Tag: 2014

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2014 Langhe Rosso by GiA

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Langhe Rosso by GiA, Langhe, Italy.

Nose is restrained overall however the introduction of mineral terroir is clear and unmistakable. This is followed by subtle secondary cherry and tertiary oak caramel upon vigorous swirling. The body is moderately acidic, dry, further restrained. It feels like this wine does not appreciate being disturbed. Minerality carries through the body. I am reminded by what enchanted me about this wine many years ago. Towards the back of the body, clean, crisp tannins begin their relentless rise to dominate the palate and transition into an otherwise smooth finish, overshadowed by powerful dry grip that leaves the palate parched and craving more.

This is the wine that started my obsession with Nebbiolo and more specifically the Langhe region. It is a relatively inexpensive wine. It comes in very manly looking 1 Litre bottles and a case will typically set you back well under $200. Keep in mind that more than a typical case of standard 750ml bottles. It’s a great way to introduce the region to guests and curious wine enthusiasts.

A very understated wine. Molto bene! 🍷😘👌🏽

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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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Reserve: 2014 Pinot Noir by Dierberg * Star Lane

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir by Dierberg * Star Lane Vinyards, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California. Light ruby color. Very restrained and delicate nose characterized by sweet berry, hint of cherry, oak and the faintest slightly mineral terroir. The melange creates a subtle and unmistakable slightly caramelized marshmallow essence. It is rich, clean, crisp, layered, highly delineated. Body is just as restrained, very subtle, delicate balance of mild, berry, faint oak and leather as the terroir becomes slightly more expressed. Body makes a subtly tannic transition into the finish which quickly turns creamy and dissipates into the very gentle finish capped by a restrained spice. This is a traditional Pinot and it is showing perfectly right now! My goodness this is an amazing Pinot!!! After weeks of bold big bodied wines, it is a breath of fresh air upon the palate. It is a reminder that some of the best Pinot in the world is crafted here in California. You won’t find this at the store. You will have to make the journey of a lifetime to this understated region. I wrote about my visit to this winery on my blog (see link in bio). Well done Dierberg * Star Lane! Hope to see you again soon. 🍷😁👌🏽 Read more about my first visit to Dierberg * StarLane here. Explore more Dierberg Star Lane on WineSnob.
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EDC: 2014 Pinot Noir by Apriori Cellars

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir by Apriori Cellars, Sonoma Coast. Oh this wine! Where do I start? It is a highly understated and I would dare say underrated Pinot. In contrast to most of the Pinot I review which are big bold Pinot that need to take long naps to arrive at their fullest expression, this one is made in the more traditional Burgundian style. It’s refreshing to see a delicate, light easy Pinot. There are no overpowering notes anywhere in this wine. At 12.5% ABV it is extremely approachable. You can enjoy this wine all day and not experience any palate fatigue. You can pair it with a delicious steak or enjoy it straight. The nose is very subtle with a hint of oak, rose and berry. Of course it has that unmistakable Sonoma earth. The body is buttery and smooth with a feathery finish that almost vanishes instantly. Thank you Casemates Wine for bringing us another winner! I’m perplexed as to why I have not yet visited this winemaker in person. 🤔 I surely need to fix that soon! Great job guys! 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 Apriori Cellar wines delivered to your doorstep. Shop Apriori Cellar wines on Wine.com
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Reserve: 2014 Syrah by Dierberg

Tonight’s occasion is a 2014 Syrah by Dierberg Star Lane Vinyard. I posted a while back about my visit last year here. I wanted to try something special tonight so I reached for the Santa Barbara region in my cellar. Any mildly savvy palate should be able to identify the terrior in the nose alone. Very nice and rich. It prompted visuals of the vigneron (the one who tends to the vines) and contemplated all he/she put into those vines for the terrior to be so pronounced in the nose alone. A great, buttery, well balanced body (especially for a 14.2% ABV wine) a testament to the winemaker’s skill and craft. The finish is not as massive as your average California Syrah, but still has that signature tannic grip albeit restrained for a Syrah. This region is most known for it’s amazing Pinot Noir, so it’s always a treat to see what Syrah – a typically big bold wine – would taste like. I like what they’ve done with this Syrah. Great job! Read more about my first visit to Dierberg * StarLane here. Explore more Dierberg Star Lane 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 Dierberg Star Lane wines on Wine.com
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Reserve: 2014 Merlot by Kunde

Tonight’s occasion is a 2014 Merlot from Sonoma Valley by Kunde Family Winery. They put out a veritable lineup of quality wines. This one stood out to me in particular for one main reason: it has very big long lasting tannin, good structure and none of the overbearing fruit typical of most California Merlot. It’s overall posture lends itself to a very long and graceful aging perhaps just as much as their Century Vine old vine Zin, my other favorite in their lineup. It is a very understated wine in my opinion. I am building a vertical of this wine. I think it’ll be a real gem in another 5-10 years. If you are in the Sonoma area I highly recommend stopping by. What’s your favorite winery in Sonoma? 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 Kunde wines delivered to your doorstep. Shop Kunde wines on Wine.com