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Troon Vineyard Whole Grape Ferment Riesling 2017

Troon Vineyard Whole Grape Ferment Riesling 2017

Limpid, shimmering copper in the glass, 2017 Troon Vineyard Whole Grape Ferment Riesling is a fabulous orange wine—a delicious romp through ripe apricots, orange zest, almond paste, linden blossom, and dried honey. In the mouth, skin contact lends textural dimension, there are beautiful oxidative tones offset by pink grapefruit infused acidity. All in all, Troon […]

Peter Zemmer Rollhütt Pinot Noir 2017

Peter Zemmer Rollhütt Pinot Noir 2017

Worth every penny, Peter Zemmer’s Northern Italian Pinot Noir is intensely perfumed, with lilting aromas of dried rose petals, cola, homemade strawberry jam, raspberry, and underbrush. The aromatic profile perfectly matches the nose—it’s elegant, buoyant, and reigned in, with a finish etched in floral undertones and limestone minerality. 13.0% ABV | Sample Peter Zemmer 9o […]

Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay 2018

Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay 2018

Abundantly fresh, Domaine Bousquet, an Argentine winery under French ownership, generally offers great value, particularly for those on the hunt for organic wines. This is not one of their more complex offerings, it shows classic orchard fruit on the nose with a hint of subtle spice. 70% of the Chardonnay is aged in stainless, while […]

Rain Dance Vineyards Grand Oak Vineyard Estate Riesling 2017

Grand Oak Vineyard Estate Riesling 2017

Crafted from Reisling sourced from Rain Dance’s estate vineyards—Grand Oak Vineyard lies within Willamette Valley’s Chehalem Mountains sub-appellation and the vines are seated in Jory and Laurelwood-type soils. Aromas of yellow apple, lemon drop, and ripe pear anoint the nose, on the palate, it’s softly-textured thanks to sur lie aging in French oak—perfectly dry and […]

Brooks Amycas 2016

Brooks Amycas 2016

Straw yellow in the glass, Brooks’ 2016 Amycas is an aromatic white blend of 44% Riesling, 21% Muscat, 18% Pinot Blanc, 10% Gewurztraminer, and 7% Pinot Gris. At this stage in its evolution, that classic Muscat florality takes the center stage. White flowers and chamomile segue into delicate fruit aromas of Asian pear, lemon drop, […]

Château Grange Cochard Morgon ‘Côte du Py’ 2013

Château Grange Cochard Morgon 'Côte du Py' 2013

A delicious Cru Beaujolais, the 2013 Château Grange Cochard Morgon ‘Côte du Py’ is crafted from sustainably-farmed vines grown in granitic schist soil. It opens with brooding aromas of loamy tilth, freshly turned soil, and underbrush that gives way, perhaps grudgingly to red and black berries, dried orange peel, and a whiff of black tea. Darker tones […]

Santa Julia Malbec Organica Rosé 2017

Santa Julia Malbec Organica Rosé 2017

The color of a ballet tutu, From the Zuccardi family, Santa Julia’s organic rose of Malbec offers up aromas of pie cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and warm spice. It’s round, with a core of sweet red berries that are nicely balanced against a backdrop of lively, refreshing acidity. A nice, very quaffable summer sipper. 14.0% ABV […]

Domaine Bousquet Winemaker’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Domaine Bousquet Winemaker’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

I much preferred Domaine Bousquet’s 2017 Premium Cabernet Sauvignon on the second day—aromatically speaking, it’s far more expressive with air and time—youthful primary aromas and flavors of black currant, black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate shavings and bay leaf unwind against an earthy, muscular backdrop. The tannins are fine, evenly dispersed, and there is a green […]

Producer Profile: Finca Viladellops

Finca Viladellops

Along the rocky spine of the Massif Garraf, a calcareous mountain chain that extends to the Mediterranean Sea, in the heart of the Penedès is the hamlet of Viladellops. The town is a tightly-knit group of 18 farmhouses—Viladellops’ history dates back to the year 958 when the order of the Templars flocked to the town […]

Arínzano Gran Vino Blanco 2014

Arínzano Gran Vino Blanco 2014

In the North-Eastern corner of Spain, Arínzano’s estate vineyards are planted at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, midway between the Rioja and Bordeaux. The 2014 Gran Vino Blanco is 100% Chardonnay, aged 11 months on new and used French oak. A profusion of yellow apples, pear, mandarin oranges, vanilla, smoke, whipped butter, and warm […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com