Honeyed apple and lemon-lime on the nose. Clean apple and honey notes on the palate with a touch of sweetness on the mid-palate leading into the finish where a little apple skin component sneaks in. Very clean and delicious but a touch on the simple side. (C+/B-)

2015 Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc (55% Mendocino/45% Lake County, CA)… ?

Apples on the nose with a pinch of grapefruit and grass. Apple notes blended with melon and grass notes on the palate with a touch of sweetness underneath. Wet stone notes join the palate party on the clean finish. (B-)

2016 Casasmith Vin Rose’ (Columbia Valley, WA)…?

Aromas of watermelon, cherries and apple with a touch of bubblegum action. Round watermelon and apple notes on the front of the palate, but then goes to lean and dry on the mid-palate into a cherry driven finish with a kiss of grapefruit. (B/B+)

2016 Barnard Griffin Albarino (Columbia Valley, WA)…?

Juicy Fruit gum, lemon-lime flavored on the nose with a boat-load of apple. Lemon-lime and tangerine front to finish on the palate with a mineral/white pepper edge. Nice and dry and good balance with a fresh, tropical fruit finish. Very lively on the palate. (B)

2014 Torres Verdeo Verdejo (Rueda, Spain)… ?

Oily and diesel driven on the nose complimented by notes of banana, fig and melon. Oily on the palate with notes of melon and slight peach coming through with a little apple thrown in. Finishes with notes of apple skin and fig in the mix as it cleans up nicely on the back-end. Very interesting and quirky Verdejo. (B-/B)

2016 Sokol Blosser Rose’ of Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills, Oregon)… ?

Stinky notes of watermelon and grapefruit on the nose. Watermelon soaked in grapefruit on the palate complimented by bracing acidity that doesn’t go mouth-puckering on you. Totally citrus driving with watermelon notes crouching underneath. This baby is linear, clean and delicious. (A-)

2014 Bergevin Lane “Linen” Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $13.

Aromas of raspberries and blackberries with an underscore of licorice and red flowers. Chocolate covered blackberries on chalky, structured tannins. A solid bed of acidity makes the fruit notes “pop” on the palate. Licorice notes sneak in on the mid-palate leading into the finish where notes of raspberries join the party. Raspberry, blackberry and licorice linger with a bright edge. (B+/A-)

Non-Vintage Delahaie Cru Champagne Rose’ (Champagne, France)… $35.

Aromas of strawberries, cherries, yeast and a touch of almond. Laser sharp acidity supports notes of cherries and strawberries joined by a touch of yeast, almonds and rose petal. Bone dry and mouth-watering with vibrant fruit notes lingering. (A)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Main | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BITS & BOBS…

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, whether a large gathering or just yourself. I believe that Susie, my son and myself may have cooked the perfect turkey this year.

Bad Ass Bird

Not only did it look fantastic, it was moist and delicious. I don’t know about you, but I find cooking the turkey to be one of the more difficult assignments for Thanksgiving. We had a small gathering of family as my daughter’s family fell to the crud and couldn’t make the trek to the islands. We missed them, but my daughter called to wish us a happy Thanksgiving which made things a little better. Next year!

The wine choice for the meal turned out to be a ’07 Dehlinger Pinot Noir and the ’13 Kevin White La Fraternite.

The guests of honor.

As you can guess, they were both fantastic and went nicely with the meal. The Dehlinger had ample acidity and rocked the Asian spices, earth and dark cherry notes. The Kevin White is one of my favorites and because it is Grenache dominate I felt it would go well. Because of the healthy amount of Mourvedre, it packed a little more punch than I expected. Some of the delicate side dishes didn’t cooperate, but all in all it worked. Next year, more Grenache, less Mourvedre. The side story to this is the left over wine. My son and I were the only ones drinking reds, so there was some left to drink the next day or longer. The Dehlinger went on Friday, but I didn’t revisit the Kevin White until Sunday. It was absolutely stellar, three days later. Deep and resonant, it hadn’t lost any of its power and flavor. I’m sure glad I have a couple more bottles in my cellar.

One of my favorite meals is coming soon. I love cooking prime rib for Christmas and I especially like picking big reds to pair with the roast. Stay tuned to my You Tube channel as I focus on possible choices for the holidays. I’m thinking big blends, big Cabs, Chateauneuf-Du-Pape… You get the picture. I’m going big this year and I hope I can find some excellent values or not, for you to try. You Tube has changed some of their rules and for some reason decided to hold back some privileges until I reach 10,000 views. I’m getting close, so I would love your support for my channel as I feel I try hard to give you the best content I can. The technical aspects of putting up a video still need work, but the actual reviews and discussion are what I am really all about. I really appreciate all of you who are watching my episodes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will also include at least one episode with bubbles in it. What’s Christmas without a little fizz.

Speaking of bubbles, I think Pete Carroll may have a few too many between his ears. Yes, they beat San Francisco soundly and that was due in part to Pete’s silence on the sidelines. The Atlanta game was hard to watch on Monday night. The Hawks had them, and would have won the game if it wasn’t for a couple of bonehead calls by Pete. A fake field goal that cost them points, and challenging an obviously correct call by the refs that cost the Hawks a time-out. Despite all the injuries, our Seahawks are really good and the offense just keeps getting better. Hopefully, Pete extracts the copious amounts of bubbles in the cranium and doesn’t interfere with the team to their detriment. It would be sad if they didn’t make the playoffs. I think they are going to spank the Eagles Sunday night, letting the football world know that they are the real deal.

I have chosen my “Winery Of The Year” for 2017 and I think you are going to be surprised. It was love at first sip when I tried their wines and it is a Washington winery I had never heard of. The wines have incredible structure and depth. I will be revealing my choice in December, stay tuned. I will also be releasing my “Top Forty Wines Under Twenty Bucks.” I am going through my tasting notes now and putting together the list. I love doing this, and it always surprises me when I get down to the top ten. I will also have this list out for your reading pleasure in December.

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Main | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment