Medium to deep ruby colored. On the nose, spicy cherries and oak. On the mouth: oak, pepper, tobacco. The tannins have mellowed out just enough to be interesting. This is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cab Sauvignon. Perfect to drink now or wait a few years more.
Need a new world wine made in an old world style that is drinkable now? Look no further than this wonderfully complex cabernet. Cherry, spice, and dried flowers on the nose. A silky, medium body, with oak and bright berries, finishing off with cherries and watermelon candy. You can feel this one all over the palate. I think the use of 25% American oak gives it a much subtler taste. I would buy a few bottles of these to just have on hand.
Another successful (mostly) vegan Thanksgiving: sweet potato casserole, mushroom Bourgogne, roasted root veggies from my garden, baked beans and this lovely bottle of 2009 Chateau Margaux.
Sometimes you just need something simple, fun, and easy-going. This wine is joyous. If it were at a party, they wouldn’t be the star of the show, but they would be the person you never tire of having around you. “Hey, here comes Zolo! What’s happening, Zolo!” This wine is fruit through and through. On the nose, I get squashed blueberries (with a few stems and leaves left in). On the mouth, tight medium tannins, a hint of black pepper and loads of black cherry. The finish is gentle, with a lingering taste of watermelon jolly rancher.
With a color somewhere between pale and dark ruby, this wine has cherry, clove, and sandalwood on the nose (maybe also chocolate?). A fleshy mouth-feel with sour cherry. The finish is all over the tongue, even if it’s short-lived. After decanting, the wood gets subtler and the sweetness of the cherry comes through more.
According to the label, this “bone dry” riesling (0.3% residual sugar) was grown in soil rich with shale, gravelly loam, and clay with limestone. The first thing you notice on this wine (other than its slightly amber-straw color) is the nose. If it has nothing else, it has a bouquet enticing enough to draw you in: honey, mead, and apple. Medium to heavy bodied, on the mouth you’ll find lemon-lime soda and pear, with a tart, mineral and lemon finish.
Peppery notes on the nose, with a bright maroon hue. Fruit-forward on the first sip, quickly followed by pointed tannins and tart pomegranate. A light an clean body with a finish of dried fruit and jolly rancher.
Fresh linen and thick honey on the nose. Light straw colored. Hints of grapefruit, citrus, and freshly rinsed gravel on the tongue. Full-bodied and chewy. A long finish of apple-flavored hard candy. This wine feels vibrant and alive.
I suspect Ben Franklin would be more of a côtes du rhône man, but on Friday evenings I like to imagine him kicking back with a vibrant chianti at an Italian cafe in Paris. This 2018 bottle is mostly Sangiovese with other Tuscan reds blended in. On the nose, you get a face full of fruit (raspberry) with the suggestions of something so earthy it’s metal. A robust mouthfeel with fine white pepper prominently featured from start to finish. Tight tannin structure, with lingering hints of jalapeño and sour cherries.
Wines from this DOP in Spain (Ribera del duero) must be aged at least two years, 12 months of which must be in oak. The influence of the oak definitely comes through here. Hot on the nose with lots of spice and vanilla. This vintage is juicy, with intense blueberry and cigar. The tannin structure is good: I should buy a few more bottles to store for 2-3 years.
