by Winepisser | Sep 25, 2019 | Quick Review
Old vine grenache is great when you can find it, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Subtle black cherry combines with black soil earthy notes and surprisingly smooth tannins. Hints of cedar. Brief finish keeps this from five stars. Was served aerated.
by Winepisser | Sep 9, 2019 | Quick Review
Spanish cab overwhelms any syrah in this blend, resulting in something that may not be better than the sum of its parts, just different than them. The fruit hire is surprisingly ripe and a bit acerbic. Finish was shallow. Was served aerated when tasted, left to stand...
by Winepisser | Sep 6, 2019 | Quick Review
Potent blueberry nose will make you think of blueberry waffles, but on the tongue it is brisk, dry and bearing less fruit than expected. Not particularly deep with a brief finish but surprisingly enjoyable. Stood up to spicy pasta. Better than some reviews...
by Winepisser | Sep 3, 2019 | Quick Review
Slightly flinty with only hints of citrus, mostly lemon. Somewhat unremarkable, which is about right since it was served on an airplane.
by Winepisser | Sep 2, 2019 | Quick Review
Example of the hondarrabi zuri grape you’ve likely never heard of. Color is deep gold, nose is very faint with hint of minerals. On the palate it’s citric, dry and evoking little fruit. By itself it came off as a bit dull, but paired well with duck confit...
by Winepisser | Sep 1, 2019 | Quick Review
Nose is slightly grassy with some surprising vanilla notes. On the tongue it’s nearly buttery but not in overbearing chardonnay way; just not something you’d expect in a sauvignon blanc. Another example of just how far apart Loire SB is from the New...
by Winepisser | Aug 31, 2019 | Quick Review
Silky smooth cab, heavy on fruit but sufficiently dry to avoid an insult of jamminess. Blackberry is dominant and carries through to the nose, notes of fresh leather add some bookish kick. Finish is long if subtle. From the Red Mountain region of Columbia Valley WA....
by Winepisser | Aug 6, 2019 | Quick Review
Licorice dominated for me, so much so that it nudged down a half star since I’m not a fan of licorice. Blackberry is strong, but middling tannins and some unevenness suggest this either needs more time or possibly should sit open in the glass a good hour before...
by Winepisser | Aug 5, 2019 | Quick Review
Very sweet wine wrongly marketed by the maker as “semi.” Equally dubious is their refusal to name the grapes and instead just call them “Niagara,” making me suspect it’s concord. The wine definitely tastes suspiciously close to concord...
by Winepisser | Jul 3, 2019 | Quick Review
Another flowery California reez but this one comes with a mild tartness that spices it up a bit. Pear finish.
by Winepisser | Jul 1, 2019 | Quick Review
Flower power baby! A surprisingly floral SB with little of the usual notes other than some mildly citric pink grapefruit. No asparagus or cat pee here, this leans into a chenin blanc territory but with some hints of minerality. Would be a great choice to win back...
by Winepisser | Jul 1, 2019 | Quick Review
Cherry cherry and more cherry, you’d be excused if you were afraid of swallowing a pit. Back end suffers from a bit of bittermess that subtracts a full point. Moderate tannins. Paired well with meat dish, though.
by Winepisser | Jun 30, 2019 | Quick Review
Nose was a but chemical like burnt plastic which carried through to the glass. Smooth tannins, hints of coffee and black cherry. Wilted when paired with goat cheese plate. I don’t like burnt plastic, apparently.
by Winepisser | Jun 28, 2019 | Quick Review
Earthy like fresh stable hay, very smooth tannins which might be a bit too smooth. Nose is fantastic enough that they should sell it as a fragrance. Black cherry finish.
by Winepisser | Jun 25, 2019 | Quick Review
Long-legged and rich, like the 6-foot tall daughter of a shipping magnate. The primary flavor here is plum, but not sweet. Some black coffee in there too. Highly recommended. Grapes are Petit Verdot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah.
by Winepisser | Jun 20, 2019 | Quick Review
Bright and breezy like a physics university freshman in a sundress. Some spiciness for the back end and fruity cherry up front. Wilted when paired with simple pasta dish, though.
by Winepisser | Jun 17, 2019 | Quick Review
Blackberry and some mild spice with smooth tannins, but abrupt finish. A bit sleepy given the hype.
by Winepisser | Jun 15, 2019 | Quick Review
Very fine red blend with notes of cherry and charred vanilla, but with a brief finish and general inability to rise up with food. Drinks well on its own but pairing may be difficult if you’re fussy about your pairings. Grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec,...
by Winepisser | Jun 5, 2019 | Quick Review
Slight lemon with bright slate notes, grassy nose, but very low tartness. Pretty damn good. Another great Marlborough NZ offering.
by Winepisser | Jun 2, 2019 | Quick Review
Middling Loire chenin blanc with way too much tartness. Pairing this with a plate that would ordinarily go well with see-bee will not work here. Strong green apple and steely sharp bite means you’d better put this up against a spicy cream sauce dish....
by Winepisser | May 29, 2019 | Quick Review
Strong plum flavors backed by cloves and mint. Nose is jammy but on the tongue it’s not, so don’t worry. Drinks very well on its own, but will pair well with red meat as well as veal. Short finish and lack of some depth keeps this from 5 stars. The grapes...
by Winepisser | May 15, 2019 | Quick Review
Powerful prunes dominate but the wine is still dry and not necessarily fruity. Moderate tannins and medium peppery finish. Drinks only OK by itself, needed to be paired with spicy Italian pasta dish. Blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese.
by Winepisser | May 10, 2019 | Quick Review
Apricot but with an apple-y tartness, sans the apple. A bit oversweet even for a spatlese, and with a nose that invokes sauvignon blanc rather than riesling. Still very good, just being your sweet tooth.
by Winepisser | May 8, 2019 | Quick Review
Here’s the scenario. You poured your old uncle a nice glass of cab while he was grilling, but he’s easily confused, and accidentally poured pepper over his glass of wine rather than the steaks. Then someone drank it and thought, “this is great, let...
by Winepisser | May 5, 2019 | Quick Review
Tannins didn’t overpower me as much as other reviewers reported. Not a fat cab by any stretch, but with enough depth to balance out the fruit. Notes of cigar, dark berry. Potent nose does promise a bit more than the glass delivers.
