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!
- 2017 Weingut Frischengruber Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Zanzl (Wachau): GV goes deep and complex, wearing tropical garb. $37 A-
- 2008 Rudi Pichler Wösendorfer Hochrain Grüner Veltliner Smaragd (Wachau): Peachy creaminess, flinty freshness, electric everything. $NA A-
- 2018 Engelbrecht Ried Engabrunner Stein Grüner Veltliner (Kamptal): Not blood from a stone, but lovely stone fruits from a stone. $NA B+
- 2018 Johannes Holzer Ried Engabrunner Stein Grüner Veltliner (Kamptal): Racy, bracing, elegance that doesn’t care one whiff if you dig it or not. $NA B+
- 2017 Reinhard Topf Ried Strasser Gaisberg Grüner Veltliner Reserve (Kamptal): Delicacy is the order of the day, and it’s served with lemon peel. $NA B+
- 2016 Szigeti Pinot Noir Rose Brut (Burgenland): Tart red berries and rose petals, both with an aggressive streak. $22 B+
- 2018 Vietti Roero Arneis (Piedmont): You won’t find more lovely, lively lanolin for your buck. $20 A-
- 2018 Pfendler Vineyards Chardonnay (Petaluma Gap): Balancing between both broad and bouncy. $27 B+
- 2017 Dutton-Goldfield McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): The thinking person’s Pinot; pay attention, and it’ll teach you something. $68 A-
- 2018 Domaine Bousquet Gaia Red Blend (Tupungato): Herbal, dark, delicious, and carrying its weight with poise. $20 B+