Medium yellow, only slightly lighter than the 2011 beside it. Similar brightness. Pear, apple, white flowers and a pleasantly bitter twist of almond on the finish. Basically acidic but rich and full on the mid-palate. Medium long finish.
I have seen this wine listed at $47.95 online, but I bought this bottle for about $13 from Costco a few months ago. I hope it's still around because I would like to buy some more.
Medium deep yellow. Ripe pears, white flowers and a hint of almonds. Bright and lively on the tongue with significant intensity but richer and fuller than Sauvignon Blanc. A serious wine that goes well with vegetable oriented meals.
A little lighter in color than the Grand Tinel (see below) and more high toned aromatics. Cherries, strawberries and Provencal herbs. Also a distinctive earthy quality that some might call barnyard. I have enjoyed many vintages of Bois de Boursan--1986, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1998 and 2003--and that earthy quality appears year after year. Exciting level of acidity. Bois de Boursan is one of my favorite Chateauneufs.
Medium red with some bricking. 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah, but the wine has both red and black fruit, cassis and peppery spice. Straightforward with bold mature fruit flavors. Leather and earth. This is what I expect in a Chateauneuf du Pape, and the wine has aged well.
Compared to the Cerise Vineyard wine beside it at the table, it has a light, almost transparent color. After one whiff, though, I was in love. Strawberries, raspberries--yes, very light and delicate but also very persistent scents and flavors. Also flowers, vanilla and orange zest. This is a very special Chehalem Mountain Pinot.
The wine is black in personality as well as color. Deep, deep blackberry and blackcurrant fruit surrounded by a bouquet of flowers. I think of Mourvedre when I drink this wine. Very intense. I generally prefer less tannic wines, but this Petit Verdot is very tannic in the best possible way. Coats the tongue and the roof of the mouth. Long, enjoyable finish.
Medium light ruby, very similar to the Perbacco in color. More overtly aromatic than the Perbacco. Flowers and eucalyptus. More high toned and acidic on the palate as well. Comes alive in the mouth with Nebbiolo nuances. Very easy to drink. Long finish. No need to wait on this one, but also no need to drink it right away.
Franco Serra's Barbaresco at $25 to $28 a bottle is a very good value. Vietti's Perbacco has a similar price tag and is also a good value.
Medium light ruby. Takes awhile to open and gets progressively better through the meal. Still has a lot of life left. Compact fruit (black raspberry?) and classic floral and black licorice tones. Has the firm structure of a Barolo and the finish gets better and better as the wine is exposed to air. Very good Langhe Nebbiolo.
Deep and dark with purplish tints. Has been matured nine months in French oak. Blackberries, currants, vanilla. Good Barbera acidity backed by oak and fruit tannins. Smooth texture and fruit-oriented personality. Hint of red plums on the medium long finish. Very enjoyable right now but will keep and get better for several more years.
MegaBev in Grand Rapids (formerly G.B. Russo and Sons) still has this available for $8.99 a bottle or $48 for a six-pack--an incredible value. The wine sells elsewhere for $15 to $20 a bottle.
Bright lemon yellow. Notably clean and fresh. Lemon smells and flavors dominate but also green apples, nutmeg and vanilla. Elegance personified. A smooth texture and a range of subtle flavors on the finish. Drinking well at six years and should keep well for another year or so.
Medium light ruby. Good bright tones. Cherry, pomegranate and cloves. Opens up on the palate with brights acidity and ripe tannins. Sweet fruit flavors on the finish. Recent bottles of 2010 Philo Ridge had led me to believe this wine may be on the decline. Not so tonight; it is a lovely example of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.
Medium deep crimson. Red and black raspberries and earthy spice. Ripe Grenache fruit on the palate countered by firm black pepper. 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Carignan. This wine drinks beautifully from the time it is released until about five years after the vintage date. This 2018 seems to be drinking at its prime right now. Long, intriguing finish. My last bottle of the 2018; I'm ready to move on to 2019.
Medium light with some orange tints at the rim. Cherries, cloves, licorice and violets. The smells are definitely pretty, but some drinkers will find a twist of bitterness on the palate--a good sign for the future. Riper cherry tones dominate the medium long finish (that will likely get a little longer and more persistent as the years go by).
Franco Serra definitely offers good value wines. The Franco Serra Barbera at $10 to $12 a bottle is always one of my favorites, and the Nebbiolo sells for only a dollar or two more. Even the Barbaresco and Barolo from Franco Serra are priced $10 to $15 below comparable wines from other producers. It is a label to look for and buy.
Good dark ruby color, typical of Barbera. Warm smells and flavors of dark cherry and licorice. Good body, ample acidity, a bit rough on the finish. Still a very good wine and a great bargain. (I paid $10 back in 2019.)
Second night: Scratch my comments above about the wine showing its age. After a night with the bottle recorked, it is better than ever with lovely Nebbiolo traits: dark cherry, roses, mint, licorice and dark chocolate. Excellent with mushroom pasta.
Medium deep red with violet tones. Cherries, tobacco, spices and earth. The cuvee includes Caignan as well as Grenache and Syrah, and the Carignan spices seem to dominate at this time. Balance leans more toward tannin than acid at this stage of the wine's development, and it is a bit rough on the finish. But still drinking well.
Very dark for a Cairanne. The cuvee is about 60% Mourvedre plus 20% Grenache and 20% Syrah from very old vines and great soil. Beautiful scents of blueberries, violets and aromatic herbs. Equally luscious on the palate, ripe and lovely in the middle with a reasonably long finish featuring dark cherry and spice. At a good stage for drinking right now but should hold for several more years.
Deep yellow but not overly so. Lemon, pear and the dramatic traits of French oak. Lots of acidic energy, maybe too much for some drinkers. But that's what I like and find so infrequently in California Chardonnay. I may go back for more.
Medium light with orange tones around the riml Enticing nose of fresh fruit, flowers and eucaplyptus. The flavors are even better. Ripe cherries, lavender, leather. Some tannic grip but light and elegant on the palate. Good acid. Long finish. Reminds me a lot of a fine red Burgundy.
More garnet than ruby in color but bright and clear. A bouquet of freesh fruit and flowers. Tart cherry and pomegranate with gingery spice on the lively mid-palate and a beautiful peppery finish. Has a lot of similarity to an Oregon Pinot Noir. Light in body, big in flavor. 13.8% alcohol is just right. I will keep buying and cellaring this little beauty.
Deep yellow but lacks the brilliance of the 2005 Racine. The smells and flavors have some interesting floral and fruit nuances but they are a bit tired. This wine would have been lovely a few years ago, but tonight it doesn't measure up to the brilliance of the 2005 Racine.
Medium to light garnet. More dark cherry than blackcurrant but some cassis, leather, lead pencil, tobacco. A bit funky around the edges but I don't think it is corked. When given proper attention, the wine offers up some complex flavors on the mid-palate and finish
Deep, full yellow. Beautiful scents of white and yellow flowers, subtle but persistent. Flavors of Red Haven peaches and minerals with a hint of almonds on the finish. Great acidity and a subtle, persistent finish. On the Kermit Lynch website, Dustin Soiseth, seeking a one-word description, is torn between "complete" and "delicious." It is clearly both, and Soiseth settles on a two-word description: "completely delicious." I agree.
Deep gold color. As I say, takes awhile to start showing its best. Ripe melon, lemon, poached apples, honey and straw. True to Chenin Blanc form, it is highly acidic but with broad as well as intense flavors that become increasingly complex and interesting. I could spend hours getting to know this wine. I have bought a few bottles already but may go back for more.
Medium deep ruby, dark for a Pinot. Cherries, rhubarb, cinnamon and aromatic spices. The right amount of earth. Great energy on the palate. Flavors start on the mid-palate and expand from there. Anderson Valley fruit purity. At least as good as the last bottle and may be getting better. Great with salmon.
Deep and dark with medium ruby at the rim. This bottling has 30% Mourvedre to go with 60% Grenache and 10% Syrah. Most of the Mourvedre and Grenache come from vines planted in the 1950s, and the wine was matured in concrete vats. The Mourvedre and Syrah undoubtedly give it the dark color. Cherry berry scents but some black raspberries too along with violets, thyme and aromatic spices. Beautifully balanced with ripe tannins that frame the fruit balanced by fresh acidity. All the beauty of a young Southern Rhone but with the depth, complexity and seriousness that define Domaine Oratoire Saint Martin.
Beautiful bright lemon yellow. Buttered apples and pears with a squeeze of lemon. An elegant Chardonnay with medium body and strong, persistent flavors. Good acidity from the cool climate of Edna Valley. Nuances that I didn't find in this wine six months ago. A good wine getting better. Glad I bought a few bottles because it disappeared quickly from my local Trader Joe's.
Remarkably dark and deep,, more like a young wine than a 32-year-old. No new oak; the wine was matured in large, neutral oak barrels. Assertive bouquet, fruity and floral. The wine is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Malbec cherry is quite prominent, though, in the smells and flavors. And the floral qualities are like those of Petit Verdot. Also some Merlot currant and Cabernet cassis. I have had this wine many times over the past two decades, and this bottle may well be the best of rhe lot. Not at all old.. I bought it becuse of its reputation as a good value Bourgeois Cru Bordeaux. And tonight it is living up to that reputation.
Light ruby, clear and bright. Considerable sediment. For the first hour or so, it takes a lot of swirling to get to the aromas centering on dark cherry and black licorice. Deep rather than pretty, lures you in slowly with its power. As I expected, gets better and better with each sip. Ripe Nebbiolo fruit on a sturdy carriage of acidity. Deep, lasting finish. I am so glad I have one more bottle of this wine.
Deep and bright ruby. Grenache (50%) Carignan (30%) and Syrah (20%), vinified separately and aged in concrete vats. Captivating aromas of fruit and spices beginning to develop into a mature bouquet. Red berries, spice, pepper. Garrigue to give it lift. Rich in fruit and flavor and a long finish. For me, this is what Ventoux (one of my favorite Southern Rhone appellations) is all about.
At $10 to $12 a bottle, this is, in my opinion, an excdellent value. I am disappointed that so few stores in Southwest Michigan carry and promote it.
Deep and dark. Blackberries and sweet oak spice. Just a touch of pepper on the finish. More acidity than I would expect from an Ausside Shiraz,, but the grapes come from relatively cool vineyards in McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Padthaway and Wrattenbully.. Plush on the mid-palate and a ripe finish.
Deep and bright ruby red. This wine has more Carignan and Cinsault than Grenache and Syrah, but the youthful flavors are still similar. Strawberries, cherries, violets and spice. Medium to full bodied with good acidity from the relatively cool climate of the Ventoux slopes. Delightful ripe fruit finish.
Medium deep ruby. No blue or purple tints. Strawberries, tart cherries, earth and spices. Not much tannin to get in the way of the bright fruit flavors and with ample acidity to keep it lively. Not as complex as other reasonably priced Barberas, such as Franco Serra and Costa di Bussia, but good fruit flavors and a long finish.
Deep gold color, bright and lively. Does not look, smell or taste old. Spiced apple-- rich, buttered and caramelized. Has some French oak lime to doll it up, but the fruit is unmistakeably from a superior vineyard. Deep, deep flavors supported by ample acidity. Long, complex finish.
Deep, dark ruby. No traces of new oak or small barrels. Powerful bouquet of dark cherry, blackberries, violets, black licorice and pepper. Equally bold on the palate. Cherries and new leather. Good body and ripe flavors that coat the tongue. 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre, but the Syrah and Mourvedre seem to dominate at this stage of the wine's development. The Wine Advocate recommended drinking by 2019; John Livingstone-Learmouth (DrinkRhone,com), by 2022-2023. I think it still offers several more years of dramatic pleasure.
I bought this ($54 for half a case) from Dave Russo at MegaBev in Grand Rapids--an excellent value from Southern France.
Medium dark crimson. Some sediment near the bottom. Intense, lilting aromas of herbs, strawberries, mint, new leather and sea salt. Very much a Chateauneuf du Pape and the grapes come from venerable vineyards in la Crau and Piedlong. Plums, berries and cherries on the palate. Has a gamey quaality that probably turned me off last December, but it is very similar to the gamey notes in Australian or New Zealand lamb. A perfect wine for the meal. And still growing.
Medium deep gold. Lemon meringue, green apples and minerals. The flavors of butter but not the texture and fatness that comes from malolactic fermentation. Also some vanilla-like spice, but I don't believe it is oak-induced. Too brisk for some drinkers but just right for me.
Even in its youth, this Etna Rosso had some orangeish tints on the rim, and these have expanded toward the middle. The same happens with a good Barolo or Barbaresco, of course. The dark cherries and pomegranates that I noted two years are less prominent now--more dried than fresh fruit. On the other hand, the exotic spice and floral tones may be even more prominent and intriguing. Not much tannin, but the acids keep the wild berry flavors dancing along the palate. Long, haunting finish. My advice at this point: drink up but don't give up. The wine still has a lot to give.
Medium dark ruby--more like Gamay than Pinot in appearance. Dark cherries, earth and zesty, peppery spice on the finish. Concentrated, somewhat complex finish. Could be a good match for pizza, pasta, beef or salmon.
Deep, dark Cabernet color. Matured in French, American and Hungarian oak. The flavors seems to be ahead of the aromas at this stage.Boysenberries, blackberries, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon. Not overly influenced by oak. Fruit and spice flavors take over on the finish. Long and nuanced with enough acidity to make the flavors dance on the tongue. I like this wine.
Medium deep crimson. I'm reasonably certain it has not been aged in new oak barrels, as many young Southern Rhones are these days. Cherries, plums, strawberries and a hint of black pepper. I suspect the pepper element will get more prominent as the wine ages. Very smooth on the palate.
Chateau Richebois CDR Villages is a new offering at my local Trader Joe's, selling for $7.99--an excellent price for a CDR and an even better value for a CDR Villages. I will buy more.
Medium dark ruby. Many use cherry or raspberry to describe this wine's aroma and flavors, but I find it more tart--cranberries, green herbs and terpenes. Cool climate but not enough sun to bring out the full range of Pinot flavors. Donna likes the style more than I do, and reviews online show that the wine is popular. Retail price is about $15 so it represents good value.
