Wine Snob

June 8, 2021January 6, 2022

2018 Eighteen Sixty One (GSM) by Skinner Vineyards

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Eighteen Sixty One (GSM) by Skinner Vineyards, Fair Play CA Deep intense semi-opaque color. Nose is a little shy out of the bottle with an unmistakable dusty old leather. Swirling vigorously unlocks a slightly heavy layer of dark cherries, cola, and blueberries. Leather turns from slight sawdust to wet wood. Distant hints of licorice could almost be missed. As it opens up, the cherry cola becomes more pronounced. Body has almost no attack. It is balanced right down the line and greets the palate almost immediately with a soft plush light mouth feel. It brings a smile to my face because I know winemaker Adam Smith comes from an Oregon Pinot Noir background. The subtlety here bears an uncanny resemblance. Dark cherries are heavily restrained providing an unobtrusive structure. Minerality is subtle and has the effect of wetting the palate. Body is bone dry. If there is oak, I cannot detect it. I feel like I am tasting nothing but the grapes, the vines and the subtle parts of the terroir. Body and finish are almost one as wet an dry interplay on the palate, over a thin whispy cola.

Skinner for me has always been reference to the greater region. Adam’s style is precise, with clear vision and an unmistakable influence as a natural Pinot winemaker. For a region and Vineyard that easily makes some of the biggest boldest wines I know, this is a textbook exercise in restraint, balance and nuance. This wine demans focus and undivided attention of the intermediate to advanced palate. Nicely done Adam and the entire crew at Skinner Vineyards! Explore more Skinner Vineyads on WineSnob.

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June 5, 2021November 7, 2021

2018 Grenache (Heringer Estates) by Passaggio

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Grenache (Heringer Estates) by Passaggio Wines, San Francisco, California.

Just look at the color. Wow. Nose is slightly shy out of the bottle with primary notes of a crisp sweet cherry cola. A damp old oak leather lingers in the back. Swirling vigorously unlocks a burst of bright, sweet cherry, strawberry and red vines licorice. Faint blueberries linger in the back. Ugghhh… Seriously!

Body is restrained and precisely balanced. A plush, cola greets the palate, imparting a soft bitter essence. Cherries and crisp oak add a soft, fleshy, palate-wetting, mouth feel. Bacon Fat! That’s it! Thin crisp tannins provide just enough structure while remaining almost unnoticeable. As it progresses, a firm heat slowly ramps up, fully engulfing the palate from front to back. Over time this heat falls way back. Giving way to a dry dusty finish with cola and cherry dancing into the sunset, as it comes full circle. At 13.4% ABV, I am going to thoroughly enjoy this occasion.

Cindy’s wines are highly understated, precise, balanced, crisp and beautiful. There’s a certain obsession with perfection I don’t see often. This starts with the color. Usually wines this good, have an element of creative chaos. Not her wines. I cannot say enough about this Winemaker’s work.

Cindy… Stoppit! You’re killin me!🍷😭👌🏽

Read more about Passagio Wines on WineSnob.

June 4, 2021June 24, 2021

2018 Triptych (Dry Red Table Wine) by Saint Tryphon

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Triptych (Dry Red Table Wine) by Saint Tryphon, Boerne, Texas.

Big bright cherries and damp forest floor dominate the nose. Are we in Texas? Hints of oak, honeysuckle and other floral notes intermingle.

Body is nicely balanced. Cherries carry through, adding a touch of plum as it opens up. Thin tannins provide a touch of structure. Berries and subtle oak create a full mouth feel, reminiscent of a Zinfandel. As it progresses, fruit notes become more prominent. Subtle spice notes become more intense as they turn into a warm ever present heat. Finish is fairly dry with a subtle tannic grip.

This is my first time tasting a wine from Texas. It is a simple wine, well made, not overly abstract, a pleaser with broad appeal. Somewhat fruit forward overall. I can see this particular wine as a chill-able red porch pounder. It is fairly dry for as expressive as its fruit characteristics are. If this is any indication, I think I should get my boots on the ground in TX and dig deeper.

Nice work Saint Tryphon. Thank you Angela for sharing your favorite wines with us.

May 30, 2021November 30, 2022

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

May 26, 2021January 8, 2022

2013 Sangiovese (Hillside) by Vino Noceto

Tonight’s occasion: 2013 Sangiovese (Hillside) by Vino Noceto, Plymouth, CA. Intense ruby color. This is a Noceto after all. Out of the bottle, a slightly warm, damp nose full of sweet cherries, subtle leather and a hint of wet mineral. This dissipates but quickly returns with a swirl along with hints of licorice, sweet cherry cola and a chalky granite. What a treat. Body greets with a pinch of acidity. This is quickly smothered by a smooth, silky ,velvety body not unlike the Riserva, maybe a touch lighter. One subtle but noticeable characteristic is a hint of bitter cola that permeates the background. This lingers long after the body has faded away. This has a slight mouth watering effect in the finish as it turns to subtle sweet cherries and a touch of spice.

I wanted a treat today and I got it. This Sangiovese is has really come along nicely. If you have any, I recommend opening it now. Everything is restrained, and gentle while retaining much of its character. A great wine from an understated winery and one of my favorite winemakers. Rusty and the entire crew at Vino Noceto, nicely done! Molto bene!🍷😁👌🏽 Explore more Vino Noceto on WineSnob.

May 17, 2021June 7, 2021

2018 Optu (Bordeaux Blend) by Fidelitas, Red Mountain.

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Optu (Bordeaux Blend) by Fidelitas, Red Mountain.

Deep dark semi opaque color. Warm, aromatic nose with lots of ripe plums, blackberries, wet wood leather and dusty slate. A touch of caramel and cedarwood lingers in the back. When swirled vigorously, these all intensify and conspire to create subtle bursts of licorice.

Body is dry and moderately acidic on the attack. This is immediately tempered by restrained tannins in the form of tart plums. This provides a measured amount of structure. A subtle, crisp oak vanilla (reminiscent of neutral French oak), adds good dimension and enhances the fruit essence ever so slightly. Transition to finish is characterized by black currants and bitter cola ending with a dry, dusty tannic grip and moderate spice tingle.

I remember visiting their tasting room just outside Seattle. I enjoyed every wine I tasted but had to pick one to bring back and this is it. It’s a well built Bordeaux Blend that speaks to the region at large. I like how bigger blends express themselves with a little more restraint. While it may show well now, it still young and has many more years ahead of it.

Nicely done!

May 14, 2021June 7, 2021

2018 Pinot Noir by Bulgariana, Danube Plain, Bulgaria.

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir by Bulgariana (@bulgarianawine), Danube Plain, Bulgaria.

Not all expensive wine is good and not all good wine is expensive. This is one of the best things about venturing off the beaten path.

Dark intense color (for a Pinot Noir). Crisp, slightly warm and restrained nose with notes of black plum and a loamy wet wood leather. Swirl vigorously to unlock ripe dark cherries and subtle hints of licorice. A very distant floral/honey that you’d likely miss.

Body is dry, balanced. Crisp black plum and cherry carry through albeit even more restrained. This provides a thin, unobtrusive structure. Damp wood and a touch of crisp oak (guessing neutral French oak) bring good dimension to this otherwise fairly dry wine. Midway through a gentle but firm, warm heat emerges, quickly making its way down the chest. This marks the transition to finish, a graceful fade away leaving the palate parched with a gentle dusty tannic grip and subtle bitter cola.

This wine surprised me the first time I had it a couple years ago. I had the 2014 vintage and it was just as revealing. That vintage has aged very beautifully, revealing lots of all spice and earth notes. I can see this 2018 vintage showing even better a few years from now. Perhaps the best part about this wine is that it will set you back a modest $14 or so. What a great value for the intermediate to advanced palate looking to explore this lesser known region.

Nicely done!

May 12, 2021June 7, 2022

2017 La Bohème by Naggiar Vineyards

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 La Bohème (Bordeaux Blend) by Naggiar Vineyards, Sierra Foothills, CA.

Deep dark rich ruby color. Out of the bottle, nose is a bit restrained with crisp dark plum and a wet granite essence, and touch of sweet cherry cola you’d likely miss. Swirling vigorously releases more cherry cola and wet granite reminiscent of a mid-summer rain on a hot day – that essence that rises from the first drops as they hit the warm gravel. As it breathes, an unmistakable anise emerges in the back and moves forward. This is expected of a terroir driven wine from this region. I love it.

Body is clean, crisp, dry and balanced from front to back. Restrained tart plum ushers a well mannered expression providing crisp, thin but firm tannic structure. A clean crisp oak elevates the fruit essence. It is so subtle you’d likely miss it. I suspect neutral oak was used here. It has a precise, measured mouth feel. Crisp tannins turn dusty as body slowly gives way to its mineral underpinnings, black currants and a gentle, warm spice which emerges through the finish, descending down the chest and leaving the lips parched shut under a gentle but firm tannic grip.

This Bordeaux blend comes across as an exercise in balance and restraint. It is a well crafted example I can easily recommend for the intermediate to advanced palate who is curious to explore the Sierra Foothills and what it has to offer. A masterful showpiece.

Tres bien fait! Je l’aime beaucoup!

Explore more Naggiar Vineyards on WineSnob.

May 10, 2021May 12, 2021

1885 Established (2013 Red Blend) by Three Wine Company

Tonight’s Occasion: 1885 Established (2013 Red Blend) by Three Wine Company, Contra Costa County.

Dark opaque color. Out of the bottle nose is slightly subdued but clearly intense with big, dark, tart plums, hints of slightly ripe, dark cherries a damp, old oak leather. Swirling vigorously unlocks bursts of red vines licorice and a certain cool crispness. Interesting. I think
This wine needs to be decanted for a while. It is still very tight.

The nose is completely misleading! Body is very smooth and balanced from front to back. Tart plums turn ripe providing a great marriage between measured acidity and gentle tannic structure. The oak and cherry fill and soften the mouth feel very nicely. In a vanishing act, the body quickly dissipates across the palate leaving behind a fine, dusty tannic grip and gentle but persistent warm spice heat midway down the chest.

This is a treat of a wine. The kind I would open with a friend I haven’t seen in a long time. It is by all accounts a big bold wine at 15.3% however the winemaker has actually pulled off this balancing act quite nicely. Well done Matt and the entire crew at Three Wine Company!

May 6, 2021January 6, 2022

2017 Pinot Noir (Elton) by Willamette Valley Vineyards

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Pinot Noir (Elton, Eola-Amity Hills) by Willamette Valley Vineyards, Oregon. Slightly warm weighty nose with a noticeable albeit restrained minerality in the form of a wet slate accompanied by a hint of caramel butterscotch and damp wood. Swirling vigorously unlocks subtle bursts of black licorice, sweet cherry and very distant honeysuckle you would almost certainly miss. Light, slightly dry and viscous body shows great balance. Crisp tannins provide firm, lean structure. Dark, tart plum a crisp, clean oak vanilla provide creamy mouth feel. This quickly gives way to a subtle cola as it fades away into a slightly dusty finish culminating in a gentle spicy heat at the back of the palate. This is an very well built Pinot. It represents its origins very nicely without being overly abstract. It is measured, clean, slightly bold with a touch of flair, especially in the nose. I love this region and I was very pleased to find that this Winemaker decided to open a tasting room in my own backyard – an authentic taste of Willamette Valley, here in Sacramento, California. Read more Willamette Valley Vineyards on WineSnob.