2018 Sauvignon Blanc (Thracian Valley) by Bulgariana

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Sauvignon Blanc (Thracian Valley) by Bulgariana, Bulgaria.

Clean, bright yellow gold color. Up front, passion fruit, cantaloupe and a subtle wet earthy leather. Swirling vigorously gently intensifies the nose, rendering it somewhat mineral in expression. Tart white, stone fruit emerges towards the back (mostly plum). The faintest honeysuckle you’d likely miss. Very classy.

Body balanced, front to back. Dry. Without attack, a soft, plush, slightly weighed, mild mannered body greets and slowly blankets the entire palate. I can tell it’s dry but yet it’s mineral underpinnings have a mouth watering effect. Stone fruit carry forward and linger in the back. Leather turns from slight wet wood to mineral as it falls into the background. Transition to finish with very little fanfare, marked by emergence of a warm gentle spice, mineral leather with long enduring moist lips.

What a class act. At around $13, this wine is proof positive, not all good wine is expensive and not all expensive wine is good. Like the Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc, it punches several levels above its weight for a fraction of the price. My first wine from the Thracian Valley, second wine from Bulgaria. It gives me pause as I sit here sipping – there is someone in Bulgaria making world class wines. I feel compelled to travel to Bulgaria.

Nicely done folks!

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2019 D’Oro (Riserva di Vermentino) by Via Romano

Tonight’s Occasion: 2019 D’Oro (Riserva di Vermentino) by Via Romano, Sierra Foothills, CA

Rich aromatic nose. A bouquet of tropical fruit. I pick up notes of passion fruit, pomegranate, citrus, mild honeysuckle and an underlying mineral leather that greets the palate initially but quickly falls back as soon as you swirl vigorously. The nose is this wine’s hallmark. Massive, colorful, intense, beautiful.

The body is light. In complete juxtaposition with the nose. Smooth. Balanced from start to finish. A viscosity in the mouth feel. A light sweet citrus carries over, like Meyer Lemon as well as faint pomegranate. Subtle minerality has a slight palate wetting effect. White pepper emerges midway and gently frames a graceful, slightly dry finish that slowly fades off the palate.

This winemaker’s reds, particularly his Primitivo and Fiasco, have been my biggest distractions from exploring his whites. They are just as fun, dry, light, almost playful, light hearted and full of expression. If you’re ever in the El Dorado area, plan on spending some time at their tasting room. Take a few hours to go through both flights of red and white. You won’t be disappointed.

Molto bene Jon! 🍷😁👌🏽

2018 Grüner Veltliner (Columbia Valley) by Glacier View Cellars

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Grüner Veltliner (Columbia Valley) by Glacier View Cellars, Woodinville, Seattle, Washington.

Clear golden colors with a touch of sediment suspension. This wine is unfiltered. Nose is restrained with primary notes of citrus, peach and secondary apricot. A subtle leather lingers in the background.

Crisp vibrant body greets the palate with a good dose of acidity in the form of lemon, tart white plum and green apple. This is quickly followed by a slightly viscous, weighted mouth feel. Subtle mineral body has the effect of wetting the palate ever so slightly, keeping the its dry acidic expression from completely drying out the palate. White pepper adds fuel to the fire midway through, warming the entire experience from body to finish. As it opens up and the palate settles, it’s subtlety and nuance begins to shine through.

This is a sipper. You can’t rush it and you certainly can’t judge this book by its cover. It is a wine of bold contrasts and juxtaposition. I recommend it chilled. It’s the first and only Grüner Veltliner I’ve had. I found this Winemaker while wandering off the beaten path in Woodinville, outside Seattle. She embodies the kind of winemaker that keeps me off the beaten path. Her wines, unique one-of-a-kind vintages. This one is no exception.

Nicely done Stephanie!

WineSnob TV:
You can watch more about my visit to this winery while tasting in Woodinville here:
Off The Beaten Path – Woodinville, Seattle, Washington

2020 Torrontés (Alta Mesa) by Lewis Grace

Tonight’s occasion: 2020 Torrontés (Alta Mesa) by Lewis Grace, Placerville, California.

Pretty aromatic nose out of the bottle with vibrant notes citrus, honeysuckle, white cranberries and white plums. Has a slight viscosity to it. There is distant hint of minerality, so faint you’d likely miss it.

Body is dry, soft with a plush, silky, slightly weighted and luxurious mouth feel. Faint viscosity carries through from attack to finish. Expression is thin, light and wispy. Citrus carries through in the form of an unmistakable Mayer Lemon. Dry stone fruits linger in the background. There is a very faint tannic structure to the body it could almost be missed. Transition to finish is seamless ending in a light dry tannic grip and gentle warm spice heat. As it opens up and the palate adapts, the subtle minerality has a subtle palate wetting effect.

Well WineSnobs. I found another Gem Off The Beaten Path. This is a treat of a wine. A white wine at that. It is different, unique by all accounts. An unconventional expression. A very interesting varietal I have never had before. This wine is certainly worth exploring by all palates.

Very nicely done Lewis Grace!

WineSnobTV: Chardonnay Day

Did you celebrate Chardonnay Day? I know it did! In this segment we are featuring two guests. So pour yourself a glass, kick back and enjoy our chats. Our first guest is Eric from Bin 412 Wine (@bin412wine), a Wine Educator, Enthusiast and Explorer off the beaten path. He discusses a brief history of Chardonnay and it’s origins and his favorite from Porter Creek Vineyards. Be sure to check out his channel for insightful deep dives into wine. He’s a great resource in your journey through wine.
Bin 412 Wine: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Z3Pyn-RMSUYcwXpL_Cp9w https://www.instagram.com/bin412wine/ https://bin412.com/blog Our second guest is Felipe Tosso, Chief Winemaker at Ventiquero Estates  in Chile. He discusses the origins and story behind my favorite Chardonnay the Tara. A distinct pleasure I am only too happy to share with you. Ventisquero Wines: https://ventisquerowineestates.com/en/home/ https://www.instagram.com/ventisquero_wines/ ​​Are you looking for your own WineSnob T-Shirt (seen in this video)? It’s a great way to support WineSnob content. Visit the link below to get yours. https://winesnob.blog/apparel/​ Read more Ventisquero on WineSnob. You can access Ventisquero wines directly from the Ventiquero Wine Club website as well as on wine.com, both linked below. https://ventisquerowineclub.com
Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info. Shop Ventiquero wines on Wine.com

2016 Chardonnay (Tara) from Atacama Desert, Chile

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Chardonnay (Tara) by Ventisquero, Atacama Desert, Chile. Rich golden color. Beautiful aromatic nose greets with lots of leather, more specifically a mushroom, woody leather quite unlike anything else I’ve tasted. I can’t quite pinpoint it exactly but it is reminiscent of fresh redwood and cedarwood. There are faint distant hints of black licorice. Berries and a touch of cantaloupe make an appearance as secondary and tertiary notes. Amazing! Body is surprisingly balanced front to back. Acidity is restrained precisely balanced by buttery, creamy tannins in the form of subtle white cherries. This creates a full, lush, silky, luxurious, weighted mouth feel. The terroir and leathery notes remain front and center as in the nose but reveal their mineral underpinnings towards the back in the form of a slight chalky slate. Once opened up, this minerality becomes increasingly pronounced both in the body and nose. Transition to finish is seamless as it quickly vanishes over the palate. Unlike most chardonnay which leave your palate dry and tingling with spice, this one’s hallmark is an absolutely drenched, wet, moist (read drooling) palate. At 12.5% ABV, you can take your time and enjoy it without experiencing any palate fatigue. This is a fine wine by all accounts. An impressive feat considering it was fermented in whole clusters using only naturally occurring yeast and pressed by foot! Unfiltered! Wild! I am absolutely floored by this Chardonnay. I need to look into this winemaker’s work and this region at large. It has truly been an honor and pleasure to get a look at this wine. Bien hecho amigos! Read more Ventisquero on WineSnob. You can access Ventisquero wines directly from the Ventiquero Wine Club website as well as on wine.com, both linked below. https://ventisquerowineclub.com
Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info. Shop Ventiquero wines on Wine.com

2019 Grenache Blanc by Skinner Vineyards

Tonight’s occasion: 2019 Grenache Blanc by Skinner Vineyards, El Dorado, California. Clear light color. Out of the bottle a gentle burst of floral notes, a touch of honey. This slowly dissipates to suggestions of tart stone fruits and a slate-like minerality punctuated by a touch of leather and citrus notes. Swirl vigorously to unlock the whole experience all over again. Very cool! Body is very nicely balanced retaining moderate acidity while presenting a smooth, creamy and rounded mouth feel. The winemaker struck a perfect balance here. Stone fruits pull forward as floral notes fall back. You could almost miss the faint mineral leather. Transition to finish is seamless, only briefly punctuated by subtle dry tannic grip and a touch of spice which leaves the lips tingling. At 12.8% ABV, the palate can really explore this nuanced wine without being overwhelmed or fatigued. I like that. I have been tasting some amazing white wines this summer from this region. This Grenache Blanc exposes the palate to new levels of excellence. There has been a clear attention to detail and forethought put into this wine. It is showing well now and should further integrate nicely over the next few years. I’d get a few, have some now and save some for later. Very nicely done Skinner! Explore more Skinner Vineyads on WineSnob.
Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info. Shop Skinner wines on Wine.com

2018 Sauvignon Blanc by Lapostolle

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Sauvignon Blanc by Lapostolle, Valle del Rapel, Chile. “Not all expensive wine is good and not all good wine is expensive” ~ WineSnob Beautiful crisp aromatic nose with notes of mellon, hints of white cherry and stone fruit. A brisk swirl reveals a touch of licorice. If you strain, you can pick out a touch of leather in the back. Body shows good balance front to back with good acid followed almost immediately by creamy smooth tannins. It leans more on the dry side of the spectrum while retaining fruit aromas from the nose. Stone fruit is more pronounced. Transition to finish is seamless, as mild acidity quietly gives way to buttery tannin leaving the palate wet and tingling with a touch of spice. I reviewed a Carmenere by this winemaker not long ago which was immediately included in my long-term reserve. It presented incredible quality and potential for the price. I decided to take a look at their value offerings including this white and I must say that it is right in line with what I have seen so far. At around $12/btl it is peerless. Just buy a case and move on. Bien hecho Amigos! 🍷😁👌🏽 Explore more Lapostolle wines on WineSnob.
Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info. Shop Lapostolle wines on Wine.com

Guest Review: Chassagne-Montrachet Montagny Premier Cru

Au Pied du Mont Chauve’s 2015 Burgundy White is one of my favorite wines, so much so that I had this wine with the first dinner I ever cooked for my girlfriend. It was aged wonderfully! The wine has a mouth-watering acidity, that makes you crave a butter or cream-based sauce. Each sip is smooth and silky. It has hints of juicy pineapple, crisp green apple, and creamy vanilla on the nose and palate. I would definitely recommend this wine to any burgundy lover, but also suggest it to those who are looking for a fun break from an Oregon Chardonnay.

The Domaine Au Pied du Mont Chauve, is operated by Francine Picard, daughter of one of the biggest winemaking families in Burgundy. Francine, daughter of Michel Picard, grows beautiful grapes on the hills of Chassagne-Montrachet. Her wines are normally characterized by their limestone minerality, and supple fruits. Her calling has been to remain true to the tradition, and this is what any Burgundy drinker searches for. This wine, a premier cru, was selected for excellence, and lives up to that standard.

🌟: 9/10, 3 Preference, 2 Complexity, 1 Pairability, 1 Convenience, 2 Drinkability
💲: 30.00 USD (TotalWine)
🥐: I paired this with a braised chicken with a creamy mushroom reduction.

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

2018 California Rose by Empathy Wines, California

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 California Rose by Empathy Wines (of the most notable Gary Vaynerchuck), Napa California.

I was fortunate to receive a case of this Rose at launch. Thank you @myteslaadventure @reallifestarman!

In case you aren’t familiar with Empathy Wines, it is one of Gary Vaynerchuk’s (@garyvee) recent ventures. I cannot remember the last time I indulged in a Rose. I have been waiting for the perfect day to review it. With a protracted winter and rainy spring, today seemed better than any other day.

Nose has very crisp, fresh floral notes, rich in watermelon, berry and cucumber. If you dig deeper you can pick out a very faint hint of the terrior. That gets me every time! The nose may be fruit forward but the body less so. The watermelon and cucumber roll over into the body very nicely. A slight oak and diminished acidity allow these subtle characteristics to shine through. The body ends in buttery smooth transition which dominates the experience through the finish. There’s a very very faint spice note which fades away gracefully leaving you wondering what that was all about as you take another sip.

I have never seen a Rose quite like this. It is subtle, complex, and structured. It is very well built. This is a Rose I am perfectly fine with. Great job @empathywines and @garyvee! 🍷🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽