This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.
We receive a lot of samples from all over the world,
but sometimes there aren’t enough to fit into a single tasting or under the
same umbrella. In the past, I’ve called these catch-all reports “Odds &
Ends” but these wines aren’t odd, and they’re not at the end of any list I
would compose.
So, without further explanation, here are a slew of
reviews of wines from all over world, made in all different styles.
These were received as trade samples and tasted
sighted.
Sparkling Wines
SRP: $36
Pale copper color. Smells of floral perfume, white
cherries, strawberries, salted biscuits and freshly sliced rhubarb. Bright,
almost bracing, acidity, this is a tart and crunchy sparkler with flavors of
grapefruit and lemon. I get some salt, minerals and biscuit notes that add some
complexity. Chill the shellfish, pop this wine, and enjoy. Aged two years on
the lees, disgorged 2015. (87 points)
SRP: $30
Pale lemon color. Smells of biscuits and chalk on
top of lime, pears and nectarines, and I get some breezy, oceanic and floral
notes. Bright acidity on the palate with smooth texture and very fine, tingly
bubbles. Oranges, limes and green pears, the crisp fruit is matched with
biscuits, honey and sea salt. This is a lot of fun, not the deepest or most
complex sparkling wine, but it’s put together well. I crave Long Island
seafood. 100% Pinot Blanc matured for four years before release. (87 points)
White
Wines
SRP: $11
Light gold color. So peachy and floral on the nose,
like tropical salad, perfume and honey. Juicy, creamy texture on the palate with
moderate acidity. A rich floral sense, like tropical yellow flowers topped with
honey and white tea and. pineapple, mango and lime. Vibrant but rich wine, tasty,
clean, well-made. For $11? Yeah, if you want to explore Torrontés, spend very
little money, and you love tropical fruit salad — go purchase this wine right
now. (86 points)
SRP: $22
Pale lemon color. Bright and refreshing aromas of
lemons and limes, sliced green apple, peach nectar, some floral perfume and
sugar cane. Crisp, clean and zesty on the palate, this is a light-bodied and
nervy wine but it’s packed with flavor: limes, green apple, summer peach,
accented with sea salt, crushed chalk, sugar cane and white flowers. Pretty,
elegant, lip-smacking, begs for oysters and summer. (88 points)
$30
Vibrant gold color. Smells of lemon curd, tangerine,
drizzled with limes, and some bright white and yellow floral elements. Fresh
and vibrant on the palate with moderate creaminess and a sense of refreshing
acidity throughout. Lemon curd, orange peel, some juicy pears, the fruit is
dusted with chalk and flowers. The oak-influenced flavors of nutshell, nougat
and cinnamon are understated and nuanced, allowing the purity of the underlying
fruit to shine through. Complex yet so easy to drink. This spends 10 months in
30% new French oak. (90 points)
SRP: $24
Light gold color. Clean and fresh aromas of yellow
and green apples, white peaches and apricot along with some yellow flowers,
nougat and hazelnut. Medium-bodied, a fresh and zesty appeal on the palate from
the acidity. The white peach, apricot and glazed yellow apple fruit is ripe but
vibrant, and backed up by flavors of honeycomb, yellow flowers, and a balanced
blend of nougat and hazelnut. A middle-of-the-spectrum kind of Chardonnay, with
plenty of ripeness and richer elements but a fresh and crunchy core. Fermented
and aged in French oak (15% new), which seems to be just the right amount. (88
points)
Rosé
SRP: $18
Very pale copper color. A bit under-ripe on the nose
perhaps, it smells like nettle, the white tops of wild cherries, rose hips.
Crisp and clean on the palate, this lighter-bodied wine shows a very slight
creaminess to the texture. Wild strawberries mix with tart red apple peel, and
I get some secondary notes of cut grass, nettle and white pepper. Simple, dry,
crisp, fun stuff. Mostly Cabernet Franc with 22% Merlot, 10% Pinot Blanc and 5%
Pinot Noir. (85 points)
SRP: $24
Gorgeous strawberry candy colored. Very pretty and
lively on the nose, with juicy strawberries, white cherries, orange blossoms,
baby’s breath, rose petals – so fresh, fruity and floral. Crisp and vibrant on
the palate, this is a medium-bodied wine with fresh acidity. I get strawberry,
crunchy raspberries and red apple peel flavors, Lots of fresh roses, nettles, chalk
and spiced tea. Very pretty and elegant but full of flavor. (90 points)
SRP: $12
Bright watermelon colored. Smells of strawberry jam,
fresh watermelon and juicy red apples, and a note that reminds me of lemon
zinger tea. Medium-bodied with a slightly chewy texture, but moderate acidity
keeps it fresh. Flavors of red berry fruit and jams mix with a floral tea and
honey element, a dash of pepper in there, too. A bit of a fatter pink wine in
style, but well done and very tasty. A blend of Sangiovese, Pinot Noir and
Grenache. It’s a 2014, so it’s a full year later, but this is holding up well.
Drink now. (85 points)
SRP: $20
Bright pink/salmon color. On the nose, I get
dandelions, nettle and clover on top of white cherries, raspberries and red
apple peel. On the palate, this is a punchy and tart pink with a bright and
crunchy personality. White cherries, ruby red grapefruit and red apple peel
fruit is accented by white pepper, nettle, rose petals and lemongrass. Crisp, salty
finish. So versatile and food-friendly, this is yet another iteration of a
really solid Virginia rosé. (87 points)
Red
SRP: $20
Deep purple color. Smells of dark plums,
blackberries, the fruit is rich but tart with coffee and vanilla. Full-bodied,
solid tannic grip, medium acidity, combining for a chewy texture. Dark and
saucy fruit (rich blackberry, blueberry jam, plum skins), and I also get notes
of dark roast coffee, scorched earth, iron and graphite. Jammy but
well-structured, I’d actually like to see what a few years in the cellar does
to this wine. All Malbec aged 12 months in French oak and a year in bottle
before release. (87 points)
 |
| This best New World Malbec I've tasted |
SRP: $140
Vibrant purple color. Gorgeous aromatics of black
cherry, plum cake, roasted figs, mocha, violets, scorched earth, cinnamon,
graphite and minerals. Full-bodied but the texture and balance is amazing –
fine but firm tannins, refreshing acidity, it all combines for a mouth-filling
but seamless wine. Flavors of black cherry, boysenberry, roasted figs and plum
sauce, the fruit is pure and vibrant and complex. Loads of non-fruit
complexities: cedar, violets, roses, potting soil, tobacco, eucalyptus,
tobacco, sweet herbs and pencil shavings. Long, vibrant, complex finish. Wow,
this is beautiful now, especially with a long decant, but will do wonders over
the next 5-10 years. This Achaval Ferrer Finca Altamira is my pick for the
greatest Malbec from Argentina. One of three single-vineyard bottlings from
this phenomenal producer, this comes from 80 year old ungrafted Malbec vines
grown at about 3,500 feet. Aged 15 months in new French oak. (95 points)
SRP:
$32
Gorgeous
summer cherry color. Smells of bright red and black cherries, strawberry jam,
crunchy plums, all of it topped in a significant amount of pepper, anise and
bacon fat. A full-bodied (14.5% alcohol) but juicy wine with fleshy medium
tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity, this actually stays alive and fresh.
Lots of cherry, strawberry and some blackberry fruit, which is ripe but also
tart and crunchy. I love the clove, pepper and meaty notes here, with just a
bit of coffee, cola and cedar. A very well-balanced, fresh and food-friendly
Grenache for those who like some vibrancy in their Australian Grenache. From a
biodynamically farmed vineyard first planted in 1946. Aged 9 months in older
French oak. (89 points)
SRP: $26
Bold purple color. Nice mix of tart blackberries and
jammy currants, along with wet soil, tobacco and bell pepper elements. Full-bodied,
structured but smooth tannins, and medium acidity, it all combines for a silky
but mouth-filling texture. Blackberry and black currant, ripe but a bit crunchy
as well, which I like. Notes of earth, charcoal and pipe tobacco, it’s toasty
but not too much. Finishes smooth yet rich. For years this has been a solid
value, and Concha y Toro is continuing that history. Includes some Cab Franc,
Merlot and Syrah. (88 points)
SRP: $30
Deep violet color. A lot going on aromatically:
smoke, earth, savory herbs, leaves, mossy rocks, mushrooms – sort of like you
were camping in the mountains, got up from the fire, took a walk, fell down an
embankment and got a bit of everything in your nose on the way down. But in a
good way. Also, some rich blackberries, currants and plums. A bold presence on
the palate with structured tannins, medium acidity, a velvety but refined
mouthfeel. Flavors of juicy plums, currants and blackberries, the fruit is totally
packed with all sorts of cool stuff: mushroom, pepper, coffee grounds, sweet
clove, black olive. There’s a deep, underlying sense of rocky, stony minerality
that pervades the wine and lingers onto the finish. A young wine, but after a
half hour it really starts to pop, although three to five years in the cellar
will allow this to unravel into something even prettier. Now I want venison
steak. Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Bila-Haut wines are all solid bargains,
but this top-of-the-line bottling is a very good wine for the price. (91
points)
SRP: $30
Juicy ruby color. I love these aromas: vibrant
currants, cherries, lots of ripe fruit but it smells nuanced and tart, and
notes of pepper, spiced coffee and cigar smoke. Impressive tannic structure on
the palate, but they’re manageable, bright acid keeps it fresh and juicy. Tart
red currants, cherries, a slightly darker fruit element. Lovely
earthy/herbal/spicy complexity. Although this is a lighter-bodied wine (12.8%
alcohol), it will have a lot to unpack as it ages. I’d love to taste again in
four years or so. A wine to pour for that Loire Valley-loving friend who has
spoken in ignorance about Long Island Cabernet Franc being sub-par. It’ll shut
them up real nice. Includes 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 2% Petit
Verdot, aged 10 months in Hungarian oak.
(90 points)
$30
Light ruby color. Gorgeous aromas of sour cherries,
juicy strawberries, bright raspberries, along with some clove and rose petals.
Medium-bodied with tannins like fine dust, the acidity is crunchy and tart, and
it all lines up so well with the juicy raspberry, strawberry and wild cherry
fruit. I get notes of loam, fallen leaves, rose hip tea and some clove. Lovely,
fresh, bright and quite long. Drinking wonderfully right out of the bottle but
I'd love to see what complexities evolve over the next three years. (91 points)
SRP: $32
Deep ruby color. Fresh red currant, ripe but tart
cherries, I also get scents of some tobacco, black pepper, fresh roses, sweet
red pepper — lovely aromas. Fresh acidity frames this wine from start to
finish. The tannins provide some structure but they’re quite smooth and very
approachable. The fruit is so bright and vibrant (cherries, currant, some
strawberry), lots of roses, rhubarb, pepper, tobacco and soy notes. Complex but
fresh and downright fun to drink. 33% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25%
Petit Verdot, 17% Cabernet Franc aged 18 months in 30% new French Oak. (89 points)
SRP: $60
Juicy purple color. Smells dark and concentrated,
with plums, violets and dark chocolate shavings. Big and full on the palate
with structured but chewy tannins, some moderate acidity helps tame the huge
structure. The plum sauce, currant paste and black cherry fruit is jammy but
velvety, and topped with some violets and earthy flavors. This wine is jam
packed with vanilla, charred oak and toasted nuts. It’s heavy for my palate,
but it’s still a very nice wine, perhaps one that could use a few years in the
cellar. High-alcohol, oak-lovers, check out this wine, which was made with the
consultation of Michel Rolland. Includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit
Verdot, 3% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged almost two years in mostly new
oak. (88 points)
SRP: $60
Dark purple color. Smells of deep plums and rich
blackberries topped in smoke, violets, cedar and loamy soil. Velvety but chewy
on the palate, structured tannins for sure but there’s a beam of pure acidity
that holds the wine together nicely. Dense flavors of blackberry, blueberry,
such smooth fruit, which is coated in tar, loam, pencil shavings and sweet pipe
tobacco. This is a cellar-worthy wine, but a very pretty one. A blend of 63%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. (90
points)
SRP: $25
Light purple color. Boisterously aromatic with juicy
strawberries, cherries and some blueberry thrown in for good measure. I pick up
rose petals, charcoal, black pepper and some sweet red hot candies. A full but
very juicy wine with very smooth tannins and some moderate acid. Sweet
strawberries mix with jammy black cherries, and the fruit is doused in smoky,
meaty, peppery notes, along with some cola and roasted coffee. A bit of heat,
but this is a fun, crowd-pleasing wine that brings a good amount of complexity
and length with it. A wide-ranging blend of 37% Syrah, 24% Grenache, 19%
Mourvedre, 13% Cinsault, 5% Counoise, and 2% Viognier. (87 points)
Fortified
Wines
SRP: $45
This dessert wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon is a
vibrant purple color. Smells of saucy currants, roasted figs, dark chocolate
and violets. Full but smooth, a bit of heat from the 19% alcohol. Flavors of
plum cake, currant sauce, topped with dark chocolate, espresso and caramel.
Very tasty stuff with a long, warm finish. (87 points)
SRP: $25
Deep purple color. Smells of red and black licorice
along with plum sauce, lava cake, sweet caramel. Fully and chewy but smooth
with easy-drinking tannins, some freshness from the acidity. I get flavors of
plums, blackberry pie, blueberry cobbler, along with vanilla, cola, sweet
coffee and roasted nuts. Delicious stuff, quite forward but stays vibrant. (88
points)
<85
points
SRP: $16
A classic New Zealand Sauv Blanc aromatic mix of
onion grass and white pepper along with guava and grapefruit. Medium-bodied on
the palate with crisp and tingly acid. I get lemongrass, green onion and sliced
jalapeno on top of the juicy ruby red grapefruit and lemon flavors. Fun, a bit
simple and typical, but solid.
SRP: $16
Smells sweet and jammy, like currant and blackberry jams with some cola, sweet
cedar and coffee. Medium-bodied, soft tannins, medium-low acidity. The fruit is
jammy, sweet and candied. It tastes good, but it tastes kind of gimmicky. I do
get some fun cola, spiced coffee and sweet earth flavors. A bit short on the
backend. Includes 16% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
