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2018 Pinot Noir by Lusso Della Terra, Fiddletown, Amador, CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir (Adelaida District, San Luis Obispo) by Lusso Della Terra, Fiddletown, Amador, CA

Ruby red color. Light bright cherry cola. Subtle damp earth. Swirling unlocks hints of red vines licorice and eucalyptus. I like it.

Body greets immediately with lots of bright fruit. Raspberries, cherries and red berries. A subtle oak further accentuates the fruit expression, and softens the body further, resulting in a soft, smooth mouth feel. Hints of banana peel emerge towards the back so faint you’d likely miss it. This marks the transition to finish as a warm spice heat emerges then intensifies through the finish. A gentle crisp tannic grip slowly tugs at the palate, alternating between wet and dry and the spice warmth creeps further down the chest.

I met up with a owner winemaker Edward not long ago. It was a rainy winter afternoon and I got to taste their eye watering lineup with Ed and assistant winemaker Clare. I like that they are up to and think they’re a great addition to the Fiddletown area. The line of bubbles deserves its own segment. It’s incredible. Great wines with a vibrant modern vibe and broad appeal. Definitely a must if you’re in the area. I’m looking forward to seeing what Ed and Clare do with the coming harvests! Nicely done Ed, Clare.

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2019 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, by Bodega Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina

Tonight’s Occasion: 2019 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, by Bodega Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina Deep, dark, intense, semi-opaque color. Out of the bottle notes of slightly under-ripe dark plum contrast with butterscotch. Secondary notes of damp old dead wood and underbrush. Swirling vigorously unlocks slightly ripe dark cherries and a licorice so faint you’d likely miss it. Fruit essence intensifies. Body is balanced from to back. A slightly thick body greets the palate immediately with intense dark plum. A punch of buttery oak elevates and softens this intense plum while momentarily ripening the fruit. Fully integrated dusty fine grained tannins are suspended throughout the body creating an omnipresent structure that lends a certain weight. The grain is so fine, they remain suspended, never precipitating. White pepper hits the palate midway along with a brief acidic punctuation. A fully integrated melange of every note dances upon the palate, slowly fading into the shadows until all that’s left is remnants of intense dusty tannins, hint of cola, lime zest, and a warm spice heat past the back of the palate. As you progress, more and more tannic dust coats the palate as it slowly reveals its brutish old Vine characteristics. This is an interesting Malbec. Bold, fairly dry, good balance, faithful with good terroir expression. Great execution. The story behind this wine, it’s origins and inspiration. I have to give my brother credit for finding this wine. Like many of the wines he’s brought me, this one prompts further exploring. If you stumble across this Malbec, it should present a great excursion for the intermediate to advanced palate. Bien hecho amigos! Read more Argentina 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 Catena wines on Wine.com
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2003 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Bordeaux, France

Tonight’s Occasion: 2003 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Brown-Burgundy color. Out of the bottle, nose is shy with a soft gentle expression. A dry old leather permeates the stage. Supple dark plum slowly turns ripe as it breathes. A plush caramel emerges. Hints of white pepper. Old leather develops a sedimentary, silty characteristic. As it breathes that silty terroir moves to the forefront, along with a touch of slightly woody, slightly sweet star anise.

Body is balanced from front to back. Clean crisp, highly delineated tannins greet the palate in the form of dark plum skins. They immediately form a firm clear continuous structure with a fine grained grit coating. This quickly dominates the palate. Restrained acidity broadens the palate as dry plums, dark cherries and old leather gently fill the stage creating a soft, mellow, ever lightening mouth feel. As the body stretches thin almost to the point of disappearing, the tannic structure holds firm, like steel girders. Eventually this is all that is left upon the palate. The restrained acidity trades places with a white pepper which itself transitions to a bold spice heat through the finish down into the chest. This old sage has a few good punches left in it. My lips are parched, chest warm, mind pondering this occasion.

This is a great Bordeaux. It’s had almost two decades to integrate very nicely. While clearly in its more advanced years, it’s expression is no less interesting, no less enjoyable, especially for the intermediate to advanced palate craving a solid, faithful Bordeaux. Chateau Mouton Rothschild is a highly coveted Bordeaux. As a result, I can’t help but feel like it is often misunderstood, over-aged, left to languish and slowly die in the cellar. The 2003 is a gentle, graceful vintage compared to the others I have opened. While past it’s peek expression (not by much), it is still no less a great Bordeaux and a treat to indulge. If you have any of this vintage on hand, you should drink it now!

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2017 Benchmark Tuscan Blend by Umbriaso, San Francisco, California

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Benchmark Tuscan Blend (Sonoma) by Umbriaso, San Francisco, California

Deep dark (but clear) burgundy color. Out of the bottle this wine is recognizable with great sense of place – Sonoma. Subtle earth notes of damp woody forest floor and cherry cola. Not as pronounced as in more terroir driven varietals from this region such as Pinot Noir but unmistakable. I love this kind of fidelity. Crisp slightly ripe dark plum skins of the Syrah and a sweet citrus from the Sangiovese play second fiddle. Swirling unlocks hints of red vines licorice. A nice crisp, clean, beautiful aromatic nose.

Body is balanced from front to back. Fairly dry with great fruit characteristics. A slightly weighted mouth feel greets the palate immediately. Restrained plum and mild citrus acidity part immediately. One precipitating into thin crisp unobtrusive tannic structure, the other transitioning to light bright berries. The later quickly dissipates leaving behind a subtle cola as the tannic structure grows in intensity. This marks the transition to a finish dominated by a dry, fine grit tannic grip and the faintest hint of spice. Not a single trace of the body remains. Just my lips parched shut.

This wine shows great execution. Clean, crisp, delineated with a great sense of place. You don’t have to look very far to find a hidden gem. Mr Hayes has been pouring his art on Treasure Island for a while now. There’s a little Winemakers’ Co-operative out there I highly recommend you visit. It’s called Treasure Island Wines. On any given day you can find an Artisan quietly pouring wines crafted with an obsessive attention to detail. This my friends, is what wine really is about.

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2017 GSM by Robert Oatley, McLaren Vale, Australia

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 GSM (40% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre) by Robert Oatley, McLaren Vale, Australia. Clear, bright Ruby color. Out of the bottle a nose full of terroir notes. A damp earthy turf dominates. Secondary notes of sweet cherries and ripe raspberries. A soft sweet woody essence lingers in the background. I’m not surprised by this expression. This region is known for other terroir driven/expressive varietals such as Pinot Noir, a blend of three highly terroir expressive varietals should shine like this. Body is creamy, slightly viscous and weighted. Skipping introductions and greeting the palate with a gentle urgency and mid body expression. The whole package up front. The leather translates beautifully into the body and dominates. I don’t see this often. You typically smell the leather, but in this case you taste it. I really like this but I also realize some folks don’t care much for it. If you love a Chinon, Beaujolais or a faithful Cab Franc from Loire Valley, you will enjoy this GSM. Body quickly evaporates over the palate leaving behind faint hints of berries and whisps of refined caramel and spice so faint you’d likely miss it. A thin tannic structure remains along with subtle bitter cola. The lips swing between moist and dry until final settling on gentle dryness. I have thoroughly enjoyed every wine I’ve had from McLaren Vale. This Winemaker’s wines are no exception. They are faithful, terroir driven. Clean crisp execution. They present a great opportunity for a look at this region for those of us on the other side of the Pacific Ocean and for that I am grateful. Great work Mates! Explore more Australian wines on WineSnob.
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2018 Meritage by Oakstone Winery, Fair Play, CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Meritage by Oakstone Winery, Fair Play, CA

Rich intense ruby color. Out of the bottle nose is a bit shy with notes of ripe dark plums, damp wood leather and a honey beeswax essence. Swirling unlocks subtle cranberry, ripe dark cherries and a touch of granite. It is clean, crisp and fairly restrained. As it opens up, granite rock turns to a fine dust. Hours later, it develops a noticeable star anise, a note characteristic of this region. Great sense of place.

Body is balanced right down the middle, front to back. Crisp dark plum and cherry skins greet the palate immediately, hand in hand with just enough acidity to pull the stage slightly taught. It is fairly dry, despite its ripe nose. This is a faithful characteristic of this region. Dusty suspended tannins precipitate a firm crisp structure towards the middle. A subtle banana peel essence lingers along, Iikely a play between the mineral and wood notes. This act eventually dissipates leaving behind an ever tightening, dusty tannic grip eventually cementing a finish of subtle bitterness upon the palate.

I see why I picked out this wine during my visit to the winery. It is fairly mature for its age, well executed if not classy with a touch of flair. It may be showing well right now however I can’t help but wonder what it would look like another decade from now. The intense fruit expression typical of this region is channeled very nicely and with a little more integration it should make for a beautiful wine. Nicely done folks!

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2017 Vertice (Carmenere/Syrah) by Ventisquero, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Vertice (Carmenere/Syrah) by Ventisquero, Colchagua Valley, Chile. Deep ruby color. Nose is shy out of the bottle with primary earth notes of wet wood leather and grassy herbs. Swirling unlocks crisp dark Plum skins and dark cherries and an even more intense leather. A slight mushroom develops along with a faint caramel. Wow a beautifully balanced body awaits. Rich bold crisp fruit expression greets, further accentuated by a measured amount of oak. This develops an old leathery quality midway. Crisp unobtrusive tannins provide a precise amount of structure. Unless you are looking for them, you won’t notice until the finish. Hints of green pepper and spice punctuates in the background. The body feels precise with a smooth finish that firms up slightly as it opens. Like the Enclave we recently looked at, this wine shows great attention to detail, a broad appeal while keeping the intermediate to advanced palate engaged. It is a high quality wine from a great region especially known for its Carmenere. Winemaker Felipe Tosso and the entire Ventisquero team have done an excellent job of presenting us with Artisan quality wines like this that truly represent this region and all its possibilities. 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
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2020 Pinot Noir (Whole Cluster) by Willamette Valley Vineyards, Oregon

Tonight’s Occasion: 2020 Pinot Noir (Whole Cluster) by Willamette Valley Vineyards, Oregon. Rich ruby color. Bright colorful bouquet of ripe cherries, raspberries, cranberry and pomegranate. Wet earthy leather, slightly mineral sedimentary. It adds a great terroir driven dimension to its playful disposition. Soft oak vanilla further accentuates the fruit expression. Nice. Light body with bold fruit character. A rich vanilla amplifies the expression and lends a creamy undertone without being over-oaked. A balancing act with Pinot Noir indeed. A subtle bitterness lingers throughout, likely due to its mineral underpinnings. Body quickly dissipates over the palate leaving behind a sweet cherry cola essence which develops a slight root beer essence before vanishing, leaving the palate slightly moist palate, another subtle indication of its mineral underpinnings. This is a great pleaser of a wine! Pinot Noir from this region, when done right, can sometimes be perceived as a bit abstract because of the way it’s unique volcanic/mineral terroir is uniquely expressed. This wine however, compensates for these characteristics very nicely. This opens up it’s appeal to a broader spectrum of palate, especially beginners or folks who are still discovering Pinot Noir as a whole. A great every day sipper for the intermediate to advanced palate. Buy a case! You won’t be disappointed! Very nicely done! Read more Willamette Valley Vineyards on WineSnob.
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Happy 75th Birthday Roger!

Last week I had a chance to sit down and catch up with one of my all-time-favorite Vintners, Roger Roessler of Roger Roessler Wines. On the menu was lunch at Della Santina’s in Sonoma, a family owned and operated Tuscan soul food experience. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend you stop by. To top it off, we were joined by our distinguished host, none other than owner and founder ‘Danny’ who shared endless stories from his upbringing in Italy to his exploits in San Francisco. What a special treat to share a meal with over a century and a half of knowledge and life experience.

We paired appetizers with with a Vermentino from Italy. Main course with 2004 Pinot Noir (La Brisa) from Roger’s private reserve and a Nebbiolo from Langhe!

By age 21, Roger had opened his first restaurant. He spent the following two and a half decades or so in the business of opening restaurants across the country. After accumulating what I would imagine a wealth of experience in the culinary and service industry Roger decided to dive into the wine world and share his passion for Pinot Noir with us. Taking a step back, this now seems like the logical thing to do. Food an all it’s nuance eventually must be paired with Pinot Noir. The highly personalized service and attention to detail carried over from all those years in the culinary and server industry.

I have been following Roessler wines for well over a decade now and can trace my profound appreciation for Pinot Noir back to that first visit to the Roessler tasting room just off the square in downtown Sonoma. I scoffed at the idea that anyone could  pour 16 different Pinot Noirs and they’d be discernible. Boy was my young palate in for the lesson of a lifetime.

Roger is a Vintner in every sense of the word. Roger Roessler Wines, a small boutique gallery winemaker in the truest form. Unshackled by any traditional estate. Over the years he’s sourced grapes from some of the most coveted vineyards as well as other small hidden gems you’ve probably never heard of. He’s also owned a few over the years. Bringing together a small team of passionate individuals around a singular mission – to bring you good Pinot Noirs faithful to their origins.

The Roger Roessler lineup reads like a compendium of Pinot Noir from up and down the pacific coast. A visit to their understated tasting room makes for a nice, focused quiet study. In one stop you can explore the various nuances of this varietal’s expression from one region to another. This is precisely why Roger Roessler Wines was picked as the 2020 Winemaker of the Year. They have played no small part in my journey through wine. I’m pretty sure you won’t be the same after a visit either.

Thank you for bringing us all those great vintages all these years Roger. I look forward to many more! Happy Birthday!

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2018 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) by E16 Winery, Fair Play, CA

Tonight’s Occasion: 2018 Pinot Noir (Doctor’s Vineyard – Santa Lucia Highlands) by E16 Winery, Fair Play, Sierra Foothills, CA

Clear ruby color. As soon as you uncork it, the space fills up with bright ripe red berries. Rich. Bright raspberries, cranberries drape over a soft dusty suede leather. Swirling intensifies the berries, adding a subtle pomegranate and a fine rock dust. This wine has a strong sense of place. It carries all the hallmarks of Santa Lucia Highlands. Indulging in Artisan Pinot from this region is distinct pleasure.

A silky, slightly weighted viscous body immediately drapes over the palate. Firm acidity reaches across the palate, drawing a firm tension. It’s an interesting sensation. This reinforcing an otherwise subtle, unobtrusive, thin, barely noticeable tannic structure. A refined caramel further elevates the fruit in an otherwise fairly dry body, creating a rich, opulent mouth feel. Midway through, a prominent spice emerges and remains through the finish and down into the chest. Body slowly fades leaving behind harm, slightly parched lips.

In a region dominated by Rhone and other big varietals, E16 is a an oasis for the Pinot lover in me. Pouring Pinot Noir from up an down the pacific coast, it’s a great change of pace for anyone looking to switch gears or simply take a walk on the subtler side. This is a well built wine with great sense of place. It’s really refreshing to enjoy and taste Artisan Pinot Noir from the central coast without having make the long trip down. Robert and the crew at E16 are onto something here. Nicely done! Cheers my friend.

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