Quick Reviews
Catena Zapata / Catena Alta Chardonnay – 2012
A stealth wine, it take a few sips to find its flavor, and a few whiffs to discover the bouquet. Like a g-spot, it’s worth it once you find everything.
Rothschild / Flechas de los Andes Malbec – 2011
An odd duck, probably pairs well with odd duck. Overpowering tannins strip the paint off your tongue, throw this in the cellar and revisit it in 5 years.
Pra Otto Soave Classico DOC – 2013
Zero bouquet and timid on the tongue, this one will be forgotten long before you figure out how to pronounce the label.
Saint-Véran Terres Secrètes Burgundy – 2013
Low oak, medium sweet Chardy, lingering in the mouth if not the mind.
Croft Late Bottled Vintage Port – 2009
Smooth, low-heat and closer to the fruit spectrum than others, probably served best in a hip flask when you have to get through a really terrible kid’s birthday party.
Penfolds Bin 8 – Cabernet Shiraz – 2011
Wine equivalent of an aspiring gay man’s beard: not much by itself, better with a beefy dish.
Trapiche Roble Chardonnay – 20??
Tangy and tart like an acerbic junior congressman anxious to make a good impression before he goes home to face his constituents.
Septima Gran Reserva Blend – 2012
One of the better bouquets I have snuffed, it’s all leather and hardwood like a seaport in a Conan movie. Low sugar with a great balance of fruit and tannin, it’s a worthy adversary, by Crom!
Viña Vieja Chenin Blanc – 2014
A suspiciously good cee-bee from Peru, which makes it even more suspicious. Fake label or not, it’s awesome. Full article here.
Queirolo Gran Vino Borgoña – 2008
Imagine you bathed in grape juice and then bottled the bathwater. The only good thing about this wine is that you can give the cork to your child for an arts and crafts project.