J.M. Gerin la Champine Syrah, 2013

J.M. Gerin has excellent vineyards in Cote Rotie. A less expensive option than Gerin's single vineyard Cote Roties, la Champine is made from younger vines on the property plus purchased produce from Collines Rhodabienne, an unclassified region in the Northern Rhone. This 2013 is just rounding into shape for my taste.

Deep ruby with minimal amber at the rim. Beautiful Northern Rhone bouquet in mid development. Black raspberries, anise and brambly herbs. Young fruit is giving way to savory, tangy tones. Black olives and freshly ground black pepper. Just the way I like it.
 

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

I listed above the vintage as 2023 because that is how it was sold at Saratoga Wine Exchange. Actually, though, there is no vintage date on the label, confirming that it is a wine for current, every day enjoyment rather than for aging. And it is indeed a very good wine for that purpose; we love it.

The wine is a blend of Dolcetto, picked in September, and Nebbiolo, picked in mid to late October, fermented separately and then blended in the Spring. Aging is in stainless steel for both grapes.

Medium color with some Nebbiolo orange tints. Beautiful ripe fruit smells. Donna thinks apple pie; I think cherry pie. We both get cinnamon and other baking spices. Lovely fruit flavors but with the tannic structure of Nebbiolo. If I tasted this blind, I might have tagged it as a Pinot Noir from northern California or Oregon. Wonderful texture. But as an every day wine, it is also like a very good Cotes du Rhone. Delicious to drink young but with the structure of a more serious wine.
 

Evolution Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2024

Sokol Blosser is a long-time producer of top line Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. I have tasted a few of their single vineyard wines and can attest that they are well worth the premium price tags. At $22 a bottle, Evolution is their introductory level wine, probably made from grapes from younger vines on the estate or from purchased grapes from elsewhere in the Valley.

Medium light ruby, bright and clear. Looks like a Pinot. Powerful scents of violets, cranberries, red raspberries. Smells like a Pinot. Flavors that mirror the smells. Silky texture. Tastes like a Pinot. Delightful spicy finish. Based on this wine, I have high expectations for Willamette Valley wines from the 2024 vintage.

 

Bocale Montefalco Sagrantino Passito (Umbria), 2019

 

I have never had a Sagrantno wine, and I was looking forward to this NTP tasting for a good introduction. Apparently, the dry Sagrantino is to come next month at Tasting #2, but this Passito offers a very enjoyable glimpse of what this noble grape has to offer.  Passito is, of course, a sweet wine made from dried grapes, similar to Amarone.

Very dark, velvety. Very ripe fruit, doesn't smell or taste too alcoholic...even at 15.0% ABV. Rich, ripe fruits--plums, blackberries, dark cherries, pomegranates--wow! Also some floral notes. No hard edges, delicious fruit but not overly sweet for a dessert wine. Spicy finish, long and complex. I gave this 17.0 points. At $45 a half bottle, though, I think I would put my money on a good Sauternes or Vintage Port.

I Luoghi Bolgheri Superiore, 2020

As a Super Tuscan, this wine does not use the traditional Sangiovese blend of Tuscany but rather is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot and Syrah. It is indeed super and I scored it 19.5, although I still preferred the Rosso di Montalcino that preceded it at the NTP tasting. At $45, it is nearly twice as expensive and not within my wine budget.

Deep and dark, a bit moreso than the Rosso. Ripe plums, red and black berries, more red fruit than I would expect from a Cabernet blend. I didn't get the herbal Cab Franc tones but other tasters  did. Abundant tannins but has the acidity to keep it lively and approachable today. Medium long finish. Good wine but I'll still take two bottles of the Rosso and go away happy.
 

Scopone Rosso di Montalcino, 2021

Produced from Sangiovese Grosso grapes grown in Tuscany, this "baby Brunello" was my favorite wine of the NTP tasting, although I scored it slightly lower  (19.0) than the Super Tuscan that followed (19.5). At $28, it is not cheap, but still less expensive (and more approachable) than most Brunellos.

Deep but not as dark and purplish as the Montepulciano. The oak is not as lavish and that is a plus for me. Mostly red fruits--berries, Montmorency cherries plus a touch of black licorice. Flavors match the smells, ripe and lovely. Great acid, medium alcohol, medium body. Flavors dance. Long, complex finish. I love this wine.
 

Bove Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Marso, 2021

For many tasters, this wine--rated high by nearly everyone--was the biggest surprise of the NTP tasting. Since there are many inexpensive Montepulcianos on the market, we did not expect this level of quality. At $25, though, it is hardly inexpensive.

Very deep, dark, purplish. Plums, dark cherries, black berries and currants. Great smells and ripe flavors that open beautifully. Very young, lavish oak but has the balance to show its best...now or later. Hard to resist. I gave it 18.0 but one taster at our table gave it 20.0. Not over-priced at $25.
 

Ciu Ciu Marche Pecorino

Next up on the NTP agenda is this Pecorino from the Marche area of Italy. It was my introduction to Pecorino, and I liked it enough to give it a 17.0 score.

Deeper color than the Trebbiano Spoletino, bright and clear. Subtle aromas of flowers and stone fruit, clean but not particularly intense. Forward fruit on the palate, medium acid, good balance.. The long, complex finish really turned me on, I would like to try more from this grape and this estate.
 

Bocale Umbria Trebbiano Spoletino, 2024

This was the first of six wines we tasted yesterday as part of the American Wine Society National Tasting Project, focusing on wines of central Italy. It is 100% Trebbiano Spoletino from Umbria that is distinct from the common Trebbiano grape grown in Tuscany.

Medium yellow/straw, bright and clear. Clean, straightforward aromas, medium intensity. Pear, peach, melon. Full on mid-palate, medium intensity, medium plus acid. I found the finish a bit dull and rated the wine only 15.0 on a 20 point scale. The wine seems ageworthy, though, and I would likely give it a higher score with a few more years in the bottle.
 

Le Versant Pays d'Oc Viognier, 2025

Top Viogniers come from Condrieu in the Northern Rhone, but these wines have always been too expensive for my wine budget. I have, though, enjoyed many good Viogniers from Domaine Sainte-Anne in the Gard area of the Southern Rhone, grown from cuttings taken years ago from Condrieu. Le Versant is made by a coop in the Languedoc and, as a result, has a price tag of $12 to $15.

Medium deep yellow. Lively topnote of white peaches and apricots. Not as floral or musky as those from the Rhone. Leesy mid-palate, not much oak. Appropriately dry finish. Donna likes it, and I will be a buyer.
 

Trader Joe's Reserve Lot #254 Rasteau, 2022

I have reported on this wine before and, fortunately, I have a few more bottles in the cellar because it is a very good Southern Rhone. 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault.

Bright ruby red. Very open aromas--strawberries, blueberries, cherries--and flavors to match. Medium plus body. Medium acidity. Ripe tannins. Smooth texture. Beautiful ripe fruit with spice and black pepper. At $9.99, this is a fantastic value.
 

Point Ormond Victoria Shiraz, 2020

There is, to my knowledge, no Point Ormond Winery, but the person or group that produces this wine clearly knows how to seek out good grapes from good vineyards--in this case, probably in Heathcote. It is moderate alcohol (13.6%), moderate oak and drinks beautifully from the time it is released. Moreover, it sells for about $15 retail--in my opinion, one of the best values in Australian Shiraz. I buy it every chance I get.

Medium deep violet. Lifted aromas of black and red fruits, eucalyptus and Mediterranean herbs. Tangy flavors with some tobacco and black pepper. I don't know how this wine will age but it drinks so beautifully right now that it's a shame to wait.
 

Hook and Ladder Spider Web Ranch Russian River Chardonnay, 2022

Spider Web Ranch is named after a huge, perfectly crafted spider web near this vineyard that produces similarly impressive Chardonnay wine. This bottling by Hook and Ladder typically sells for $35 to $40 a bottle, but I obtained it a couple of years ago for $22 from Wine Spies, an online site.

Medium deep gold. Beautiful lime and mineral smells and flavors. French oak speaking. Has the acidity and spice characteristic of Russian River Chardonnay but also has an incredibly ripe, rich mid-palate. Intricate spider web finish.
 

Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, 1995

This 1995 Thalabert has lived four additional years in the same cellar as the 1999 we drank on May 26. of this year.  Yet tonight it is showing at least four years younger than the highly rated 1999. I purchased (and cellared) both on release.

Good deep Syrah color with minimal amber at the edges. Beautiful fruit-filled bouquet from the moment the cork is popped. Black currants, cassis, lavender and a savory touch of black olives on the finish. Characteristic Northern Rhone acidity,but it's the fruit that is stealing the show right now. Only a few premature glimpses of the well aged Thalabert personality that I love so much. With all due respect, Mr. Parker, this is a better, more ageworthy vintage of Domaine Thalabert than your highly rated 1999. I have one more bottle of each and know which I will open first.

 

Ici la Bas Les Reveles Elke Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, 2009

I have had many bottles from many vintages (1996, 1997, 1998, 2006) of Ici la Bas It was made by the late Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat from grapes grown in Mary Elke's Donnelly Creek Vineyards. From vintage to vintage, it has always been excellent, confirming for me the high quality of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. This 2009 measures up to the high standard although this bottle at least may be nearing the end of its best drinking window.

Has lightened considerably since the last bottle, and the aromas are bit less intense, although still very good. Cherries, red raspberries, earth. Tannins have faded but acidity is carrying it and may continue to do so. Fine Pinot texture and body. Long, savory finish.