Category: Red Wine

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2014 Nebbiolo by La Cetto, Baja California, Mexico

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Nebbiolo by La Cetto, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico.

Yes folks. You read that right. Someone in Mexico is making a Nebbiolo. So tonight we are taking an oenological journey to find out. It’s always interesting to see how a region influences the expression of the grape. Nebbiolo outside of Italy is a rarity and often a passion project of the winemaker.

Lots of berry and oak in the nose. I suspect this has to do with the barrel aging process. A technique often used to tame a massive wine and make it a little more approachable in its younger years. The drawback is the risk of over-oaking the wine. I don’t think that’s the case here however I have to strain to pick out a subtle mineral terroir in the background. It is there nonetheless and a familiar pleasure. There is at least one more floral note I cannot pinpoint.

The body shows really good balance and restraint for a Nebbiolo especially. It’s expression sits somewhere between a classic Barolo and a crisp Barbaresco. Mineral terroir is more pronounced. Gives it more of a dry mouth feel. Firm, crisp tannins dominate the back, leading into a tart almost bitter finish. The palate quietly dries out with a tingle of spice lingering in an Iron clad tannic grip.

Once opened up it presents itself with a much more mature and refined posture. Out of the bottle the oak and berry were a bit distracting, however after letting it breathe, I must say I am impressed. The body also turns creamy.

We truly are living in a global wine making golden age. A time where I can sit in the comfort of my own home, explore and indulge in some amazing obscure vintages from around the world.

Bien hecho amigos! 🍷😁👌🏽

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2008 Pinot Noir by Roger Roessler

Tonight’s occasion: 2008 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Roessler of Roger Roessler Wines.

I have been following this vintner’s work for more than a decade. His style of Pinot lend themselves to long graceful aging. They are absolutely gorgeous wines after about a decade. This is a bittersweet moment to match the bittersweet day I just had. It is my last bottle. I will never indulge in this vintage again.

It has a very rich, aromatic nose full of sweet cherry, caramel/marshmallow, hint of licorice and leather undertone. Each swirl unlocks a burst of aromas. It’s a neat little trick. I’m grinning with every sip. Body is very balanced, opening with a hint of acidity which quickly gives way to a chewy, creamy structure. Transition to a brief finish is seamless. The whole experience quickly fades away from the palate before you have a chance to catch up, leaving you wondering if the wine is trying to tell you something. Very gentle spicy tannic grip lingers long after its over.

Wines like this are the reason I have a cellar. I want to catch it when it is peaking. When a wine is at its fullest expression. This wine is perfect right now. I certainly feel blessed and fortunate right now.

Thank you for always pursuing your passion Roger 😌🙏🏽🍷🍷🍷

Explore more Roger Roessler Wines on WineSnob.

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2016 Cabernet Franc by Medeiros Family Vineyards

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Cabernet Franc (Santa Clara Valley) by Medeiros Family Vineyards.

Late last year as we wrapped our year long rediscovery of the Fair Play and greater Foothills and South El Dorado Hills region we stumbled upon this humble winemaker as he was just moving into his new humble estate in Fair Play. After sharing some wine with him and hearing his story, I couldn’t be happier to welcome another talented winemaker to the region.

Nose is thick and full of berry, plum and an intense sweet cherry. Atypical for a Cabernet Franc. A subtle hint of leathery terroir lingers in the back. The body is fruit forward however not as much as the nose would suggest. The plum carries over into the body. This is a Cab Franc and I don’t expect more than two or three dimensions in the body. This one is no exception. However like a well built Cab Franc, what is does, it does really well. Excellent chassis provides good structure. Massive crisp tannic grip begins to dominate the affair before it’s over. Other than its ever tightening tannic grip the finish is dry, clean, and smooth. Great contrast. No spice. This is a classic California Cabernet Franc.

I look forward to following his work closely. 😁🍷🍷🍷

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2015 Langhe Nebbiolo by La Sacrestia

Tonight’s occasion: 2015 Langhe Nebbiolo by La Sacrestia. Langhe, Italy.

I am completely enamored with Nebbiolo from Langhe. This lesser known region offers great value and massively intense wines.

Crisp clean nose. Subtle tart berry with a hint of marshmallow/caramel in the back. Terroir is without a doubt all dusty mineral. Very characteristic of this region. The nose is very tight – even after aerating requires vigorous swirling to unlock the aromas – without doubt this wine has a long journey ahead of it.

Body is all business. First thing you notice is a bit more leather along with the mineral terroir. Mild acity is noticeable but restrained over a firm chassis. Good structure and balance for a Nebbiolo this young. It’s difficult to separate the body from finish as massive tannic grip emerges midway and dominates the entire experience. The more it breathes, the bigger the grip. A subtle spice makes an appearance after the fact, leaving your lips tingling.

It may be lesser known but it is no less of a Nebbiolo than its peers. It is a great bargain at around $16 from Total Wine. It presents a great opportunity. Pick up a bunch now and forget about them. Thank me in 5-10 years. 🍷😁👌🏽

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2014 Cabernet Franc by Easton

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Cabernet Franc (Monarch Mine Vineyard) by Easton. From the 2019 WineSnob.blog Winemaker of the year. I have been looking forward to exploring his work with Cab Franc. Deep inky color. Aromatic nose for a Cab Franc. Big plum and blackberry on the front and mineral earthy terroir on the back. Big bold fruity body dominated by tart plum and blackberry. Heavy chewy tannins make a delayed entrance and turn slightly creamy once it breathes a little. Nice seamless transition to a long woody, tannic finish capped with moderate spice. This wine is well built and very approachable now. It should age nicely over the next few years. Wines like this are why I choose to stay off the beaten path. Thanks you Bill & Jane. I’m looking forward to many more great vintages. 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 Easton wines delivered to your doorstep. Shop Easton wines on Wine.com
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2014 Pinot Noir by Bulgariana

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir by Bulgariana. This one comes from the Danube Plain in Bulgaria. Yes, you read that right!

Wine is an art form. To truly appreciate it you have to constantly seek it out. You have to venture off the beaten path. You can’t just stagnate with what seems popular. You will miss out on some of the greatest wines you never knew about.

I’m impressed with this wine. It has an aromatic nose rich in cherry, plum, a hint of leather and tobacco. A subtle bitter reminiscent of cocoa. The body is fairly full for a Pinot, introducing more plum and a hint of licorice on the front. Earthy terroir and tobacco conspire to create an intriguing expression in the back. Once opened up, bold creamy tannins dominate a long lasting finish capped with a healthy note of spice.

I picked this wine up at out of curiosity. I wanted to explore that corner of the world and I certainly am surprised. Furthermore at $14 a bottle it definitely punches above it’s weight. This is how you find good value. It is far superior to some of the Pinot I had last weekend in Napa and Sonoma, for a fraction of the price.

What’s the most obscure region you have explored?

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Guest Review: 2015 Grand Vin De Bordeaux by Chateau Joly

Guest Review: Saint-Emilion Chateau Joly 2015 Grand Vin De Bordeaux.

Saint-Emilion is the home of great Merlot, and, Chateau Joly – owned by one of the three eldest negociants in France – showcases that. Horeau-Beylot is the négociant and supplier of wine across many regions of Bordeaux, including a large range of grand crus! This wine is composed of different vineyards aging 25years old on average. The expertise and wisdom that is build from these wines shows.

It was a pleasure to drink this wine! It’s got a smooth and velvety feel, a nice balance that won’t make your mouth water too much, nor dry it out. As a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend it’s quite fruity, lots of fresh cherry and raspberry. It was complex, and the terroir of Saint-Emilion shines through this wine. I would recommend this wine to anyone interested in a great Bordeaux blend that is fruit forward.

🌟: 9/10, 3 – Preference, 2- Complexity, 1 Pairability, 1 Convenience, 2 Drinkability
💲: 29.99USD (@totalwine)
🥐: Could be paired well with a cherry pie actually, or a nice pork shank!

Salut! 😁🍷🍷🍷

About our guest

Ethan Turner is author of today’s Guest Review. All the way from Scottsdale Arizona, Ethan is a certified Level 1 Sommelier actively working in the service industry where he gets to sharpen his palate on a daily basis. In his own words.

“Going to a wine shop is like going to a library. Each wine has its own story, flavor profile, and shelf life. Some wines are popular and become classics, some wines are trendy and go out of style within a few years. That makes it really hard to find the right wine. I love helping find what’s perfect for them.”

You can follow Ethan’s journey via his Instagram page @ineedsommehelp

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Reserve: 2017 Langhe Nebbiolo by Nada Fiorenzo

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Langhe Nebbiolo by Nada Fiorenzo.

Nose of leather and berry. Swirl it a little and out comes oak and cherry. Dry, structured and fairly balanced body features tart plum and a hint of vanilla in the back. Big, dry tannic finish leaves you parched and going for another sip.

This is a definitely Nebbiolo. Unapologetic. Unpretentious. Not unnecessarily complex or complicated. It is a well made quality wine. Although surprisingly mature for a nebbiolo this age, it is also very young and will show very nicely, given ample time. This Nebbiolo is very young but presents a unique value proposition. You can pick up a few bottles at @totalwine fairly inexpensively and forget about them for another 5 to 8 years when it should be showing marvelously. Salute! 🍷😁👌🏽

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2015 Nebbiolo by Travaglini Gattinara

Tonight’s occasion: 2015 Nebbiolo by Travaglini Gattinara. Clear, ruby red color. Unconventional for most Nebbiolo. Crisp nose with slightly earthy mineral terroir. A suggestion of tart plum, and at least another very faint floral aroma I cannot pinpoint. Body is dry, crisp plum, with lots of structure. A noticeable melange of leather and mineral rock emerges towards the back end of the body. An increasingly dominating tannic grip only gets stronger and more intense as it transitions to the finish by the end of which your lips and entire palate are held hostage by its intense, dry, ironclad grip. A spicy heat joins in the bold, forceful, dramatic expression and lingers long after. This vintage is powerful and shows great potential. While it may be barely approachable now, it is nowhere near ready. I last opened a 2010 last year and reviewed it on here. This wine needs at least another 5 years. TotalWine stopped carrying it in California but I found some in Seattle this weekend. Unfortunately I am unable to continue building a vertical of it in my cellar. [UPDATE] Wine.com carries this wine so I will resume building my vertical. See links below. To the folks at Travaglini, I most certainly hope to see you when I visit Italy. Molto bene! 🍷😁👌🏽 Explore more Travaglini Gattinara wine on WineSnob.
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Reserve: 2017 Pinot Noir by Bumgarner

Tonight’s occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (El Dorado) by Bumgarner.

Bright ruby color. Upon opening there’s a noticeable burst of sweet licorice on the nose. Sweet cherry joins in the ensemble. A hint of oak and at least one other floral aroma I cannot pinpoint at the moment. Body is moderately acidic, dry, tart plum, slightly tannic, showing good structure and balance. Once it’s opened up, the transition turns creamy. A slight mineral leather makes an appearance right before transitioning to a subtly floral finish. A gentle, spicy tannic grip caps the whole experience. This is a clean, well executed Pinot Noir.

While very approachable right now, it is nowhere near it’s fullest expression. I would give this Pinot at least another 5-10 years. I have been following this winemaker’s work for the better part of the past two decades. I have never seen him make a Pinot before. As a matter of fact I have never seen a Pinot Noir from the El Dorado region. I couldn’t think of a better craftsman to undertake this task. His style is more traditional old world wines that lend themselves to graceful aging. Pick up a few bottles and forget about them. Thank me later. I’m looking forward to more amazing Pinot Noir Brian!🍷😁👌🏽