Quick Reviews
Dr. Hermann “H” Riesling – Germany – 2015
Very nice golden color. Nose of pear and spice almost invokes a gewurtztraminer. Flavors are soft green apple with just the right tartness, with a rush of other fruit following behind: pear, melon and lemon. Finish is a bit abrupt given the potent flavors. Really great.
RR – Extremely Rare Black Blend – California – 2012
Boring and nearly bitter, like your angry uncle that won’t shut up about millennials.
Schlink Haus Riesling Spätlese – Germany – 2013
For a spatlese this isn’t as sweet as you’d imagine, but it has enough sugar to prevent it from being called dry. Honey nose, with gentle apple and green tea on the palate. Low acid, so there’s no bite here, which I rather liked. Finish goes on for exactly 90 years. Very nice wine.
Mud House Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand – 2016
Grass on the nose but otherwise this is a glass of tart green apple. I didn’t get this the citrus that other tasters noted, but was slammed hard with the apple, which overwhelms everything else. Finish is nice, however, and floral sweetness lingers for some time. But way too tart for me otherwise.
Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva – Spain – 2013
Light fruit forward, low acid red from Spain. Some interesting notes of tobacco and dark cherry but they fade fast. No finish. Still, the overall effect is pretty lively, and it paired well with red meat dish. A blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano. The Marqués de Riscal is a reliable provider of unremarkable but very drinkable wines, both red and white.
Ventisquero Grey (Glacier) Carmenère – Chile – 2014
Pleasant and smooth with overpowering truffle notes on the nose and palate; that’s a good thing. Silky sulky tannins and lush acidity ensure this won’t overwhelm whatever plate you pair it with. Fruit notes are currant and plum, but dipped in leather and brimstone. Has the bright fruit of a carmene but the layered sophistication of a cab. Allow to sit 1 hour for more goodness.
Zuccardi Q Cabernet Sauvignon – Argentina – 2014
Given that the Zuccardi Q tempranillo won 5 stars last year, I had high hopes for this cab. Unfortunately it did not reach higher than three stars. Even allowed to decant this never opened up much. Mild tannins with strong notes of blackberry and black tea, but everything fades very quickly. Paired with a roast chicken dish and dark veggies but didn’t stand up well. Nice but not memorable
Domaine Saint-Rémy Gewürztraminer – France – 2016
I was distracted by the misspelling on the label but apparently it happens so often that “gewrztraminer” is deemed acceptable. The next offense, though, was an oppressive sugar level. Getting a sweet Gewurztraminer right is difficult, and this bottle doesn’t get it. Here the typical spice of the gwertz clashes with the sugar, rather than enhancing it.
Sketchbook Cabernet Sauvignon – California – 2015
Very robust with tones of dark cherry and tobacco but with enough slight sugar to keep it from being stuffy. Tannins aplenty but not overdone as some reviewers have suggested.
Pierre Sparr Alsace One White Blend – France – 2013
Apple and tart lemon make this clearly something other than a classical Alsace riesling, but also something less nice. 40% muscat, 40% riesling and 20% pinot gris, and it comes off definitely as “reez plus.” Just too tart.