ROCO Marsh Estate Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir, 2010

The Yamhill-Carlton AVA is a good one, home to some of my favorite estates such as Willakenzie and Elk  Cove. Marsh Estate Vineyard is located on a lower slope near the Dundee hills.

Light in color, light in body, big in flavor--that defines good Pinot Noir, and this is a good one. Pretty floral scents, "hauntingly bittersweet" according to rhe Wine Advocate review. On the palate, I get tangy red berries, anise, black pepper and lime zest. Fine grained tannins and  a long, satisfying finish. A good match for Atlantic salmon.
 

Arnaud Lambert Breze Clos du Midi Saumur, 2018

With aeration and vigorous swirling in the glass, this opened up, giving great Chenin Blanc richness and concentration.

Medium deep gold. Rich Chenin Blanc bouquet: ripe pears, apricots, wild flowers and a bit of honey. Easy going on entry, then gets richer, more complex and more concentrated as it travels down the palate. Lots of pleasure now, and I am sure it will get even better for those who have the patience and the time to wait.
 

Olarra Gran Reserva Rioja, 1970

This wine is 55 years old, and the ullage is low shoulder. I had low expectations which were quickly demolished. This is a great wine!

Bright and color with an inch or more of bricking around the edges. No sign of oxidation! Clean and bright smells and flavors. Black fruits, ripe and lovely. Lifted bouquet of mint and aromatic spices. The texture is what amazes me the most: silky smooth, as light and as powerful as a fine Pinot Noir. Fabulous finish.

 

Ermanno Costa Cascina Spagnola Roera Riserva San Defendente, 2012

Pietro Costa was a sharecropper on these vineyards in Roero in the 1950s, and his grandson Ermanno bought the Cascina Spagnola farmhouse plus 2 hectares of vineyards in 1978. Ermanno's children now run the property, still only 16 hectares, a true artisanal operation. The sandy soil on this side of the Tanaro River produces Nebbiolo grapes that are highly aromatic and lighter bodied than the Barolo and Barbaresco wines from the other side of the river. This 2012 Roero Riserva is probably the best wine from this appellation I have tasted.

Light garnet, brickish but typical for Nebbiolo. Classic Nebbiolo nose: dark cherries, rose petals, black licorice. Intense and gorgeous. Flavors to match, powerful and multi-faceted. Well balanced with enough acid and tannin to carry this wine for at least another decade. A Barolo-like finish. Fantastic experience.

Langmeil Long Mile Barossa Shiraz, 2022

I bought this bottle at my local Trader Joe's, but the price ($12.99) is pretty much what you would pay elsewhere. Nevertheless, I still consider this a very good value.

Typical deep, dark Shiraz color. Very aromatic and more oriented toward the fruit rather than the oak aging. Black berries, plums, anise seed and mint. Some black pepper tones emerge with aeration. Vibrant on the tongue, more acid and less sweetness than you would expect from a stereotypical Barossa Shiraz.

My local Trader Joe's sold out quickly, but staff assured me that more is on the way. I hope so.
 

Couloir Oppenlander Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir, 2010

I have had many excellent Couloir Pinots, mostly from Roma's and Mountain Tree Vineyards in Anderson Valley. I have also had several highly memorable Pinots from the Oppenlander Vineyard, mostly from Phillips Hall. When I spotted this Oppenlander from Couloir, I was thinking "double pleasure," and I was mostly right, although it probably falls a bit short of the 2006 and 2007 Oppenlanders from Phillips Hall and the 2007 Couloir Roma's Vineyard--high standards, indeed.

Medium ruby. Freshly picked cherries and strawberries, mushrooms, earth and a hint of coriander on the finish. Medium body, vibrant acidity and maybe a bit too much tannin on the mid-palate for my taste. The finish leaves a pleasant and long-lasting impression.

Chateau Courac Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2020

This wine is still young and powerful. After an hour or two of aeration, though, it began to reveal its full, exciting fruit profile. It is 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Counoise, an unusual blend for a CDR Villages.

Beautiful deep ruby. Syrah showing. Black fruits--plums, cherries, berries--plus herbs, savory olives, black pepper and licorice. Deep and concentrated. This is a serious wine that will become ever more complex and delicious. I bought it for $15.90 from Wines Till Sold Out.