Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Moniker 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendocino County
Moniker 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County
This is the last vintage of this wine, so I’d recommend picking up a few bottles. A rock-solid cabernet that has the big oak and extraction one would expect for a luxury wine, but it snuck into the PLCB Wine & Spirits stores for half of that.
There’s a reason for that (there always is). Moniker Wine Estate is shedding its inventory to become a Chardonnay-only winery. It’s an odd move, but it’s one dictated by the winery’s corporate owner, Mendocino Wine Company. Moniker is one of several brands MWC owns, including Parducci Wine Cellars and Paul Dolan Vineyards.
The company recently acquired four more brands, including Zin-Phomaniac, Tie-Dye, Jellybean Vineyards, and Slices Sangria. From those names, you can kinda tell that MWC is focusing on the value-brands rather than high-end Cabernets. Their change of direction gives us some really good juice for a pittance.
The post Moniker 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendocino County appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
source https://www.vinology.com/moniker-2015-cabernet-sauvignon-mendocino-county/
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 28, 2018
So, like, what is this stuff, anyway? I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140-ish characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!
- 15 Rain Dance Estate Pinot Noir (Chehalem Mountains): Richly appointed; almost ostentatiously so. *Almost*. Bring your grilled salmon burgers. $39 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Chateau Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon (California): Solid, toasty, tasty & campfire-ready; you’ll need to like them earthy & smokey. $14 B- >>find this wine<<
- 16 Ramey Sidebar Old Vine Zinfandel (Russian River Valley): A pop song that actually has deeper lyrical nuance among the dance groove appeal. $29 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Ramey Sidebar Ritchie Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Russian River Valley): Those vines might be old, but NOTHING about this delicious delight is “in the way.” $35 A- >>find this wine<<
- 15 Ceretto I Vignaioli di Stefano Moscato d’Asti (Piedmont): Light on the spritz, generous on the flowers, and heavy on the pleasure. $24 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 14 Feudo Principi di Butera Nero d’Avola (Sicilia): Brambly red fruit that’s simply NOT gonna be underestimated anymore by anyone, dammit! $15 B+ >>find this wine<<
- NV Amelia Brut Rose (Cremant de Bordeaux): A serious set of bubbles for those who like their wines on the serious – and red – side of things. $20 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 14 Meyer-Fonne Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru Riesling (Alsace): As crystal-clear as a prism, and about as pretty as a refracted rainbow. $40 A- >>find this wine<<
- 14 Domaine Ostertag Muenchberg Grand Cru Riesling (Alsace): Like a laser, in liquid form – austere, focused, bright, electric, and stunning. $60 A >>find this wine<<
- 16 Famille Negrel Diamant de Provence Rose (Cotes de Provence): A Rose for white wine lovers. And wine lovers in general, actually. $NA B+ >>find this wine<<
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source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-28-2018/
Wednesday, 23 May 2018
The Shady, The Free, And The Godforsaken (May 2018 Wine Product Roundup)
image: amazon.com
It’s time once again for our monthly roundup of those wine-related samples received here at 1WD HQ that aren’t actually wine. While the last few months have focused on wine book releases, this month features… well, a wine book release, but also some other stuff that involve your wine-lovin’ eyeballs.
First, let’s get the book thing out of the way; my friend and fellow Philly-area-drinks-type-guy Jason Wilson has a new tome available for your reading pleasure: Godforsaken Grapes: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine (Abrams Press, 320 pages, about $20).
The premise of Godforsaken Grapes is that it’s a wine book that isn’t really a wine book, focusing on fine wine grapes like Ramisco, Bastardo, and Mencia that just don’t see the luv in terms of production volume, mind-share, and media coverage. The book also favors a quirky travelogue format, offering chapter titles such as Chateau du Blah Blah Blah, How Big is Your Pigeon Tower?, and The Same Port Dick Chaney Likes; so you know at a glance that you’re in for at least a little bit of Gonzo-style journalism. In other words, regular 1WD readers ought to love this tome.
image: freeart.com
Next, we move away from books but stay on print in what might be one of the stranger recommendations for me to have made in the wine product roundups; at least, until we get to the last recommendation in today’s post. I was contacted several weeks ago by the folks at FreeArt.com, who sent me over some of their free wine prints for consideration (the only difference between you ordering the free stuff and me ordering it is that I didn’t have to pay any shipping because review guy!).
There are thousands of wine prints available on their site, with the deal being that they will not charge you for the smaller sizes of said prints (but will charge shipping, framing, etc.). Granted, there’s a lot of filler/fluff among those images, but some of them are pretty badass, and the quality of the prints is very, very good. If you’re looking to round-out the decor for your cellar, or are a winery looking for tasting room art on a budget, this could be an interesting (and cost-effective) way to go…
image: vineyardsun.com
Finally, we have an item to help protect those weary, book-reading, artistically-discriminating eyes of yours: Vineyard Sun, a “lifestyle sunglass line” that was inspired by a trip that its founders took in Texas wine country, and employs a unique design in which much of the structural elements of the glasses employ cork.
Currently, there are two designs available, and each will set you back $70: Cabernet Sauvignon (with violet mirrored lenses), and Syrah (a Clubmaster-style model). Both have 400 UVA/B rated lenses, and while not flamboyantly styled, they’re not exactly wallflowers, either. The Syrah model that I checked out was well constructed, functional, certainly a conversation-starter, and seems more durable than you might first think considering how much of it is made from cork.
Regarding the price tag: it’s not cheap, and you’re definitely paying for the styling and the cool/kitsch factor… but then, I could say the same thing about a crap ton of actual Syrah and Cabernet releases, too…
Cheers!
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source http://www.1winedude.com/the-shady-the-free-and-the-godforsaken-may-2018-wine-product-roundup/
Tuesday, 22 May 2018
May 2018 Newsletter
The (very late) Wine School Newsletter for May 2018
I hope you are doing well. I am a bit late with the newsletter this month. Sorry! We’ve been a little busy renovating the school. I hope you can forgive me. I’ve enclosed my top wine suggestions, and I’ve posted a few really cool classes. I think you’ll like them. Hope to see you soon!
Keith
Register Now For Summer School
Every summer, we offer accelerated versions of our top wine courses. Summer Wine School is happening this year in August and features our top two sommelier-professors: Alana Zerbe and Keith Wallace.
Anyone can attend these programs: about half of our students are folks who just want to learn more about wine.
Accelerated Core Wine Program | Earn the essential wine qualifications in a single week this August. Our summer accelerated programs offer the same level of education in a single week. Opt for National Wine School certification and earn your Sommelier Certification, as well! We just approved a new payment plan, so you don’t have to pay tuition in a single lump sum. For details: https://www.vinology.com/class/wine-core-summer/2018-08-06/
Accelerated International Wine Scholar™ | This advanced wine course focuses on exotic and rare wines from around the world. This program covers topics that are critical to anyone who is dreams of becoming a Master Sommelier. To be taken seriously in the world of wine, this is the wine course to attend. For details (and our new payment plan), check out this link: https://www.vinology.com/class/international-wine-scholar/2018-08-20/
We also are running some really amazing one-off classes for this year’s Summer School.
Beer 101 | Our popular introduction to beer and beer brewing. Lead by our own master brewer. https://www.vinology.com/class/beer/
Wine 101 | The perennial favorite and hot off the press. Jump on this class before it sells out! https://www.vinology.com/class/101/
Great Ciders of the World | Our favorite Spanish, French, English, and American ciders https://www.vinology.com/class/cider-class/
Sommelier Secrets | Master the sommelier tricks and taste some great wine as well https://www.vinology.com/class/the-sommelier-secret/
The Cocktail Creation Class | Learn how to craft masterful cocktails in this hands-on class https://www.vinology.com/class/mixology/
Wine Reviews
Lea 2014 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
A Wrinkle in Wine: The Former PLCB Chairman Returns. Sort of.
It’s been over a decade since Jonathan Newman was pushed out of the PLCB in a political standoff. It was a blow to all wine drinkers in the state, as Jonathan had spearheaded much of the modernization of the wine stores in PA, and created the Chairman’s Selection program we have all grown to love. In an interesting move, Jonathan is supplying wine for the Chairman’s Selection program once again. Read More.
Tenuta di Burchino 2010 Il Burchino Toscana
A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this is very sleek and international in style. This estate-grown wine is a Super Tuscan in all senses of the word. Licorice and vanilla on the nose, this Tuscan bottle is full-bodied and chewy on the palate with flavors of dried cherry, lactose, and milk chocolate. A finish moves towards leather and crushed sage.
$12.99 (PLCB) Rating: 91 Points (Wine School Rating)
Hecht & Bannier 2016 Rosé, Côtes de Provence
A nose of fresh tarragon and red fruit, the palate is bright cherry with a juicy melon undercurrent. The texture is zesty with just enough texture to give the deep fruit flavors some dimension. The finish keeps the fruit coming. Salted peach, pear, and a closing note of honeysuckle. This is a spring and summer standby, perfect for lounging on the deck.
$10.99 (PLCB) Rating: 89 Points (Wine School Rating)
Moniker 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County
This is the last vintage of this wine, so I’d recommend picking up a few bottles. A rock-solid cabernet that has the big oak and extraction one would expect for a luxury wine, but it snuck into the PLCB Wine & Spirits stores for half of that. Moniker’s corporate overlords are focusing on the value-brands rather than high-end Cabernets. Their change of direction gives us some really good juice for a pittance.
$14.99 (PLCB) Rating: 90 Points (Wine School Rating)
The Chook 2015 Shiraz Viognier, McLaren Vale
A top-notch example of the classic Aussie model: big delicious jammy wines. On the nose, crushed herbs and smoke over ginger and chocolate. The palate gets a bit simpler, with dried fig and blackberries rolling into nutmeg and cinnamon. The varietal and reductive gamey notes come into the finish. Medium to full-bodied with plenty of silky tannins and boozy richness to drown a goose.
$11.99 (PLCB) 91 Points (Wine School Rating)
Robert Mondavi Winery 2014 Fume Blanc, Oakville
This is a landmark bottle of Napa wines. One of those historic wines that fly under the radar these days. This Sauvignon Blanc is largely sourced from the historic To Kalon vineyard in Napa Valley, and a small addition of Semillon to add some backbone and weight. Exotic fruit on the nose, with orange leaf and kafir lime on the palate. Bright and fresh, this is a bit fleshier than most Sauvignon Blancs, and a lovely springtime bouquet in the finish.
$17.99 (PLCB) 91 Points (Wine School Rating)
Simi 2014 Reserve Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
A barrel fermented, barrel aged, full buttery bomb MLF of a Chardonnay. Largely sourced from the Goldfields Vineyard in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, this bottle offers exactly what you’d expect from a luxury-level Cali wine.
On the nose, there is rosewater and smoky popcorn. Full-bodied, the wine layers into a confection of lemon curd and pineapple cake. The fresh acidity dries out the the palate with fresh pear and toasted allspice. Cedar, vanilla, and caramel on the finish.
$15.99 (PLCB) 92 Points (Wine School Rating)
The post May 2018 Newsletter appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
source https://www.vinology.com/may-2018-newsletter/
Monday, 21 May 2018
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 21, 2018
So, like, what is this stuff, anyway? I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140-ish characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!
- NV Aguila Brut (Cremant de Limoux): Fresh, toasty, clearly possessing talent and know-how, and maybe just a touch self-absorbed. $NA B+ >>find this wine<<
- NV Williams & Humbert Canasta Cream Sherry (Andalucia): Its soul is Oloroso, so don’t expect this date to be cloying despite the sweet talk. $18 B >>find this wine<<
- 17 Tasca Regaleali Bianco (Sicilia): The real question here, with all of that gulpable tropical action, is – Where the hell is my hammock?!?? $11 B >>find this wine<<
- 12 Howell Mountain Vineyards Petite Verdot (Napa Valley): Dark, sultry, floral, toasty, and all-around seductive; sic, btw – lol, ikr? $60 A- >>find this wine<<
- 16 Angeline Vineyards Rose of Pinot Noir (California): Delivered with a cherry-fruity, citrus-pithy, soon-to-be-a-distant-memory type of simplicity. $15 B- >>find this wine<<
- 15 Georges Duboeuf Brouilly (Brouilly): A strawberry-laden, peppery, perky delight; for this price, you don’t really need more info than that, do you?? $20 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 15 Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas (Gigondas): Haughty and hearty, meaty and meaningful, and even at over 30 clams a bit of a bargain. $35 A- >>find this wine<<
- 14 Maison Nicolas Perrin Crozes-Hermitage (Crozes-Hermitage): Earthiness and meatiness that are dutifully trying to put the Fun back in Funky. $30 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 17 Urban Provence Rose (Cotes de Provence): Almost obnoxiously floral, but also un-apologetically fresh, zesty, lively, and drinkable. $23 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 17 Berne Inspiration Rose (Cotes de Provence): Tropical fruits, cherries, and roses, all arguing a bit too loudly in what’s supposed to be the Quiet Car. $20 B >>find this wine<<
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source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-21-2018/
Sunday, 20 May 2018
A Wrinkle in Wine: The Former Chairman Returns. Sort of.
One of Jonathan Newman’s wines currently in the Chairman’s Selection program: the Lea 2014 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
File under: down the rabbit hole we go.
Jonathan Newman, the former Chairman of the PLCB is selling wine to Tim Holden, the current PLCB Chairman for the Chairman’s Selections Program that Mr. Newman created when he was Chairman.
Huh?
It’s been over a decade since Jonathan was pushed out of the PLCB in a political standoff. It was a blow to all wine drinkers in the state, as Jonathan had spearheaded much of the modernization of the wine stores in PA, and created the Chairman’s Selection program we have all grown to love.
He went on to start his own wine import and distribution company and never looked back. His wines have been the backbone of selections for many major national wine companies, from Wines Til Sold Out to Total Wine & More. Sure, his wines have been available in PA via special order for a few years, but now we have attained full-circle-irony.
It seems like several of the best Chairman Selections in recent memory are being supplied by Newman himself. These include a Robert Storey Napa Valley Cabernet, the Mockingbird Hill Dry Creek Zin, and (our personal favorite) the Lea Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. For just over $20, that is some serious Pinot.
It’s great having Jonathan back in the mix.
The post A Wrinkle in Wine: The Former Chairman Returns. Sort of. appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
source https://www.vinology.com/former-chairman/
Friday, 18 May 2018
Naked Wines And The Cult Of “Fake News”
One of the worst aspects of the current state of political “discourse” in the USA is the penchant of leaders in our government towards vocalizing complete and total falsehoods, whenever and however it furthers their individual and/or party agendas, with seemingly little consequence for their actions.
Where they deem it necessary, they also repeatedly use this tactic to undermine the credibility of any ideas or expert opinions that they find inconvenient to the forwarding of their agenda, even when those ideas and expert opinions are based on (as in the examples of climate change and global warming) data that are incontrovertible. One need not search far, wide, or for long to find examples of this, many of them technically qualifying as libel, slander, or defamation.
Just as the U.S. wine world is not immune from modern cultural and technological shifts, it is, alas, also not immune from this ridiculous embracing of falsehood over fact, or the downward spiral into the cult of “fake” news wherein “truthiness” trumps (pun intended) actual truth in a disgusting sociopathic display of partisan greed, good old fashioned idiocy, or (too often) both.
Interestingly, this trend may be more a factor of generational social shortcomings now that the Baby Boomers are more-or-less in charge of everything political in the USA (an argument made in a cogent and convincing – though albeit overly-opinionated and overly-lengthy – way by Bruce Cannon Gibney in his book A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boomers Betrayed America). Having said that, in my view, analyzing the reasons behind this worrying trend isn’t nearly as acute a need as is applying the disinfectant of attention. I.e., calling out and rejecting the behavior adamantly and quickly; consider it the intellectual and moral equivalent of weeding, or maybe playing Whack-a-Mole.
Thankfully, that’s just what happened recently when Naked Wines was more-or-less forced to apologize for going as low as the current U.S. political discourse in some of its most recent marketing efforts…
It was author Jaime Goode who most prominently called attention to Naked Wine’s marketing snafu, which ultimately was answered with a mea culpa from CEO Rowan Gormley; here’s the exchange as reported via Twitter:
image: twitter.com
In their missive, Naked Wines 1) implies that wine competition results are bogus, and 2) states that wine critics both invent trends (this is almost certainly unprovable) and receive payment to push those trends and/or certain wines on to consumers (the latter is news to me… apparently I’ve been doing this wine critic thing ALL wrong, and am missing out on a lucrative income source!).
It’s not just that the accusations in the Naked Wines marketing material are likely demonstratively false, and possibly flirting with libel or defamation territory; it’s that they just didn’t bother to cite any sources for their claims. In the case of their comments on wine critics, that’s almost certainly because their claim is total bullshit. In the case of wine competition medals not meaning anything, that’s very likely corporate jealousy at play, since strong cases can be made for any differentiating recommendation (including wine competition medals) helpung to increase sales. Almost ironically in this case, their concluding assertion that real customer reviews are a good way to find wine recommendations is probably true, but not for the reasons that they imply.
Mad props to Goode for calling this crap out as, well, crap, and for doing it publicly and quickly. A nod to Gormley for fessing up, too.
But shame on Naked Wines for taking the low road in the first place.
Collectively, the wine biz is better than this, folks.
Cheers!
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source http://www.1winedude.com/naked-wines-and-the-cult-of-fake-news/
Wednesday, 16 May 2018
An “Unplugged” Spanish Quartet (Acustic Cellar Recent Releases)
Albert Jané knows how to work a wine media crowd.
Acústic’s Albert Jané, who is *not* actually pretending to play bongos on an old barrel
If you want to quickly win over such a group of wine geeks and influencers, you would have had access to a minor clinic in such powers of persuasion had you tagged along during my recent media tour visit to Jané’s Acústic Cellar, in the Montsant town of Marçà.
The script went something like this:
Take them to your gorgeous vineyard, replete with panoramic views of the mountainous Catalan countryside; show off your small two hectare lot of 40- to 80-year-old bush-trained Garnatxa and Samsó (a.k.a. Carignan) vines; say things like “the best barrel is the one you don’t taste,” and “the best winemakers here are the vineyards;” and gleefully pour your vinous wares, which happen to be excellent. Oh, and also serve delicious Spanish cheese.
Anyway…
Jané describes his wines as “unplugged” (hence the yeah-yeah-I-get-it cleverness of his company moniker), and it’s a fitting term for a winemaking style that seeks to showcase the concentrated, small clusters/berries of the organic fruit that Acústic’s old vines produce. Jané’s approach is relatively old school, favoring hand-harvesting and minimal oak treatment; which seems fitting, considering that his grandfather was a winemaker, his cellar is an old textile factory, and much of the exclusively indigenous vines in his vineyard were planted in the 1930s. Here’s a look at the latest quartet playing the Acústic Cellars tune…
Mostly Garnatxa Blanca, with Macabeo and a few others thrown in there in small amounts, this white is floral, rich, tropical, and heady, with a substantial and silky palate. What really blew my away was how textural the palate was for such a hefty wine, and how well the mineral tones showed through. Lest you be concerned with how well it ages, we tasted back to the `11 and it showed some lovely, honeyed goodness. And for a sub-$20 white, it’s overachieving in a big way if it can give you that much pleasurable drinking after even a couple of years or repose in the bottle.
Mostly Carignan, with 30% Garnacha, all from vines that are between 25 and 60 years of age. There’s a bit of French oak spice on the nose here, though the barrels are clearly not new, and the wine is powerful, fruity, plummy, deep, juicy, and big. I’d go so far as to say that it’s flashing a come-hither look at you, so keep this one in mind for date night dining. There’s future promise here, too, by the way; tasting back to the 2007, the plummy profile remains, but that older offering still seems fresh and young (though it did take on more floral components).
All Garnacha, from some of the oldest vines on the Acústic estate, this is so dense and plummy that it’s almost jammy; it’s also floral, spicy, savory, and sporting serious licorice tones. While undoubtedly powerful, Auditori is also fresh, delicious, and fruity enough to leave you with a lasting, impressive, well, impression.
Guess what? Old vines, again, these averaging about 40 years (with some in the 60 to 95 year old range), with the emphasis (80%) on Carignan, and the remainder filled out with Garnacha. The yields are, understandably, quite low with bush vines in this age range. The result is warm, buxom, dense, ripe, and delicious. It’s also complex: violets, licorice, baking spices, plums, and even some graphite. Probably my fave out of this quartet, especially considering how the 2007 turned out (inky/extracted/dense, of course, but also savory, floral, and still sexy). The moniker is supposed to evoke strength and courage in Catalan, and, well, yeah, that.
Cheers!
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source http://www.1winedude.com/an-unplugged-spanish-quartet-acustic-cellar-recent-releases/
Tuesday, 15 May 2018
The Chook 2015 Shiraz Viognier, McLaren Vale
The Chook 2015 Shiraz Viognier, McLaren Vale
Like much of Australian lingo, Chook has a forboding silliness to it. WTF is a Chook? Is it an insult? A term of affection? I went looking for clues. In Shakespeare’s England, it was a term of endearment, first recorded in Love’s Labor Lost. A wine of endearment is unlikely to have a chicken on the label.
A bit more searching, and I found that the answer was so obvious as to be perplexing. In modern Australia, Chook just means a chicken. A freaking chicken. How did that etymological acid trip happen? The real question is: whose best friend was a chicken, and why did the phrase stick?
Enough of that, let’s get to the wine. This wine is the product of the boutique winery Penny’s Hill and winemaker Alexia Roberts. It’s a winery, for good or ill, that have stuck with the classic Aussie model: big delicious jammy wines. It’s a bit out of fashion now, but a very appealing style.
On the nose, crushed herbs and smoke over ginger and chocolate. The palate gets a bit simpler, with dried fig and blackberries rolling into nutmeg and cinnamon. The varietal and reductive gamey notes come into the finish. Medium to full-bodied with plenty of silky tannins and boozy richness to drown a goose.
The post The Chook 2015 Shiraz Viognier, McLaren Vale appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
source https://www.vinology.com/the-chook-2015-shiraz-viognier-mclaren-vale/
Monday, 14 May 2018
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 14, 2018
So, like, what is this stuff, anyway? I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140-ish characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!
- 17 Berne Emotion Rose (Cotes de Provence): The very definition of solid, dependable Provencal rose – bright fruit, pithy brightness, & sub-20-clams. $19 B >>find this wine<<
- 12 Godelia Mencia (Bierzo): This is basically the friend that you never see very often but everyone really likes and so the parties where he shows up go pretty late. $19 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 17 Simonsig Chenin Blanc (Stellenbosch): Just in case you forgot that CB had an immediately accessible, tropical, zesty side… there's this… $14 B >>find this wine<<
- 14 Duchman Family Winery Oswald Vineyard Aglianico (Texas): Alright, everyone, listen up and sit up straight, because I think they might be on to something here… $30 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 14 Rodney Strong Reserve Malbec (Sonoma County): Burly, bountiful, bold, and basically bursting at the britches for a big hunk of steak. $40 A- >>find this wine<<
- 13 Geyser Peak Devil's Inkstand Winemaker's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley): As dark as its namesake, but could be drawing slightly sharper lines between those fruit flavors. $39 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Sauvignon Blanc (Chalk Hill): Exotic fruits, enticing nose, juicy ripeness, and big-ass mouthfeel. $33 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 17 Miner Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley): Now, *that* is vibrant SB, especially for one of those SBs that's all sexy-like coming from NV. $22 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay (Sonoma County): Pay attention while you're being beguiled by those peaches, or you'll miss that great zesty finish. $33 A- >>find this wine<<
- 14 Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County): Still not afraid of the herbal side, much to the continued joy of people like yours truly. $55 A- >>find this wine<<
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source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-14-2018/
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 14, 2018
So, like, what is this stuff, anyway? I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140-ish characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!
- 17 Berne Emotion Rose (Cotes de Provence): The very definition of solid, dependable Provencal rose – bright fruit, pithy brightness, & sub-20-clams. $19 B >>find this wine<<
- 12 Godelia Mencia (Bierzo): This is basically the friend that you never see very often but everyone really likes and so the parties where he shows up go pretty late. $19 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 17 Simonsig Chenin Blanc (Stellenbosch): Just in case you forgot that CB had an immediately accessible, tropical, zesty side… there's this… $14 B >>find this wine<<
- 14 Duchman Family Winery Oswald Vineyard Aglianico (Texas): Alright, everyone, listen up and sit up straight, because I think they might be on to something here… $30 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 14 Rodney Strong Reserve Malbec (Sonoma County): Burly, bountiful, bold, and basically bursting at the britches for a big hunk of steak. $40 A- >>find this wine<<
- 13 Geyser Peak Devil's Inkstand Winemaker's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley): As dark as its namesake, but could be drawing slightly sharper lines between those fruit flavors. $39 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Sauvignon Blanc (Chalk Hill): Exotic fruits, enticing nose, juicy ripeness, and big-ass mouthfeel. $33 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 17 Miner Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley): Now, *that* is vibrant SB, especially for one of those SBs that's all sexy-like coming from NV. $22 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay (Sonoma County): Pay attention while you're being beguiled by those peaches, or you'll miss that great zesty finish. $33 A- >>find this wine<<
- 14 Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County): Still not afraid of the herbal side, much to the continued joy of people like yours truly. $55 A- >>find this wine<<
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source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-14-2018/
Wednesday, 9 May 2018
The Almost-Full Monty (Montefalco Sagrantino Anteprima 2014)
Another day at the “office”
Back in February, I spent a handful of days in the charmingly-imposing Italian town of Montefalco, as the U.S. media guest attending the anteprima showing of Sagrantino’s somewhat-troubled 2014 vintage.
After highlighting a handful of producers from that visit, I thought that I would wrap up the Sagrantino-related coverage here by sharing some of what I found to be among the more interesting wines that I encountered on that anteprima trip. Some of these wines will, in true 1WD form, be nigh-impossible to find, though most won’t; but think of this less as the brain-dump of tasting notes that it is, and more of an enthusiastic recommendation of some of Montefalco’s best producers.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I have what feels like ten billion wines to tell you about; and so, let’s get it started in here while the base keep runnin’ runnin’, and runnin’ runnin’…
2015 Tenuta Alzatura Rosso di Montefalco (Umbria, $NA)
We can’t – well, we can, but we shouldn’t – forget one of Montefalco Sagrantino’s little vinous brothers, Rosso di Montefalco, which in Cecchi Alzatura’s case hails from three different vineyards supplying the Sangiovese, Merlot, and Sagrantino making up the blend; a key advantage since, as Agronomo Alessandro Mariani told me, “In Montefalco, everything is in small pieces.” This offering is textbook for the region: chewy, sexy, plummy, and spicy.
2007 Tenuta Alzatura “Uno di Dieci” Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $31)
When it comes to the burly Sagrantino grape, having perspective in essential, so it helps to taste something from an older, excellent vintage to get said perspective, as I was fortunate enough to do with Alzatura’s `07 incarnation of their “Uno di…” series. This is still young, but has kept its round, ripe, and generous fleshiness. Earthy, dark, leathery, juicy, and fruity, this one has character, power, and poise.
Scacciadiavoli’s imposing cellar
2015 Arnaldo-Caprai Montefalco Rosso Riserva (Umbria, $46)
So… yeah, you’ve heard of these guys, who famously threw out their first vintage back in the 1970s, and now at 136 hectares of vines and 800,000+ bottles of wine a year are among the larger producers in the region. They’re fans of extended oak aging which, seemingly paradoxically, smooth out the rougher and ample Sagrantino tannins by adding more tannin (and thus elongating the tannin molecule chains and makes for a potentially silkier mouthfeel overall. This Rosso Riserva sees twenty months in oak, and it’s hot, burly, and big, while also being spicy, supple, and plummy. Get a good steak, because you’ll need it with this.
2014 Arnaldo-Caprai “25 Anniversario” Sagrantino di Montefalco Riserva (Umbria, $75)
This Sagrantino is the result of vineyard and barrel selections, resulting in a concentrated, meaty, and excellent red that’s crazy spicy, crazy powerful, and crazy smooth. The tannins might be supple, but they are also significant and abundant; the wine will definitely age, and it definitely requires it.
NV Scacciadiavoli Rosé Vino Spumante Brut Metodo Classico (Umbria, $NA)
And now for something completely different… here’s a side of Sagrantino that one rarely sees: namely, a “feminine” take. In this case, the burly grape is picked on the early side and given the Champagne treatment, including sur lie aging. The result is a combination of ripe red apple, brioche, and citrus tones, and is eminently gulpable.
2014 Di Filippo ‘Etnico’, Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria, $NA)
This is a minor triumph of the challenging `14 vintage; laden with tobacco spice, ripe and tart plum fruit, and serious structure/grip, this is about as elegant as a young Sagrantino can get.
2014 Di Filippo Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria, $50)
Tighter than a tourniquet, which has the advantage of temporarily showcasing freshness and minerality along with the more common Sagrantino elements of sipcy tobacco. This might not be ready for drinking until Elon Musk’s Roadster collides back into Earth…
Scacciadiavoli’s other imposing cellar
2014 Moretti Omero Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $36)
This gets very dark, very quickly, and moves from silky to mineral and gritty almost as quickly. Layers of herbal spiciness and dark fruits hint at something special ahead (if you can wait for it).
2014 Rocca di Fabbri Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $30)
Ohhhhhh! This one is getting very, very fresh with us! While it’s not the most complex Sagrantino you will encounter, the core structural elements and typicity are ridiculously strong with this excellent Sagrantino example. Taken with the acidic lift, it’s a winning combo.
2014 Fattoria Colleallodole Milziade Antano Sagrantino di Montefalco “Colleallodole” (Umbria, $45)
There’s so much going on here, it’s almost a little overwhelming at first blush; tobacco, herbs, flowers, mint, leather, plums… and lest you think that all of that reveal this early on might hint at a shorter aging curve, there are a shit-ton of tannins included for good measure to prove you wrong.
2014 Lungarotti Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $45)
Graphite, spices, and lots (and lots) of dark-fruited generousity, especially considering the vintage. It’s also powerful (and even a tad hot), but will make the steakhouse crowd very, very happy.
2014 Cantina Fratelli Pardi “Sacrantino” Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria, $NA)
This single vineyard Sagrantino bears a name that hearkens back to the wine’s past, but is quite modern in presentation. Minty, brambly, and showing off black cherry, plum, and sweet tobacco action, this starts smooth, gets a nice lift in the middle, and ends powerfully and long. And I mean powerfully – at over 16% abv, this one will could get you onto your knees in pseudo-religious-prayer formation, and in short order.
2014 Valdanguis “Fortunato” Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $NA)
Fortune favors the bold, and in this case, also the grippy, leathery, and spicy. Tobacco, dark cherry, game meat, and even a hint of salinity make this one one of the more compelling Sagrantino releases of the vintage, in my not-so-humble opinion.
Tenuta Bellafonte
2014 Tenuta Castelbuono “Carapace” Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $38)
Part of the Lunelli group of brands, this wien is named after their famous tortuga shell-shaped edifice, which I can tell you from firsthand experience is a sort of odd wonder of design and construction. While the building might seem a bit on the whimsical side (and look like the giant Gamera decided to retire and become a winery), this Sagrantino isn’t fooling around at all. Elegant cigar spices, dried herbs, black and red cherry fruit, mineral, and even hints of roses are all packed into a fascinating aromatic profile.
2014 Cantine Adanti Arquata Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, $45)
Tied up tight with sprigs of mint and other dried herbs, this red reveals little on the nose but starts to hint at great chewy fruitiness on the palate. That is, before said palate also tightens up into serious grip.
2014 Tenuta Bellafonte “Collenottolo” Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria, $50)
You gotta admire the tenacity of this producer, who make 30,000 bottles a year from only estate fruit, and with only two wines in the portfolio. Going back in time with their vintages of Collenotolo was a treat, and it showcased how much their investment has paid off over the years (when asked how much that investment amounted to, owner Peter Heilbron replied “Too much! But pleasure has no price!”). The `14 Collenotolo is floral, herbal, earthy, minty, and full of cherries and spices on the palate. Sweet plums eventually take over, and the whole experience of drinking it is so nice that one feels compelled to keep going…
2013 Cantina Bartoloni “Essentia” Bianco Umbria Passito (Umbria, $NA)
It seems fitting to wrap all of this Montefalco-ing up with something uniquely Montefalco. While there’s plenty of dessert-style passito made from Sagrantino to be found in the area, the “Essentia” showcases Trebbiano instead, with no oak treatment. Apricot, sultana, and floral perfume on the enticing nose move to a soft palate entry, then to a sense of freshness, finishing with citrus peel and honey. All of which you’d need, too, if you had to wash down all of those burly, young Sagrantino reds…
Cheers!
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source http://www.1winedude.com/the-almost-full-monty-montefalco-sagrantino-anteprima-2014/
Monday, 7 May 2018
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 7, 2018
So, like, what is this stuff, anyway? I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140-ish characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!
- 14 Halter Ranch CDP Cotes de Paso (Adelaida District): Deftly matching up against your robust spare ribs with a spicy, chewy ease. $33 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 16 Lieb cellars Reserve Pinot Blanc (North Fork of Long Island): Oh, you're not from Europe? Wow, could've fooled me, bro. $20 B+ >>find this wine<<
- 15 Dutton Goldfield Emerald Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir (Green Valley of Russian River Valley): Dark berries, meet Dark Rea; Dark Tea, meet Dark Berries. $62 A- >>find this wine<<
- 15 Paul Jaboulet Aine Beaumes de Venise Le Paradou (Rhone): Violets galore!!! Enough to make you want to type "violets galore" with exclamation points at the end. $24 B+ >>find this wine<<
- NV Loimer Brut Rose (Niederösterreich): Attempts to be zesty, and both familiar and exotic at the same time; and it basically nails it. $32 A- >>find this wine<<
- 17 Leyda Pinot Noir Rose (Valle de Leyda): Move to the head of the class! Strawberry, pith, & an ability to pull its weight with verve. $15 B+ >>find this wine<<
- NV Laurent Perrier Brut Nature Ultra Brut (Champagne): Kind of like drinking a phaser beam, only it's set on stun, and all in a good way. $68 A- >>find this wine<<
- 12 Barone Pizzini Rose (Franciacorta): Zesty, substantive, lovely, and at turns absolutely stare-you-in-the-eyes, I-knew-it-was-you-Freddo deadly-serious. $45 A- >>find this wine<<
- NV Warre's Warrior Finest Reserve (Porto): Not shy about its fruitiness, its expressiveness, or its hot-under-the-collar mouthfeel. $19 B >>find this wine<<
- NV Sandeman's Founders Reserve (Porto): Juicy stuff, and also as solid a pick for a dessert companion as its weighty palate implies $19 B+ >>find this wine<<
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source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-7-2018/
Thursday, 3 May 2018
Hecht & Bannier 2016 Rosé, Côtes de Provence
Hecht & Bannier 2016 Rosé, Côtes de Provence
Bandol, Languedoc, Cotes de Provence. Montagne Sainte-Victoire region, just east of town. night harvested
Hecht & Bannier are a négociant winery based in the southern French town of Aix-en-Provence. Since 2002, they’ve released a number of very good red wines. However, it’s their rosé program that is getting noticed and for very good reasons. They produce three bottlings of rosé. The least expensive and simplest is their Languedoc offering. Their Bandol is their top bottling, which is not surprising: Bandol is the epicenter of pink wine production in France.
The Wine School favorite — for quality and value– is this bottling from Cotes de Provence. While the wine is sourced from multiple vineyards, they all resided in the Montagne Sainte-Victoire region, just east of Hecht & Bannier’s winery. All the fruit is night harvested, so the grapes come into the crushpad cool, allowing for a brief but cold maceration. The wine is half Cinsault, with the rest a combination of Syrah and Grenache, which are co-fermented.
A nose of fresh tarragon and red fruit, the palate is bright cherry with a juicy melon undercurrent. The texture is zesty with just enough texture to give the deep fruit flavors some dimension. The finish keeps the fruit coming. Salted peach, pear, and a closing note of honeysuckle.
This is a spring and summer standby, perfect for lounging on the deck.
The post Hecht & Bannier 2016 Rosé, Côtes de Provence appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
source https://www.vinology.com/hecht-bannier-2016-rose-cotes-de-provence/