2016 Domaine des Miquettes St. Joseph Madloba, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$56.00USD

This is what is sometimes referred to as an "orange" wine.  What that means is that it is fermented on its skins.  The extended skin contact transfers some color to what is otherwise a white wine.  It has other effects on the wines depending on the wine making process.  Though this style of winemaking has been around for a long time, a small subsection or wine lovers and commentators discovered these wines about ten years ago and became enthralled with them.  Like anything however, just because a wine is made in this style doesn't make them good or bad.  This one, however, is very good.  Th

2017 Domaine de la Côte Sainte-Epine St. Joseph Blanc Vieilles Vignes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$26.97USD

On a cold winter Sunday, after making a pot of Lentil Soup, this was opened and it was a perfect match.  St. Joseph Blancs are not all that common but this one is worth searching out (so are this producer's reds)!  Light golden in color.  The nose is nice with a bit of wax, but nice peach and slight tropical fruit.  Very clean.  On the palate, this comes across with a lot of acidity until the finish where it get's really turned up.  Nice creamy texture.  Some peach and slight bees wax.  Depth  For around $25, this was a great match.  

2013 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

Gorgeous wine.  A blend of mostly Marsanne with some Roussanne.  Drinking great right now but Rhone white wines are always unpredictable.  Golden in color.  The nose has some peaches, wax with an herbal note floating above the rest.  Very nice.  It has a slightly oily texture with lots of body weight.  The peach notes carry thru to the palate.  Slightly orange citrus on the finish.  This will probably shut down at some point but then reopen and last for a couple more decades.  This will work with moderately hearty foods.  

2016 Denner Theresa, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

One of the great white Rhone wines from California.  50% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Vermentino, 10% Picpoul, 10% Marsanne.  Green gold in color.  The nose has slight limes with some citrus and slight wax.  On the palate, this has a wonderful plush texture with great crispness on the wine.  Deep and complex despite its youth, it unwinds in the glass.  Slightly oily.  Long finish.  Works with or without foods.  This will likely age well, but is so good now, I don't think it gets better, just different.  

2012 Maison Bouachon Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Tiare du Pape Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is drinking really well right now.  Light golden in color.  The nose is great with minerals, lemons, wax but also plenty of melon and tropical fruit.  On the palate, this has a nice cutting acidity.  Good melon and lemon fruit.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  While still drinking youthfully, it it open for business.  It will probably start to show more signs of maturity in a few years but is delicious right now.  

2015 Denner Theresa, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

30% Rousanne, 25% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 15% Picpoul, and 10% Vermentino.  This is one of my favorite (mostly) Rhone white wines from Paso Robles.  Light golden in color.  The nose is really nice with peaches, slight canned peaches, a nice minerals streak, some vanilla candle and some lemon peel.  On the palate, this has a great oily texture.  Slightly viscous.  An excellent crispness.  Depth and complexity.  Do not serve this too cold as the complexity really comes out when the wine starts to get over 60F.  Peaches, lemons, and minerals.  Long finish.  Great with food.  

2014 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Light copper.gold in color.  The nose is gorgeous with almonds, candle wax and minerals.  With air, slight tangerine notes begin to emerge.  This is showing quite open right now.  Will it shut down for a bit?  Experience says yes, but who knows?  This is a bit riper or more open anyway than the 2012 consumed along with it.  More minerality with an interesting menthol/Eucalyptus note on the finish.  Oily texture.  Long finish.  This is young and tightly packed but has a nice complexity.  

2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Where to start?  This is one of the great white wines of the world.  Such a fascinating and contemplative wine.  Made from a field blend of 80/20 Marsanne and Roussane.  i was a bit aprhensive about this as Hermitage Blanc at age 6 can often be shut down.  Light/medium gold.  This showed quite well though.  The nose is waxy with some honey and slight white floral notes.  With air, almonds and slight tangerine notes.  Fascinating.  Slightly oily texture.  Full bodied.  Great minerality.  Earthy with almonds and slight citrus.  Long finish.  Warming, not hot on the finish.  Certainly some ups

2015 Denner Theresa

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

One of my favorite white Rhones from California. Served a bit too cold, this needed to warm up a bit. Then it was great. Green/gold in color. The nose is lemony with a slight waxy note once warmer. Also a nice mineral streak. On the palate, this is crisp and bright. Lots of energy. Lemons with that mineral streak. Long finish. Worked well with food. Its hard to guess on the ageing trajectory of these wines, but it seems very young now and enjoyable. I will hold at least one to age a bit and see.

Wines to Go Buy This Week: Bargetto La Vita and Tahbilk Marsanne

Wines to Go Buy This Week: An "Italian-fusion" California Red by Bargetto and Tahbilk Marsanne, a deliciously rare single varietal white. This past weekend we filmed the latest round of IntoWineTV videos (the first video will be live in about a week, we're moving away from wine reviews to wine discussions. Sort of a wine version of The View if you will). As is typical when we film IntoWineTV, the cast and crew had the luxury of indulging in many fantastic wines. Heck these shoots have almost become an excuse for everyone involved to share their latest wine faves. Over the course of the weekend I discovered two wines that made me do a double take and which are the basis for this week's "Wines to Go Buy This Week": La Vita, Bargetto Family Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains, 2006 - This wine arrived in a recent California Wine Club Signature Series shipment (and kudos to CWC as yet again they delivered a hit. I love the Signature Series.). La Vita is an unusual California red blend in that it is made from the traditionally Italian varietals of Dolcetto, Refosco, and Nebbiolo. Traditionalists may scoff at the notion of a California producer making its version of an Italian red -I'm just waiting for someone to complain that this wine has "no sense of place" - but the end result is a delicious wine that reflects qualities of both California and Italy. If this were a restaurant this wine would be labeled "Italian fusion". No it's not authentic or traditional but it is delicious, unique, and well worth a try (though at $60 a bottle, it's hardly a value buy). Buy Bargetto La Vita

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