STAN’S PICK FOR APRIL ’23

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

Well, well, once again, I find myself gravitating toward Spain for my pick. I have said it many times, Spain puts out some of the best values in the world right along with Portugal and southern France. This particular pick is made from a grape that not a lot of people are familiar with; Mencia. Mencia reigns in the region of Bierzo in northwest Spain. Mencia is also known as Jaen in Portugal, fueling the debate as to whether it originated in Portugal or Spain. For a long time, the wines that were produced from Mencia were not of high quality. Things are different today as wineries are putting out some serious Mencia reds as this month’s pick is an example.

2020 Ribas del Cua Mencia (Bierzo, Spain)… $10.

Aromas of black plums, boysenberries, earth and leather with hints of black olive and blueberries. Ripe plum and blackberry on smooth tannins with a kiss of white pepper on the finish. The ripe fruit notes are balanced nicely by notes of worn leather, iron and black olive notes. Blueberry notes lie underneath on the mid-palate into the savory, earthy finish with black olive notes lingering on the back end. If you’re going to try Mencia for the first time, this is an excellent choice to see what this varietal is all about. A lot of wine for the money. (B-/B)

2020 Ribas del Cua Mencia Joven
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STAN’S PICK FOR MARCH 2023

Posted on March 2, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

Every once in a while I stumble upon a wine that blows my mind, especially for the price. When I choose a wine for the “Pick Of The Month”, I feel it is always a good value and at least 80% of the people who buy it will most likely enjoy it. They are not all mind-blowing wines. However, they are really good for the money. This month’s pick is what I consider mind-blowing and it’s under ten bucks!

2017 Pratello “Mille 1” Garda Rosso (Garda Lombardy, Italy)… $9.

A blend of 40% Corvina, 40% Rebo (I’ll explain in a minute), and 20% Merlot, this little gem normally goes for close to twenty bucks. However, because it is an older vintage, I got a screaming deal on it. Rebo is a crossing of Merlot and Teraldego. It adds depth and spice to a wine that it is blended into.

Aromas of Rust, cherries and plums with a kiss of blackberries. Red cherries and blackberries on the palate with an underbelly of plums and red flowers on sweet tannins. Nicely integrated acidity gives it good structure and balance. The fruit notes carry across the palate into a pleasing, long finish where ripe cherry notes linger with a slight kiss of tobacco. This baby is a “10” in the delicious category with enough structure to lend it well with roasted or grilled meats and strong cheese. I would be happy to pair it with pizza, burgers, or roasted chicken as well. (B)

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STAN’S PICK FOR FEBRUARY ’23

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

I’m really committed to getting my “Pick Of The Month” published every month this year. I’ve been a bit sporadic in the past, so I need to clean up my act and get after it.

I think I’ve gone to Spanish wines for my pick more often than any other place in the world. I really don’t know how they do it, producing such great wine at insanely cheap prices. However, this month I’ve found something out of Italy and it is exceptional for the money. Reigning from the well-known region of Puglia, this is an IGT Red with the Salento moniker. Salento is a sub-region of Puglia and this is where one can find some great values. One of the grapes used extensively in this area is Negroamaro which is translated the black bitter. My pick is straight-up Negroamaro….

2020 Contrade Negroamaro (Salento, Italy)… $10.

Black plums and boysenberries on the nose, with an edge of licorice and chocolate. Plum and boysenberry notes up front on the palate supported by soft tannins. The acidity is well-integrated and gives the wine a lift on the mid-palate. Chocolate and earth notes lie underneath the front to finish where a kiss of worn leather joins the palate party. This little gem has nice depth and complexity for the money. I tried it after being open for two days and it actually got better, which is a testament to the quality. Ten bucks is a stupid price for what you get. (B-/B)

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STAN’S PICK FOR JANUARY 2023

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

Every month, I pick a wine that I feature in my department for the entire month. The criteria for my pick is really quite simple. The wine needs to overdeliver for the price. The jargon used in the wine world is qpr or quality-to-price ratio. Some months are harder than others. I challenge all the sales reps who call on me to come up with a wine that will qualify as my pick for the month. I try to keep it at under fifteen dollars retail, which makes it a bit tougher. Last month, Nate came with a gem from California that rolls in at ten bucks.

2018 Mon Frere Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (California)… $!0.

Aromas of dark cherries and currants with a kiss of toast, licorice, and spice. Dark cherry and currant notes pop on the front of the palate, supported by soft, structured tannins. Toast and spice notes join up on the mid-palate into a decently long finish where warm spice notes linger. Nice integration and balance, this is a fantastic value for ten bucks. They give this baby a regular price of nineteen bucks. It’s certainly not a twenty-dollar Cab, but it’s a steal at ten. (B-)

2018 Mon Frere Winery Cabernet Sauvignonn

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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