Popping Some Exciting Champagnes

I recently had the pleasure to attend a wine dinner at Le Cafe Descartes at the French Embassy in Washington, DC. The dinner, focused on the Bordeaux estate Domaine de Chevalier, was organized by my friend and Bordeaux wine guru Panos Kakaviatos. 

But, before the dinner, attendees brought some Champagne for popping, and I had a blast tasting through some interesting bottles. 

This was something of an embarrassment of riches, but I was happy to taste these wines and jot down some notes, which are below.

Cheers to good Champagne!

N.V. Champagne Lallier Champagne Grand Cru Zero Dosage - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Super chalky with notes of quinine, crushed oyster shells, limes and lemons. Intense and bright, but perhaps lacks a bit of depth to the fruit to balance the zero dosage. Still a lovely take, though. (90 points)

2004 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Wow, this was everything I was hoping it would be. Rich, biscuity, doughy, lots of apples and lemon curd fruit, but the richness is matched with briskness, brightness, depth, minerality. Gorgeous, deep fruit, lots of minerals and chalk. Showing well but built for the long haul. (95 points)

2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
Loving the red fruits (raspberry, strawberry) mixing with the brisk, salty, chalky elements. Good amount of musk, spiced tea, rose potpourri, hints of mushroom coming out. Lots of evolution ahead but beautiful stuff. (94 points)

2006 Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Cuvée Palmes d'Or - France, Champagne
Broad, concentrated, and bready, but also shows brightness, zestiness, minerality. Baked apple, toast, biscuits, chalk, honey. Bold but inviting, I'd like to see what happens to this in five to eight years. (93 points)

2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne - France, Champagne
Deep nose of apricot, graham crackers, biscuits, sea salt. Nervy yet dense on the palate, the apricot, quince mixes with toasty bread, saline, crushed shells. Lots going on, seems young and a bit dense, but beautiful. (93 points)

2006 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Fleuron - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Lively but leesy on the nose. Nougaty, doughy richness on the palate meets bright acidity and chalk, citrus peel, honeyed notes. (93 points)

2008 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Fleuron - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Nervy and bright, this had a lot of similar riffs as the 2006, but a bit less opulence perhaps. (92 points)

Wine Reviews: International Grab Bag

In honor of Valentine’s Day weekend, I have a mix of bubbly, fun wines from all around the globe.

This Champagne-less mix of sparkling wines includes some Crémant de Limoux from Faire La Fête, which have a refreshing 6 g/l dosage and a bright appeal. Although they lack doughy, biscuity depth, they’re balanced, lively and offer a lot of complexity for the price. Gloria Ferrer offers a solid vintage sparkler from California, and Cava makes an appearance as well. 

For reds, I recent tasted some widely-available, yummy Malbecs from Argentina, and a big, bold Montepulciano d’Abruzzo as well.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. 

Bubbles & White Wines

N.V. Faire La Fête Crémant de Limoux Brut – France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Crémant de Limoux
SRP: $19
Medium yellow color. Aromas show tangy lemon and green apple, with chalk, bread dough, biscuits, notes of verbena and white pepper. Crisp and bright on the palate, fine bubbles, nice salty kick with almonds, chalk, crushed shells. Green apples, lemon peel, lime and grapefruit, tossed with some slight honey and bread dough. Bright, light style, but solid depth, especially considering the price. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir and Mauzac, aged 15 months on the lees. (88 points)

N.V. Faire La Fête Crémant de Limoux Brut Rosé – France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Crémant de Limoux
SRP: $19
Medium salmon color. Nose is crisp and floral, with white cherries, wild strawberries, red McIntosh apple peel. Tangy and zippy on the palate, a light style with bright bubbles, white cherries, red apple. Notes of white pepper, baby’s breath, verbena, and a nice salty minerality that lifts it up. Solid bargain. 65% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 15% Pinot Noir, aged 15 months on the lees. (87 points)

N.V. Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva Heredad – Spain, Cava
SRP: $30
Light gold color with fine bubbles. Bready, doughy on the nose with salty, honeyed, floral combinations over peach and lemon. Crisp acidity frames the wine well, there’s some nice bready qualities to accent the lemon and green melon fruit. Sea salt and white flowers on top of nougat, hazelnut elements, it all comes together quite well to offer a more complex but vibrant Cava. Macabeo and Parellada, aged 30 months on the lees. (88 points)

N.V. A to Z Wineworks Bubbles – USA, Oregon
SRP: $20/4, 250ml cans
Aromas of crisp red apples, raspberries and lemon, with white pepper, floral perfume, some cinnamon candies. Juicy cherry and strawberry appeal on the palate, with crisp acidity, and spritzy bubbles. Fun, fresh, with rhubarb, sea salt and sugarcane notes. Easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing stuff, this could be a big hit for summertime treks. Offers a lot more than other canned wines I’ve tasted. Carbonated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. (85 points)

2011 Gloria Ferrer Anniversary Cuvée – USA, California, Napa, Carneros
SRP: $45
Rich yellow color. The aromas show deep, doughy, biscuity notes, with honey, almond cake, but also brighter notes of chalk, sea spray and honeysuckle. Nice depth on the palate, generous texture with some richness and sugar, but also brisk acidity, which keeps things in line well. Yellow apples, papaya, lime, with deep tones of bread dough, almond brittle, honeycomb, and elements of saline, crushed limestone and chalk. Quite a bit of depth and balance here. 2/3 Pinot, 1/3 Chardonnay, 12 g/l dosage, aged 5 years on the lees. (90 points)

2018 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Gelblack feinherb - Germany, Rheingau
SRP: $25
Pale lemon color. Bright and inviting on the nose with lime, quince, apricot, some white flowers and crushed rocks. Pleasantly plump on the palate, the bright acidity jives well with the off-dry sugar, so this tastes balanced and vibrant. Lemon, green melon and white peach fruit, tossed with chalky, floral, crushed rock elements. Lovely freshness, balance, and depth but also fun, early-drinking style. 2018 German Rieslings have a lot to offer. (89 points)
 
Reds

2018 Domaine Jean Bousquet Gaia - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
SRP: $20
Deep purple. Bountiful nose of sweet black cherries, blackberries, along with a pleasantly floral, herbal mix (violets, mint, eucalyptus), with cocoa and vanilla. Smooth and suave on the palate, dusty tannins, fresh acidity, supported by plenty of juicy black cherry and dark plum fruit. A lot of floral and spice elements (violets, pepper, sage), with nuanced coffee and vanilla notes. 50% Malbec, 45% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 10 months in French oak. (89 points)

2018 Alamos Malbec – Argentina, Mendoza
SRP: $13
Light purple color. Lively nose of sweet plums and cherries, along with roses, cocoa and vanilla. Smooth and velvety on the palate, fresh acidity, framed nicely with plums, raspberry and cherry fruit. Notes of cocoa powder, earth, vanilla, but there’s also some deeper, more complex notes of earth and graphite, too. Balanced, fresh, lively, I continue to find this a solid, widely-available, value-driven Malbec. (88 points)

2015 Binomio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
SRP: $52
Bright purple color. Deep aromatics of floral tea, violets with loamy, charcoal, incense sticks and clove. Full-bodied with solid grip to the tannins, but moderate acidity keeps it fresh. A tart, deep core of blackberry and plum. Lots of pencil lead, earth, tar, anise, coffee, cedar. Complex, floral, deep, this is a beauty of a Montepulciano, and while it has a lot of density, it also shows a nuance and balance, and an underlying stony minerality. This deserves three to four years in the cellar or a good decant. Aged 15 months in French oak and then six months in stainless steel. (91 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Wine Reviews: Rhone Syrah Shines

Syrah (and specifically Syrah from France’s Northern Rhone Valley) gets a lot of credit for my love of wine. As a young wine-drinker would couldn’t afford a lot of wines from Hermitage or Cote-Rotie, I found what I was looking for in wines from appellations like Crozes-Hermitage and St. Joseph — juicy Syrah fruit, solid tannins, lively acidity, and hefty doses of meaty, pepper, earthy, savory goodness.

Over the years, I haven’t strayed far from my love of Northern Rhone Syrah. The New World Syrahs that I’ve fallen in love with (California, Washington, South Africa, for example) tend to be ones that I might considering sneaking into a blind-tasting of Northern Rhone wines as ringers. But nothing beats the real Rhone Syrah, so I was excited to taste through a few samples recently, most of which are from the 2017 vintage.

After the heralded 2016 vintage, 2017 had some tough elements. Frost and some hail threw off St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage a bit. A warm, dry summer led to smaller, more concentrated berries with thicker skins, and Syrah harvest started and ended quite early. While yields were lower, the quality of the fruit seems quite high.

I found these wines showed lots of juiciness, darker fruit, and the tannins, while providing structure, seem to have rounder edges. I’m an acid hound, but while this isn’t a zingy vintage, I found enough balance and freshness from the acidity in these wines. Overall, these Rhone wines make me crave a snowstorm, some grilled lamb, and lots of roasted root vegetables.

Three of these wines are all Syrah from the Northern Rhone, while the last is a Syrah-based blend from the Southern Rhone. These wines were received as trade samples and tasted single blind.

2017 Domaine Faury St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
SRP: $43
Light purple color. Lovely aromas of tangy black cherries and currants, topped in violets, clove, iron, bay leaf and cracked black pepper. Medium-bodied, silky but structured tannins, vibrant acidity – this is all lined up wonderfully. Red and black cherry fruit, suave but tangy, blended well with complex notes of black pepper, violets, bay leaf, iron, paved road. This is pure, vibrant, lively and expressive, but three to five years in the cellar will allow it to blossom (and it’ll age for a decade easily). Excellent St. Joseph for the price. From vines aged 43 to 82 years old, this Syrah is aged 12 months in foudres, demi-muids and barrels (10% of the barrels are new oak). (92 points)

2017 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
SRP: $40
Deep purple color. The nose exudes black fruit (cherries, blackberries) along with animal hide, grilled herbs, black olive brine and cracked pepper. Grippy tannins, tight but balanced with fresh acidity. The fruit is black and tart, and topped in leather, spicy grilled steak, black olive brine, and I get these underlying notes of iron and graphite. This is definitely one to age for at least four or five years, and it will evolve for a long time, but even at this young age, this is impressive. From 30-year-old vines, whole-cluster fermented in concrete and aged in old oak barrels. (91 points)

2018 Matthieu Barret Crozes-Hermitage Et la Bannière - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
SRP: $31
Deep, dark purple color. Juicy and ripe on the nose with gushing black cherries and blackberries. I get lots of mesquite, barbecue sauce, black pepper and soy, with lavender and cocoa dust elements, too. Medium/full-bodied with smooth tannins and medium acidity. This is a dark, juicy, fresh wine with lots of chewy black fruit, but there’s also plenty of pepper, anise, cocoa, dusty earth and charcoal elements. Delicious, fun, but also complex and interesting. From 20-year-old vines, the Syrah undergoes 10 days of carboic maceration, and this is fermented and aged in stainless steel. This is a more accessible, early-drinking style, but it could also age for a few years. (90 points)

2017 Château de Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône Les Deux Albion - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
SRP: $21
Medium purple color. Pretty aromas of black currants, along with graphite, leather, cocoa powder, menthol and mesquite. This is a big, big wine (15.5% alcohol) but it holds it well, with velvety tannins, chewy texture, medium/low acid. Waves of ripe, delicious, jammy fruit (currants, roasted figs, blackberry), with elements of campfire, scorched earth, black pepper glaze, vanilla, coffee grounds. This is a bold, winter-friendly wine, but it shows nuance and complexity as well, especially considering the price. It could definitely use two or three years, though. 50% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 10% Mourvedre, and 5% Clairette, whole-cluster, co-fermented in wooden vats and concrete tanks, and aged 18 months. (89 points)


This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Revisiting Some Delicious Arizona Wines

I've been visiting Arizona for 10 years now, and I feel like I'm just scratching the surface.

As an East Coaster, the desert wilderness intrigues me, and I spend as much time as possible out there in nature. 

Over the holidays, I spent a week in Arizona, and I got in some good hiking in the Superstition Wilderness, east of Phoenix. Although the weather was cold and rainy (for Arizona), and the conditions frequently challenging, I was rewarded with some epic views and great memories.

As a lover of many Arizona wines, I made an effort early in my trip to stock up on some wines from some of my favorite Arizona producers. I've visited Page Springs Cellars in the Verde Valley (and written about them here) and Dos Cabezas in Sonoita before (and written about them here). I always like checking in on these producers, and the batch of wines I picked offered lots of holiday deliciousness and cheer.

See my notes below...


2018 Page Springs Cellars Vino del Barrio Blanca - USA, Arizona
$16
Peachy, guava-rich nose with lychee and lots of flowers and honey. Medium-bodied, creamy texture but surprising acidity. Lots of rich, tropical fruit (white peach, guava, nectarine, lychee) with a good mix of yellow flowers, spicy mint and white pepper. Creamy and plump but also salty and bright. Lots of fun. A mix of Malvasia Bianca, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Vermentino, Colombard, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Ugni Blanc. (87 points)

2017 Page Springs Cellars Counoise Rosé House Mountain Vineyard - USA, Arizona
$28
Deep copper color. Subdued a bit on the nose, but does show some white flower and nettle notes on top of white peach and wild strawberry. Plump, punchy but crisp on the palate with fleshy strawberry and white cherry tones. Nice creaminess and acidity combination, and there’s a good dose of nettle, white pepper and oregano. Subtle and understated, but it’s quite pleasant. (87 points) 

2018 Page Springs Cellars Mule's Mistake - USA, Arizona, Cochise County
$16
Medium ruby color. The nose shows juicy cherries, strawberries, along with pepper, cinnamon, earthy and rose petal notes. Zesty and crisp with light tannins, I always love this wine’s fresh, zippy, red-fruited, spicy appeal. Tangy strawberry, red apple peel, with some pepper, mint, earthy tones. Bright, fun, energetic stuff. A fun, funky blend of Grenache, Carignan, Counoise, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Malvasia Bianca and Colombard. (88 points) 

2016 Page Springs Cellars El Serrano - USA, Arizona
$33
Bold nose of plums, black cherries and dark currants, along with black pepper, leather, cocoa, anise and magic marker. Medium-bodied (13%) with smooth but structured tannins, and fresh acidity. Plums, currants, black cherries, the food is generous but fresh, laced with smoky earth, pepper, anise, cocoa, roasted chestnut and violets. Yummy stuff for sure, but also complex and shows lots of depth. I’d love to see this in two years or so. (90 points) 

2014 Dos Cabezas Wine Works El Norte - USA, Arizona, Cochise County

$25
Warm and spicy aromas, smoky herbs, pepper, wet earth and creosote notes mix with cherries and raspberries. Juicy and smooth on the palate, rich but still fresh. Raspberries, plums and cherries, the fruit is suave and complex, and tossed well with earth, clay, pepper and sagebrush notes. Integrated, delicious, I love this wine. Mourvedre, Garnacha, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Counoise. (90 points) 

2018 Page Springs Cellars Vino de la Familia - USA, Arizona, Cochise County
$25
Juicy and plummy on the nose with black cherries, and roses, violets, clay, pepper and herbs. The acidity is really fresh on the palate, soft tannins, and tangy black cherry and plum fruit – the balance rocks. Roses, violets, sweet coffee, earth. Smooth, fun, balanced, inviting. Syrah, Petite Sirah, Teroldego, Malvasia Bianca. (88 points)

Wine Reviews: California New Releases

I’m back this week with another round of new California releases, and this report has some goodies.

Spring Mountain’s Smith-Madrone has long made incredible, age-worthy, unique wines, and their new Riesling and Cabernet deliver oodles of goodness for not much money. Lake County’s Steele Wines makes more appearances here, which I welcome. Lake County doesn’t get a lot of love, but Jed Steele has been making wine there for many decades, and these wines continue to offer lots of quality and value.

Mi Sueño’s Syrah and Cab, and a few other wines, round out this report. These bottles were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2016 Smith-Madrone Riesling - California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
SRP: $34
Medium yellow color. So fresh on the nose, which pops with peaches, limes, pineapple, mixed with white flowers, hay, honey, crushed shells and sea spray. Brisk and focused on the palate with racy acidity, yet plenty of depth in texture. Tastes near dry, but shows lots of richness. Pure lime and papaya fruit mixed with mountain stream, honey and some crushed shells. This is another excellent Riesling from Smith-Madrone, one that should age beautifully. Crazy value. 12.8% alcohol, 0.68% residual sugar. (93 points)

2018 Cline Cellars Pinot Gris - California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
SRP: $15
Pale gold color with a slight orange tint. A burst of peach nectar, pineapple and lime on the nose, with orange blossom, honeysuckle, baby’s breath. Plush but crisp on the palate with fresh cantaloupe, white peaches and melon, drizzled in lime. Bright but not light, it’s juicy and quite complex with notes of white flowers, sea salt, honey, spiced white tea. Solid value — this is good Pinot Gris. (88 points)

2017 Oak Farm Vineyards Barbera - California, Central Valley, Lodi
SRP: $25
Deep purple color. Nose pops with bold black cherries and saucy plums, and I’m loving the mesquite, barbecue brisket, pepper, anise, some toffee. Full-bodied on the palate with chewy tannins, yet it shows some moderating acidity. Notes of pepper, sweet cocoa, anise cookie, saucy and forward yet it has some freshness that I find really attractive. Beefy, saucy, earthy, floral tones abound. Impressive Lodi Barbera! Most of the fruit comes from their estate vineyard in Mokelumne River, this also includes some Petite Sirah. Aged in French, American and Russian oak (about ¼ new) for 20 months. (89 points)

2016 The Paring Red Wine - California
SRP: $25
Dark purple color. Aromas of sweet black cherries, roasted figs, blueberry, topped in root beer, sweet cocoa and anise. Full-bodied on the palate, smooth tannins, medium/low acidity. This is a burly, wintry night kind of wine with extracted blueberry, roasted fig and plum cake. Lots of cedar, cocoa, vanilla, some charcoal and earthy tones. Bold but very tasty. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged 22 months in 55% new French oak. (88 points)

2017 Steele Wines Barbera Shooting Star - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $15
Deep purple color. Smells like plum cake, cola, coffee, anise cookie and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and rich, smooth, light tannins, yet the moderate acidity adds a nice, needed freshness, and the wine is surprisingly balanced. Plums, black cherries, roasted figs, mixed with coffee, earth, anise and chocolate notes. A big wine, but well-made. From the Dorn Vineyard, aged in old American and Hungarian oak for nine months. A lot of quality and value here. (88 points)

2017 Steele Wines Merlot Shooting Star - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $15
Medium ruby color. Smells of tart cherries, raspberry jam, red currants, with smoky earth, tobacco and mint notes. Medium/full-bodied, smooth and velvety tannins, moderating acidity, it’s all held together quite well, sporting cherries, raspberries and saucy plums. Notes of violets, clay, earth and coffee and some complexity. Saucy yet vibrant, with oak and coffee woven in well. Solid bargain here. (87 points)

2017 Steele Wines Syrah Writer's Block - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $18
Bright purple color. This wine pops with aromas of spicy pepper, mesquite grill, saddle leather, with black cherries and blueberries. Velvety tannins on the palate, this is smooth and quite refreshing, with lively acidity. Plummy, blueberry fruit, mixed with a good dose of black olives, savory grilling spices, coffee and black tea. This is fresh and fun, but shows a lot of complexity and depth. Solid value Syrah here from Steele. From Cana Springs Vineyard in Lake County, this is aged 12 months in 15% new French, American and Hungarian oak. (88 points)

2017 Steele Wines Cabernet Franc Writer's Block - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $18
Medium ruby color. The nose shows tangy cherries, strawberries, red currants, along with inviting, spicy elements of tobacco, black olive, violets – really nice. Medium/full-bodied but poised with velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Tangy black cherries and red currants, blended with violets, clove, pepper, olive. Rounded, nuanced, accessible, yet a lot of complexity for a wine at this price point. Sourced from Shannon Ridge Vineyards in High Valley, aged 15 months in hybrid French and American oak barrels. (89 points)

2017 Steele Wines Malbec Writer's Block - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $18
Deep ruby color. Fresh and inviting nose, with red plums, raspberries, black cherries, along with barbecue sauce, black pepper, anise and sweet tea. Smooth and velvety on the palate, fresh acidity, fun black cherry and raspberry jam fruit. Charcoal, cola, coffee, mint and vanilla elements blend together well. Ripe and juicy, but lovely freshness as well. Aged 12 months in 15% new American and Hungarian oak. (88 points)

2016 Steele Wines Merlot Stymie Founder's Reserve - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $42
Deep purple color. The aromas of plummy and rich with roasted figs, cherry sauce, dark earth, graphite, pencil shavings. Suave, medium acidity keeps the palate fresh, zippy but plump with moderate/light tannins. Rich cherries and dark plums, laced with smoky earth, mint chocolate chip, leather and violets. Suave, balanced, vibrant, for near-term drinking but there’s a lot going on here. From a gravelly bench vineyard overlooking the Big Valley of Lake County, aged 22 months in 20% new French and American oak. (89 points)

2016 Steele Wines Small Batch Bourbon Barrel Red - California, North Coast, Lake County
SRP: $25
Bright purple color. Smells of raspberry jam, plum cake, violets, cocoa, vanilla coffee. Full-bodied with chewy tannins, medium acidity helps keep it fresh. Tangy plums, sweet black cherries, the fruit is mixed with loamy earth, tobacco, black olive, with smoky oak and vanilla. Delicious, built well, shows some good complexity. Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Barbera aged 120 days in bourbon barrels. (87 points)

2015 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon - California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
SRP: $52
Light purple color. Wow, the aromas pop with juicy yet crunchy red and black currants, plum skins, along with earthy, rocky tones, graphite, coffee and violets. Full but balanced so nicely on the palate. Solid tannic structure for aging, vibrant acidity, the mouthfeel sets the stage for smooth black cherries and tart red currants. Fruit is laced with violets, clove, graphite, tobacco, and there are lots of earthy, savory tones that need years to fully show themselves. Gorgeous concentration, yet balanced and lively. Includes 16% Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in 65% new French oak. For my palate, this is one of the most insane bargains in Napa Cabernet. I’m so stoked this wine exists. (94 points)

2016 Mi Sueño Syrah - California, Napa Valley, Coombsville
SRP: $55
Deep, extracted purple color. Nose shows a dense combination of blueberry and blackberry, with more open, floral and spice tones (violets, cracked pepper, bay leaf), with some vanilla and coffee. Full-bodied with solid grip, but the tannins show smooth edges, medium acidity. The fruit is deep and bold but shows a crunchy edge, blueberry and blackberry. Notes of vanilla, cigar shop, black pepper and sweet barbecue sauce add complexity, with notes of vanilla and espresso woven in well. Delicious now, but this needs four years or so to show its best. 100% Syrah aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. (90 points)

2016 Mi Sueño Cabernet Sauvignon Lynn’s Vineyard - California, Napa Valley
SRP: $95
Deep, dark purple color. Gobs of crushed berries on the nose (blackberry, blueberry), topped in smoky earth, coffee, tar, anise and magic marker. Full and saucy on the palate with a nice backbone, but rounded tannins, medium/low acidity. Big, but it holds itself well, with plenty of blackberry, blueberry and roasted fig fruit. Lots of charcoal smoke, graphite, coffee grounds, dark chocolate and violet elements as well. This could use two to three years to integrate. All Cabernet, aged 20 months in 65% new French oak. (90 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Virginia Governor's Cup Winners Wow Again

I love Virginia wines, and not just because a lot of Virginia wine country is close to my home in Washington, DC. It’s been difficult to keep up, however, with Virginia wines, as more and more producers keep popping up, year after year.

For the past seven years or so, I’ve enjoyed sampling some of the Commonwealth’s best wines through the Governor’s Cup Case. For the 2019 Governor’s Cup competition, wineries submitted more than 500 entries. An esteemed group of wine experts blind-tasted their way through them all, narrowing the winners down to 12.

This year features some well-known producers, and some that I was not as familiar with. Stalwarts like Horton and Barboursville make an appearance, as does King Family, whose wines frequently feature in the winning dozen. And Early Mountain’s Eluvium blend wows again.

But winemaker Michael Shaps really ran away with this in the 2019 Governor’s Cup. He makes wine in Burgundy (under the Maison Shaps label), and some excellent Virginia wines under the Michael Shaps Wineworks moniker, three of which made it into this case. He also works as a consulting winemaker for more than a dozen Virginia wineries. Two of those wines also made it into this case.

These wines were received as part of an online tasting organized by my friend and Virginia wine whiz Frank Morgan. They were tasted sighted.

2017 Barboursville Vineyards Vermentino Reserve - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello

$23

Light yellow color. So fresh with its aromatic display of wet rocks, mountain stream, crushed shells, wild green herbs, honeysuckle, over lime and crunchy apricot fruit. Vibrant, gorgeous acidity on the palate meets a waxy mouthfeel, and the balance is superb. Juicy lime, apricot and papaya fruit blends well with river rocks, fresh rain, wet slate elements, and I get these cool notes of mint, verbena and honeysuckle. I’ve loved this wine before in other vintages, but this one is extra special. Gorgeous stuff, and great value. (91 points)

2016 Michael Shaps Petit Manseng - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello

$30

Almost neon yellow color. These aromas are hedonistic as hell, with rich nougat, almond butter, orange marmalade, lemon cake, graham cracker and candied ginger. Plump texture on the palate, this is bold and waxy but sports lively acidity. Hard-punching fruit (baked apple, glazed pear, candied orange), and mixed with flavors of cinnamon cake, peanut brittle, orange creamsicle, honey and graham cracker. There are some salty, white tea notes. Still a lively wine, but I feel some of the nuances of the fruit are masked by oak. (88 points)

2016 Horton Vineyards Petit Manseng - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Orange County

$25

Rich gold color. A bright and attractive nose of sea salt, white tea, waxy-oily tones and honey, on top of lemon curd and kiwi fruit. Rich textural depth on the palate, but ripping acidity (which I love), and the balance is on point. Tropical, a burst of lime, kiwi, green melon, but there’s a rush of underlying chalk dust, minerals, and sea salt that keeps it racy, lively, complex. A well-deserved spot on among the Governor’s Cup winners. (90 points)

2016 Early Mountain Vineyards Eluvium - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Madison County

$35

Deep purple color. A dark aromatic core of blackberry and black cherry, with loads of pepper, anise, magic marker, a saucy and spicy nose. Sturdy and well-built, with solid tannic grip but moderate acidity, set against a core of blackberry and currant fruit. Lots of smoky, earthy, tar notes, with anise, black pepper glaze, accented with coffee and vanilla elements. This needs three years or so to show it’s best, but with air and time, it has a lot to show. Very good stuff again from Early Mountain. Merlot and Petit Verdot. (91 points)

2015 Glen Manor Vineyards Cabernet Franc - USA, Virginia, Shenandoah Valley

$34

Medium purple color. Smells lively and fresh, with black cherries, wild blueberries, along with plenty of mesquite, barbecue sauce, black pepper glaze, sweet violets and coffee. Medium/full-bodied with solid tannic grip, moderate acidity, this is pieced together nicely. Vibrant black cherries and blueberry fruit blends well with complex smoky, menthol, barbecue sauce and leather notes. A riper, darker style of Cab Franc, but very well done. Dark chocolate and coffee grounds elements are woven in well. This could really use four or five years, but it’s a beautiful Virginia Cabernet Franc. (90 points)

2016 King Family Vineyards Mountain Plains - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello

$70

Medium purple color. On the nose, there’s a solid core of currants, black cherries, red plums, with violets, sage, menthol, fallen leaves, cedar shavings. On the palate this wine shows solid grip but crisp, focused acidity. Crunchy currant fruit mixes well with complex elements of campfire smoke, grilled meat, violets, tobacco leaf, graphite. Notes of roasted coffee and vanilla are woven in expertly. This is really, really good, and deserves five years of time in the cellar to show its best potential. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. (91 points)

2016 King Family Vineyards Meritage - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello

$75

Light purple color. Beautiful aromas of crushed raspberries, juicy black currants, and a complex host of tobacco leaf, sweet violets, mint, loamy earth, espresso and cedar. Medium/full-bodied, crisp acidity balances out the sturdy tannins nicely, and the freshness is gorgeous. Crushed black cherries, raspberries and currants, the fruit is laced with notes of racy minerals, graphite, smashed rocks. Tobacco, mushroom and fallen leaves add complexity, while cedar and coffee notes mix in well. This is beautiful stuff that will age for a decade easily. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. (91 points)

2015 Michael Shaps Tannat - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello

$35

Deep purple color. On the nose, a deep core of tart currant and black cherry fruit, mixed with lovely mesquite, incense, pepper, cocoa, tons going on but it needs a lot of air. Full but fresh on the palate, solid grip, this is young but balanced. Tangy black cherry and cassis mix with lots of complex barbecue, anise, pepper, grilled herbs, and dark chocolate notes. The freshness is really attractive, and the wine finishes with deep mineral and graphite elements. I’d love to see this with five to eight years of age on it. (90 points)

2015 Paradise Springs Meritage - USA, Virginia, Northern Virginia

$49

Deep purple color. So peppery and leathery on the nose, with grilled steak and campfire smoke, mixed with blackberry compote. Fresh acidity frames the wine nicely, structured but smooth tannins, with velvety, suave currant and blackberry fruit. Significant oak signatures (chocolate chip, vanilla, espresso), but they’re woven in well with elements of tilled soil, graphite, leather, pepper and grilled steak. This could use a year or two to open up, or a good decant. Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. (88 points)

2016 Hamlet Vineyards Eltham - USA, Virginia

$27

Medium purple color. Smoky aromas of mesquite, grilled steak, coffee and anise, on top of tangy red and black currants. Medium-bodied, zippy and fresh acidity, structured tannins, but they have rounded edges and are integrated well. Crisp black cherries, crunchy plums and cranberry fruit, topped in pepper, soy, menthol, violets and leather. Fruity yet vibrant with integrated coffee and oak elements. Fresh but not simple, this is my first time tasting from this producer, and it’s a good introduction. 50/50 Merlot and Petit Verdot. (88 points)

2014 Upper Shirley Vineyards Zachariah Reserve - USA, Virginia

$40

Deep purple color. Deep and spicy nose with a dark core of blackberry and dark plum, mixed with tobacco, charcoal, magic marker. Full-bodied with solid tannic grip, medium acidity. The dark, crunchy currant and plum fruit is blended with smoky, beefy, menthol tones, violets, with coffee and cocoa tones. The oak signature is heavy, here. A bit intense, this could use some age, as it took a while to open up. Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Tannat. (86 points)

2016 Michael Shaps Raisin d'Etre - USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello

$25/375ml

Deep orange color. Such bold, rich, inviting aromas, with guava, candied orange peel, lychee, glazed pears, roasted nuts. The texture on the palate is sweet and lush with gorgeous depth and vibrant, crisp acidity – the balance is superb. Honeyed pears, apricot, the fruit is mixed with graham cracker, peanut brittle, cinnamon crumb cake, but also these salted almond and crushed shell tones. Delicious, complex, harmonious, this can age a long time. Petit Manseng grapes dried in tobacco barns, this has 13% alcohol and 7% residual sugar. (91 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.