Category: Tasting Notes

Tom Gore Vineyards Chardonnay 2013: Big apple, lemon, peach, vanilla, bite of banana; wonderfully cutting acidity, suitably restrained oak, half-pat of butter in the middle; rich, smooth, enjoyable on the palate; nicely hits spot between savagely austere chablis and unctuously big-butter, over-oaked Cal cabs; good effort from Sonoma farm family. $15

Justin Rosé 2014: Pale salmon color, vivid strawberry, cherry nose; raspberry, melon, bell pepper join the strawberry and cherry on the palate, but on first chilled pour the fruit is much more restrained than promised on the nose; crisp, good acidity, light body. Paso Robles rosé of cabernet sauvignon is simple summer sipper that significantly improves as wine warms, finding balance and revealing its fruit. You will be rewarded by giving it 20 minutes-plus out of fridge, ice bucket, or in glass. $20

Los Dominios de Berceo Tempranillo Rioja 2011: Tight, amazingly fresh, big boy Spanish red; concentrated raspberry, cherry, blackberry, chip of chocolate, spices galore; medium body, acidity, puckering tannin quickly relaxes with air leaving velvety mouth. Sophisticated rioja offerings like this are not like other wines, uniquely delicious and distinctive; this comes from 140-year-old, ungrafted vines (vines not affect by phylloxera plague of late 19th century in Europe). When you taste this, you taste history. $52

Steelhead Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc North Coast 2013: Very clean, soft with crisp acidity; green apple, pineapple, lime, honeydew melon, newly-mowed grass on finish. Made completely in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation to deliver pure expression of sauv blanc grape; very drinkable, great pairing that will complement rather than compete with many foods. Fairly priced; some proceeds from each sale are donated to the restoration of watersheds for steelhead trout and coho salmon, so you can drink good wine and feel good about yourself at same time. $13

La Merika Pinot Grigio Monterey 2013: Clean, refreshing, crisp, delicately delicious; white peach, pear, hint of apple, nectarine; good acidity; very light color reflects lightness of wine; overall a nice, simple, easy drinker; some reviewers beat up on this effort, but I did not confront the problems they claim. Pleasant price-for-value pour. $13

Château Calon-Ségur Marquis de Calon Saint-Estèphe 2009: Second label of Medoc’s northernmost classified growth by maker that has roots back to the 12th century. This vintage has 53% cab, 38% merlot, 7% cab franc and 2% petit verdot—other vintages tilt toward merlot. Very serious wine that also is very approachable introduction to the great wines of Bordeaux. Superb velvety richness, depth, with minerality generated by vines growing in gravel beds that are 16-feet deep, earth, balancing acidity; dark cherry, some spice box, wisp of vanilla. Elegant depth and length are the dominant characteristics, the wine just keeps on deliciously performing in your mouth even after you fully swallow. $42

Trinity Hill The Trinity Hawkes Bay 2013: Merlot, tempranillo, malbec and smattering of other varietals make for flavors from all directions; merlot plum and leather; tempranillo red fruit, blackberry, spice; malbec’s twist on blackberry, plum; thin layer of oak, soft mouth; light, ripe tannin; medium acidity, smooth. Grape mix depends on vintage (merlot is the standard lead in the blend each year, however), so flavor profile will vary year-to-year with this solid New Zealand easy-drinking effort. Hawkes Bay (east coast of the north island) is one of NZ’s oldest, most-established wine districts. Hawkes Bay label is Trinity’s consumer-priced offering. $20

Kermit Lynch Côtes du Rhône 2013: This is consistent value from premier American wine importer, wine writer, and negociant (a wine merchant who buys grapes, partially fermented juice, or finished wine and sells the finished bottles under his own name). Lynch knocked negociants in his early years, then saw the light; American wine drinkers are the better for it. This vintage presents the black cherry, blackberry, raspberry expected from a grenache-led blend; syrah, carignan, cinsault, mourvèdre are here, too, so choose your favorite red grape flavor and you probably can find at least a hint in your glass. Smooth, well-rounded; approachable tannin, some acidity; easy to enjoy at the price. $14

Toschi Vineyards Riesling 2013: Peach, citrus, apricot, spice; balanced, medium dry, acceptable  acidity; straightforward, easy drinker; will go well with many foods; enough sweetness to please those who dread dry, enough restraint to not offend those who prefer dry. Toschi is winemaker in San Joaquin Valley, which is by far the largest producing region in the United States—it is 220 miles long and 40-60 miles wide. San Joaquin region has more than 150,000 grape-growing acres (French Colombard is most-grown grape with 28,000 acres, followed by chardonnay with 16,000; zinfandel is most-grown red with 14,000 acres); almost half of California grape crush comes from the San Joaquin Valley; if you eat raisins or drink boxed wine, it likely came from here. Toschi aims for little higher quality and achieves. $9

Alamos Malbec Mendoza 2013: Plenty of plum, some blackberry from 90% malbec grapes, twist of pepper and dark cherry from 6% syrah, hint of blackcurrant tang from 4% bonarda; bold, but smooth easy drinker with refined tannin, toasty oak that is not overdone, balancing acidity, chip of chocolate on the finish. Medium body, balanced, tasty; classic affordable malbec from famously dependable maker. Mendoza wine region accounts for two-thirds of Argentina’s wine production; it is semi-arid desert (eight-inch annual rainfall), so vines are irrigated with meltwater from Andes to the west; some of the water is delivered by canals dating from the 1500s. With vineyard elevations ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 feet, Mendoza is one of the world’s enchanting, magical wine regions. $13