Ruby in color, purple at the core. The nose is slightly earthy with cherries, garrique and charred wood. On the palate, this has nice cherry fruit with layers of forest floor and damp earth. Nice acidity. Seems to be at peak, depending how you like your wines. Nice finish. This will work great with roasts. It probably needs to be drunk in the next five years or so.
This basic level Burgundy from a great vintage is drinking quite well at age 14. Ruby in color, clear and bright. The nose has nice cherries with a slight forest floor. On the palate, this has slight layering. Slight complexity. Slight tannins. Good acidity. Nice cherry fruit with a certain freshness. Really a nice showing and better than anticipated. It seems like it should still have five more years. It will work great with fowl or heavier sea food dishes.
Beautiful wine. Deep ruby in color, purple core. The nose has black raspberries, iodine and slight char. Still pretty youthful and tannic on pop and pour. It opens nicely with some air. Lots of black raspberry fruit with some spice. Nice texture. Good finish. This was very ripe in its youth though has settled in very nice now. It may still get a bit better but is drinking very well now. It will go well with meats and fowl or Indian food too. It easily has another decade left and probably a bit more.
One of the better Zinfandel's that I have tasted. Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, spice, slight mint and char. On the palate, this has a gorgeous texture. Plush, juicy and full bodied. Black cherries and raspberry fruit with some charred wood and spice. Delicious. Deep. Young and vibrant, it would be a shame not to enjoy at least one this way although it seems to have the stuffing to age for a decade. It will work well with grilled foods or Asian foods and is great on its own.
Light green/gold in color. The nose is floral with white peaches and a sort of pastel candied quality to it. On the palate, this has a nice oily texture. some peaches. Clean. Easy drinking. Nice finish. Not sure how this ages or even if it is. Rhone whites are hard to predict and this is an entry level wine. I preferred this to the Marsanne though both are good values.
This is drinking quite well and at peak right now. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, roasted meats, slight white pepper and slight bacon fat. On the palate, this is light on its feet, not ponderous yet there is alcohol in the plush texture. Juicy black raspberry fruit. Layers of fruit and pepper and slight earth. Long finish. Easily will go another decade and closer to two. A nice match with roasted foods.
This was a bit of a controversial wine on release due to the hot vintage and the extracted nature of the wine. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black cherries, spice, and slight earthiness. On the palate, this has calmed down since release. There are nice black cherries, but it is not hot or over ripe. Plenty of depth. It has settled into adulthood quite well. Layers of fruit, earth and spice. Nice finish. It works well with grilled peppers or probably most grilled foods. It won't get better and probably should be drunk in the next five to seven years, perhaps a few
Although it doesn't carry the designation, the Marsanne grapes come from Condrieu. This is an entry level wine that provides nice value. Light golden in color. The nose is a bit waxy with pears and slight white peaches. Tight. On the palate, this has nice acidity. Vanilla, pears and slight peach. also a bit of dill which is somewhat distracting. Nevertheless, it is crisp enough and tasty enough to work with lighter foods or drink on its own. Probably should be drunk in the next few years.
Erbaluce is a grape that was new to me. It has a history in the Piedmont region dating back to 1606. It is a very pretty wine with a deep golden color. The nose has hay, white raisins, and a hint of lemon. On the palate, this is full bodied. The white raisin quality carries thru. Almost like a dry dessert wine. Maybe some oxidized apples as well. It's enjoyable but more interesting than great. It's not expensive. No idea how long it ages but given that it is already five years, it's probably best to drink sooner than later. Will work well with cheeses or even vegetarian pasta dis
I am not a huge Malbec fan in general but if I were, this is not a style of Malbec I would choose. So, take this review with a grain of salt. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has cherries, slight plums and green bell pepper. On the palate, there is an overt acidity to this wine that seems misplaced. It has a nice full bodied texture. Tart cherry fruit with a green bell pepper back bone. Clipped finish. I tried this at a local wine shop and some of the other patrons seemed to enjoy this more than I. It isn't going to get any better so drink now.
