2013 Domaine Le Couroulu Vacqueyras Review

Price: $21.99/bottle (Wine.com)

Alcohol: 13.5%

Body: Medium-Full

Sweetness: Dry

Varietals: 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre

Tasting Notes: Decanted ~1 hour

In the glass, this Vacqueyras takes a deep mahogany color with brick-orange edges. This wine is incredibly viscous with lusciously distinct legs that bleed down the sides like a squeezed paper cut. On the nose, delicate plum and rose petal aromas blend beautifully with vegetal notes and an interesting leathery undertone. The nose is translated brilliantly into the front-palate, reminding me of a peppery plum marmalade that had the stems still attached when it went through the food processor. This wine does come off a little jammier than most GSM blends, but is not overdone. The mid-palate comes off as a little more of the same (one of my only complaints) with a little more of the earthiness shining through. The high point of this drinking experience is certainly throughout the finish. Although short lived, (15-30 sec) I get a little bit of a jalapeno mojito feel with light hints of clove. This wine is well balanced with bright acidity with medium-firm tannins. Contemplative yet delicious, this is a wine to pour for all your “wine nerd,” friends.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Try/Buy/Pass: BUY!

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2016 Tenuta Di Sticciano Video Review

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Mumm Napa Brut Prestige Review Video

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Tasting Room Unboxing #2

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2015 Le Champignon Pinot Noir Review

2015 Le Champignon Monterey County Pinot Noir Review

Price: $20/bottle (Lot18.com)

Alcohol: 12.9%

Body: Medium

Sweetness: Dry

Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes: Pop and pour

This wine possesses an extremely light ruby color with strawberry hued edges. The wine hugs the glass with a medium glass coat and bold, defined, quick moving legs. On the nose, it can come off as a little smelly, crossing over into the “barnyard” characteristics, but does show some nice earth qualities with noticeable soil and fungal notes. The front-palate is immensely complex; moss, fungus, and soil all interact remarkably with beautiful tart cherry and raspberry. I liken this to a rich and biodiverse ecosystem, all members cohabiting to create a wonderful symphony of life. On the mid-palate the fruit is accentuated nicely, raspberry notes pinpointing on the taste buds. Solid acidity provides decent structure while slight strawberry and under ripe cherries tease the more curious wine drinker. The finish provides an exciting transition from the brighter red fruit to a more nuanced red currant and mint like quality. The bright acidity carries through to the end but is slightly overtaken by the minute bitterness provided by the tannins. Admittedly, I may have judged Monterey County Pinots based on some less than stellar previous experiences, but the 2015 Le Champignon is fighting valiantly to change those prejudices.

Rating: **** (4 Stars)

T/B/P: BUY

2016 Skeleton Grüner Veltliner Review

2016 Skeleton Grüner Veltliner Review

Price: $10.95/bottle (Sherry-Lehman.com)

Alcohol: 12.5%

Body: Light

Sweetness: Semi-dry

Varietals: 100% Grüner Veltliner

Tasting Notes: Chilled ~30 mins

The appearance of this “Gru-Vee” is light gold, with uniformly slow moving legs. On the nose, this wine struggles to open up, with slight peach and lemon/lime zest battling with a more dominant petrichor scent. Obvious citrus becomes present on the front palate; lemon, lime, tangerine, and slight grapefruit attempt to lift the unusually flat feel, to little avail. In the mid-palate, the acidity makes a roaring comeback, playing nicely with beautiful minerality and apricot notes. The finish, along with the mid-palate, fights to save this wine from anonymity, and does so wonderfully with a delightful lingering mouth feel, and bright structure. Glowing minerality and shining acidity place me in the stone lined hills of a vineyard in Austria on a sunny, summer day. Where this wine struggles in the beginning of the tasting experience, it excels defiantly in the mid-palate and finish. For eleven dollars, not a bad summer wine.

Rating: ***

Try/Buy/Pass: TRY