Located in Southern Tuscany, Val Delle Rose is one of the largest wineries in the region. Their 2018 Aurelio, something of a flagship wine, offers superb quality fruit - muted pomegranate, rhubarb, black cherry, blackberry, along with a judicious use of oak that brings out cedar notes. There are vague back notes of dusty cocoa. This is a nicely balanced wine that combines all the necessary elements of oak, fruit, tannin and acidity, making for a wine that would be very complementary for any number of foods.

Green gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with limes and white pepper.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Depth.  On the palate, limes and some minerality.  Dry.  Long finish.  Very similar to the Steinfeder version just more of everything.  This is great on its own and will work well with most lighter foods.  Thai food would be a nice match.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

Steinfeder is the lowest category in the ripeness classification of white wines in Austria's Wachau Valley. It means the wines have a mandated maximum alcohol level of 11.5 percent.  The result is that the wines have a lighter body and tend to drink easier and sooner.  Silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has limes and slight white pepper.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, tart limes.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is very food friendly and would go well with pasta primavera.  Drink over the next few years.  

Consumed with Lunch at Restaurant Loibnerhof – Knoll in Durnstein, Austria.  Made from 100% Pinot Noir.  Pink/orange in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with with strawberries, cherries and slight cranberries.  Medium bodied.  Nice, creamy texture.  Good balance.  On the palate, cherries and cranberries.  Clean.  Dry.  Delicious with a variety of foods including a mushroom pasta with cream sauce.  Drink over the next few years.  

As a non-vintage wine, Six Grapes Port does show slight variation from year to year. This offering, with its new label and bottle design is the best NV to date. I have tasted Six Grapes upon its release every year for more than a decade and can attest that it’s moving in a direction that is more comprehensive as a signature wine. This new bottling shows ripe lush and opulent fruit without being overly sweet or cloying. Comprised, not of six grapes but actually eight in this case, the acidity balances out the fruit, the tannic structure balances out the sweetness.

Soft and supple, there is a lovely viscosity to this Merlot. You’ll find notes of blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry and huckleberry surrounded by light cedar, raspberry compote and violets. The acidity allows for the fruit to shine through while maintaining structure for the wine. The tannins are fairly mild but this goes a long way on the palate. The judicious use of oak also helps to support the darker fruit of this wine. This is a soft, shy wine, not an aggressive over the top in your face Merlot.

Spottswoode is one of the great Napa Cabs.  For years, they were a bit unknown, but no longer.  Often, one can find older, mature vintages for less than the current ones, and these wines age great.  Tony Soter and Mia Klein were working for the winery back then before going on to great things.  This is drinking beautifully, and I think even the most ardent Francophile would have difficulty calling this from Napa at this point.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.

A bit lighter in style than say the '94 or '00 vintages, but drinking well nevertheless.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries and chocolate covered raisins.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, slightly sweet chocolate covered cherries.  There is a nice depth and complexity.  Drink over the next ten years.  A nice match with a chocolate dessert.  

This is a new winery for me.  At age 52, it still has some life left although I am sure past prime.  It is the color of iced tea.  The nose has some oranges and slight honey.  Medium bodied.  Some sweetness although most has faded.  The palate has some apricot and honey.  Enough acidity to carry some food.  Drink up.  It will work nicely with a plain sponge cake.  

This is a blend of 84% Cab Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot.  It doesn't seem fair to call this a second wine as it stands on its own as an amazing wine.  2017 was a challenging vintage yet this wine is excellent.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, dust, pencil lead, chocolate and floral notes.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has depth and complexity.  Cassis, black cherries and plums with underlying spice and slight tobacco.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This will still get better but should drink well for the next twelve