I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), so you can get right to the point and decide if they’re for you (or not). Cheers!
- 2023 Tenuta Cucco Langhe Nebbiolo (Piedmont): Mineral, floral, & pretty light on its feet, though it’s also not skimping on Nebb’s ‘oomph’ factor. $30 B+
- 2023 Psagot Sauvignon Blanc (Jerusalem): Melons, sweet lemon, grass, honeysuckle, & a ton of zing that (like the region’s troubles) seems to go on forever. $34 A-
- 2023 Psagot ‘Edom’ (Judean Hills): Supple, with dusty dark plummy fruit, excellent spices, and an enviable line of freshness. $50 A-
- 2023 Starmont Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (Central Coast): A good amount of citrus, a little bit of veggies, and a lot of length and refreshment. $24 B+
- 2022 Papapietro Perry Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Boysenberry, red apple (with skin), tea leaf, cranberry. Vibrant, lithe, almost prickly. They’re right on the cusp of something superb here. $62 A-
- 2022 Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (Sonoma County): Brambly, bright, buoyant, beautiful. $60 A-
- 2022 Merry Edwards Richaven Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): Cherry fruit that’s at once bright also insanely deep. Mineral, with graphite notes and bergamot, earth, rose petal. Still a baby in the palate, there’s juicy plum fruit but also a metric ton of structure by PN standards. Wow. $85 A
- 2023 Merry Edwards Winery Sauvignon Blanc (Russian River Valley): As rich, perky, grassy, and distinctive as ever. $52 A-
- 2023 Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Chardonnay Limited (Russian River Valley): A clinic in spiciness, richness, and poised restraint. $37 A-
- 2021 Goosecross Cellars State Lane Vineyard ‘Holly’s Block’ Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Supple but also tightly wound rn. Vanilla, cocoa, dried violets, pencil shavings, this is a veritable spice pot. Cassis, black raspberry, pie crust, umami, cherry tart. Quintessential NV flagship Cab here. $185 A