by Winepisser | Nov 28, 2019 | Quick Review
Nose explodes, filling the room with great fruity notes after uncorking. On the palate it’s more refined and shy, a fairly typical new world cab that is fine for its pedigree but not up to California snuff. Basement must, nuts and black cherry. Paired well with...
by Winepisser | Nov 25, 2019 | Quick Review
Another incredible Tannat from Uruguay, with heavy notes of plum and other dark fruits. Lacking the smokiness and earth of other Uruguayan Tannats, but it’s still very good. A bit young. Improves with air.
by Winepisser | Nov 4, 2019 | Quick Review
Fantastic red from Portugal. Nose is complex, smacking your smoother with equal parts fruit and earth. Smooth tannins and notes of blackcurrant and leather. Finish is long but a bit bitter, robbing this of one half star. Otherwise very, very good.
by Winepisser | Oct 25, 2019 | Quick Review
Nose is grape jelly. Everything else isn’t, though. Medium dry, with some earthy notes that take it far away from jammy. Moderate but smooth tannins surprise. A bit of green olive hides beneath the fruit. Not bad, but was expecting more from this grape.
by Winepisser | Oct 15, 2019 | Quick Review
Milk chocolate and slight dark earth on the nose. Palate is smooth, silky plum. Tannins come around only at the end. Very good but so-so finish keeps this from a higher score.
by Winepisser | Oct 14, 2019 | Quick Review
Came recommended but fell short. Blackberry is the main note but it gets bitter quickly. Nice back end and finish but not enough to improve the score. Some weird fruit notes (peach in a red?) at the start but they burn away quickly. Meh
by Winepisser | Oct 3, 2019 | Quick Review
Grape jelly on the nose but this isn’t overly jammy… Probably just the right amount of fruit, given that most malbecs are tending towards dull, fruitless creations. Short finish means it’s not memorable though. Other notes are mild earth and black...
by Winepisser | Sep 25, 2019 | Quick Review
So-so grenache, representative of the more mediocre end of the breed. Drinks fine but also is entirely forgettable. Some interesting earthy notes but there’s a tiny hint of chemicals that I’m pretty sure doesn’t belong there.
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.
