wine.com – Page 5

October 9, 2021January 8, 2022

2019 Grenache by Robert Oatley, McLaren Vale, Australia

Tonight’s Occasion: 2019 Grenache by Robert Oatley, McLaren Vale, Australia. Pretty nose. Slightly restrained with slightly ripe raspberries up front and fine dusty leather in the back along with hints of anise. As it opens, it develops a white pepper spice, over red cherries. Body is buttery smooth from front to back. A soft light and plush body greets with hints of cola. Raspberries carry over ever so slightly. A subtle wet wood leather as well. This conspires to lend a faint banana peel essence to the body which persists through the finish. After a long body, the finish comes fairly abruptly characterized by a thin but firm, crisp, dry tannic grip and a moderate but very noticeable spice heat. After about an hour, it develops a slight tobacco and the anise becomes a little more prominent. What I love about Grenache is that, not unlike Pinot Noir, it doesn’t lie. Channeling terroir, it lays to bear what happened in the Vineyard and offers little forgiveness for what happens in the cellar. This is a great, well made wine, offering a glimpse into both. I love this region especially for its Pinot. This Grenache is welcomed diversion. Nicely done Mates! Explore more Australian wines on WineSnob.

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September 7, 2021January 6, 2022

2017 Aglianico by Feudi di San Gregorio, Italy.

Tonight’s Occasion: 2017 Aglianico by Feudi di San Gregorio, Italy. Dark intense color. Warm thick nose out of the bottle with dry, tart plum, blackberry, subtle secondary leather and tertiary hints of caramel. These conspire to create a sweet honey tobacco essence. Brooding. Swirl vigorously to add a touch anise to the drama. Body is firm from the beginning. Bold crisp tannins are balanced with measured acid. Dark plum and cherry skins provide firm but restrained structure. Minerality adds a crisp firmness to the mouth feel while a firm spice heat slowly commands the stage. This drama quickly vanishes, leaving a dry grippy stage with wisps of mineral leather and refined caramel (reminiscent of neutral oak). This transition to finish ends in an endless duel between firm tannic grip and spice heat. I keep verticals of this Aglianico in my cellar as a definitive reference for this varietal. It is impeccably executed, clean, crisp, balanced and representative of the varietal and this region. Currently on sale for $19/bottle on wine.com, this wine a bargain and a must. Pick up a few and study them. Good wine doesn’t always have to break the bank.

August 24, 2021January 6, 2022

2014 Zinfandel (Salvador Vineyard) by Turley

Tonight’s Occasion: 2014 Zinfandel (Salvador Vineyard – Contra Costa County) by Turley Wine Cellars, Plymouth CA

Dark opaque color. For a Zin this big, nose is a bit shy out of the bottle. Up front, lots of red berry, touch of sweet cherry cola, hints of red vines licorice over a backdrop of damp sandy soil. As it breathes, the wet sand develops a leathery quality. I like it!

Body is fairly restrained, balanced, very well integrated for a Zin, monolithic in expression. You are greeted with soft tannins. Hints of berry tell you this is Zinfandel without overpowering the experience. A light vanilla cherry cola follows. Shortly after all fruit vanishes leaving behind as it takes a more serious note leaving the palate bone dry with a bitter cola and firm dusty tannic grip. At this point we are well into the finish. The third act begins as an intensifying spice heat slowly consumes the palate from back to front, reminding you, this is in fact a California Zinfandel.

I think of Turley as a Zin House. If you like Zinfandel, I think you should pay them a visit. They were gracious enough to make this Library wine available on my last visit. It is a masterful representation of the quintessential California Zin without completely altering its expression.

Nicely done Turley!

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July 29, 2021January 8, 2022

2011 Syrah (Monarch Mine) by Terre Rouge Easton Wines

Tonight’s Occasion: 2011 Syrah (Monarch Mine Vineyard, Sierra Foothills) by Terre Rouge * Easton Wines, Plymouth CA Dark semi opaque color. Looks unfiltered. Out of the bottle nose is warm and weighted. This wine is all terroir up front. Reminds me of Beaujolais Gamay or Loire Cab Franc in its expression. Big leather up front with unmistakable wet wood and dusty granite. This wine asserts its origins with a keen sense of place. Within minutes it’s full identity reveals itself in the form of a rich, creamy anise. An unmistakable hallmark expression of the Sierra Foothills. Just beautiful. As it settles, ripe dark cherries, sweet berries and plum reveal themselves with hints of herbs I can’t pinpoint, a sort of eucalyptus. There is no attack. You are greeted by a long, wide and fairly deep body from start to finish. Dry dusty tannins provide a thick chassis upon which a well integrated melange of leathery notes, dark plum, blackberries and hints of mushroom slowly play. As it finally transitions to finish, the stage clears, leaving black currants and anise and warm gentle spice. The palate is rendered slightly dry and tingling with spice and the chest warms.

There are many reasons why Terre Rouge * Easton was our first inaugural Winemaker of the Year for 2019. This bottle reminds me of all of them. A fine example of what is possible in this region, California and the world at large with a relentless commitment to the art form and excellence. I am just tickled every time I open one of these wines. Nicely done Bill, Jane and the entire crew at Terre Rouge Easton Wines! Explore more Terre Rouge Easton wines on WineSnob.

July 25, 2021January 6, 2022

2016 Grand Vin De Bordeaux by Chateau La Tour De Mons, Margaux

Tonight’s Occasion: 2016 Grand Vin De Bordeaux by Chateau La Tour De Mons, Margaux, France. Dark opaque plum color. Nose is a bit shy, with notes of slightly ripe dark plums, hints of ripe cherries, damp wood and that all too familiar fine, sedimentary, river silt. Swirling vigorously releases more intense leather and a touch of anise. It’s hard to go wrong with Margaux. Body is precisely balanced from front to back. Dry plums carry over albeit with a little restraint, lightening the body and providing firm, crisp tannic structure. A precise almost unnoticeable oak softens the tannins and intensifies the fruit essence ever so slightly. Subtle anise and wet wood eventually take over the stage just before handing over to an emerging gentle spice heat. This marks the transition to finish as the body fades away leaving behind harmonious melange of very fine grained dusty tannic grit and a warm spice. This highly coveted often overlooked sub-region of Bordeaux is best known for its big, bold, dry, age worthy wines and characteristic terroir driven expression. They are typically hard to come by and command a premium when you go find them. This Margaux is a fine example of what a Bordeaux is. I put out a WineSnob Alert on this wine several months ago when it was available for just under $40 – a steal for what it is. It lives up to every other Margaux in my cellar and I look forward to following this vintage over the next decade. Tres bien fait! 🍷😘👌🏽 You can read more on French wines featured on WineSnob.

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June 24, 2021January 7, 2022

2016 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) by Dierberg * StarLane

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) by Dierberg * StarLane, Santa Barbara County, CA. Deep intense color. Nose is a little shy out of the bottle with notes of raspberry, blackberry, a touch of cherry cola, licorice and damp wood leather with an underlying herbal suggestion almost eucalyptus like. It’s very faint and hard to discern. Swirling vigorously unlocks a burst of berries and cherry cola, over and over and over again… Ugghhh. Body is light, crisp, balanced from front to back. This wine eases onto the palate, very gently, with mere suggestions of faint dark cherry and plum skins. Not too ripe, not too tart, just right, a mere tannic suggestion. There is a masterfully integrated crisp neutral oak you would easily miss. This all combines to form a supple, creamy underlayment. It has a nicely integrated mouth feel. A warm, firm but restrained spice emerges and persists over the palate. Transition to finish is seamless as the melange of whispers and suggestions slowly fade away leaving the palate slightly moist, under a gentle crisp tannic grip and gentle, warm spice tingle. The 2014 vintage is one of my all-time favorite Pinot Noirs. This 2016 vintage falls right in line. It is an absolutely gorgeous wine sure to keep the focused, advanced palate engaged even entranced. A very sophisticated, nuanced expression, the Dierberg SMV Pinot holds a special place in my heart and Cellar. I don’t think I will ever be able to get enough of it. This is what you get when wine comes first before everything else. I have to go now… Read more about my first visit to Dierberg * StarLane here. Explore more Dierberg Star Lane on WineSnob.

June 14, 2021January 6, 2022

2018 Il Corvo (Columbia Valley) by Novelty Hill-Januik

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Il Corvo (Columbia Valley) by Novelty Hill-Januik, Woodinville, WA. Super Tuscan Blend: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Sangiovese, 4% Merlot Dark intense slightly opaque color. Long legs. Out of the bottle, a weighted nose with notes of slightly ripe plums, dark cherries, subtle dusty woody leather and hints of cola. Swirling vigorously intensifies all notes, bringing out more cherry cola. Body is somewhat light, crisp, for a wine this big. It shows good balance from attack to finish. Slightly restrained plums and blackberry greet the palate, introducing a measured structure with dusty, fine grained tannins. Bold spice makes its entrance shortly after and remains, warming the palate from start to finish. A clean crisp oak complements and enhances the fruit essence, conspiring with dark cherries to create a subtle cherry cola. As it opens up, slightly mineral, loamy sedimentary underpinnings reveal themselves as the palate clears in transition to finish. Dusty tannins render the palate parched shut while wisps of crisp oak dance in the background. My only regret is not bringing back an extra bottle. This is a very well built terroir driven wine with a broad appeal. Still very young, I can see this wine aging beautifully over the next decade. Laying a couple of these down would be a good idea. Novelty Hill-Januik has made a great wine here. Expertly crafted. It was a challenge picking one one during my visit earlier this year, as every wine in their lineup far exceeded any expectations. Nice work folks! WineSnob TV: You can watch more about my visit to this winery while tasting in Woodinville here: Off The Beaten Path – Woodinville, Seattle, Washington

June 10, 2021January 6, 2022

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon by Chateau Montelena

Tonight’s occasion: 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon by Chateau Montelena, Napa, California. Dark opaque color. Intense, warm nose out of the bottle with notes of tart plum and slight wet wood. Swirl to intensify the plum, dark cherries leather, release, a slightly creamy butterscotch caramel and subtle red vines licorice. Terroir is fairly neutral. Expression overall is clean, somewhat modest, a mature classic Cabernet Sauvignon. I like it. Body is smooth. Nicely balanced right down the middle, front to back. Slightly ripe plums accompanied by restrained tannins deliver a harmonious structure and integrated mouth feel with more softer than delineated transitions. Oak is almost undetectable if not for its effect of creating slightly silky mouth feel and enhancing notes of berries in this otherwise fairly dry wine. Pepper spice permeates most of the stage, eventually falling back as it opens. Body forms the bulk of the experience with a seamless transition to a restrained finish characterized by hints of cherry cola, crisp, dry, fine tannic grip and a touch of bold spice that lingers midway down the chest.

This wine has had plenty of time to integrate very nicely. After 14 years it still stands tall. I feel like this is how it was meant to be enjoyed. It’s a classic example of a Napa Cab, well built, and will like be showing like this over the next 5 or so years easily. If you have any in your cellar, now would be the time to start enjoying it. Nicely done Chateau Montelena!

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.

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.