2013 Donelan Venus, USA, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$57.00USD

This is a blend of Rousanne (98%) and Viognier (2%) and one of my favorite white wines.  Of course, white Rhone varietals can be wonderful, frustrating, fascinating, great or dead at any point once they pass five years of age.  So it was with some trepidation that I tasted this wine when a friend brought it over.  No worries, this wine was singing and drinking great.  Golden in color.  The nose is showing some maturity.  Aromas of pears, slight dried flowers and wax.  On the palate, a slightly oily texture.  Pears and canned pears with a bit of earthiness.  Deep.  Not a lot of acidity.  Lon

2014 Thirty-Seven Winery Albariño, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

One might think an Albarino that is five years old would be way past it.  Maybe more so if it were from California.  In this case, anyway, that would not be true.  This was drinking quite well.  As I don't know the winery, it is not possible to say how this drunk younger or if it is better or worse now.  It is, however, still quite enjoyable.  Yellow golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is all about minerals with a bit of alfalfa.  With air, a bit of citrus (lime?).  On the palate, this has a nice cut.  The lime comes out more.  Refreshing.  Good finish.  It is light bodied.  Indeed

2013 Epoch Estate Wines Ingenuity, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$68.00USD

This is a blend of 54% Syrah, 21% Mourvèdre, 16% Grenache and 9% Petite Sirah.  It is a big wine that really needed some time to settle down.  Even 6 years from vintage isn't really enough.  That said, with a couple hours of air, this was drinking beautifully.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, plums, black cherries, and spice.  Perhaps a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this is thick and big.  A bit chunky on opening but it smoothed out with air.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with some black cherries.  An underlying charred earthiness.  Good finish.  T

2012 Saxum Paderewski Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$107.00USD

Usually, I like to let Saxum's age more, but this one is 45% Zinfandel, so we popped the cork.  Good move.  Also it has 36% Mourvedre, 12% Tempranillo and 7% Petite Sirah.  Weighs in at just under 16% ABV.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is big with black cherries, plums, black raspberries, some earthiness and spice.  On the palate, there is no heat.  Juicy black cherries, and black raspberries.  Some underlying char.  Long finish.  This is delicious but will be a tough food match.  Maybe some BBQ with spicy sauce?  It will be interesting to see how this ages.  I suspect the Zin fades and

2001 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

From a 375 ML bottle bought on release.  Pop and pour.  Of course, 2001 was such a great vintage (one of the all time greats).  This one is doing fine.  Starting to show a bit of maturity but that's fine.  Medium golden in color.  The nose has slight diesel with wet rocks, lemon peel and slight simple syrup.  On the palate, there is some diesel.  A bit of sweetness but not a lot for an Auslese.  Great acidity.  Nice minerality.  Long finish.  This easily should last a couple more decades.  It would be great with Thai food.  

2001 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$105.00USD

This was given an hour in the decanter after decanting for sediment.  Purple/ruby in color.  This took a long time to come around.  In fact, we gave it another hour and then it finally started to open (2 hours total).  The nose is clean with raspberries, garrigue, and black licorice.  What a wonderful texture.  Silky yet plush and almost seamless.  Showing a bit of age, but then with more air it revived even further.  Lots of black and red raspberries, black cherries, lavender and spice.  Deep and tightly layered.  Long finish.  The proverbial last glass was the best.  This bottle was bough

2011 Marco Cecchini Colli Orientali del Friuli Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Italy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

The first two bottles opened of this were both corked.  The third was sound.  Refosco is the name of the grape mostly used in northeast Italy.  Deep ruby in color, lighter at the rim.  The nose is dusty with dark cherries and slight mild mint.  On the palate, light tannins with tart acidity.  Cherries and red currants.  This is drinking well but should be drunk sooner.  Some depth.  This will go well with pasta, pizza and most foods.  

2016 Julien Sunier Morgon, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is an outstanding wine.  If you are not looking at Cru Beaujolais wines then you are missing out on one of the real value regions for red wines anywhere.  This one retails for $30 but if you're lucky, you can find it for less.  The bottle I tried was $20.  Ruby in color, a bit muddled.  The nose is great.  Dusty with some decayed meat (in a good way), earth and plums.  A slight asparagus note.  On the palate, this has a lovely texture.  Plush with few seams.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  Plums and cherry fruit.  Some depth.  Good finish.  This may still get a bit better as it matur

2017 McPherson Wine Company MWC Pinot Noir, Australia, Victoria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

This is a Pinot Noir from Australia that retails for $17.  Very pale ruby in color, clear and bright.  Maybe a slight orange hue to it.  On the nose it has a cherry cotton candy quality.  Sweet and candied.  The palate is softly textured.  Sour cherry fruit that is also candied.  Not much acidity to it.  Simple.  This is made to drink alone and with out food.  It will be nice at a party or wedding as it has a good price point, drinks easy, and does not need food.  Probably should be consumed in the next year or two.  One of those wines that is what it is and does what it does for a fair pri

Pages

Pages