Podere La Villa – Giacomo Toscana IGT (2014)

I drank this wine on my 46th birthday (January 31, if you’d like to send a bottle next year!) Unfortunately, my enjoyment of this delicious Italian Merlot was spoiled by a trip to the emergency room. Unbeknownst to me, I had stumbled into a patch of poison oak while hiking. It took a month for me to be able to walk normally!

This is a 100% Merlot from Tuscany crafted by the daughter and son-in-law of the late, great Giacomo Taschis, Ilaria. He died in 2016, not long after this wine from his daughter was released. Only 1,900 bottles of this wine were produced (their Merlot acreage isn’t that big) and I got a CASE!

Giacomo was an oenologist who became known as “The Father of Super-Tuscans” and for having kick-started the quality renaissance in Italian wine in the 1960s and 1970s. Some say he brought French style and techniques to antiquated Italian winemaking.

He worked with Piero Antinori and helped develop Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Solaia. He later helped in both Sicily (Donnafugata) and in Sardinia. Basically, this guy “dragged Italian wine kicking and screaming into the 20th century,” as Jancis Robinson wrote.
Decanter’s “Man of the Year” in 2012

Giacomo Toscana IGT Podere La Villa 2015 (750ML) zoom

*** My tasting notes

Lovely. Dark purple, nose of blackberry and cedar. Medium-heavy in the mouth, the alcohol levels were in the middle of the range for Merlots at 14.5%. Plush black fruits. Going to love tasting the remaining bottles over the next few years!

WINEKNOW FACTS:

Most Europe labels its wines by region. Within that region, only certain grapes are allowed. So Tuscany is mostly about Sangiovese – BY LAW.
The “Super Tuscans” are massively popular Italian wines made from international grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) and often blended with Sangiovese.
Since they’re not following the rules, these winemakers are forced to indicate their wine as IGT (Italian for ‘typical of this region’) which doesn’t sound very high-end at all.
But no matter. Wines like Tignanello and Sassicaia are global superstars.

2016 Belleruche Cotes du Rhone Rose by M. Chapoutier

I love French rose. Light pink or salmon-colored, slightly savory from the limited red grape skin contact, utterly refreshing.

I love the Southern Rhone (Chateauneuf du Papes, Gigondas, Vacqueyras etc.)

I trust anything made by Michael Chapoutier.

This Cote du Rhone rose hits all three!

My wife found this bottle at World Markets for something like $6! As you can see, it got destroyed over a lunch of beet salad.

WineKnow Facts:

Rose wines are NOT normally a blend of white and red wines.
In fact, they are almost always made from exclusively red grapes!
Confused? Keep in mind that almost all grapes have white/clear juice.
The difference with rose wines (and red wines) is that grape skin contact is kept limited. So you get a bit of red and a bit of tannins but with the freshness and acidity of a good white!
Rose is hugely popular globally. And it comes in all sorts of colors. However, I can’t stand the bright red ones that smell like strawberry Kool-Aid.
No, given me roses from the South of France, Cote du Rhones or Provence! There the wines are usually very pale pink or salmon-colored, with light red fruit and a certain savoriness that pairs perfectly with salads, fish, shellfish.
Since this is a Cote du Rhone, the grapes that went into this wine are almost certainly Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and a bit of Mourvedre.
But rose can really be made with any red grapes!

Millier – White Wine Blend (Lodi)

I love “mystery” white blends. They are so much fun to taste blind and guess the mix!

The success of the “Conundrum” label has shown that you don’t have to reveal everything. If the wine tastes great, consumers don’t need to know what grapes went into it.

This is another wine from my http://www.nakedwines.com introductory case.

The grapey grapeness was a giveaway that Moscato was a key part of the blend. The floral nose had me thinking southern Rhone white variety – but I didn’t guess Viognier. I totally missed the Chardonnay. I thought there might be Chenin Blanc in there instead.

Anyway, this is a nice white blend with a unique nose, a perception of sweetness and a somewhat bitter, almondy finish. I enjoyed it. It doesn’t taste like everything else, thank God.

Medium acidity means it wouldn’t be a great throw-in-the-Igloo-cooler summer wine. But would be an awesome seafood wine.

I love “secret” blends. It’s so much fun to try to guess which grapes are in there!

Ana Diogo-Draper Amador Tempranillo 2017

*** My review and rating from http://www.nakedwines.com

Love the label! Looks like Spanish/Portguese tiles.

4-Star

“Was pretty skeptical of Tempranillo in the USA. Love the wines of Rioja and Toro. But figured that the winemaker would “pump up the volume” (like Americans are wont to do) on the wine and lose the typicity.

Instead, my wife and I both enjoyed it tremendously. Medium bodied, bright red fruit (imo a bit fruitier than the typical Spanish tempranillo but that’s just fine) and pretty classic tobacco aromas. Very smooth tannins too.

Lovely wine enjoyed with portobello mushroom ‘steaks.'”

WineKnow Facts:

If it’s red and it’s from Spain, chances are that it’s made from Tempranillo grapes.
If it’s red and it’s from the Rioja, Ribero del Duero or Toro regions of Spain, it’s either 100% or mostly Tempranillo.
In Portugal, Tempranillo is called Tinta Roriz. It’s one of the primary reds of Portugal and one of three primary reds blended in Port
Tempranillo makes wines that are bright ruby (NOT dark purple/black), medium-weight and fairly fruity with high acidity. I think they taste similar to Chianti wines (which are made with Sangiovese grapes). However, I’d say that Chiantis tend to have a bit more tannins and have more of a cherry fruit flavors.

Richard Bruno Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

We recently visted Paso Robles for the first time. Mostly we drank GSM blends. We didn’t even visit the eastern AVAs (Paso has got something like 11 of them!) where most of the Cabernet Sauvignon is produced.

*** My rating and review on nakedwines.com

5-Stars

“My favorite red so far.

Blackberry and boysenberry aromas burst from the bottle when I popped the cork. (Clearly there’s no problem achieving full ripeness in Paso Robles!) This is a lighter (in body and tannins) and brighter (acidity) version of what I think of as the typical USA Cabernet Sauvignon. Besides the lovely plush black fruit, there are pleasant cedar/cola and roasted spice flavors too.

I think this is a brilliant wine that tastes great NOW. I get really tired of ‘monumental’ Napa Cabs and the subtlety of Bordeaux Cab blends is sometimes lost on me. Of all the reds from my first Naked Wines shipment, this is the one that has made the biggest impact. I can’t imagine it’s easy to rely on other people for grapes (winemakers are notorious micro-managers), but this guy certainly knows what he’s doing.

That said, I can envision a lot of people trying to figure out what to think of this wine. It’s a lot fruitier and a lot less ‘powerful’ than your average $80+ Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, the ripeness, acidity and flavors remind me more of a Zinfandel! Here, however, the tannins are virtually undetectable (smooth) until the finish, when a (I find pleasant) astringency kicks in to prolong the flavors.

I note a number of reviews complaining of ‘bitterness’ which is both correct and open to interpretation.

Nice work. “

Benjamin Laroche Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy 2016

A lot of people think that talking about the color or smell of wines is just pretentious balderdash.

Here’s an example of why that is wrong.

If I hadn’t known that Chablis is made of 100% Chardonnay grapes and almost always fermented in 100% stainless steel tanks, I might not have known that there was something wrong with this bottle of wine.

Impressively, Naked Wines immediately credited my account for the bad bottle. And as you can see from the winemaker’s response, he didn’t have any doubt either – even though he had never seen my particular bottle!

Typical colors and smells help you identify if a bottle is bad (corked, premox, bad storage etc.) I am certain that there other people who received bad bottles but just didn’t realize it.

As soon as I work through my last case, I’m going to order a different bottle of this Chablis. A bad bottle doesn’t mean a bad wine.

*** My review and rating of the wine on nakedwines.com

2 Stars

Unfortunately, I am quite sure that this bottle had premox. [Premature oxygenation = too much air got into the wine too quickly.]

It was as yellow as an oaked California Chardonnay when I poured it. It smelled and tasted like an old Riesling. Not what you would expect from a 2016 Chablis.

Chablis is my favorite Chardonnay region in the world, and one of my favorite whites, so I know the typical style very well.

I am certain that this was an individual bottle problem as I cannot imagine a Frenchman with the last name Laroche would make a Chablis that doesn’t taste like Chablis!

As such, my rating of 2-Hearts is not really fair. I am sure that I would love this Chablis if the wine was in pristine condition.

*** Reply from the Winemaker

“Dear Scott, indeed, there [must] be a problem [with this bottle]. The color at first speaks by itself. My wines are pale yellow with greenish hints. Wine is a living product so problems sometime occur….You should contact Naked customer service and they will exchange the bottle. Sorry for that. If you are a Chablis lover, for sure you should not be disappointed [with my wine].”

WineKnow Facts:

Chablis is in Burgundy. If a wine is white and says Bourgogne or Burgundy on the label, it is almost always 100% Chardonnay
Chablis is almost always 100% unoaked. It’s fermented/aged in stainless steel tanks.
These wines should be pale yellow to clear, have great acidity, lemon-lime fruit and a difficult to describe mineral or saline quality.
Chablis is my favorite type of Chardonnay. In fact, it’s probably my favorite white wine period. (Although Godello is my current fling.)

WineKnow “Summer Whites”

We recently hosted our third WineKnow tasting event on “Summer Whites.” It was our biggest turnout yet, with over 40 people crammed into our little house. The wines that made the biggest impact were Assyrtiko, Riesling, Furmint and Chenin Blanc.

Here’s the intro to my WineKnow tasting notes, with the full document attached:

*****

What exactly are “Summer Whites?” In my opinion, they are wines that are lighter-bodied, dry and with high acidity. In one word, refreshing.

When you’re hot and sweaty after a day at the beach, do you hanker for cold apple juice? No, because apple juice is generally sweet and a bit viscous. But lemonade? Grapefruit juice? Oh yeah!

It’s the same with wine. Sauvignon Blanc is the classic Summer White: highly acidic, lemon/lime or tropical fruits, sometimes a bit tart, maybe some savory grassiness. It’s basically adult lemonade. But we’ve all had a LOT of Sauvignon Blanc, so it’s time to expand our horizons.

Tonight we will be tasting nine different white wines from seven different countries. No Chardonnay. No Sauvignon Blanc. No Pinot Grigio. Nothing from the USA.

I’m guessing that you will have not tried half of these wines before. I’VE never tried two of these wines before!!

Remember: as ripeness/sugar levels rise, acidity falls. That’s why most of these Summer Whites are from cooler climates where it’s easier to maintain zippy acidity.

As you are tasting these wines, I want you to think about them relative to SB (acid), PG (neutral) and CD (round).

In particular, focus on:

Color: ranging from clear/transparent to golden yellow
Acidity: that refreshing tingle on the tongue
Fruit: from Lime → Apple → Pear → Peach → Pineapple
Impact of oak ageing (butter, vanilla, oakiness), if any
Floral aromas, if any
Body (or viscosity) – a sign of higher alcohol, or fermentation on lees (dead yeast cells) etc.
‘Minerality’: does it smell or taste like flint, pencil lead, chalk or salt?

Many of these wines will taste a bit or a lot like wines you’ve tried. Most of them will have something a bit different that makes them stand out. Try to isolate that component! Do you like it?

I hope that the next time you go to a party, you’ll bring the host a bottle of Assyrtiko! You and the bottle will make quite an impression!

Masso Antico (Apulia) – Primitivo

This was a gift from a long-time family friend who stopped by to have dinner with us on their way from San Diego to Disneyland. This is a $10-15 wine with a 99-point score heralded by a big sticker affixed to the label.

I tend to like Primitivo wines. I also like Zinfandel, which is consistent because they are, in fact, the same grape.

Dark, dark red. Not purple like Shiraz but still dark. Dark cherry nose with a bit of tire. As we swish it around inside our mouths the tannins come on very, very smooth. Swallow and you get a nice crescendo of mouth-puckering deliciousness. Both my wife and I really enjoyed this lush wine.

Look at the bottom of the front label. In small font they’ve written:

Da Uve Leggermente APPASSITO

What does this mean? The direct translation is “From Grapes Lightly Appassito.”

OK, so what does Appassito mean then? It means that the grapes were “passed by” or “withered” – allowed to dry (raisinate) a bit.

It’s the same process that makes Amarone so rich: water evaporates from inside the grapes, concentrating flavors. In this case, maybe the grapes were only slightly shriveled. I don’t really know.

WINEKNOW:

Primitivo is Zinfandel, or more properly, Zinfandel is Primitivo
Apulia is Italy’s stiletto heel. In English, it is spelled Puglia.
The most important thing to note is that it is really hot down there. Grapes can get very ripe, wines very rich and alcoholic. But at 14%, this wine is well within the normal range.
And this is a partially appassito wine which means the flavors were further enhanced by partial drying (raisining). The ultimate exemplar of appassito is Amarone.
This wine has two stickers affixed: a 99-point score from an Italian wine critic and a Silver Medal (80-86 points) from the IWSC. Who is right? Who knows?
I did a bit of research and found out that Luca Maroni publishes a annual review of Italian wines. So he’s a serious critic. I also found a number of exasperated (non-Italian) wine drinkers who couldn’t believe the high scores he gave to certain wines – including this one. Is Luca loco?

*IWSC judges gave it scores ranging from 80-86…*

Arabella (South Africa, Shiraz/Viognier)

Yes, I tried two of the Naked Wines on the day I received them. (www.nakedwines.com)

At $7/btl (after my $100 voucher was deducted from the case price), I can afford to drink a few glasses and then move on. (This particular bottle retails for $20 but I got it at $12 through Naked Wines, who helps fund Arabella.)

Since the Quevedo Family Vintage #1 Red Blend was so dark-colored, I decided to do a comparison with this South African Shiraz. Shiraz is one of the darkest colored wines out there. I’m not that familiar with Shiraz from South Africa, so was excited to try it.

If it seems unusual to blend a white grape (Viognier) with a red grape (Shiraz), it isn’t. In France’s northern Rhone Valley (particularly the north), it’s very traditional and common for Viognier grapes to grow next to Shiraz and be vinified together. The thinking is that Viognier adds a bit of roundness and aroma to the otherwise dense and peppery Shiraz.

As expected, the wine was dark as squid ink. The aromas were meaty/rich but with an additional odd flavor, perhaps from the Viognier. I’ve seen people write that a Shiraz/Viognier blend smelled like bacon and peaches!

The surprise here was that this ultra-dark wine did not have ultra-dense tannins. In fact, I would have liked a bit more “grip” to counterbalance the perception of blackberry jam sweetness on the finish.

Overall a nice wine with a fun twist.

WINEKNOW:

Shiraz (known as Syrah in Australia and sometimes in the USA as well) produced a very dark purple wine. Cote Rotie (in the North Rhone) is the premier area for Shiraz, but Australia’s Barossa Valley is better known for it blockbuster, massively rich and extracted wines.
The “Western Cape” on the Arabella label means that the grapes come from within a very large area centering on Cape Town. The most famous wine-producing areas of Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl are within the very broad “Western Cape” region. But the fact that the winemaker has not indicated a specific district or ward on the label means that the grapes probably came from multiple areas. (Putting “Western Cape” on a South African wine is a bit like putting “California” on an American wine.)
South Africa is still trying to find its “trademark” red wine. Chenin Blanc is definitely its white. Pinotage can be really good or really bad, so it seems like winemakers are trying to move beyond this.
I would rate the wine triangle of Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl as the most beautiful wine country in the world. Rolling countryside punctuated with huge mountains, Cape Dutch architecture, ancient trees – it’s gorgeous. Rent a car, drive up from Cape Town and spend a few days there.

Quevedo Vintage No. 1 (Red,Portugal)

I didn’t wait long to dive into my first case of wine from Naked Wines (www.nakedwines.com).

The first bottle I chose was by the Quevedo Family of Portugal’s Douro Valley.

While many wine drinkers won’t be familiar with the grapes, this is actually a classic Portugal/Douro Valley red blend: 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca and 30% Tinta Roriz (known as Tempranillo in Spain).

40% TN, 30% TF, 30% TR is a fairly typical blend. These are also the same grapes that go into Port production.

The Douro Valley is hot, so the red wines from here are generally ripe, rich and tannic. Having just returned from the Douro Valley (where we tasted many wines!), my impression is that the overall color/flavors/aroma of this Quevedo wine are typical for the region.

Considering how dark purple it was, the Quevedo was surprisingly light-bodied, with very pleasant red fruit aromas and flavors and good acidity.

The only issue for this wine is that the tannins are a bit rough. They hit hard on the finish, making it feel imbalanced. I strongly believe that this wine will taste better in 2-3 years, when some of the tannins precipitate and the fruit/acids/tannins are more balanced.

I put a review on the Naked Wines website. I said that I wouldn’t buy the wine again. But my “No” and 3-heart rating wasn’t really fair. It just means that I wouldn’t buy this wine AT THIS AGE again.

WINEKNOW:

The Douro River flows out of Spain and across the width of Portugal emptying into the Atlantic at the lovely town of Porto.
The Douro Valley has long been famous for its fortified Port wines, but dry wine production overtook Port production a long time ago.
I would rate the Douro Valley as among the Top 5 most beautiful wine regions in the world. The whole valley on both sides of the river is terraced. Even if you aren’t into wine, you should visit the Douro. Assuming you are into wine (why else would you be here?) the Douro Valley is paradise.
Touriga Nacional is the generally considered the premier native red grape of Portugal – it produces full-bodied, tannic, dark purple wines.
Touriga Franca is a bit softer and fruitier then Touriga Nacional. It can also be quite floral on the nose.
Tinta Roriz is the local name for Tempranillo. If you’ve had a wine from Rioja, you’ve had Tempranillo. Tempranillo wines tend to be a bit lighter-bodied with red fruit aromas and flavors.