FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on September 25, 2015 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 that 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.

2013 Domaine Astruc Marsanne (Pays d’Oc, France)…$9.

A little stink on the nose with notes of melon, oregano and dusty rocks. Light pear and mineral notes on the palate with a little wet stone and cut grass thrown in. Herbal notes join the party on the mid-palate into the finish. Nice balance of acid and fruit. This might be one of the better Marsanne I have tasted at a stupid price. (B)

2013 Husch Chardonnay (Mendocino, CA)… $16.

Aromas of spice fig, a touch of butter and light pear notes. True chard fruit, with little oak influence. Light pear and apple notes with a kiss of pineapple and apple skins. A little grilled herbs and pineapple come through on the finish with a pinch of banana skin. (B-/B)

2012 Arnoux & Fils Vacqueyras (Rhone, France)…$19.

Smokey cherries and currants on the nose with a hit of roasted meat, red flowers, baked earth and a touch of iron. Very rusty on the palate with notes of red currants, and red cherries along with a healthy dose of crushed rock. Roasted meat notes come through with a slight herbal component joining in. Violet and black tea notes come through on the finish. This baby will age easily 10-15 years. (A-)

2010 Masciarelli Marina Cvetic (Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy)…$30.

Intricate nose of tobacco, tar, bark and wilted violets. Red and black currants join the nose party with hits of bittersweet chocolate and roasted meats. Deep resonate notes of black currants, bark, minerals and tobacco on the palate start to finish. This is a seriously intense wine, tight, but ready to roll. Finishes fresh, with notes of leather, roasted meats and tobacco all day. It’s a little tight, with a load of life in it. Seriously well made. (A/A+)

2012 At Roca Brut Reserve (Penedes, Spain)…$25.

Aromas of wet stone, pears, white flowers and apples. Good acidity and minerality. Notes of apple skins and citrus dominate the palate with a mineral background into the finish. Clean, delicious and dry with lingering apple, peach pit and citrus notes. (B+)

2014 Lumos Pinot Gris Logsdon Ridge Vineyard (Willamette Valley, OR)… $19.

Aromas of ripe apples, peaches, pears, white flowers and an interesting thyme component coming in. Very clean on the palate with creamy apple notes up front joined by thyme and other herbs. Finishes with interesting quince, lime and pear notes that linger. A Pinot Gris with a lot going on. (B+)

2012 Love & Squalor Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR)…?

Black tea and bark notes come through on the palate with a touch of sarsaparilla. Notes of cherries and raspberries come through with a touch of baked earth. Good balance of acid and fruit but just a touch lightweight. Earthy cherry and strawberry notes backed by red flower notes and a hit of Root Beer. The finish falls off just a little too quickly. (C+)

2013 Baron de Funes Garnacha-Syrah (Carinena, Spain)… $12.

Interesting aromas of tequila, rose petals, cherries and violets (seriously, I got tequila on the nose). Very bright front to back with that tequila element sneaking in. Notes of red flowers and tomato stem join the party with notes of under-ripe cherries and a touch of cranberries. Simple, but good. 60% Garnacha, 40% Syrah (C)

2013 Sineann Gruner Veltliner (Columbia Gorge, WA)… $19.

If anyone can do Gruner as well as Austria, it would be the wineries out of the Gorge appellation in Washington State as this ones shows. Aromas of lemon, wet stone, apples, pears and hits of orange blossoms. Honey and wet stone notes hit right up front on the palate. Orange blossom notes sneak in along with hits of apples on the mid-palate, leading into a dry, stony finish with notes of honey and lemon lingering. Nice balance of fruit and acidity with a good core of minerals. That is what Gruner is all about. (B+/A-)

2012 Sineann Red Table Wine (Oregon)… $17.

Aromas of rose petal, violets, crushed rock, cranberries, roasted meats and a touch of bark. Rose petals and violets come through big-time on the palate on a bed of acidity and minerals. Notes of cherries and cranberries sneak in on the back-end with a hit of Root Beer to finish it off. 50% Pinot Noir with a splash of Cab, Zin Syrah and Merlot. (B-)

2013 Sineann Merlot Champoux Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $39.

Beefy cheery and currant notes on the nose with red flower and cedar notes coming through. Sweet, smooth tannins support polished currant notes with a little chocolate sneaking into the back of the mid-palate. Finishes with a little coffee bean element and a touch of herbaceous. As I’ve said many times, some of the best Merlot in the world comes out of this great wine-producing state. (B+/A-)

2013 Oisly & Thesee Cheverny Blanc (Loire Valley, France)… &10.

Grapefruit, lime zest, wet stone and hits of cut grass and white flowers on the nose. This baby is bone dry with good balance and clean. Lemon and lime zest on the palate with gravel and wet stone coming through. The grapefruit is very slight on the palate as the wine finishes clean and mineral driven. For the money, this is a screaming value and perfect for shellfish. 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay. (B/B+)

2014 Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc (Dry Creek, CA)…$12.

Aromas of melon, orange blossoms and a touch of watermelon and apple skins. Nice roundness in the mouth with slight honey, apple and melon notes coming through. Finishes clean with hits of sweet lemon and cut grass. This is a little low in acidity for me, especially when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, but I think a lot of you will like it, especially for the money. (C+/B-)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on September 19, 2015 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 that 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.

2012 Ontanon Vetiver Rioja Blanco (Rioja, Spain)… $12.

Aromas of ripe pears, a touch of banana and lime with a little wet stone thrown in. Clean and fresh on the palate and very citrus driven. The citrus notes are joined by hits of cardamom, and other interesting baking spices on the mid-palate and into the clean, delicious finish. If you haven’t tried a Rioja Blanc yet, this might be a good place to start. Made from 100% Viura. (B)

2013 Gravel Bar Alluvial Red (Columbia Valley, WA)…$18.

Slightly challenged on the nose with hits of candied cherries and rose petal. Sweet tannins back notes of ripe cherries and chocolate from start to finish, with just a touch of tobacco on the back-end. Fresh on the palate with good balance…Just slightly thin. (C+/B-)

2013 Ontanon Maceracion Carbonica (Rioja, Spain)…$11.

Aromas of plums and cherries with notes of rust, violets and dill coming through. Smooth notes of plums and cherries on the palate with a splash of black olive and tobacco. Violet and baked earth notes sneak in on the mid-palate into the finish with traces of spice. Good structure and balance. (B)

2011 Ontanon Rioja Crianza (Rioja, Spain)…$13.

Rusty cherries on the nose joined by notes of cranberries, vanilla and chocolate, with a pinch of tobacco and violets. Loads of dill on the palate joined by notes of cranberries, blueberry and a touch of violets on the finish. Fairly smooth for a Rioja wine, but the acidity you would expect “pops” on the finish. A blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha. (B)

2005 Ontanon Rioja Reserva (Rioja, Spain)…$22.

Fleshy on the nose, with notes of dill, tobacco, cinnamon and violets. The flesh element comes through on the palate with notes of black olive, spice and currants. There is a nice richness to this wine without going into fruit-forward mode, finishing with a touch of chocolate and nutmeg on the lingering finish. (B+/A-)

2012 Vino Teon del Condado Roble (Ribera Del Duero, Spain)…$13.

Interesting aromas of blood, tobacco, maple, violets and licorice. Rustic but smooth at the same time. Currant and olive notes hit on the palate with a backbone of chocolate and earth. (B+)

2013 Lionello Marchesi “Poggio Alle Sughere” Sangiovese (Tuscany, Italy)…$9.

Cherries and violets on the nose with hints of earth and tobacco. Tart cherries and cranberries on the palate with a heavy dose of acidity. Very rustic with notes of tobacco and earth underscoring the tart fruit notes. Clean, bright finish. (C-)

2011 Romanico Tinto De Toro (Toro, Spain)…$15.

Heady aromas of boysenberries, black plum and currants (hardly old world). It goes old world on the palate with a heavy dose of minerals that integrates well with the boysenberry, bark and red currant notes. Violet notes hit on the mid-palate leading into a fresh, clean, mineral driven finish and a touch of white pepper. Excellent structure and balance. This baby threw me off with the nose, but then showed its true colors on the palate. (B+)

2014 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose`(Willamette Valley, Oregon)…$20

Aromas of strawberries and cherries with a touch of tea and watermelon rind. Round, plump notes of strawberries and cherries on the palate, underscored by a tea and herbal component. There is a hint of Root Beer on the backside with a splash of white pepper. This is a very interesting rose` that shows a fair amount of complexity. (B+/A-)

2012 Raimat Castell De Raimat Albarino (Costers Del Segre, Spain)…$9.

Wet stone on the nose with a gravel element joining in. Notes of honeydew, Jolly Rancher watermelon and ripe lemon jump in the fray. Wet stone all day on the palate, doused with notes of honey, white flowers, melon and a touch of lemon. Fresh and clean with a seamless flow across the palate into a decently long finish. (B/B+)

2008 Raimat Castell De Raimat Tempranillo (Costers Del Segre, Spain)…$9.

Aromas of smoked currants, baked earth, rose petal, spice and tobacco. Just a touch dirty on the nose. Currants and blackberries on the front of the palate with a backbone of tar, spice and tobacco. A touch thin front to back, but a nine in the delicious category. Blackberries and spice linger with a hint of leather. (C+/B-)

2013 Jean Perrier et Fils Abymes 100% Jacquere (Savoie, France)…$9.

Apples and pears all day on the nose with a splash of wet stone and white flowers. On the palate it tastes a little like grandmother’s homemade applesauce with metal shavings thrown in. White flowers and wet stone join the party with a slate element coming through. Finishes with hits of orange blossom and lemon drops that linger. (B+/A-)

2012 Jean Perrier et Fils Apremont 100% Jacquere (Savoie, France)…$11.

Aromas of slate, granite, white flowers and lemon. Clean slate on the palate with an underscore of orange blossom and lemon front to back. Very bright on the palate but open at the same time, showing a little roundness on the under-belly. Excellent balance and structure with a mouth-watering, bright finish. (B+/A-)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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STAN’S PICK FOR SEPTEMBER 2015

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Stan The Wine Man

Well, here we are practically in the middle of month and I realized that I haven’t shared my pick for September. Part of the problem was indecision on my part in the choosing department. I had a few in the books that qualified, and it finally came down to this one…

Non-Vintage Shooting Star Scarlett Red (By Steele Winery) Lake County, CA… $11.

It is very interesting to me that Jed put this non-vintage red out there at this fantastic price. I’m sure it has something to do with a lot of extra juice coming in, and this is an excellent way to utilize it and get it out there to the public. Whatever the reason, I am very happy he did it, and the result is a very good red, at an affordable price.

40% Cabernet Franc, 20% Syrah, 10% Zinfandel, 10% Pinot Noir and 20% assorted varietals of Jed’s choosing. This blend results in a very interesting, complex red that has a lot going on for eleven bucks. Without talking to Jed, I’m guessing that he has this base blend, and then tweaks it with other varietals to maintain a consistent flavor profile…We will see over the next couple of years. For now, he has created a blend that will match up nicely with food, and is also quite good all by itself.

Aromas of raspberries and blackberries with hits of dark cherries, rose petal and licorice. Nice intensity on the palate (especially considering the price). Notes of cherries and blackberries front to back with a subtle spicy edge. There is good acidity under the fruit, supported by solid, approachable tannins. A little tobacco comes through near the finish joined by notes of leather and hints of black raspberries. Mind you , I have tried many wines at this price point that were not nearly as interesting. A perfect red for grilled meats, pizza, spaghetti, or burgers. I had it with some smoked salmon spread and it was perfect. (B/B+)

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FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN.

Posted on September 4, 2015 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 that 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.

2013 Corvidae Wine Co. Rook Red (Columbia Valley, WA)…$12

Aromas of canned beets (not pickled), dark cherries and blackberries with hits of wilted rose petals. Dark cherries, ripe blackberries and tobacco notes on the palate front to back. Nice balance with good acidity giving it a fresh finish. There is a white pepper hit on the back-end and the tobacco notes linger. Good wine, just a little boring. (B)

2014 Cavatappi Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, WA)… $12.

Very toasty on the nose with notes of strawberries and cherries with a touch of tobacco and caramel. Spicy oak notes on the palate…I mean lots of oak. Notes of cherries and strawberries try to sneak in with a little white pepper and tobacco. Very grippy on the finish with a good acid hit. WAY TOO MUCH OAK BABY! Yep, if you are an oak hound this would fit the bill. (C-)

2012 Domaine Pierre Guillemot Bourgogne (Burgundy, France)… $28

Strawberry jam all day on the nose with a touch of wet stone, rose petal and a hint of perfumed soap. This is an acid driven wine for sure which isn’t surprising for a Pinot Noir from this region. Notes of baked earth and crushed red brick supported by an underbelly of under ripe strawberries and herbs. There are hints of sarsaparilla and black tea on the finish. This Pinot is pretty wound up and acidic, it will be interesting to see how it develops over the next 5-8 years. (C-)

2009 Reserva Vina Eguia Rioja (100% Tempranillo)… $16.

Classic Rioja nose of crushed rock, baked earth, dill, red flowers, cassis and tobacco. Violets and cassis on the front of the palate with a good dose of crushed rock. There is a nice backbone of acidity with a little black olive coming through on the mid-palate with dill notes joining on the finish. This baby is old world with a nice kiss of cassis and currants. (B)

2013 Elsa Bianchi Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)… $12.

Red flowers, cherries, tobacco and a touch of crushed red brick and licorice on the nose. The fruit on the palate is very close to rich, with notes of ripe currants and black plums, backed by notes of licorice and tobacco. Notes of wilted violets (you like that one?) and cured meats hit on the mid-palate and continue into the finish Silky tannins, with good structure and balance. (B+)

2013 Gustave Lorentz Reserve Pinot Blanc (Vin d’Alsace, France)… ?

Aromas of wet stone, lemon, white flowers and Honeydew melon rind. Nice round Honeydew melon notes on the front of the palate, backed by notes of white flowers and a touch of lemon and wet stone. The flavors linger on the finish with a steely edge to it. This is a lively little Pinot Blanc with a lot of flavor. Sorry about the price, I forgot to write it in my Moleskine. (B+)
and
2010 Soos Creek Winery “Commander Comet” Syrah (Washington State)… $30.

Aromas of boysenberries and plums with a hit of smoke and iron and a splash of red dirt. Licorice and boysenberry all day on the palate with a hit of tar coming through on the mid-palate and finish. Smooth and structured with a nice flow across the palate into a long boysenberry driven finish joined by hits of violets. (B/B+)

2013 College Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Clarke Vineyard (Walla Walla, Washington)… $12.

Notes of Meyers Lemon, apple Jolly Ranchers, white flowers and a touch of cut grass on the nose. Dried herbs all over the palate with an undertow of lemon and honey. It has a dry, white flower finish with a touch of honey and lemon. (C+)

2012 Airfield Estates “Dauntless” Red (Yakima Valley, WA)… $15.

Very deep and aromatic on the nose with notes of wilted rose petal, currants and a touch of rust and licorice coming through. Solid fruit and good structure on the palate. Notes of currants, rose petal and licorice on structured, approachable tannins. Nice flow across the palate with a touch of bark and earth on the grippy finish with minerals and veggies lingering. 72% Merlot, 13% Malbec, 11% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. (B)

2013 Forge Cellars Riesling (Finger Lakes, New York)… $24.

Aromas of rubber beach ball, sweet apples and a touch of wet stone and orange blossom. Mouth-watering acidity with a ton of crushed rock, white flowers and ripe apples on the palate. Cold steel all day, feels like your licking refrigerated stainless steel. Bazooka notes hit on the mid-palate leading into a bone-dry finish. I don’t get to try very many Finger Lakes Riesling, and this one really impressed me. I get the hype. (B/B+)

2012 Vindicated Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, CA)… $25.

Aromas of currants, cherries and tea with a little lavender and wet stone thrown in. Good fruit and smooth tannins with nice structure. Notes of currants, licorice and red flowers with a hint of bark on the back-end. (B+)

2012 Descendants Liegeois Dupont Syrah (Red Mountain, WA)… $25.

Smokey and a touch stinky on the nose with notes of boysenberries, plums earth and bark. This baby is as close to old world you might get from the new world. Boysenberries and roasted meats on the palate with a healthy dose of crushed rock and a pinch of bacon fat on the back-end. Notes of red flowers and minerals linger on the finish. Are you sure this isn’t from the Rhone Valley? Nope…Red Mountain WA. (B+/A-)

2010 Bouchaine Pinot Noir (Carneros, CA)… $25.

Aromas of root beer, black tea and toast with a backdrop of currants and ripe strawberries. Dark cherries and black tea on the palate with underlying root beer notes. Nice balance of acid and fruit with good structure and a long finish. (B+)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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