El Molet Jumilla
This bottle is something of an ugly duckling. The first few years of its life, it was a bit green-toned and abrasive. That can happen to grapes harvested early, which helps maintain structure and acidity in warmer climates. With a few years of age, the tannins have evolved. This bottle is now a swan.
El Molet has matured into a hedonistic bottle of lush fig and milk chocolate. The velvet structure hints at eucalyptus and bay leaf with a finish that escalates into fresh blueberries and espresso—a real delight. Buy a case and enjoy it over the winter.
91 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth Red, Paso Robles
If you like elegance and subtlety, if you favor delicate underpinnings and complex overtones…. this isn’t for you. Instead, this is a demon bus of chocolate terror that is coming to burn down the farmers’ market and steal your labradoodle puppy.
Who will love this, then? If you’ve tasted a $200 bottle of Napa Valley red and said to yourself DAMN, I LOVE THAT; I LOVE IT MORE THAN MY CHILDREN, I WISH I COULD AFFORD THAT. Then the answer is you. You will love this bottle. Don’t pretend to have this with food. Sit in your favorite chair with glass and pretend you are the queen/king of the freaking universe.
96 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Cave de Rasteau Ortas Tradition Rasteau
Rasteau is a lovely village northeast of Chateauneuf du Pape and produces wine with similar finesse. Like most Southern Rhone reds, this bottling is mostly Grenache, with a bit of Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan in the mix. The aromatics are of garrigue and charred sandalwood. Kirsch and red fruit flavors are improved upon with notes of licorice and espresso. The finish shows a classy edge of minerals and wildflowers.
90 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Parducci True Grit Petite Sirah Reserve
A big bruiser of a Petite Sirah that doesn’t know when to quit. So big rich, and dumb it should be a contestant on The Bachelorette. Despite its low price, it is a full-bodied luxury wine with dense notes of luxurious oak. Flavors of sweet vanilla and candied plums balance out the black pepper. By the midpalate, the wine has turned into a chocolate lava abyss. The finish keeps pumping its unctuous fruit into overtime. It’s a delicious but exhausting wine.
92 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Catena Zapata La Consulta Malbec, Maipu
The uber-popular style of Malbec –oozing with milk chocolate softness– is just a single iteration of this grape’s possibilities. This bottle will elevate your expectations. Aromas of fresh basil and earl grey tea drift through red fruit. The palate is layered with fresh cherries, mint, and wildflowers. The finish opens into Asian five spice and vanilla. An elegant bottle of Malbec that offers a balance of bright acid, angular tannins, and a velvet texture.
92 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Herdade de Peso Trinca Bolotas, Alentejo
This is some delicious juice. A light-bodied wine with medium acidity, the flavors cherry and blackberry are bright and fresh. Allspice and white pepper are balanced with a note of smoked tea leaves. This fresh bottle of red is perfect for lamb stews, cassoulet, or even a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.
89 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Dominio de Aranleon El Arbol de Aranleon
A classic style of Tempranillo from the Utiel-Requena region. Savory to the point of leather and game, this wine sports aroma of lavender and blood orange. Light bodied with a bright edge of acidity, the wine revs up into mineral, cherry, and toasted hazelnuts before sliding down into a finish of balsam and cigar box.
89 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace