Category: Red Wine

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2001 La Cote by Chateau De La Negly, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Tonight’s occasion: 2001 La Cote by Chateau De La Negly, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Out of the bottle, plum opaque burgundy color, big aromatic nose with lots of plum and sediment terroir. Once opened up, unmistakable mushrooms and minerals emerge. Body is full. Mildly acidic attack quickly gives way to smooth buttery tannins. Plum and mineral terroir follow through from the nose. A smooth blackberry transition to finish fades away gracefully leaving behind a subtle dry tannic grip. This wine has clearly peaked but it is no less interesting. It is still showing well and very enjoyable. I prefer not to over-age a wine, primarily because you really miss it’s fullest richest expression, however I do appreciate opportunities like this to explore a wine’s potential, the region and overall style. This region has an interesting back story and I think it is worth exploring further.
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2015 Pinot Noir by Handpicked, Yarra Valley, Australia

Tonight’s occasion: 2015 Pinot Noir by Handpicked from Yarra Valley, Australia. Deep ruby color. Moderately aromatic nose with berries, caramel and a little leather. You can tell this is a bigger Pinot, not unlike your typical Northern California Pinot Noir. Once it opens up aromas become more intense. Bright but restrained body shows great balance as subtle tannin quickly steps up to the moderately acidic attack, along with notes of plum. A seamless transition to finish is punctuated by a subtle tightening of tannic grip, capped by moderate spice and heat that quickly dominates the palate and further down the chest. At 14.5% ABV this is by all accounts a big bold Pinot Noir. However it still manages to be very approachable and not the least overbearing. A testament to the winemaker’s craft. It is clean crisp, and has great character, structure and balance. Well done Mates! 😁🍷 Explore more Australian wines on WineSnob.
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2018 Pinot Noir by Helen & Joey Estate, Yarra Valley, Australia

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir by Helen & Joey Estate, Yarra Valley, Australia. Bright, clean, clear, ruby color. Nose is very subtle and delicate with bright notes of sweet cherry and caramel marshmallows. Once opened up a surprising very earthy manure leather emerges along with herbal notes. Body is clean, crisp, has good balance with mildly acidic attack which quickly transitions to equally mild and creamy tannins. Subtle black currants accompany the seamless transition from attack to finish. Finish is quick and brief. Once opened up, it becomes a long gentle affair with enduring tannic grip and subtle spice. Recommend at least 20-30 minutes decanting. Take your time and follow it through the evening. If you like subtle nuanced Pinot Noir, this is one I think you should try. It’s a shining example of what a classic Pinot looks like. Keep going back to the California Central Coast Pinot Noir Country. Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County. Beautiful, delicate, nuanced Pinot. I am reminded why I left Australia last year so convinced Pinot Noir is the best Australia has to offer. Helen & Joey nicely done Mates! 🍷😁👌🏽 Explore more Australian wines on WineSnob.
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2016 Nebbiolo Reserve by Barboursville Vineyards

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Nebbiolo Reserve by Barboursville Vineyards, Virginia, USA. Restrained nose with clear hints of cherry and caramel. I don’t expect an overly complex experience from Nebbiolo. This one is no exception. It is a little shy on the nose. Aromas are clean, crisp and delineated. A fine leather undertone emerges once opened up. This is interesting. Body is equally restrained, light, dry, void of any fruit. A very subtle herbal leather undertone carries through. It is very balanced. A hint of black currant quickly counters a mildly acidic attack. It is approachable out of the bottle. Once decanted (at least 20 minutes), a dry tannic grip emerges to dominate most of the body through a slightly tart plum finish capped with a little spice. A relentless dry tannic grip leaves the lips (and palate) parched and sealed shut. Further decanting reveals caramel notes throughout the body and finish. I suspect this is from the oxidation of tannins and the lack of any residual sugars which allows such subtlety to play out on the palate. This wine has more of the posture of a Barbaresco which tend to be on the lighter more nuanced side (for a Nebbiolo) as opposed to a Barolo which are typically dark, heavy and leathery or a Langhe Nebbiolo which are typically dark, massive, mineral, tannic beasts. While still clearly young, I suspect this wine will not change much over the next decade and beyond. The attention to detail shows here. Nebbiolo in this part of the world is a labor of love and a passion project. There is an adherence to core traditional winemaking principles here. It is a well made wine. The more I progress with this tasting the more I appreciate it. I am very curious to see what it is like after it’s had 10+ years to relax and further develop. Watching the sunset in my backyard in California, I am exploring a Nebbiolo from Virginia and it is a serious wine. Less than two weeks ago I had no idea grapes grew in Virginia. This is an amazing time for a WineSnob to be alive. Well done Barboursville!

Tech Sheet

2016 Barboursville Nebbiolo Reserve
Fermentation: 7-9 days on the skins in stainless steel
Maceration:  10-15 days
Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
Aging: 12 months, French oak barriques, new 30%, used 70%
Analysis: Alcohol, 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.0%
Total Acidity: 0.62%
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2015 Riserva Sangiovese by Vino Noceto

Tonight’s occasion: a side-by-side with the 2015 Riserva Sangiovese and the 2015 Sangiovese by Vino Noceto. This winemaker from Plymouth, Amador, California has been putting out an amazing Sangiovese with surgical consistency for as long as I can remember – well over a decade. The Sangiovese alone is a benchmark by which I measure all other Sangiovese, regardless of where it’s from. I cannot overstate how well made it is. There is a more limited companion, the Riserva Sangiovese. I have been meaning to open both at the same time and explore them together, side-by-side.

Sangiovese

My previous notes hold. It is very well behaved. A mild mannered nose with hints of raspberry and cherry which become more prominent in a very well structured and balanced body. There is a subtle creamy under layer to the body. The finish is unmistakably peppery. The spice lingers long after the finish has faded away, like the tannins of a Syrah. It doesn’t take long to open up but when it does a light buttery, oak undertone permeates the entire experience. I consider this Sangiovese a prime example of what is possible with this varietal, in this region and the greater California wine region.

Riserva Sangiovese

Color has a hint of brown and a touch darker compared the Sangiovese. Nose on the Riserva has unmistakably a more oak. This is expected as it is barrel aged 6-8 months longer than the Sangiovese. This has the effect of smoothing out the edges and giving it a velvety mouth feel. It seems a tad more acidic. Like any Sangiovese, I think it’s meant to be paired with food, especially meats. The Riserva even moreso. They both paired well with the New York Steak but it was pretty obvious this is where the Riserva really shines. It instantly cut through the steak, creating one seemless cohesive, creamy, buttery smooth experience. Wow. Hints of caramel, cocoa and tobacco emerge when paired. I’m not one to pair my wine as I like to fully immerse myself in all it’s nuance and complexity but this wine absolutely must be paired appropriately. The Riserva makes a great treat for any guest with a discerning palate. The Sangiovese is very approachable and an accessible price point, easily making it a very high quality every day wine. I always keep several bottles of this Sangiovese in my cellar as a reference and to show fellow WineSnobs what is going on off the beaten path. Explore more Vino Noceto on WineSnob.
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2017 Sonoma Pinot Noir by Pali Wine Co

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Riviera – Sonoma County) by Pali Wine Company. Shy nose. A little plum and dark berries. There’s a hint of that Sonoma dirt in the back. Body is fruit forward but shows good balance overall with mild acid and moderate tannins. A good overall mouth feel with notes of cocoa and cherries. Smooth finish which quickly dries out with a touch of spice. The wine paired excellent with smoked BBQ ribs. This is a great EDC (Every Day Consumption) wine. It presents good value at an approachable price point. It’s definitely what I call a pleaser. Wine is all about mood and if you’re in the mood for a good well made wine without necessarily over analyzing the experience or breaking the bank, you should consider this wine. It is still a little on the young side. I think it just might surprise you 2-3 years from now. Explore more Pali Wine Company on WineSnob.
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2016 Carmenere by Lapostolle

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Carmenere (Cuvée Alexandre) by Lapostolle Deep, dark, opaque color. Warm, thick heavy nose out of the bottle. Lots of black berries, hint of raisin, and an unmistakable black licorice reminiscent of Absinthe. Some good earthy leather underlies it all. Wow! Just from the color and nose, I was prepared for a massive body. I am however taken back by how restrained the body is from start to finish. Greeted immediately by a good melange of mild acid and moderate tannins, both forming a well orchestrated chassis which guides you to all the way through the finish. Fine grained tannins reveal themselves towards the back. The fruit and licorice carries through from the nose albeit with a healthy dose of restraint. The body is more dry than not. A little minerality emerges. I suspect this may be contributing to the fine grained texture on the palate. Transition to a quick finish is almost seamless, dominated by this chewy, fine grain texture, dry tannic grip and a touch of spice which diminishes as the wine opens up. This is more of a medium bodied wine posing as a heavy big bodied wine. It carries the hallmarks of a unique special wine. It is unconventional and makes no pretenses. It is clearly young and I can imagine how beautiful and nuanced it would be 5-10yrs from now. This is my first wine ever from the Colchagua Valley in Chile and I must say I am impressed and intrigued. I am reminded that somewhere in that corner of the world, someone is toiling away creating something remarkable. I will be adding this wine to my cellar and very much look forward to how it develops over the next several years. Explore more Lapostolle wines on WineSnob.
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2017 Pinot Noir (Rachael) by Dawn’s Dream, Santa Lucia Highlands

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Rachael) by  Dawn’s Dream Winery.

Shy nose out of the bottle. Deep rich ruby color. Once unlocked reveals a crisp bright bouquet of aromas. A hint of mellon, cherry, very subtle mineral terroir. There’s at least one or two other herbal/spice aromas I cannot pinpoint at the moment. It could be a play between the oak and other characteristics.

Body follows suit. Starting with a crisp acidic suggestion on the attack, followed by tart plum. And equal suggestion or tannin brings good balance to the body while transitioning to a slightly creamy finish. A delayed gentle but noticeable spice makes and encore well past the finish.Once opened up, this is accompanied by a hint of caramel. It is overall dry, and restrained. At 12.8% ABV it makes no fuss of the experience. It’s refreshing. I like that.

This is a clean, crisp example of a Pinot from this region. It demonstrates the winemaker’s ability to make a Pinot as such – that is representative, with wider appeal while still preserving the expression through the vine. I can see why this value proposition would be a favorite.

I highly recommend this Pinot. Enjoy it side-by-side with their signature Bel Sogno. That Pinot is a unique, beautiful, imperfectly perfect, all on its own. It provides a great contrast to the Rachael.

Well done Dawn! Thanks for sharing your Dream with us!

Tech Sheet

2017 Rachael Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Escolle, Santa Lucia Highlands
Clones: 777 & 115
Harvest Date: August 29th to September 1st 2017
Harvest Brix: 23.5
pH: 3.57
Titratable Acidity: 6.3
Fermentation: Stainless Steel Open-Top with manual Punch-Down
Oak: 12 months 30% new French Oak
Filtration: cross-flow
Production: 370 cases

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2018 Brouilly La Croix des Rameaux, Burdundy, France

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Brouilly La Croix des Rameaux by Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu, Burdundy, France.

Thick tense nose. A little shy at first. An intense leather. Lots of mushroom, saddle, barnyard, old victorian, damp woods/forest floor. So overwhelming, beyond that it is difficult to pinpoint the other layers. Far beneath it all is plum, black cherry and blackberry. Swirl vigorously and unlock the faintest hint of caramel. There is also a slight slate/mineral undertone.

The color and nose suggest massive tannins await but the body greets with good acidity and medium texture. The leather from the nose dominates the entire experience. It’s amazing. It’s as if this wine was infused with dirt and filterd through the terroir. Once opened up, plum turns into massive tannic grip that completely dominates the transition to a dry mineral finish leaving the palate parched. The leather turns smokey with a hint of tobacco.

This is a remarkable example of terroir expressed through the vine and into the wine. For that reason alone this wine is worth it. I also think it it still very young and will be an even more interesting and amazing wine in about 5 years. I would highly recommend picking one up and forget about it and thank me later.

Thanks to wine.com and their extensive library, you can now access most of the wines I review on here. You can use the link below to have Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu wines delivered to your doorstep.

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2016 Pinot Noir by Roger Roessler

 

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Pinot Noir (Lennox) by Roger Roessler Wines .

Clear, bright ruby red color. Bright nose with lots of cherry, leather undertone which upon closer inspection is definitely more silt like mix of dirt, sediment and sandstone. Definitely reminiscent of that signature Sonoma dirt.
Bright balanced body carries most of the characteristics in the nose forward. In addition a hint plum and black currant on the back provide good structure, composition and contrast to the cherry notes. Once opened up, subtle tannins turn creamy as they transition to a smooth clean finish capped with a hint of spice.

This wine is still young and should only get more nuanced over the next four or more years. As with most Pinot by this vintner, it will be a real gem around the 10 year mark. I just realized I have a case of this particular vintage in my cellar so it definitely didn’t hurt to explore it. My vertical goes back to its inception a few years before. His Pinot Noirs have forever changed the palates of many over the years.

Cheers Roger. Thank you for sharing your passion with us all. 🍷☺️🙏🏽

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