Quick Reviews
Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese – Germany – 2013
Deep honey color with slight fizz in the glass, and just enough sugar to call this a sweet wine, but not a bit more. Delicious and another great example of the breed.
Two Arrowheads – Viognier / Roussanne Blend – Paso Robles – 2013
Fantastic duo, refreshing but not one of those light fancies that disappears quickly. Long finish adds great fun when pairing with different plates, but drinks equally well on its own. Not too sweet and slightly acidic, with hints of lemon and a back end of carmel. Very lovely.
13 Celsius – Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand – 2015
Not tasted under ideal conditions, so take this review with a grain of salt. Lacking character and depth, but with hints of greatness beneath. Will re-rate under better tasting conditions.
Layer Cake – Malbec – Argentina – 2012
This one is popular, and it appears on nearly every shelf imaginable. Not sure why, either. Too fruity for my tastes. Like the 50-Foot Woman bent down and squirted an unripe vineyard in your mouth.
Troublemaker Red Blend – Central Coast CA – 2010
A bit jammy on the nose but some spice in the fruit palate belays any fear that this will be an overripe mess. Very high alcohol content at 14+, so don’t get crazy with it. High acidity as well but nice fruit balances it out somewhat. Worth it if you don’t pay too much.
Cooper’s Hawk Lux – Chardonnay – 2016
OK, let’s get htis out of the way: Cooper’s Hawk runs a restaurant chain that features its own wines. That will turn off the snobs, but damn, the wines are good.
“Lux” is fantastic and complex for the otherwise boring Chardonnay breed. Readers of this blog know I am not a chardy-fan, so that’s saying a lot. Potent fruit and floral flavors crash together nicely, and allow this to stand up to powerful spicy dishes. We paired with chicken and pickled vegetables and the wine worked very well.
Highdef “HD” Riesling – Germany – 2015
Not sure what the fuck they are on about with the HD branding, but it’s definitely marketing itself as anything but a traditionally-superb Mosel riesling. And the bottle delivers exactly that: something else entirely. Slightly subpar Mosel reez, hints of spice and apple but overall neutral. Very nice in the moment but forgettable in the long run.
High def? Umm, no, dude.
The Beach House – Sauvignon Blanc – South Africa – 2015
Nautical branded sauvignon blanc should have a nautical theme in the glass, invoking sea air, salt lemons and minerals. This South African SB doesn’t. It’s pleasant enough, but floral notes outweigh any of the usual SB tones you’d get from New Zealand.
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand – 2015
Dry for sure, but that’s often to be expected with NZ SBs. This one is high in mineral but lacking in the grassy qualities of its local siblings. Somewhat of a pretender, but not bad.
Santo Tomás Barbera – Merlot Tinta – México
Another overlooked wonder. Fruity without being sweet, and a nice long finish and a hint of spice.