2020 – Wine Snob

October 22, 2022November 16, 2022

2020 Garnacha by Lechuza, Spain

2020 Garnacha by Lechuza, Spain Another great wine recommendation from one of you! Clear, purple-ruby color. Bright nose with prominent crisp ripe red berries, red cherries, over a dusty hay leather. Secondary notes of beeswax and rose petal perfume linger in the background. Swirling vigorously intensifies the floral notes. Pretty! Slightly firm ripe body greets with a touch of tension and burst of ripe berries and cherry. Mouth feel is fuller than expected, smooth, and a slight touch fruit forward. A old damp barnwood joins the party shortly after along with and every more boisterous dusty fine grained tannic grit and warm spice. Soon after, the ones left – a dry grip on simmering, parched lips. This is a very respectable party wine. I like it! Explore more Spanish wines on WineSnob.

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October 17, 2022November 22, 2022

2020 Nebbiolo by Cantine Elvio Tintero, Langhe, Piemonte, Italy

2020 Nebbiolo by Cantine Elvio Tintero, Langhe, Piemonte, Italia Bright, clear ruby-purple color. You get that rocky slightly dusty leather essence up front typical of this region. Nose is very shy overall. As it breathes a smoky tobacco emerges. Subtle berries linger in the back. Swirling vigorously intensifies the tobacco leaf. How is this a 2020 vintage?? Body is nicely balanced. Upfront crisp dark plum skins greet the palate with a subtle tension. This tension quickly relaxes as the already medium body thins and stretches out opening up for a good dose of oak vanilla. Plum turns to raspberry, oak softens what would otherwise be a very dry, lean, masculine expression. Fully integrated tannins begin to precipitate upon the palate in thin layers of coating grip which endures through the finish. Gentle spice warmth lingers. My lips are parched. On the spectrum of Nebbiolo (especially from Langhe), this falls on the lighter side. It is arguably a chillable red. Nicely composed, mature execution, and built to be enjoyed now. This reminds me of the Nebbiolo by Haarmeyer. It shows a much more approachable side of this varietal.

August 11, 2022August 13, 2022

2020 Chardonnay by Morgan Winery, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA

2020 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands) by Morgan Winery, Salinas, CA Supple, slightly crisp nose with notes of damp hay, light citrus, cantaloupe, pomegranate white cranberry .as it opens up these notes turn into more of a peach stone fruit. Take your time because hours later this becomes a truly magnificent wine. Body is beautifully balanced from front to back, greeting the palate with a soft silky if not viscous mouth feel immediately. Sweet citrus up front with a touch of zest. Hints of white cranberries. There’s a noticeable minerality that lends a slight bitter in the background and renders the palate moist through the finish. The body quickly fades across the palate leaving hints of honeysuckle, ripe cantaloupe and cola. This a very gentle, terroir driven Chardonnay with a beautiful, full bodied expression. I love this wine maker’s work. Great philosophy and execution. Explore more Morgan Winery on WineSnob.

May 18, 2022June 7, 2022

2020 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Whole Cluster) by Willamette Valley Vineyards

Tonight’s Occasion: 2020 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Whole Cluster) by Willamette Valley Vineyards, Oregon. Rich Rosé, strawberry almost copper color. Reminds me of my favorite orange wine. Full bodied aromatic nose with intense ripe, strawberry, cherry and raspberry. This nose screems everything you would expect from a Rosé. I love it. A subtle secondary earthy leather lingers in the background. It is a Pinot Noir after all. Sweet Citrus, honeysuckle and jasmine emerge as it breathes. Stop it already! A silky viscous weighted body greets the palate immediately. Sweet citrus reminiscent of Meyer lemon adds a touch of tension across an otherwise velvety smooth body. Strawberry and cherries carry over very nicely. A smattering of white pepper. As the body thins out towards the back, a faint crisp, refined caramel reminiscent of neutral French Oak emerges. It mineral underpinnings are revealed in the finish through slightly moist lips. This is a classic Rosé. Very nicely composed. It is further elevated by Pinot Noir from this region. It retains a broad appeal while keeping the enlightened palate entertained. Every cellar should keep this Rosé on hand. Great value and great job guys!

February 1, 2022February 3, 2022

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.

June 11, 2021July 8, 2021

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.