Montinore 2009 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley
A good example of Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, and an great value. Marzipan and Granny Smith apples are followed by vibrant lemon and mineral. Light bodied and alive with a touch of white pepper.
wine-reviews
Bremerton 2007 Verdelho, Langhorne Creek, Australia
A winning wine from Bremerton in Langhorne Creek. A great style that is not typically seen the the states. Verdelho is best known as one of the grapes of Madeira. It is also one of Australia’s niche varietals. This bottle starts off with honey and peach, moves toward grapefruit and then veers to verbena and citrus on the finish.
Shoofly 2008 Freckle White, South Australia
A delicious white wine from Australia that manages to keep its lush weight in check. A Rhone-style blend from South Australia: Marsanne , Roussanne and a dash of Viognier. Aromas of fresh pear, ginger and almond, followed by mineral and melon on the palate. Medium bodied with a zesty acidity makes this a fun and easy bottle. It also offers enough complexity to keep any wine lover interested for a bottle or two.
Elk Cove 2009 “Five Mountain Vineyard” Pinot Noir
Here is one for the Pinot geeks of the world. Located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, Five Mountain is one of the original Willamette Valley vineyards, dating back to 1978 and planted …
CrossBarn 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
The “CrossBarn” is remarkably similar to the “Paul Hobbs,” but at half the price. It is lush and dense with richly soft tannins, it stains the glass with a deep crimson. Full bodied, it offers up rich flavors of blackberry and burnt oak that are deeply embedded into a savory impression of fresh bay laurel and roses.
Marques de Concha 2009 “Peumo Vineyard” Carmenere
Crimson and dense, this Carmenere is one of the best examples of the varietal on the market. It offers up plenty of oak-influenced flavors, including chocolate, coffee, and licorice. Toasted spices …
Andrew Will Winery 2007 Two Blondes Vineyard
Figs and cassis meld with coffee and campfire notes, along with a strong impression of Herbes de Provence. The midpalate brings in fresher red fruits, and serious oak-influenced flavors of chocolate and allspice. The finish rolls on and on, bringing more pleasure than anyone could expect from a glass of wine.
Vezer 2007 La Salette
Rising from twin pads of blackberry and oak, this is a drunken philanthropist of a wine. It holds nothing back, offering up a wealth of jam, coconut, sweet cream, and vanilla. There is nothing …
La Bastide Blanche 2010 Bandol Rosé
Rosé doesn’t get more complex than this lovely example from Provence. On the palate, the flavor goes richer, with deep strawberry and cherry flavors wrapped around a core of mineral zing and some toothsome tannins. Burnt orange peel and black tar finish off this complex and aggressive pink wine.
Le Paradis 2010 Chinon
Cabernet Franc doesn’t get much play on the American wine market. Wines from the Loire Valley in France are also not very popular, either. Combine them, and you get… Chinon. It’s …
La Ca’ Nova 2007 “Bric Mentina” Barbaresco
A brilliantly crafted Barbaresco. Bric Mentina is an estate bottling from this excellent producer and pushes me to be a bit more poetic than I can usually muster. This Barbaresco has …
Carmen Grifoll-Declara 2006 Tossals, Monstant
A deeply and profoundly delicious wine. It manages to have the luxurious depth of a feather bed and an operatic expanse of fruit under a canopy of rust and granite. This …
Bodegas Pedro Escudero 2009 “Fuente Elvira” Verdejo
A singularly modern style of Rueda that is taking its cues from its brethren up in Rioja. Reductive winemaking combined with barrel fermentation is doing wonders for Spanish whites, in particular Verdejo. Creamy peach and quince are …
Vignerons de Caractere 2009 “Les Hauts du Castellas” Vacqueyras
All the hallmarks of a great Rhone wine: opulent kirsch, lavender, burnt toast, and a deep and haunting minerality. A finish of burnt vanilla and sweet cinnamon ties it up with …
Tenuta di Biserno 2006 Coronato, Bolgheri
Olive and clove peek out of this lush glass staining Cabernet blend. A true super Tuscan, this has zero pretensions to terroir but a brilliant aptitude for deliciousness. A luxury bottling …
Castello Banfi 2007 Excelsus, Montalcino
While it may be sacrilege to grow Merlot in the very heart of Tuscany, this wine may be worth damnation. A deft but decadent Merlot-Cabernet blend spans a framework of lush …