2018 Dandelion Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale “Pride of the Fleurieu”. Saturated and inky purple core, thin red brick to clay red rims, fine level of surface shine. Cedar and potpourri lead the nose, touch of leather, plenty of black currant, plum fruit without overripeness, pleasing level of restraint if not too much, nothing out of proportion regarding oak treatment. Medium-bodied, not devoid of tannin yet it’s the smoothness which makes the greater impression. More toffee, caramel, coffee bean than in the nose while on the whole mimics the basic restraint, poise might be pushing it. Hint of tobacco along with the cedar. Impression of it did not change during the consumption of the bottle. That noted, pretty good for the price and would buy again. (Screwcap)
2018 Sandlands Mataro San Benito County. Basic ruby-violet color, clean with a pretty glow, close to magenta at the rims. Nose is of an angular nature, the strawberry, rhubarb, green apple to boysenberry scents bounce around, clayish earth, potpourri close to spent incense, muscular and wound up, likely not giving its all today. Medium-bodied, wave of tannin in the mouth, just slathers the palate into deadness. Darker fruit here but still mixed. Lavender, sage sort of herbal florality. Stony poor dirt. Some white citrus struggles to enunciate through the finish. Even after open an hour there’s not much to say. It’s like having dinner with a mute who keeps waving off the check.
2019 Sandlands Trousseau Sonoma Coast. Completely transparent with a clean shine, the tea rose pinkish red washes out a little at the rims. Floral nose with incense and mukhwas drifting up throughout, chalky to sandy sort of stoniness, the red berry, cherry fruit not absent but moreso an afterthought. Light-bodied so during some sips the tannin seems out of proportion to the whole and unduly strong. Develops a strong sappiness through the finish. Here white citrus carves out a meaningful presence and brings buoyancy to the strawberry, raspberry flavors. The dry, sandy stoniness persists. Less spicy than the nose, not quite as complex. It would be unfair to call it austere, however, every time I tried to really get it to soak in it stopped. Perhaps a couple of years to soften will help.
2016 Ser Winery Cabernet Pfeffer Central Coast. Light ruby-violet color, favoring ruby, rims look semi-washed out, fine clarity. Red-fruited nose with a steady grassiness to it, not getting any pepperiness, vaguely floral but overall finding it muted. Light-bodied, smooth and fluid, the tannin massages more than grips. Here it delivers the peppery bite, the dry grassiness steps back into the shadows. Cherry, raspberry move to the fore, tempted to say strawberry as opposed to anything darker. A citrus tingle gets the finish percolating. Ends with a suggestion of bell pepper. Although from different sources, as far as Cabernet Pfeffer goes I found the 2015 more thought provoking. Still, no problem killing the bottle quickly enough. (Screwcap)
2014 Ridge Zinfandel Alexander Valley Carmichael Vineyard. The purple core taking on a decided reddish maturity, can imagine it bricking even further over time. Nose dripping with mixed berry juice, vanilla bean and coffee bean, the eucalyptus to licorice notes not far behind, offers more of a muscular lift than staying power. Medium-bodied, feels like it is slimming down, particularly through the finish. The oak remains a dominant factor, dill, brioche and vanilla. Blueberry, blackberry to cherry fruit, wavers then comes down more in favor of black fruits. There’s an unevenness to the texture, prevents it from “staining the palate” as it were. Indian spices and menthol take up a lot of room. Even as the oak is less omnipresent I think I preferred this when first tasted in 2018. 82% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah.
2007 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District Lazare Vineyards. Blackish purple core, widening rust red rims, visually looks well into the maturation process. Moderate grill smoke to the nose but on the main it’s creamy vanillin oak with a patina of butterscotch, blackberry to black currant fruit scents, it’s superripe and downright billowy, can only imagine what it was like on release. Medium-bodied, velvety smooth with a suggestion of tannic grip. The oak even more omnipresent here, much stronger dill influence, without knowing would guess American oak. Somehow a few swipes of tobacco, cedar, orange peel past past the fruit. Again, ignoring knowing any facts about the wine I would not peg it as as more than 2-3 years old. Which, err, to me, is not a compliment, 13+ years out one should start to be getting a sense of its mature profile. (Glass Stopper)
2018 Sandlands Zinfandel Mokelumne River Kirschenmann Vineyard. There’s a curious dullness to the red clay to brick coloration, mild deepening to purple at the core, given the “usual” look of Zinfandel wines one would be hard pressed to guess the grape staring at the glass. Ripe berryish nose that is more like jelly than jam, huge medicinal/mentholated blast, lighter accent of vanilla and chocolate fudge, given the nature of the scents it is not overwrought, some dusty earth but not getting anything else. Medium-bodied, round and plush with more tannin to it than you’d expect, hence it never feels sloppy. Plum, blueberry, blackberry fruit, darkly complexed, not particularly juicy. Menthol, mint, sage, bay leaf to tar and tobacco, has a good bit going on. Not much citrus bite. Clenched finish. Given the way the structure is behaving now I’d wait 2-3 years tops to see where the fruit is at. At that point might need to be consumed right thereafter.
2019 Sandlands Mission Amador County. While the hue is light and adds to the complete transparency, the pinkish red has excellent verve and it all shines brightly in the glass. There’s a layered buoyancy to the nose, keeps heaving upwards to spill forth watermelon, strawberry, apple fruit scents, has an unexpectedly musky floral perfume, camphor, now and then there’s a mild burning sensation, even at 13.4%. Medium-bodied, has a fleshy body in keeping with previous vintages. Ripe, close to jammy, strawberry, blueberry, kiwi fruit, plush enough to extend effortlessly through the finish. Gingerbread cookies, cola bean, potpourri, spiced orange glaze, almost decadent spiciness. Presents a sort of “skin contact” tannic structure rather than the sort you’d associate with a red wine. For a non-monolithic wine its relentlessness is a key attribute.
2019 Stereophonic Wines Albariño Edna Valley Morro View Vineyard “Blue Desert”. Bright and shiny yellow, looks like a searchlight focused down into a clear pond, at some angles takes a day-glo yellow-green aspect. Smoky nose, sort of between charcoal and metallic, balanced out well by notes of whipped cream, lemon peel, papaya, guava and passion fruit, a little minty at times too, grows in stature and breadth as it warms. Medium-bodied with nice volume, you feel it vertically, presses against the tongue and mouth roof. Good framing acidity, likely supports the general spiciness, cumin to ginger sort. Citrus gets close to pink grapefruit while remaining mostly lemon. Same tropical fruit but less delineation among them here. Big mouthful of wine, preferred it well chilled to assist in keeping its form. (Composite Cork: Diam5)
2005 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Pruliers. As much blood red as violet in the core, thin zinc orange rims, has credible clarity to help give it some visual bounce. Smelt at first like an old mule off to the glue factory, takes a good long while for the candied cherry, raspberry fruit to show, offers camphor, black tea leaf, licorice as well, not getting any citrus nor anything I’d be tempted to call “pretty,” if fine delineation is in its future, it’s not in its present. Medium-bodied, very firm tannin which yields begrudgingly and thankfully is not too drying. Some sappiness yet in the blackberry, boysenberry to raspberry fruit but wouldn’t call it juicy. Cleaner than the nose. Pressed flowers, orange peel, light leathery touch as it dissolves on the tongue. Not having that much familiarity with this bottling I’d say it is not ready for prime time, however, the fruit’s ability to last indefinitely is worrying. 375 ml bottle.
2014 Domaine Francisque Lapandéry Loire Côte Roannaise Réserve Vieilles Vignes (Gamay Noir). Has an almost crimson red color, good clarity, rims offering a very slight turn to rust orange. Candied aspect to the nose like a hard candy apple and it does smell like apples in addition to strawberry liqueur, menthol-like spices, has an herbal side not far from tea leaves, maybe some stoniness but no earthiness nor as they say “sense of place.” In the mouth it’s medium-bodied yet quite expansive, fills it up from cheek to cheek. Here the spiciness is clearer, cinnamon stick and clove. Berry fruit ultra ripe and soft, however, the mouth feel overall is dry, particularly through the finish. Wouldn’t peg it as underripe phenolics but there’s tannin which throws it a little off balance. Anyway, for under $20 no real complaints and no lack of flavor.
2019 Château de Chaintres Saumur-Champigny “Les Sables”. Trim and bright violet to ruby-magenta, has a youthful sheen to it. Decided poopy element to the nose, initially distracts from the enjoyment of the red currant, plum scents, to me the bell pepper is minimal, touch of damp leather, leaves the nostrils tingling in a non-alcoholic way (13.0% ABV). Medium-bodied, velvety and flattens out across the palate well, very good coverage. Ripe and arguably fruit-driven, still it holds its shape. Tobacco leaf and ash, asphalt, stony dirt, hint of rubber band, here the white citrus comes out of nowhere with some oomph. The bell pepper most obvious through the finish and retronasally, once the fruit starts to subside. Some sour pucker at the end. Very credible entry level wine.
2001 Nicolas Potel Morey-Saint-Denis. Scarlet-purple core surrounded by wide yellow-orange rims, looks every bit its age, pleasing surface shine and overall cleanliness. Initial hint of shoe polish to the nose before settling into red cherry, blackberry fruit, cinnamon stick, potpourri, and spiced orange tea, high level of energy and lift, nothing musty about it. Light to medium-bodied, tannin still kicking but more tempered than in its youth. Retains an earthy salinity and damp sandiness, close to calling it savory. The cherry, dark berry to even red currant fruit nothing bodacious yet still working it through the finish. Final punctuation via a white citrus zest and anise. Nowhere near as aggressive as its earlier self, now just a rugged Pinot looking for the right cuisine to challenge it. Liked it quite a bit.
2008 Domaine FL (Fournier-Longchamps Family) Savennières “Chamboureau”. Full amber color to it, has decent enough shine and clarity but looks even older than it is. Nutty nose with a strong yeasty, bread dough element, the orange to lemon citrus subsumed by a jalapeño juice note, the earlier honey aspect gone, it’s not unpleasant to smell but it’s close. Full-bodied, acidity still a bruiser but has lost the nimbler footing of its youth. Still, there’s a broad array of flavors on hand and it’s nowhere near to the dull muteness of the nose. Orange marmalade, orange pekoe tea to lanolin and blanched white nuts. The fruit might be one of its weaker components, peach, apricot, nectarine but dry and not longlasting. The yeastiness no match for the acidity. Scores points for the palate showing but taken as a whole it is an incomplete wine, expected better of it.
2020 Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie “La Pépie”. Same bright white to yellow straw coloration as always, can’t callit washed out if it was never washed in. Seashells, sandy dirt and lemon zest most prominent in the nose, apricot to peach pit scents, licorice, turns mildly herbaceous at it warms, arguably lacks cut. Medium-bodied, first thing started looking for the acidity and took some time to find it, suspect it’s above average in its peer group based on generalized vintage characteristics. That said, there’s not much flab on it and the wet stone, shell plus lemon citrus help it keep its form. And at times suggests a little jalapeño spice. The fruit has good plus ripeness, same apricot, peach, pear profile. More of an easy drinker than Platonic match for oysters, keep it ice cold for best effect. (Composite Cork: Diam1)
2006 Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords “Cuvée Vieilles Vignes”. The yellow hue is starting to darken but it’s nowhere near orange and a good argument could be made that it looks youthful for its age. The nose takes awhile to come around, slowly unfurling licorice, pie dough, lemon curd to honey, the orhcard fruit of few words and not finding any of the crushed seashells of its youth, pleased by the svelte contours. In the mouth it’s close to full-bodied and loses its balance now and then. Still, sufficient acidity that when it settles on a direction it stays on course. Sour white citrus, supports a pineapple presence among the more pedestrian peach, apricot, pear flavors. Here you do get more sand to seashell stuff, not quite saline but close. The finish is both numb and tingling, like a leg that fell asleep. All told, drinking mighty fine and should you have any, pop the cork posthaste.
2002 Chidaine Montlouis “Les Tuffeaux”. Full amber-orange, has enough of a metallic sheen to it that the brightness compensates for the aged hue, could see it browning with too much aging. Great nose of honey, lanolin, candle wax, mild floral element as well, spiced orange peel, oddly the fruit comes across as semi-muted. In the mouth it has a hard firmness to it, the acidity still kicking up a dust. Here it’s like sucking on a piece of apricot paste alternating with fresher pineapple and guava. Less sweet with air. Has that molasses crisp kind of smokiness to it, maybe the tertiary equivalent of stony smokiness in youth. That acidity well sharpens the blade of the orange to grapefruit citrus. Waxy finish, somewhat tacky mouthfeel. Was not impressed at first but this really got it revving after about 45 minutes open. $15 well spent.
2017 Charles Hours Jurançon Sec “Cuvée Marie”. Bright amber orange color, clear while pooling deep into the glass, lively visual presence. While there is a lactose element to the nose, it’s swept away easily enough by the surly pineapple, kumquat, star fruit notes as well as the grapefruit citrus, intriguing flinty smokiness too, hot pepper touch, put it all together and it pleasantly drives a spike into your nostrils. Close to full-bodied, packs an acidic punch that I pine for across the board these days. Same tangy, zesty pineapple, passion fruit, star fruit, nectarine as in the nose. Sauna smoke, gritty sand more than any earthiness. Here the grapefruit sweet and sour enough for equal parts pink and white. quite spicy. Through the finish the fruit and citrus win so it’s juicily engaging. Worthy of cellaring. 90% Gros Manseng, 10% Corbu.
2018 Vietti Langhe Nebbiolo “Perbacco”. Light ruby-violet hue, neither particularly shiny nor dull, transparent without seeming dilute. While the nose has a leatheriness to it as well as a clean earthiness, there’s a roasted, if not pruney, edge to the cherry, dark berry fruit scents, fills the nostrils quickly to turn blockish without much nuance, but pleasant enough. Medium-bodied, texture feels pocked by holes like it is not consistently touching the tongue. But wouldn’t characterize it as fizzy. Strong maraschino cherry led fruit with Italian plum and blackberry supplement. Dry and tannic in a borderline underripe phenolics manner but not all that distracting. Starts out with that leather but gets more floral as it opens. Likely to please a diversity of pallets eating together, leaning more towards the modern idiom. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2014 Fattoria La Valentina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Spelt Riserva”. Layers of dark purple pool into the glass, rims thin enough that it is difficult to discern if the hue is scarlet red or more towards magenta. The nose strikes me as reductive at first, slowly sheds this in favor of minerally black earth, tar, cocoa powder and dense plum to black cherry scents, tangentially floral, thick without a lot of movement in the nostrils. Medium-bodied, immobile here as well, thankfully possesses a good deal of acidity which breaks it up some. More peanut shell and merde than I’d prefer but the grape does bring this with it on occasion. With that acidity comes a spritz of white grapefruit through the mid-palate. Expected more tarriness but ended up closer to neutral. Foursquare black fruits leading into some clove and ginger at the end. It grew on me through the evening (and lasagna) but never loved it. Shut down perhaps?
2020 Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. Dark golden coloration, average shine, depth of hue helps it achieve more glass presence. Floral nose with an abundance of pear, apricot, apple fruti, flirts with tropicality, spiced orange peel and candied ginger, overall a jolly sort of plump and lingers nicely. Medium to full-bodied, here with sharp edged acidity in the mix it makes the full jump to pineapple, kumquat, passion fruit with apricot, peach in reserve. Switches to tangerine to tangelo citrus, lots of tang. The florality backs off in favor of a general spiciness as well as a stoniness which lifts through the finish. After a few sips a dry tackiness accrues on the tongue. Plenty going on for casual sipping, has the stuff to last but I am less sure about what it might turn into ten years down the road.
2019 Bodegas Sierra de Toloño Garnacha Rioja “La Dula Garnacha de Altura”. Light and transparent violet to pinkish ruby color, very nice brightness. Dusty, close to sandy, quality to the nose, cigarette ash, crisply focused strawberry, raspberry scents, all wound around a spine of vibrant white grapefruit zest. Light-bodied, has sufficient grip it could feel bigger to some. The citrus even more pronounced here. Would characterize it as more tarry than sandy but there’s some of the latter too. While the red berry fruit has a velvety sheen the sourness makes more impact than juiciness. There seems to be an avalanche of Garnacha coming from Spain meant to show “the other side” of the grape, a more stripped down, natural, unmanipulated, yadda, yadda stripe. On the whole I appreciate their existence more than appreciate their going down my gullet. (Composite Cork: Diam5)
2017 Chris James Cellars Malbec Columbia Valley. Transparent but not watery, more like a clear mountain stream running ruby-violet, fully hued rims. There’s an almost sudden lift to the nose when you sniff, like it’s antsy and can’t settle in, mixed red berry fruit then toffee, crème brûlée, molten butterscotch, maybe some leather or earth but not discerning much else. Medium to light-bodied, possesses a nice gliding quality across the palate. Tannin is slight but it’s so compact you don’t really miss any overt structure. Raspberry, blackberry, maybe some Italian plum fruit. Finishes short. The oak more proportionate to the whole here. Can see this taking on a more candied profile over time. The body is what I find most curious, expect more unless it’s labeled as Côt, and it’s nowhere near what I’d consider a “steak wine.” Still, nice for what’s there.