Category: Tasting Notes

Elyse Nero Misto Red Wine 2011: Field grape blend resplendent with jammy California fruit; round, smooth, delicious, flirts with big jammy but doesn’t get there (thankfully). Continue reading “Elyse Nero Misto Red Wine 2011” →

La Merika Chardonnay Central Coast 2013: Citrus, green apples, lemon, green pear, green melon, pinch of pineapple, hint of honey; nicely sharp acidity bodes well for food pairing, but tasty solo, too; clean, bright on the palate; simple, straight-forward, nice effort. La Merika honors the star that supposedly led early explorers to the Western Hemisphere; it has special meaning in Knights Templar and Freemason history. $13

Bogle Phantom Red 2011: Very smooth, nicely tasty; raspberry, cherry, blackberry, dash of vanilla, suggestion of oak; blend of zin, petite sirah, mourvèdre; full body, restrained acidy makes it more pour to drink solo than with food, but delicious and smooth; a red blend folks who are not into red blends will enjoy. Bogle boogies again; consistently good value. $18

Casa Contini Biferno Riserva Red Wine 2009: Superb, peppery-sweet nose; smoke, black fruits, red cherry, blueberry; smooth, balanced, wonderful complexity for the price; Southern Italian montepulciano (85%) and aglianico (15%) grapes combine for medium body with rustic edges, forest floor, reserved tannins, some acidity, lushness, too, excellent finish. Aged 18 months in large barrels made from Slovakian oak. Great value and delicious experience; this is by no means your everyday $15 red wine. $15

Mauro Molino Barbera D’Alba 2013: Very straightforward, mellow, simple red; cherry, raspberry, blueberry, some eucalyptus; very smooth, almost no tannic tang, reserved acidity, no oak. Barbera efforts typically are not complex, and this exactly fits the mold. If you are into bold red statements, this is not for you; if you want a simple, tasty red that doesn’t mind playing a restrained, supporting role at your meal, this works well. $17

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2014: Lovely, salmon pink; watermelon, cherry, strawberry; crisp, refreshing, juicy with excellent acidity, mouthwatering finish; served chilled as aperitif, picnic pleaser or with flavorful fish; simple wine but excellent value-for-price; south Africa continues to impress with its progress. $14

Christoval Vineyards Rosé of Mouvèdre 2012: Ripe strawberry, watermelon, sweet cherry, cranberry; fresh, nice fruit, medium-dry, clean, some weight and savory elements in the mouth. Mouvèdre (monastrell in Spain) is thick skinned, warm-to-hot weather staple, the third-blending grape in GSM wines, a natural ally of grenache. The rosé choice pulls the juice from its thick, dark skins and does not allow evolution of the leathery, spicy, gamey elements that make it valuable as a full-red blender. This restraining allows the grape to sing solo, as it does well in this all-Texas grape effort. $19

Domaine d’Andézon Côtes-du-Rhône Red Wine 2011: Syrah (dominate grape of the northern Rhône) rules in this boldly assertive, fleshy, dark-fruit-concentrated effort. Air time is a must with this powerful pour—there are serious tannins here, decanting definitely helps tame the tannin, release the scrappy nose, and soften the aggressive fruit. Black olive, licorice, dark cherry, blackberry, graphite, tangy blackcurrant; well-priced rustic rumbler, pair with bold stews or rich red meats. $14

Woop Woop Shiraz South Eastern Australia 2013: New World fruity, juicy, flirts with jammy; blueberry, raspberry, black olives, plum, savory; smooth, simple wine, short finish, light acidity and tannin; South Aussie twist and pour to go with burgers or pizza; value-for-price play. $11

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio Central Coast California 2014: Very pale yellow; pear, lemon, citrus nose; tart lemon, some spice, little lime, grapefruit and green apple on the palate. Simple, straightforward wine built to please with restrained sweetness and acidity to make a easy drinking summer sipper at easy price. Robert Mondavi is part of Constellation Brands, a company founded in Canandaigua, New York in 1945 that has grown to be the #1 premium wine producer in the world, the #3 beer company in the U.S., the #1 wine company in Canada and New Zealand. Outside the U.S., it has operations in Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. Some of its top brands include Clos du Bois, Corona, Arbor Mist, Modelo, Kim Crawford, Black Velvet, Svedka Vodka, Ravenswood, Franciscan Estate, Mark West, Manischewitz, Mouton Cadet, and many more in its 100-plus portfolio of brands. Constellation purchased Robert Mondavi in 2004 for $1.03 billion, immediately making it a leader in both high end wines and mass distribution consumer wines such as this Private Selection offering. Simple pinot grigio, yes, but very nice for the price. $9