2023 Bodegas Valdemar Rioja Conde de Valdemar Rosé, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is a blend 60% Garnacha Tinta,and 40% Viura from Rioja, Spain.  Light but intense pink/orange in color, clear and bright.  The nose is lovely with cherries, strawberries, minerals and slight citrus.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has nice balance with good fruit.  Cherries, slight black cherries, strawberries and also some minerality.  Good finish.  This is very food friendly and should work well with most foods and it drinks well on its own.  A nice pairing with Sauteed vegetables over rice.  Drink over the next year or two.  Nice value.

2003 Clos Mimi Grenache Hommage à Henri Bonneau, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

A blast from the past.  100% Grenache made into a full throttle dessert wine.  This spend a long time in barrel prior to bottling.  18.5% abv and NOT fortified.  At age 21, this was singing.  Mostly brown but with some red hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has raspberries, dark chocolate and a bit of spice.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Deep and complex.  Contemplative.  This seems like its at peak but should have some time left.  Really a special wine.  Congrats to Tim Spear.  

Côte Mas 2023 Rosé Aurore Pays

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$11.99USD

Summertime is always a great time for rosé, but of course, all year long is even better. Rosé should always be low alcohol with light, bright fruit, and a wine that works with a variety of foods, and should be a wine that is not overly complicated. Côte Mas, which I have reviewed for several vintages, is a consistently good, inexpensive rosé that works well pretty much whenever. This iteration is comprised of mainly Grenache with Cinsault and Syrah. It offers bright strawberry, cranberry and pomegranate, light rhubarb and fresh cherry.

2015 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Olivets, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is 80% grenache with 10% Syrah and 10% Cinsault.  It is a more traditionally styled CdP.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright with some purple swirls.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, black raspberries, slight floral notes, and spice.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, slight earthiness and spice.  This seems about fully mature but should drink well for another five to eight years.  Better with food, this worked well with assorted pizzas.  

2023 M. Chapoutier Vin de Pays d'Oc Bila-Haut Rosé, France, Roussillon, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

This is a Rosé wine from master Rhone producer Michel Chapoutier.  It is a blend of 60% Cinsault and 40% Grenache aged in stainless steel.  Salmon pink in color with some pale orange hues, clear and bright.  The nose is great with strawberries, cherries, slight watermelon and a bit of dry earth.  Medium bodied.  Very lite but present tannins.  On the palate, this is crisp and dry and refreshing.  Flavors of strawberries and watermelons.  Easy to drink.  Moderate finish.  This is a great summer sipper on its own and will work well with lighter foods and would be a nice wine with grilled fish

2023 Halter Ranch Rosé, USA, California, Paso Robles, Adelaida District, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$37.00USD

Another very nice wine from Halter Ranch.  This rosé is a blend of 93% Grenache, 5% Picpoul Blanc, and 2% Syrah.  Salmon pink/orange in color, clear and bright.  The nose is "summertime" with strawberries, slight watermelon, slight rhubarb, and a touch of tangerine.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, this drinks easy.  flavors of strawberries, watermelons and slight bitter cherry (not in a bad way) notes.  Good finish.  This is nice on its own, but would work well with lighter dishes such as Tuna or Pasta Salad.  Drink now.  

Danaus 2022 Red Blend

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

This blend of 45% Tempranillo, 45% Garnacha Tinta with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in, this wine, made with organic grapes, is truly a stellar piece of winemaking considering it’s $13 price tag. Not only is it seamlessly blended but the acidity supports the impeccable fruit of blackberry, black cherry, plum, cassis, and light blueberry. There’s a solid core of acidity that runs through this supporting the structure of the wine. A scant four months of aging in small French oak accentuates the fruit.

2020 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses Laderas de Pizarra, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This was a staple around 15 or 20 years ago.  It was the "value" wine in the Palacios portfolio, but I hadn't tried it in years.  It is a blend of 72% Garnacha and 28% Carinena.   Tasted blind, the guess was Chateauneuf du Pape.  For a wine of this quality, it is still nicely priced especially for a wine from Priorat.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with black cherries, wild herbs and spices.  Great texture.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries, black cherries, slight char and spice.  Long finish.  This drinks well now and s

2018 Andremily Grenache, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Grenache seems to be one of the more difficult grapes to make wine with in California.  So many  are overdone and taste roasted while others are thin and insipid.  It is a grape that gets very ripe and matching that to the California sunshine is not easy.  Andremily is one winery that seems to achieve that balance.  They are big wines but not roasted or hot, but full of flavor and texture.  A blend of 80% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre and 6% Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The  nose has black cherries, black raspberries, dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great

Pages