2018 Dandelion Vineyards Lion’s Tooth of McLaren Vale Shiraz-Riesling. First off, let me admit that it was the Shiraz and Riesling blend that put this in my shopping cart. Intrigued, no doubt. Heavy purple color, falls short of opacity, rims more scarlet than magenta. There’s a plastic note to the nose which all but seems unavoidable in the Shiraz I sample in recent years, perhaps it has something to do with eucalyptus to me, more toasty than creamy, pain grille, fruit berry nice with raspberry, blackberry, strawberry notes, hard to tell what the Riesling added, I can’t escape the power of suggestion that there’s something diesel there. Medium-bodied, okay acidity a saving grace, flattens across rather than lifts. Sour, puckering finish. If anything, the Riesling seems to hollow it out. Do not care for it but not unhappy I tried it. Allowing for gross generalization, keep telling myself on the rare occasions I buy Australian reds to stay out of Barossa, McLaren Vale. 95% Shiraz, 5% Riesling. (Screwcap: Stelvin+)
2017 Jim Barry Clare Valley Assyrtiko. Extremely pale white straw “color” but the brilliant shine makes up for it in terms of glass presence. Texturally the nose has a theme of dry and dusty but the scents all over the map, sauna smoke, oily iron, sour hard lemon candy, powdered sugar, green apple and passion fruit, sage or marjoram, explodes through your nostrils. Medium-bodied, witheringly acidic, for some reason reminds me of what a bunch of white wines felt like in the early to mid 90’s, take no prisoners attitude. Citrus fest, jagged minerality, smokiness, makes it feel “hot.” Apricot, apple, passion fruit, guava, no paucity of flavors yet hard to enjoy them. All in all, it’s no wine to relax with but at least I can go to my grave knowing I have tried an Australian Assyrtiko. (Screwcap)
2018 John Duval Wines Barossa Valley Plexus. White to yellow straw hue, very shiny, technically irrelevant but leaves lots of “legs” behind, bounces around inside the glass. Oil slick to smoke infuses the nose, incredibly pungent, granted some of this likely oak toast, fired lemon peels, flash cooked nuts, taut peach, apricot, pear fruit scents. Light to medium-bodied, flattens out across the tongue like it’s crawling below barbed wire. The acidity has more cut than expected, props up the citrus component. Conversely, here the oak toast clearly steps to the front of the line, ginger and nutmeg. Tangerine, mandarin orange zest creates a perfume. Apple, pear, melon to apricot fruit, plainly flavored, no extra juiciness. Interesting enough that wouldn’t mind revisiting a few paces down the road when the oak is fully knit in. 48% Marsanne, 43% Roussanne, 9% Viognier. (Screwcap)
2018 Bedrock Lime Kiln Valley Enz Vineyard. Resonant violet core, hums warmly, the rims the darkest magenta that could still show a pink tint, impressively hued. The oozes fresh berry juice, then a sort of damp wooliness, maybe like a sweater smells after gardening in it and smudged with dirt, then a welcome eucalyptus touch, undeniably primary at this point. Medium-bodied, it feels smooth on the tongue and grittier on the roof of the mouth, like a sandy textured perfume. Blueberry, raspberry, boysenberry with apple or white grape notes. Slightly spicy, fine purity, stony more than earthy. Peppery in a ground pepper way, albeit also flirts with green pepper. Cinches its belt through the finish. Very enjoyable wine, barely sensing any oak. Laying down a few so time will tell where it goes. Approximately 70% Mataro, 20% Zinfandel, 10% Cabernet Pfeffer.
2018 Bedrock Syrah California Calico. Just about glowing purple core, wide pinkish ruby rims, vivacious. When first opened the nose gargled up fresh butter and caramel, quickly settled down into violets, menthol, coal tar and fully ripened strawberry, rhubarb, blueberry fruit scents, immensely primary with close to no hint of its future direction. Light-bodied, the acidity provides more grip than tannin, feels like slowly being squeezed out of an icing piping bag. Here you do get some uncooked bacon fat which is nice. But it is still the violets and menthol which create the bulk of the perfume. The fruit flavors are smooth and never chunk up passing through. I am not sure I’d want to trade much of the fruit for anything else. Grapes sourced from Walker Vine Hill, Weill a Way, Shake Ridge, Bien Nacido, Hudson Vineyards.
2004 Lagier Meredith Syrah Mount Veeder. The core fleshed out with vivid purple which blends into quite broad scarlet rims, clean. The nose has that sort of “liquid minerality” quality to it, yet displays a vanillin to buttery component, light grill fat as well as green olive, underbrush that isn’t grassy nor green, there’s enough going on that the blackberry, black cherry scents lost in the shuffle, this not a sign though of diminishment. Medium-bodied, hollow mid-palate the largest sign of aging. Same buttery note, distracts from the richness of that mixed black fruits. Here a little eucalyptus shines through. No citrus but the generalized dried beef to iodine persists. At this juncture it’s the acidity that cracks the whip. Like the pacing, no sluggishness. On par with last bottle from August 2013. This has basically been a superb bottle from release.
2016 Wind Gap North Coast Soif Old Vine Red Wine. Lively violet core surrounded by wide and glowing magenta rims, consider it well-hued rather than saturated for attention. Nice spectrum of fruit in the nose from blueberry, cranberry to strawberry and apple, each sniff yields something different, maybe a touch of honey and/or orange reduction, this is probably as much of a “fruit bomb” as Wind Gap ever made. Full-bodied, smooth without any fall off at the end. Baking spices, orange citrus and here a very mild leatheriness garnish that shifting fruit array. Good acidity, minus shrillness. Dries enough through the finish to prime the palate for the next sip. Easy, casual drinker, aptly named. Unspecified percentages of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Dolcetto. (Synthetic Cork)
2009 Rhys Syrah Santa Cruz Mountains Skyline Vineyard. Gauzy plum red core, interesting mix of magenta and rust red in the rims, assuming it is part of its maturation curve. Floral nose with a good deal of damp scrub grass and dirt, in no way unclean, subtle mentholated lift and very faint suggestion of white grapefruit, overall perhaps too delicate in nature. Light-bodied, tannin feels like a fine silt residue on the tongue. Coquettish strawberry, raspberry, watermelon fruit, makes no definitive statement. Fruit turns darker with air. Stony, more like old pressed flowers here. Mint, menthol. Maybe an afterglow of oak but wouldn’t argue if someone told me it was all stainless. I appreciate the cerebral nature of the wine, however, I prefer my Syrah more sauvage.
2014 Ty Caton Moon Mountain District Caton Vineyard Tytanium. Scarlet red lightens the purple base, rims fresh and youthful, can’t imagine it looks any different from release. Closely layered nose, like pages of a book stuck together, still the eucalyptus element gives it the lift needed to start separating, there is some creamy oak but not as much as would be warranted to expect, thus you find freshness in the cherry, black raspberry, boysenberry scents, spicy like Indian mukhwas. 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Petite Sirah, 18% Syrah, 9% Malbec, 9% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot.
2010 Hervé Murat Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Cuvée Marius. Ruby to garnet red throughout, very minor dip into violet at the core, very nice shine and cleanliness, touch of brick red at the rims the only thing suggesting its age. A steady, dewy perfume fills the nose, punctured by a clear Granny Smith apple note, floral with ripe raspberry, strawberry scents, something licorice or fennel like, while not taking away much by way of “terroir” it’s satisfying. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, good traction, seems like it was pretty tannic in its youth. Mixed berry fruit, juicy enough to avoid undue sourness. Cedar, cola accents. Broad-shouldered heartiness paired with a measure of grace. No issue with this at all.
2015 Domaine Cabirau Languedoc Maury. Mildly gauzy purple core, the rims a shade of dried blood, hard to tell if it’s showing age yet. Lots of layering in the nose, makes it sort of tough to suss things out, the strawberry, blueberry scents met by a meadow to pine breeze, hint of orange rind, not much happening. Medium-bodied but what’s there is plush and round through the attack, drying out noticeably at the end. Given the ripeness in mixed black fruits one might suspect there was a phenolic ripeness issue. The orange peel more candied here, almost honeyed. Minty. On the whole delivers the goods, a solidly middle of the pack Languedoc red. 60% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 12% Carignan.
2015 Vignobles Brumont Madiran Petit Torus. Clear enough that the crimson inflected purple core almost looks muddy in hue, vibrant crimson rims. Can’t speak to the élevage per se but nose has a creamy to buttery side, otherwise floral with a more berry based fruit array than might be expected, something like eucalyptus to lavender, has a moist pungency. Medium-bodied, soft and fluid enough to seek out the crevices of your palate. Arguably more acidic than tannic. Ultra juicy blackberry, boysenberry to cherry fruit. Sour orange citrus helps add spine. Tar, asphalt, gravel notes welcome. Almost confectionery retronasal lift. This is a likable wine but even allowing for its entry level price when I buy a Madiran I expect a nice kick in the balls. 60% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc. (Composite Cork: Diam1)
2014 Huet Vouvray Pétillant Brut. Deepening gold color, can easily envision it switching to amber over time, clean, not too blockish, pleasingly steady stream of bubbles down the center. Honeyed apricots and orange slices bloom in the nose, a glance of mineral smoke, quite yeasty and far so as it warms, some green apple and kumquat rounds it out. Light-bodied, the active pétillance keeps it moving nimbly. Would not have argued had they labeled this Extra Brut. Slightly underripe orchard fruits, better for it. Rose petals jockey with the orange to lemon citrus for attention. Admirably tight weave, no element going rogue on the game plan. May soften some with time but unsure that would be desirable.
NV Champagne Ponson La Petite Montagne 1er Cru Extra Brut. Active bubbles refresh the the surface while helping to fill out the glass. Basic yellow straw color. Nose speaks of limestone, minerals and stony sand, countervailing yeastiness lends balance, some floral underpinning, the orchard fruit quiet throughout. Light to medium-bodied, dry and, at least to me, excessively sour. The strength of the acidity saps the verve out of the toastiness. Maybe some naval orange citrus to go with the pear, apple, even pineapple fruit. Pétillance is right sized for the heft of the material and at least scrapes some sourness off the tongue. Never experienced a moment of relaxation with it. 40% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir. (Lot 2014) (Disgorged 19 August 2019)
NV Domaine André et Mireille Tissot Crémant du Jura Rosé Dosage Zéro. Very pale salmon pink with a very large mousse during the pour, not surprised to find a column of bubbles rising in the center of the glass. Some briny sourness to the nose, reticent red berry fruit, washed stones and stream water, honestly I am barely getting anything at all. Quite light-bodied, were it not for the steady effervescent churn you might not even notice it. Cleaner here in terms of brininess which translates to less overall presence. Dry but not witheringly so. 60% Pinot Noir, 20% Poulsard, 20% Trousseau. (Disgorged January 2020)
2013 Château d’Epiré Savennières Cuvée Spéciale. Basic yellow color, fairly block like albeit with okay shine, nothing unusual, seven years out not assuming it should be starting to darken. Semi-blunt nose, lacking in expressivity, smoky stone and chalk dust, pulped lemons, beeswax, persimmon to apricot fruit, little length. Medium-bodied, to me feels tannic but likely just a sledgehammer of acidity. Turns searing towards the end, tongue raw. Here comes off more minerally than stony but doubt that matches the terroir. Sour green apple fruit, tart lemons. Solid waxiness. Was interested in seeing if/how it changed getting warmer and it wasn’t much. Only previous experience with the Cuvée Spéciale bottling was 2004 and it struck me similarly. Just not enough flesh on the bone or maybe I’m lacking a deep enough masochistic streak.
2010 Flavio Roddolo Barbera d’Alba Superiore Bricco Appiani. Scarlet red infused purple core, burning sunset red rims, as this is the current release I am going with this looks as it should. At first the nose is all candied cherries, moderates into leather, black tea leaf, white grapefruit pith, lighter meaty smokiness, robust and borderline wild. Medium-bodied, on the whole smooth with a few semi-volatile hiccups, age might be making the acidity stick out more. Succulently ripe red berry, cherry fruit, at the finish swallowed by leather, animal hide and cedar. Speaks mostly in the country wine idiom while showing some polish. Intriguing wine, can’t say I’d pay the tariff again but wouldn’t mind if someone else did.
2011 Antica Casa Ricossa Barbaresco Riserva. Transparent dark purple to plum red, more burnt red around the very edge, youthful vigor yet. Happy go lucky nose of flowers, mixed berry fruit and a mentholated lift, enough tar and damp leather to stay true to self, good overall density. Full-bodied, even more gregarious here with tannin all but absent so the ripe fruit sloshes back and forth across the tongue. Close to honeyed at times, rose water, anise. Luckily there is cedar, muddy earth in there and some of that damp leather. Without much structure would be easy to dismiss out of hand. yet, it may be a useful window into the mindset of producers who just want to make a wine to drink in decent enough quantities so they can buy a nice car and send their kids to college.
2014 Vincent Wine Company Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Bjornson Vineyard. Pure ruby-violet color, no sing of aging, fades along the rims. Dusty nose, like kicking a rock down a dirt path, kind of hangs in the air, dried grass, more stone, subtle rhubarb, blueberry, raspberry fruit scents, pinch of nutmeg, this is all about rocks and dirt. Light-bodied, seems tannic until you acclimate after a few sips and then the acidity is inescapable. Spicy, suggestion of mixed white citrus, too dry to express much. More snap than juice in the blueberry, blackberry, raspberry fruit, most sappy through the finish. To its credit does put on weight with air time. Would consider its neutrality its best feature.
2019 Vincent Wine Company Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley. Pale glow to the green tinged yellow color, more blockish than shiny, can’t say I find Pinot Blanc all that visually attractive. Floral nose, stops short of dewy, cellar ripened apple, pear to peach fruit, stream washed pebbles, while it feels chubby in the nostrils it is at the same time immaculately clean. Medium-bodied, squarish in a good way which helps it hold its position. Acidity is probably what you’d expect, maybe a touch higher. Adds a baking spice element here to bring some verve. The orchard fruits are not watery, it’s more like the wine is striving for a form of transparency in which fruit would interfere. Lemony sparkle at the end. It’s a “just so” wine and admirably neutral. (Composite Cork)
2015 Casa Ferreirinha Douro Valley Callabriga. Ruby-magenta to violet throughout, minimal change core to rims, clean, looks like it could stain onyx. Nose not the most garrulous, starts with earth and dry meadow scrub, then the black raisin to cherry, dark berry scents take over, supported by dark chocolate and lavender, now and then there’s a weird close to plastic note. Medium-bodied and closer to light, feels like a good bit of attention was paid to it, weaving as needed to tame any greenness in the tannin and create freshness in the fruit. Despite all the ripeness there is a savory side to it as well as a medicinal “Vicks” vibe. In the end it does pull it off and create a uniform, smooth experience. Would not guess at ageworthiness, seems like now to three years out will provide a plateau of what’s happening at the moment. 55% Touriga Franca, 30% Touriga Nacional, 15% Tinta Roriz.
2014 Horton Petit Verdot Virginia Orange County Private Reserve. Kind of a dusky purple hue to the core, blends slowly into the rust red rims, has the “medieval,” brooding look. Spicy oak prominent in the nose, baking spices, fried butter, hard to determine if the musky floral perfume is more oak or fruit driven, adequate blackberry, black currant scents, overall about what was expected. Medium-bodied, nice roundness, expands fully across the palate. Here the oak seems more at peace with the whole, probably helps in terms of wood tannin structuring. No problem with the level of cherry, blackberry, currant fruit, juicy and lasts into the finish. Insofar as mono-cépage Petit Verdot goes, this fits the bill. I like rooting for Virginian wines and the day when the fruit stands well enough on its own to dial back the oak. (Synthetic Cork)