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2017 Diving Into Hampton Water Rose, France, Languedoc, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

A collaboration between Gérard Bertrand, and Jon and Jesse Bon Jovi.  HW Wine Company is essentially a company that commissioned this wine to be made in France to celebrate the good life.  Light salmon pink in color.  The nose is all about watermelon and strawberries.  It has a nice texture.  Nice acidity.  This wine is really all about summer fruit.  Not a lot of depth or complexity but tasty and easy drinking.  While it is probably made as a summer sipper it went well with a summery watermelon salad. Fun wine.  

2016 Peter Michael Sauvignon Blanc L'Apres-Midi, USA, California, Sonoma, Knights Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Silvery green in color.  Very nice nose with chalk, minerals, tarragon and slight lemon notes.  Decidedly more mineral driven than fruit.  On the palate, the lemon comes out a bit more along with a bit of peach.  Plenty of minerals as well.  A very nice oily texture.  Great balance and acidity.  Long finish.  This is a energetic and persistent wine that is lean and goes great with food.  It has depth and complexity as well and probably be drinking just fine in ten years, but the energy will be gone, so it is best enjoyed in the next few.  

NV Moët & Chandon Champagne Nectar Imperial Rosé, France, Epernay, Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Apparently, this bottling was done for the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Championship.  This was not in the locker room, but part of the same bottling that was.  Go Cavs!  Orange pink in color.  There is a nice mousse with a lot of tiny bubbles.  On the nose there are a lot of cherries and oranges.  Very strong and interesting.  On the palate this is sweet.  Oranges.  The finish is oddly enough almost dry.  This wine's sweetness proved a bit divisive, but was quite enjoyable for me.  It has a nice depth and the acidity works with sweetness and this is very food friendly.  

2013 Treasure Hunter Wines Petite Sirah The Lion Tamer, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is really drinking well right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, underlying graphite and slight black pepper.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit.  Good texture.  Plenty of depth.  Still drinking on the young side of maturity.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  Worked well with food.  Not a monster wine but plenty of fruit and delicious.  Still some development to go and possible upside.  

2014 B Wise Vineyards Wisdom, USA, California, Sonoma, Moon Mountain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
84
Grade: 
B-

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with slight aquarium notes.  Also some cherries and black cherries.  On the palate, there is a lot of heat and it seems disjointed.  Tart cherries but brown sugar.  Alcohol on the finish.  Again, this appears to be a poorly stored bottled, but how to know for sure or where the issue is.  Drinkable for sure, but doesn't work with food at this point.  Hopefully, this bottle was not representative.  

2013 Jax Vineyards Pinot Noir Y3, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
84
Grade: 
B-

Ruby/purple in color.  Cloudy.  The nose is sweaty socks.  Perhaps some macerated cherries.  On the palate, this is very soft.  Very sour cherries with some dank earthiness.  It is a style of Pinot that I like but this seems either mishandled or way past prime at this young age.  Not sure if this bottle was representative  It reminds me of some of the unclean Burgundies that were more prevalent 25 years ago.  That is not to say undrinkable or even bad, as this wine is certainly offering some nice and interesting notes, but more to say, what this might have been (or a pristine bottle is).

2016 Maysara Winery Pinot Blanc Arsheen, USA, Oregon, McMinville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B

Light golden in color.  The nose is mild with pears and melons.  On the palate, there is a slight diesel note but also some slight fruit.  It has a round texture, but lacks much acidity or intensity.  It is enjoyable, but leaves one wanting for a bit more.  Some of that is the varietal but still.  $19 retail.  A very solid wine.  Drink now this may have been better a year ago.  

2017 Vigneti Zanatta Vermentino di Sardegna Orion, Italy, Sardinia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Light green gold in color.  The nose has minerals and limes.  On the palate, a wet rock quality.  Good acidity.  Oily texture.  Very food friendly for lighter/medium weight foods.  Nice finish.  This retails for around $17 and is a very nice value.  While it might drink well for a few years though, the freshness will probably disappear by next summer, so I would drink soon.  This would be great for fall clambakes!

2017 Château de Ségriès Tavel, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

So glad to be able to review this as a bottle last week was not that good.  This one was much better and more what should be expected.  Bad bottles do happen.  Deep salmon pink in color, but not as deep as the prior bottle (heat damage?).  The nose has cherries and light rhubarb.  On the palate, this is clean, dry and no bitterness.  Persistent cherries on the palate.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Worked well with food.  Nice bottle.  In retrospect, that first bottle was probably damaged in shipping at some point.  

2017 Bedrock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Light green gold in color.  The nose is nice with minerals and melons.  On the palate, this is tight.  Obviously it's young, but still it took some time to open.  The melons carry thru to the palate along with a slight grass note.  Good finish.  Works well with or without food but needs a bit of air.  Very solid but seems like some patience may be rewarded. Good now, but will greatness develop?  I think so.  

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