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.
 

Point Ormond Victoria Shiraz, 2020

 

The label gives Victoria as the appellation, but I believe that most of the grapes come from Heathcote, a Victorian sub-appellation with a good reputation for producing Shiraz. The wine, selling for $15 at Plum Market in Ann Arbor, is an outstanding value.

Bright medium ruby. From the first sniff, I get powerful smells of fresh berries, red and black, on a background of aromatic herbs and a touch of eucalyptus.  Fresh and enticing. Ripe fruit up front, supple tannins in the middle, mouthwatering finish. Blackcurrants and blue berries on the palate. If you have any of this, I see no reason to wait. It is delicious and inexpensive enough to drink frequently.

Elyse Le Corbeau Hudson Vineyard Los Carneros Red Wine, 2007

This wine is 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah, "echoing," according to the label, "the great wines of Chateauneuf du Pape." Last year, we enjoyed the 2005 and 2006 Le Corbeau, which seemed to me more like good CDR Villages wines rather than Chateauneuf du Papes. This 2007, though, comes closer to the real thing.

Bright crimson, deeper than most Chateauneufs of comparable age. Raspberries, strawberries, peppercorn and vanilla. Ripe fruit up front, then supple tannins on the mid-palate and a slightly warm (14.4%), deep fruited finish
 

Willakenzie Estate Willamette Valley Chardonnay, 2018

Thanks in large part to the Dijon Clone imported from France in the 1980s, the Willamette Valley of Oregon has become my go-to choice for Chardonnay. These wines are good when released and become increasingly better after seven or more years in the bottle.

Medium deep gold. Wonderful smells--white flowers, ripe pears, apples, minerals and a touch of honey. Good fruit/acid balance and a long, delightful finish. More aromatic than the 2017 Dijon Clone Chardonnay from Willamette Valley Vineyards we had last week but not quite as creamy or complex on the palate. No complaints, though, this is a fabulous wine.

Chronicle Winery Savoy Vineyard Alexander Valley Pinot Noir, 2009

Chronicle Winery is in the Alexander Valley; the best known Savoy Vineyard is in rhe Anderson Valley, near Philo.I suspect the Alexander Valley appellation was a mistake made on the label. Whatever the appellation, this wine is very good.

Medium deep ruby. Intense smell and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, red flowers and vanilla. Medium body, medium plus acidity, 13% ABV. Tannins are noticeable but oh so ripe and delicious.