Calera Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard 2005
I had the pleasure of sampling the 2004 vintage of the Calera Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir in 2014. The 2005 is one that I slightly prefer over the 2004—this bottle has developed beautifully and is within its drinking window. The nose, a symphony of leather, earth, spiced apple rings, Rainier cherries, raspberry, and dried lavender. […]
Inglenook Reunion Reserve Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 1986
A wine that’s aged gracefully, Inglenook’s 1986 Reunion Cabernet Sauvignon is line with other Napa Valley Cabs I’ve tasted from that era. Poured from a magnum, the nose is reveals dried rose petal, dust, leather and dried black currants. It’s seems like it’s reaching the end of its drinking window, though there is still plenty […]
Domaine de la Mordorée Plume du Peintre Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2014
Brooding, serious and bordering on high-octane, the 2014 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Belle Voyageuse-du-Pape opens with notes of blackberry reduction, freshly turned soil, graphite and violets. A faint topnote of barnyard eventually blows off revealing a wine with lots of power and verve, firm tannins and close of Garrigue and spice. Lots to […]
San Alejandro Las Rocas Garnacha Calatayud 2014
Nice value in this Calatayud Garnacha—loaded with plums, savory red cherries, and violets couched in earth. The 2014 San Alejandro Las Rocas Garnacha is a food wine through and through, with a shock of acidity that ricochet’s through it’s red and black fruited core. If there is any oak here, it’s not evident. Tart red […]
Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2014
Enigmatic as all Véronique Boss-Drouhin’s wines are, the 2014 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir boasts freshness and poise in a ripe vintage year. Crushed lavender, cocoa powder, dried mint, underbrush, and an alluring array of red fruits lead into a wine that is medium-bodied and neatly trussed in fine tannins. White pepper and earth emerge at […]
2013 Brancaia Maremma Toscana Ilatraia
A Cab-dominant blend that flirts with opulence, reigned in by its Tuscan provenance—and that is a good thing, a food-friendly thing. The 2013 Brancaia Illatraia quietly unspools with notes of plums and ripe blackberries steeped in thyme. Burning embers, dust, and juniper berries add layered complexity. On the palate, it’s round and plush, with mouth-coating […]
Brancaia Tre 2014
A stylish Super Tuscan that is as modern as its label, Brancaia’s 2014 Tre is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from all three of the winery’s estate vineyards. It’s softly textured on the nose and palate, a basket of freshly harvested, sun-warmed Italian plums and black cherries infused with […]
Domaine d’Ouréa Gigondas 2014
An example of the sort of wine I bring when visiting the boyfriend—as a chef he has a real passion for game meats, so this seemed like a good choice. Brooding plums, black cherries, and grilled meat form the base of the profile. Add to this a dusting of earth and iron ore followed by lighter notes of […]
LaFou Celler Terra Alta El Sender 2015
LaFou’s 2015 El Sender is a young, slightly unruly blend of Garnaxta Negra and Syrah. Aged in concrete, it’s vivid and fresh, emitting a constant stream of pungent black cherries, strawberries and blackberry pie. Dried flowers and anise crown the nose—a plunge into the wine itself reveals purity of fruit, crunchy acidity contrasting soft texture. […]
Bluebird Hill Cellars Barrel Select Pinot Noir 2015
The perfect marriage of fruit and elegance, Bluebird Hill’s 2015 Barrel Select Pinot Noir, a micro-lot from the acclaimed Zenith Hill vineyard, is inlaid with ripe raspberries and pie cherries, dried orange peel, cinnamon stick, and rose petal—all rather more delicate notes that transform, at last, to an unexpected burst of iron ore. Undergirded by […]