Monday Mini Wine Reviews Round-Up For May 28, 2012

So, like what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine sample tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible. Below is a wrap-up of the twitter reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find them so you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• Zantho Gruner Veltliner (Burgenland): Apparently "zantho" is Austrian for "wonderful, tropical, citrusy, zesty white wine bargain." $15 B >>find this wine>>
• 08 Cruz Andina Malbec (Mendoza): Very ripe, jammy plums & blue flowers that are pining for the better balance of past vintages. $19 B- >>find this wine>>
• 10 Veramonte Reserva Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley): What do we have here? The sweet lemon, herbs & cheese plate has been served $12 B- >>find this wine>>
• 09 Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Saltner Pinot Nero (Alto Adige): Lovely tart red fruits soaking up a bit too much (& less lovely) booze. $14 B- >>find this wine>>
• NV J Cuvee 20 25th Anniversary Brut (Russian River Valley): Fuji apple, white flower & lemon cookie take the charge w/ guns a-blazin’ $24 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 J Vineyards Chardonnay (Russian River Valley): Cantaloupe, cashew, cream & consistency; might be best J RRV Chard in recent memory $28 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 J Vineyards Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): Still 1 of the best “guilty pleasure,” black-cherry-&-leather RRV Pinots out there $35 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 11 Peter Lehmann Dry Riesling (Eden Valley): Helloooo stone peaches; warning: do not approach if you are shy about pith (or minerals). $18 B >>find this wine>>
• 11 Peter Lehmann Semillon (Barossa): Those apricots & limes are awfully assertive, but they brought flowers so give ’em some slack. $18 B >>find this wine>>
• 06 Peter Lehmann Margaret Semillon (Barossa): Tropical fruits hitting the cream pool with their waxy sunscreen & vinyl floaters on. $35 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Peter Lehmann Cabernet Sauvignon (Barossa): Cranberry, currants, cola & a touch of balsamic; so… is there, like, a BBQ nearby? $18 B >>find this wine>>
• 11 Jacobs Creek Reserve Riesling (Barossa): Solid as a rock; and it tastes like one, too, in a refreshing, zesty, gravelly way I mean. $13 B >>find this wine>>
• 11 Jacobs Creek Steingarten Riesling (Barossa): Chalky, clean, balanced, aromatic & making the other kids in class look like slackers. $9 B >>find this wine>>
• 08 Jacobs Creek St Hugo Shiraz (Barossa): A smack of rawhide to the face; but a kinky/sexy kind of slap, w/ blue fruits (ok whatever) $49 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Las Rocas Garnacha Vinas Viejas (Calatayud): Fabio, buff as ever but reinvented as a deftly talented and agile Tango instructor. $20 B >>find this wine>>
• 10 Dama de Toro Malvasia (Toro): Wants to be (very, very) cold, after which it will probably serve your tacos (very, very) well. $11 C+ >>find this wine>>
• 05 Thorn-Clarke William Randell Shiraz (Barossa): Mexican chocolate gets the grippy, dark-fruity, & herbal Down Undah touch. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Quartage (Barossa): There’s a shot of fire at the end, but the earthy, tangy red fruits are worth the trip. $20 B >>find this wine>>
• 10 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz (Barossa): Cassis & black fruit cowboys, riding high on tea and tomato leaves. $20 B >>find this wine>>