2023 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal ($18.99, 12.5%). Basic yellow hay color, abundant shine, glossy, nice. The nose is subdued, or “transparent” if preferred, grapefruit pith, freshly shelled peas, some saline then bubblegum, pear and peach notes but fruit not really in play. Medium-bodied, close to muscular, more dense than heavy. That grapefruit pairs with the expected white pepper to enhance the mouth entry. Then it flattens out quickly. Mineral water to quinine. As in the nose, the tart fruit is ehh. The bubblegum comes and goes. Grüner Veltliner would be one of the first guesses if served blindly, however, I’m not particularly moved by it. (Screwcap)
2022 Bedrock Syrah, Santa Maria Valley, Bien Nacido Vineyard ($52.00, 13.0%). Clean purple to magenta, more bouncy than glowingly saturated, more pretty than impressive. Saline, olive, beef jerky and iron notes percolate throughout the nose, the blueberry, cherry, raspberry scents get pushed back in the lunch line, right now not much overall staying power. In the mouth it’s light to medium-bodied, rightsized acidity which lets the fruit stay steady start to finish rather than get shunted aside. Solid array of “check the box” Syrah flavors. Very pleasing with plenty of improvement room. Not getting much oak. If it might be allowed, more Jasmin than Jamet. All about having different arrows in the quiver.
2021 Dusty Nabor Syrah, Santa Barbara County, Ballard Canyon, Kimsey Vineyard ($45.00, 13.0%). Gosh darn close to full transparency, the purplish core blends into a sort of washed out ruby, completely unblemished. The nose has push but ends up openly knit, strawberry, raspberry fruit scents, touch of green apple, the florality outpointed by a caramel, toffee accent, even with a couple of years on it smells very primary. Light to medium-bodied, grazes against the palate more than lands. Comes across as more acidity driven. Reddish to bluish fruit. Brush of tapenade, white grapefruit and damp leather. Here there is a tiny window into what it might be down the road. Thinking out loud, I find the same issue here as I do with many a Californian Syrah, the lack of vicious acidity. Sue me, it’s something I look for in long term aging with Syrah. That aside, awful tasty and 5-6 years might tease out more toothsome aspects.
2022 Dusty Nabor Cabernet Franc, Santa Barbara County, Happy Canyon, TTT Vineyard ($50.00, 14.5%). Densely warm purple core, thick scarlet rims, full of color without overdoing it, crosses the line into opacity. The nose starts off smoky than shifts into a deep florality, light oak touch, bell pepper does lurk in the shadows, good tautness in the black fruit scents. Full-bodied, plush while dry enough that it doesn’t soak in too quickly nor thoroughly. Tannin is good plus but not a decisive factor. More oak cream here. Blackberry, currant to cherry fruit that doesn’t break a sweat crossing the finish line. That florality returns at the end. Big-boned but not fat, could slim down and gain sipability. Good stuff. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2019 Prima Materia Sangiovese, Lake County, Kelsey Bench ($32.00, 14.2%). While transparent the mostly red rust coloration dark enough to look a bit foreboding, to me it arguably looks older than its age. On the funky side when first opened, slowly more regular damp earth, leather, twigs and finally candied cherries take over, not too full nor blowsy and smells legit for the variety. Medium-bodied plus, even today it feels like the tannin receding, leaving the so-so acidity to do any heavy lifting. No lack of ripe fruit, concentrated sweetness which tapers off well. More citrus tones here. Weight consistent start to finish. Tangy ending. Easy to sip. So I did. (Composite Cork)
2023 Bolt To Wines Syrah, Santa Barbara County, Los Olivos District ($40.00, 13.0%). While the liquid is clear there’s something “dusky” about it, layered purple with a reddish magenta aura. The nose rife with cigarette ash, bell pepper, and hot minerally black earth, this coalesces into a sinewy lift, shaving down the currant, plum scents to a fine point, air doesn’t budge it much. Light to medium-bodied, slim without wanting. The fruit is rich despite being pulled taut. More ash, stone, herbaceous accents. A burst of black olive and white citrus brings it back to more familiar territory. Throughout it all a vanillin note persists. Like its relative transparency and it may be considered on the young side. Overall, not sure how I feel about it. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2016 Harrington El Dorado County, Sumu Kaw Vineyard, “Subrosa” ($25.00, 13.2%). The color is washing out some, leaving it flat from the reddish purple core through to the rust red rims. Fragrant mixed black and red fruits, touch woolly, vague rubber note, does not seem imbued with much tertiary development, openly knit enough to flow freely upwards. Medium-bodied, mostly firm with a jolly belly. Offputting plastic to animal fur aspect, borderline volatile. So, naturally, it comes across leathery as well. That noted, the sweet, candied cherry, raspberry, blackberry fruit is attractive. To my taste this bottle favors the Mourvèdre over the Syrah. Any tannin clumpy, acidity meager, note from June 2018 considered this a quite tannic wine. Again, the fruit is there but the rest seems out of balance. 50% Syrah, 50% Mourvèdre.
2015 Once & Future Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley, Bedrock Vineyard ($42.00, 14.7%). Opaque blackish purple core, thin brick red rims which look like they might go orange, surface shine is very nice. The nose percolates with vanilla, caramel, butterscotch tones, plenty of menthol to eucalyptus, good heft in the blueberry, blackberry to more reddish berry scents, airy in a way that suggests it needs an anchor. Medium to full-bodied, no heaviness, at the same time it moves slowly across the palate. Cherry, plum trumps the berry elements here, seems to head toward sweet before hitting a wall. Plenty of creamy oak left. Licorice and menthol. Not perceiving acidity, lack of movement might be tannin. Tangy finish. I wasn’t crazy about this in August 2017 and nothing much has changed in the interim. Flock not in formation.
2021 Ultraviolet Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($18.99, 13.8%). Kind of plum red to purple in hue, clean enough, not shiny nor dull, it’s a glass of red wine. Candied cherry to blackberry scents, ginger spice, light grill smoke, not excessively oaky (and shouldn’t be for the price), turns herbaceous before dissolving. Medium-bodied, round and soft. And very sweet, gets close to prune territory. Lots of baking spices and followed on by orange peel. Not much to say here. It is what it is. Kinda sad that this quality is pushing $20, not to say it’s undrinkable just totally forgettable. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Hills AVA), 5% Cabernet Franc (Coombsville AVA). (Composite Cork)
2012 Ty Caton Sonoma Valley, Moon Mountain District, Caton Vineyard, “Tytanium” ($35.99, 14.7%). Dull black to muddy red core, thin brick red rims, looks older. The nose offers a roasted, smoky character, hot ferrous earth, very pungent and stuffed, The blackish fruits might approach dried fruit concentration were it not for the roast, nothing subtle nor elegant about it. Medium-bodied, smoky here too with a decided plastic note. The fruit attenuated, clipped. Tannin clumpy. Hint of stewed tomatoes. Nothing going on that makes me want to drink more. I’ve had this wine three times, one was great and two sucked ass. All from the same source. No outward sign of damage, cork soft, no staining. Life can be cruel. 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Syrah, 19% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot, 5% Malbec.
2024 Weis Vineyards Seyval Blanc, Finger Lakes ($24.99, 12.0%). Meager white gold hue compensated for by brilliant shine, hint of green. Smoky, flinty nose, fried lemon peel, pineapple, kumquat to nectarine fruit scents, minerally cloud forms inside the nostrils. Medium-bodied, wiry and coiled with powerful acidity. Bone dry, in the way which increases vibrancy. More tropical fruit, juicy and sour at once. Quite citrusy. Almost salty at the finish. Likewise, floral. So, there’s a lot going on. Extended finish. I am easily enamored by it, excellent wine. No more typing, more drinking. (Screwcap)
2023 Weis Vineyards Chancellor, Finger Lakes, “Schulhaus Red” ($20.99, 12.5%). Fat glow to the violet-ruby hues, core fairly dark, strong rims. Nose of wet leather and wet kindling wood, mud, there’s nothing overtly funky about it in ways I know yet it does evoke farmland, angular cranberry, blueberry scents. Medium-bodied, here things come into clearer focus. Notes of iron, peeled tomatoes, leafy matter lead decisively. Then that leather and sweat. Plenty of sour red fruit. Decent acidity. Smokier finish. Can’t say I have deep familiarity with the variety but I’d aver would show better slightly chilled. All in all, interesting for a glass or two, not like what one usually consumes. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2023 A.J. Adam Riesling, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Dhroner Hofberg, Kabinett AP #13 ($23.99, 8.5%). Pale white to yelow straw hue, moderate layering, maybe less than average shine. Nice oily smoke to the nose, flint, needs to warm some to really get the tangerine citrus and semi-tropical fruit, once that happens there’s an impression that the palate will be sweet, more powerful kick than gentle lift. Close to full-bodied, as I am not discerning much acidity one might forge a relationship with the indeed sweet the melon, apricot, nectarine, guava fruit. As does the pink grapefruit, tangelo citrus. Does achieve some sparkle at the end. Well, I do like sweet so i am happy. Comes across to me as potentially declassified Spätlese.
2023 Dönnhoff Riesling, Nahe, Niederhäuser Klamm, Kabinett AP #4 ($24.99, 9.0%). Close to transparent yet has sufficient glow to gain presence, almost day-glo, on the dull side. Powdery chalk and stone dust the featured element of the nose, lemon meringue, pear, apricot, green melon scents, light oiliness, soft persistence. In the mouth it’s medium-bodied, moderately firm and possessed of enough acidity to clean up the finish well. Before that there’s pleasing ripeness in the cherry, pear, peach and such fruit. Not getting more than a swipe of lemon, less than in the nose. Anything akin to oil, smoke, rubber just a suggestion to me. Much more floral approaching room temperature. Pretty wine, would need to be careful about food pairing, could be subsumed easily. (Screwcap)
2023 Le Piane Erbaluce, Piedmont, “Bianko” ($32.99, 13.0%). Moderate gold color, somewhat washed out rims, if I didn’t know better I’d swear it was white wine. The nose veers here and there, walnut led nuttiness, sauna smoke, green apple to peach fruit, lemon peel, pickle brine, refuses to settle on a single direction. Medium-bodied if that, the acidity dives right in to pierce the tongue. The nuttiness grows in stature and doesn’t always stay balanced with the whole. Tangerine, lemon citrus a nice touch. The fruit an embellishment rather a cornerstone. Almost leathery by the finish. Warming up didn’t change the profile for me. Left more curious about it than enjoying it. Hmmm. (Composite Cork: Diam5)
2019 Campolargo Baga, Bairrada ($21.99, 13.0%). Mostly rust red to a faded violet color, while the hues aren’t that attractive it does have great shine. The profile of the nose is roasty and sour, plenty of punch in the cranberry, Italian plum scents, herbaceous, blast of white grapefruit, thick but very active. Shade below full-bodied, sappy enough to extend palate presence. Acidity seems high, accentuates that citrus and grassiness. More earthy here, Tart red berry, cherry fruit, big pucker at the end. There’s something tough about it, like the scrawny guy who kick the ass of someone twice his size. Nice change of pace wine. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2022 Brookdale Chenin Blanc, Paarl, “Mason Road” ($22.99, 13.5%). Golden hay color, pools into the glass with solid shine to boot, pleasant enough visually. The nose is smoky with a salty edge, seems to drift off before the pear, peach, melon, kumquat fruit settles in, brush of white citrus, has kind of the olfactory correlate of what folks call a “hollow mid-palate.” Medium-bodied, more firm than broad while leaving a solid imprint on the palate. Acidity at an okay level for me more perceptible through mouth entry with little tingle by the finish. More richness to the fruit here as well as tropical nature. Lasts credibly at the end. Not a generous wine but not austere either. (Screwcap)
2021 Bodegas D. Mateos Tempranillo, Rioja, “Letargo Crianza” ($17.99, 14.5%). More or less opaque purple core, dense garnet rims, on the dull side. Rim plum, currant fruit prominent in the nose, seems so due to the dearth of much else, there’s a whiff of toast but not showing much oak influence, some campfire, then… nothing. Medium-bodied at best, the same reddish black fruit win by default, decent flavor but not all that sweet. Oak can’t add body. Vanilla powder, maybe. Tannic finish, not sure where that came from. I’d consider this a “gallery opening” caliber wine. Potable and then full stop. 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 5% Graciano.