G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso, 2020

G.D. Vajra's Langhe Rosso is always a delight to drink. It is a blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa. Albarossa and Pinot Noir--all from the Piedmont.

Medium dark ruby with some orangeish tints, though not as much as you would expect from 100% Nebbiolo. The aroma, though, is pure Nebbiolo--very floral with dark cherries and pomegranates. Bright fruit on the palate with dark licorice on the finish. Engaging but maybe not quite as vibrant as bottles we had a few years ago. Even with a good portion of Nebbiolo, this is a wine to drink early and often.
 

Trader Joe's Reserve Lot #254 Rasteau, 2022

This wine brings back happy memories of the late 1980s, early 1990s when Cotes du Rhone Villages wines of this quality were readily available at prices that made them accessible for daily fare and approachable from day one. This Rasteau will probably improve over the next five to seven years, but it is so good tonight that there is no reason to wait.

Medium deep crimson. Bright red fruit smells and flavors--red raspberries, currants, pepper and spice. 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre. Great mouth feel with just the right balance of fruit and acidity. Long finish. For those familiar with Southern Rhones, this has the correct Rasteau personality and is a fantastic bargain for $9..99 at Trader Joes.
 

Evolution by Sokol Blosser Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2024

Sokol Blosser was created in 1971 by Bill Blosser and Susan Blosser, who shared a passion for fine wine. Their offspring have continued their tradition, producing excellent single vineyard wines. But the vision has also evolved, resulting in the Evolution brand of wines priced for frequent, more casual consumption. This 2024 Evolution is crafted from Willamette Valley fruit and is a good buy at $18 to $20 a bottle. But if you are on the Sokol Blosser mailing list, as I am, you get occasional crash bargain offers. For this wine, I paid 119.00 for a 12-bottle case with free ground shipping. Unfortunately, the offer has now expired, but there will be more in the future.

Medium light garnet color. Vibrant aromas and flavors--cranberries, red raspberries, cherries with a hint of cinnamon. 2024 was a dream vintage, according to the winemaker, "allowing the fruit to hang on the vine and develop a solid personality." I am just starting to enjoy that personality...and the special price. It is plenty good tonight, and I am sure it will get even better before I reach the bottom of the case.
 

Domaine la Roseliere Cotes du Rhone, 2021

This Cotes du Rhone comes from the Arnaud family who have been making wines in Laudun and Tresque in the Southern Rhone since 1641.

Deep ruby/purple. 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, 10% Carignane. Mostly dark fruits at the moment: black raspberry, currants, black pepper. More Syrah than Grenache. Medium body, more tannins than I expect from a five-year-old Cotes du Rhone. Probably has seen some new oak and may be more inviting in a few years. Still a good dinner wine and was a good buy at $14.99 on Wines Till Sold Out.
 

Domaine la Remejeanne Cotes du Rhone Blanc Les Arbousiers, 2020

I bought this wine by mistake. It wasn't my mistake though. WineBid listed the wine as a "proprietary red" rather than a proprietary white. For a six-year-old Cotes du Rhone that is an enormous difference. I informed WineBid of the discrepancy but did not return the bottle or seek compensation. Jancis Robinson gave the wine a good review, saying that the estate is better at whites than reds. Having tasted many very good Remejeanne reds during the 1990s, I respectfully disagree.

Fairly deep gold betrays its age. It is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourbulenc, Viognier, Rousanne and Marsanne, and early reviews stressed its vibrant acidity. Much of that zing has faded by now, and I don't smell or taste any of the floral notes associated with Viognier. It does have body and  apricot-like richness, however, what you might expect from Marsanne. It is okay but not what I expected. 

Wind Gap Russian River Syrah, 2008

My last bottle of this Russian River Syrah was a year ago, and I tagged it as at or near its prime. It is still there, but I will open my next, and last, bottle soon.

Bright maroon, still dark but lightening at the rim. Quite a bit of sediment crust. Beautiful nose: fresh berries with some floral tones. Red and black fruits with spice and pepper. More acid and less alcohol (12%) than most New World Syrah wines but not much resemblance to Northern Rhone Syrah. Tannins have faded away, and the wine is very drinkable right now. No need to wait.
 

Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, 1999

 Most agree that the best Thalaberts were made in the 1980s, but Robert Parker gave high praise to this 1999, saying it was the best Thalabert since 1990. Having tasted the very good wines from 1991, 1994 and 1995, I disagree with that assessment but still found this 1999 very enjoyable and a good representative of this great Crozes-Hermitage vineyard.

The color, once a deep, dark ruby, has lightened appropriately, and the smells and flavors have become more mature and complex. Still some blackcurrants and dark fruit but also sun dried tomatoes and leather with a top note of lavender. Acidity carries it all gracefully to a long, glorious finish. Full Thalabert personality.

Curto Marco di Nadia Curto Nebbiolo Langhe L'Informale, 2023

This wine is a blend of Nebbiolo (60%) and Dolcetto (40%) from the Curto Marco estate in Barolo. The Dolcetto is picked in mid-September, the Nebbiolo in mid- to late-October. The Dolcertto is fermented on the skins for three days, the Nebbiolo for two weeks and aged separately in stainless steel tanks. Blending is done in the Spring and bottling in the Summer with the goal of producing a wine that is fresh and fruit-forward but with the tannic structure of Nebbiolo for every day drinking.

Medium deep ruby color, more like Dolcetto than Nebbiolo. Lovely smells and flavors of dark cherries, black berries, rose petals. Nebbiolo demeanor with a fruit friendly smile. Medium body, silky texture, tannic grip that leads to a long finish. I love this wine, and for $17 to $18 a bottle (Saratoga Wine Exchage), I can afford to keep a good supply on hand 

Heathvale Barossa Eden Valley Shiraz, 2002

The Eden Valley is a cool oasis in Barossa, and 2002 had a cool growing season. The result is apparent in this delicious Shiraz.

Beautiful ruby red, not too light, not too dark. Aged in new, 2- and 3-year old French and American hogsheads. Lifted fruit-oriented aromas announce the flavors that are to come. Red as well as black raspberries. Excellent fruit/acid balance. Deep flavors. Black olives, black pepper., spice. Long finish. Robert Parker gave this wine a good review and 92 points. He predicted aging potential of 5 to 7 years, but this lovely 24-year-old could drink beautifully for another five years.
 

Angel Ranch Russian River Chardonnay, 2019

I could find very little information on this wine when I purchased a six-bottle lot at a very good price at WineBid. But Russian River is a very good appellation for Chardonnay, as well as for Pinot Noir, so I took a chance.

Medium deep yellow. Very distinctive smells and flavors. Lemon curd, butter, mango with a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon Medium bodied with fantastic texture. Moderate use of oak. Has the acidity of a good Oregon Chardonnay plus the spicy complexity of Russian River Valley.
 

Willakenzie Estate Willamette Valley Chardonnay, 2018

Some but not all of the grapes for this Willakenzie Chardonnay are grown on the estate in the Yamhill-Carlton area, known for its Willakenzie soil But all come from the Willamette Valley, and the wine, selling for about $30, is a relative bargain (the Estate Cuvee is $75). I bought some for half price a few years ago when the merchant was apparently worried about selling a Chardonnay with almost five years of age. No need to worry with this wine even at age 8 to 10.

Full lemon yellow. Lemon curd, white peaches, sea salt with floral notes. Legs clinging to the glass indicate good viscosity and body. But cool rather than warm (13.5% alcohol). Rich mouth feel with mineral-laden flavors that seem to expand with each sip. Finish is broad as well as long. One of my favorite Oregon Chardonnays.