Epicuro Puglia Aglianico, 2022

Aglianico is sometimes called the Barolo of the South, but this bottle comes from grapes in Puglia, a less distinguished appellation than Aglianico del Vulture, located on volcanic soils in Basilica. That is one reason that Trader Joe's can sell this wine for $5.99, but I think it delivers quite well for a wine at that price point.

 Very dark and deep. Black currants and dark cherries. Aggressive on the mid-palate but fruit-oriented and very approachable even at its young age. Good acidity for a warm climate wine. Black licorice and black pepper on the medium finish. More than just a pizza wine. After tasting a bottle, I went back and took the six bottles left on the shelf. If it appears again, I will buy more.
 

WillaKenzie Estate Chardonnay, 2016

Most California Chardonnays are made for drinking in the first five years after the vintage date. After that, the fresh fruit starts to fade. Oregon Chardonnays, due to the cooler climate, a different soil and the Dijon clone of the grape, are more amenable to aging for 8 to 10 years or longer, gaining complexity and depth. Now in its eighth year, this WillaKenzie Chardonnay is drinking beautifully. It was aged in a combination of wood puncheons, amphora and stainless steel tanks.

Medium deep yellow. Bright, fruit-oriented smells and a rich mouthfeel. Lemon curd and minerals. Lees contact rather than oak is giving this wine its complexity and flavor interest. Beautiful wine.

The 2018 WillaKenzie Chardonnay, in its sixth year, is now discounted at Plum Market in Ann Arbor and other places for about $15, half of its usual retail price.
 

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Colline Novaresi Amagium, 2009

This is a Nebbiolo wine from the Novara Hills of the Northern Piedmont. Amagium is Latin for Ghemme, where the vines are located. Compared to Barolo and Barbaresco, it displays a lighter, more delicate and intriguing face of Nebbiolo.

Bright crimson, translucent. Even though it is nearing its 15th birthday, this wine still requires at least two hours of aeration to show its best. Cranberries, red raspberries, violets. Swirl and enjoy. Bright flavors on the palate: red berries, sour cherries and cinnamon. Very expressive in a graceful, elegant way. It's easy to identify the acid thrust that enlivens the wine, but the tannins are also there on the mid-palate and finish, delicate, lacey and full of ripe fruit flavors. One critic (Vinous) found the finish "Chambolle-like." I don't have that much experience with fine red Burgundy, but I find it heavenly.

I paid $15 at auction for this 2009. The current vintage can be found for about $20 a bottle--an incredible bargain.
 

Domaine Philippe et Vincent Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage, 2007

The Paul Jaboulet estate is, of course, no longer in the hands of the Jaboulet family. The vines remain, but since Gerard Jaboulet died in 1997, the wines here have had their ups and downs. Philippe and Vincent are fifth and sixth generation Jaboulets who have purchased some nearby vineyards and carry on the family name. This 2007 had the misfortune of being tasted alongside the real thing in Crozes-Hermitage, the 1996 Domaine Thalabert.

Much darker than the Thalabert but conisistent with Crozes Syrah. More forward in aromas and flavors. Blackberries, cassis and pepper. Lots of black pepper. In fact, in the end, the black pepper ends up defining the wine and drowning out the fruit.  One dimensional compared to Thalabert, but then what do you expect?
 

Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Thalabert, 1996

I have tasted so many great Thalaberts from the 1980s and early 1990s that I was ready to be disappointed by this 1996, which was not the greatest vintage and produced at a time when many changes were taking place at the estate. But Domaine Thalabert never disappoints me.

Medium light crimson, a solid cork and very little sediment. For an hour or so, the bouquet is a bit muted, but the flavors are classic Thalabert. The scents that emerge over time are well worth the wait. Red and black fruits, grilled tomatoes, a hint of black pepper. Acidity that keeps the lovely flavors moving down the tongue from front to back. Comes at you from many directions, twists and turns, highs and lows. Teases and pleases. Of course, it does not measure up to the 1983, 1990, 1988 or 1991, but it is still top of the line red Syrah from Crozes-Hermitage. I love it.
 

WillaKenzie Estate Kiana Pinot Noir, 2006

When we visited the Willamette Valley of Oregon last October, we enjoyed a delicious and informative tasting at WillaKenzie, located in the Yamhill-Carlton area. The winery's philosophy is well summed up by a sentence on the label of this wine: "The climatic conditions, soil, slope orientation and clonal selection all contribute to the wine's finesse and elegance." Kiana is grown on southeast facing slopes (370 to 440 feet) with a shallow layer of topsoil above a hard sandstone material. The result is an opulent wine with intense fruit-oriented smells and flavors.

Maturity is reflected in the light to medium ruby color. Intense and expansive smells of ripe cherries, red berries and flowers. Sweet pie cherries on the palate along with touches of orange zest and spice. Velvety mouth feel Tannins are ripe and balanced by good acidity. Lovely, ripe finish. Irresistible.
 

Vignerons du Mont Ventoux Cuvee des 3 Messes Basses Ventoux Rouge, 2019

This is an old favorite I have enjoyed for many years. The 2019 version is as good as ever, maybe better.

Deep and bright. Lovely smells of fresh berries, red and blue, along with herbs and spice. Fuller bodied, it seems, than past vintages but just as friendly and open. Ventoux black pepper and spice on the mid-palate and finish. Never disappointing.

3 Messes Basses is made by the cooperative at Mont Ventoux and sells for about $12 a bottle. It is worth every penny and more. In the 2019 vintage, it is 60% Grenache, 20% Carignan and 20% Syrah.