United States

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  • Finger Lakes
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  • Columbia Gorge
  • Dundee Hills
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• Pennsylvania
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  • Columbia Valley
  • Horse Heaven Hills
  • Red Mountain
  • Wahluke Slope
  • Walla Walla
  • Yakima Valley

Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and violets.  On the palate, this is almost seamless.  Black raspberry fruit, some black pepper.  Great juicy but lush texture.  Complex.  Long finish.  Needs big or spicy foods but there is enough acidity to handle them.  This is delicious and so easy to drink now, but should continue to mature for another 5 to 7 years and be good for at least a decade after that.  

Deep ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with black raspberries.  Good acidity.  On the palate there is nice boysenberry fruit.  Lots of fruit with an underlying char.  Good finish.  This is young and tight.  It comes across as more of a cooler climate Syrah.  It probably needs another five years to really strut its stuff and be good for a decade after that.  Lots of potential for upside here though it is excellent right now.  

About 150 years ago, the Ohio River Valley was one of the top wine producing spots in the United States.  These days, the wine industry is more tourist based, but a decade ago, Kinkead Ridge was producing some excellent reds and 2007 was a great vintage (something that only happens maybe once a decade).  This one is drinking just fine right now at age 11.  Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim.  The nose shows some tobacco, cherries, and slight spice.  Slight tannins on the palate.  Cherries with some depth and layering.  Nice balance.  In short, this drinks like a ten year old Brodeaux f

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.  

Very pale pink in color.  The nose is clean but lacking much fruit.  Very light cherries on the palate.  Light bodied.  This is probably well past its time as the fruit seems to have dropped out.  It would be good to try the 2017 for a comparison.  

Glass "cork" is very cool.  Purple in color.  This is a pretty classic Washington Cabernet.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco and slight bell pepper.  On the palate, this is in a good place if still a bit young.  Cassis layered with tobacco and earth.  Some tannins.  Slightly bitter in a good way.  Nice finish.  This works well with food.  Probably will continue to mature and layer, but not really get better, just different.  Very nice wine right now.  

Lonz winery no longer exists as a winery (it is part of a park in the Lake Erie Islands), but at one time was the largest winery in the country!  The Lake Erie Islands are a summer time vacation and recreation spot (as well as the mainland coast).  This is a vacation wine meaning that it intended for people to buy while in the area and enjoying their vacation.  It is sold in and near the Lake Erie Islands in northwest Ohio.  This is self described as a white Zinfandel styled wine.  It is unclear what varietals are used to make it up (or even if it is 100% grapes).  Deep ruby in color.  The

This is a blend of French and American varietals made along the shores of Lake Erie near what is known as the Lake Erie Islands.  For those history fans, back in the 1800's, the Lake Erie Islands were on of the top wine producing regions in the country.  As recently as the 1930's it was rated as one of the top 5 along with Napa, Virginia, New York and Missouri.  Now the area is a summer vacation spot and due to the cold winters, late springs, hot summers, it can be a difficult place to make wine.  Mon Ami is a restaurant and a winery.  This is ruby/orange in color, deep and bright.  The nos

CLE Urban Winery is located in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.  They are essentially a wine bar that gets juice from California and other places and makes their own wine which is sold at the bar.  The labels feature different scenes of Cleveland.  This one features the brick street that is the heart of Cleveland's Italian community.  The wine is light golden in color.  The nose has tangerine and orange with a slight minerality.  On the palate, this is big and fruity.  Tangerine with some sweetness.  It is not deep but it has enough acidity to be refreshing.  While it does not have the minerality n

Light golden in color.  The nose has a fair amount of oak on it.  A bit fleshy with vanilla and slight lemons.  The oak became more pronounced with air. On the palate, the oak continues and at times it is searing and bitter.  There is also vanilla and lemons.  It does have a very nice texture.  I drank in a crowd and many liked this and even enjoyed the oak profile which is fine.  This may be a divisive wine based on that but seems to be otherwise a consistent wine.  It was being closed out for $8 which is hard to beat!