Luigi Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca (White Label), 2006

Compared to the Covalli Barolo beside it at the table, this wine from Carema offers a different  face of Piedmont Nebbiolo. It is from the mountainous cliffs north of Barolo where the weather is cooler, the soil is different and the tannins are friendly at an earlier age. It is also 20 years old compared to 12 for the Barolo.

Lighter color, also with orangeish tones. Sips within the first two hours after opening showed peppery tannins. By mealtime, though, the wine was displaying all of the glories of an upper Piedmont Nebbiolo. Wild cherries, bright and fresh. Also some cranberries, sweet and savory herbs and minerals galore. Flavors that dart in and out, on and off the tongue. Incredible wine!

I paid $40.25 for this wine at auction 20 years ago, and I was well rewarded not only for paying the price but also for exercising due patience. 

Donna and I spent several days in Carema in October, 2019. It is a small village facing a huge rock face of mountain. Vines grow directly out of the rock  nearly everywhere you look and are harvested, by hand of course, on tiny rock terraces. At the time. Ferrando was the sole producer aside from the local coop known as Produttori di Carema. I spent several hours at Produttori, tasting many excellent, but less expensive, barrel samples of Nebbiolo

Covalli Barolo, 2014

When this wine was released, it got good reviews for its bright cherry and floral smells and flavors as well as its unbelievably low price of $15 at Costco and Garagiste. Tonight, it lacks all of those good qualities except the price tag. It is not over the hill, as many would believe, but is closed down for awhile until the iron-clad tannins typical for Barolo lose their grip.

Medium light with some characteristic orange tones. Pretty ordinary on the nose. Not much to like on the palate, either. Lots of acid, lots of tannin. I feel confident it will eventually come around, but I am not opening another bottle for awhile, maybe two or three years. 
 

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.