2017 Urban Vintner Sauvignon Blanc, USA, Ohio, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

This winery is located just east of Cleveland Ohio.  They purchase grapes from around the world and craft wines.  Most wines are sold locally or at their tasting room.  These grapes are from Clear Lake in Lake County, California.  Light silvery/gold in color.  The nose is a bit grassy with a slight melon note.  A nice slightly oily texture.  On the palate, this is light.  Some melon notes.  It's a bit flat but overall an easy, clean wine with no faults.  This should be a popular wine at the tasting room on a Friday summer night.  

2015 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Antle Vineyard, USA, California, Monterey, Chalone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

This was being closed out at a local wine store for $45.  It was part of a "natural" wine tasting.  I thought it was the best wine of the tasting though the crowd was mixed.  Ruby in color, cloudy and slightly flat in appearance.  The nose has plums, cherries and a slightly sweaty quality.  A very nice texture.  On the palate, bright cherry fruit.  Long finish.  This is drinking quite well right now.  It will go with most heavier and medium bodied foods.  

2017 Cruse Wine Company Monkey Jacket, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

This is a hodgepodge of grapes made in a "natural wine" style.  Twenty-five percent Alicante Bouschet, Grenache, Cinsault, Mondeuse, and Zinfandel from one source; another 25% Valdiguié; and the rest Syrah, Tannat, St. Laurent, and Carignan made from vineyards across California.  This was being closed out at a local wine store for $20.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has a sweaty sock quality to it.  Once you get past that, there are some cherries and pomegranate notes.

2017 Gen Del Alma Jijiji Red, Argentina, Mendoza, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
78
Grade: 
C+
Current Price: 
$8.00USD

Tasted at a natural wine tasting.  This is an interesting wine if not particularly something I wold want to drink again.  Purple/garnet/dark brown in color.  The nose is different.  Starting out with an earthy/musty note, it cleans up with air showing some red berries which in turn are followed by a sweet tart and bubble gum note.  Probably caused by carbonic maceration.  On the palate, this has a tingly quality that could be some trapped CO2.  It is very tannic for such a light bodied wine.  Black cherries and mushroom with an underlying damp earthiness.  Clipped on the finish.  This was s

2017 Stolpman Trousseau Combe Pet'Nat, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Ballard Canyon, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

Tasted at a "Natural Wine" tasting at a local wine store.  Pet'Nat is short for Pétillant-naturel (natural sparkling) and is also known as méthode ancestrale.  It is a way that sparkling wines were historically produced having the wine bottled before the primary fermentation is finished, and without the addition of secondary yeasts or sugars.

2017 Gen Del Alma Jijiji Chenin Blanc, Argentina, Mendoza, Uco Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

A "natural" wine, whatever that means.  It is an unusual take on Chenin Blanc.  Tasted a wine store tasting, this was my second time getting an opportunity to try this and it seemed like it has improved (or this was a better bottle).  Lighter in color than a previous bottle, so perhaps the first bottle had been oxidized a bit.  Light gold, clear and bright.  The nose is different with cardamom, and orange pith.  On the palate, this has tart oranges.  Strong acidity.  12% Alc.  It finishes a bit salty which is different and probably makes it more food friendly.  It was priced at $12 on close

2015 Saxum James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$135.00USD

My friend Charlie came by.  Now Charlie likes his wines big and young and we both love Saxum.  That sure seemed like a great opportunity to pull and young'un from the cellar and see what it was showing.  The surprising thing was how good and accessible this was already.  It's not at peak and will improve with cellaring, but if you have more than one, it's not a tragedy to open one now.  33% Grenache, 32% Mourvedre, 24% Syrah and 11% Counoise.   Purple in color, slight ruby line at the rim.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats, white pepper and slight floral notes.  This

2016 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Phinny Hill Vineyard, USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

One of the best Cabs from Sineann I have had.  This is classic Washington Cab.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose is great with black cherries, slight fresh rubber and tarragon.  On the palate, this is deep and intense.  Black cherry fruit over spice.  It unwinds in the glass.  Firm tannins.  Drank over three nights and it was best on night three.  Long finish.  This will work with a wide variety of foods.  Probably needs about five to seven years and then should be good for fifteen after that.  If opening now, decant for six to eight hours.   

2015 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah North Coast, USA, California, Wine Reviews

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Bedrock makes some great wines, but the low end of their pricing/releases gives consumers some of the best values in red wine.  This is their basic Syrah which is available to mailing list customers for around $21 delivered.  It is a classic, cooler climate but California Syrah.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, some black pepper, slight roasted meats and a bit of leather.  On the palate, this is tannic and tight.  With air, there is great black raspberry fruit with some damp earthiness underneath and a little peppery quality.  Wonderful texture.  Good finish.  Will work be

2016 Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

Aaron Pott has been making great wine in the Napa Valley for a while now.  Understandably, as the high critics scores have rolled in, the prices have crept up.  While this bottle is not cheap (around $75), it is a lot less than the Pott single vineyard wines.  Since I had never had one, my wife and I decided to open one young and drink it over a couple of days.  The result is this is an outstanding wine and should age nicely for a more than a decade.  Bright purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has nice cassis with a fair amount of char and spice.  On day 2, the oak blended more

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