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), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- 2014 Trivento Eolo Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo): Finely honed, as if chiseled from marble, but the outlines have been kept smooth and flow with grace. $79 A-
- 2017 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough): Sometimes, you just gotta go ahead and toss shyness right out of the window. $25 B+
- 2017 Caves Sao Joao Espumante Rose Bruto (Bairrada): You’ll probably wonder why the fruitiness is so subdued, but it’s just keeping in line with the whole package’s refined profile. $22 B
- 2014 Tolino Vineyards Cabernet Franc (Pennsylvania): Does this one have relatives that live in the Loire? Because it sure feels like it… $25 B+
- 2015 Rushland Ridge Vineyards Bucks County Cabernet Franc (Pennsylvania): Bring your penchant for green herbs, and for skilled, countryside craftsmanship. $NA B
- 2016 Maple Springs Vineyard Albariño (Pennsylvania): A surprising sipper that’s both refreshing and precise, and precisely the type of refreshing display that PA wine needs. $NA B
- 2017 Opolo Vineyards Roussanne (Central Coast): A lot of fig jam, a bit of honey blossom, and quite a ton of attitude. $26 B
- 2016 McIntyre Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands): Opulence, grit, and verve, all riding high and confident in their respective saddles. $38 B+
- 2014 Filipponi Ranch Cellars Paragon Vineyard Chardonnay (Edna Valley): Maturing beautifully, almost majestically, in fact; we should all be so lucky – and so accessible. $27 A-
- 2015 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc (St. Helena): About as modern and sexy of a take on the wily CF as you’re likely to find in these parts. $65 A-