I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
 
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!

• 2016 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel (Sonoma County): Bold, fresh, and kicking the dust off of its trusty leather boots. $33 A-
• 2016 Day Grist Vineyard Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley): The supple, sexy sides of showing off one’s power. $43 A-
• 2017 Bedrock Wine Co. ‘Papera Ranch Heritage’ Red (Russian River Valley): Papera’s got a brand new bag… and it’s full of tea, roses, & character. $60 A-
• 2016 Matrix Bacigalupi Zinfandel – Petite Sirah (Russian River Valley): All is big and black – as in black fruit, black licorice, black plums, black spices, and a brooding soul as dark as a black, moonless night. $38 A-
• 2015 Hendry ‘Block 7 & 22’ Zinfandel (Napa Valley): Plummy fruit that’s purer than a mathematical proof. $39 A-
• 2015 Hendry ‘Block 7’ Zinfandel (Napa Valley): Focused like a missile on delivering big, juciy, jammy black fruit, licorice, and violets. $38 A-
• 2016 Hendry R.W. Moore Vineyard Zinfandel (Coombsville): More like it’s from “Spiceville” or “Lovelyville.” $40 A-
• 2017 Rock Wall Wine Company St. Peter’s Church Vineyard Zinfandel (Alexander Valley): Savory and screamin’, so put your big boy/big girl pants on and drink with abandon. $42 B+
• 2016 Rock Wall Wine Company Hendry Vineyard Block 29 Reserve Zinfandel (Napa Valley): When the term “fruit bomb” can actually be used in a positive context. $45 A-
• 2015 Ridge Vineyards Geyserville Red (Alexander Valley): Juicy, tempered, and perfumed, and putting on a spice clinic. $48 A-

I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
 
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!

• 2017 San Valentino Bio ‘Vivi’ (Colli di Rimini Rebola): White flowers, white peaches, red cheeks from drinking so much of it. $16 B+
• 2017 San Valentino ‘Bacaia’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore (Emilia-Romagna): Vibrant, spicy, versatile, delightful, and dammit please bring me a hamburger! $NA B+
• 2016 San Valentino Terra di Covignano Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Single vineyard, single clone, various responses – from plummy sexiness, to leathery grip, to funky vibrancy. $NA B+
• 2017 Celli ‘I Croppi’ Secco (Albana di Romagna): Apricots, saline, flowers, minerals; this is the luv that happens when this zesty grape meets the right limestone soils. $13 B+
• 2015 Celli ‘Bron & Ruseval’ Sangiovese Bertinoro di Romagna (Emilia-Romagna): Sour cherries and orange peel held together with sinewy tension. $NA B+
• NV Osborne ‘Sibarita’ 30 Year Old V.O.R.S Oloroso Sherry (Andalucia): Basically, you will burst out into song with “Spanish Caravan” in praise of this, or you probably lack a soul. $99 A
• 2016 The Infinite Monkey Theorem Cabernet Franc (Grand Valley): When otherwise friendly Colorado gets mysteriously dangerous in its dark intensity. $24 B+
• 2017 Whitewater Hill Riesling (Grand Valley): You’ll dig the honeysuckle, lychee, and sweet green apple; you’ll just wish that they hung around longer. $14 B-
• 2018 Gran Moraine Rose of Pinot Noir (Yamhill-Carlton District): So zesty, so vibrant, so earthy, so tasty, so pricey. $30 B+
• 2017 Bonterra Vineyards Rose (Mendocino County): You want to drink a lot of this. Yeah, you do. Admit it. $16 B

I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
 
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!

• 2015 Tenuta La Viola Bertinoro ‘P.Honorii’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Ready for battle, with a steely-eyed glare and more than it’s fair share of grit & resolve. $NA A-
• 2015 Giovanna Madonia Cantina di Bertinoro ‘Ombroso’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Kicking ass, and taking names, using its ample graphite pencil for the latter. $NA B+
• 2016 Peter Zemmer ‘Giatl’ Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Riserva (Trentino-Alto Adige): Any sexier and it’d need to be featured in an adult magazine spread. $38 B+
• 2011 Caiarossa Rosso di Toscana (Tuscany): Still fruity, savory, and pretty, even if it’s put on a few extra pounds over the years. $60 A-
• 2016 Alara Cellars Tempranillo (San Benito Valley): Smokey tobacco FTW, people!! $41 A-
• 2015 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Cherry Ridge Syrah (Russian River Valley): Meaty, tangy, spicy, and basically irresistible. $50 A-
• 2016 Dutton-Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley): Leaning into all of its curves with precision and focus. $55 A-
• 2014 Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Round, rich, and ready to make most of your friends feel very, very good. $33 B+
• 2018 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay (Mendoza): Fun is written all over this one; it’s already saying “you’re welcome.” $12 B
• 2017 Bodega Colome Autentico Malbec (Calchaqui Valley): Case-worthy buy of plummy, spicy, meaty excellence. $30 A-

I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
 
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!

• 2015 San Patrignano ‘Avi’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Long on the herbs, wood, spices, black cherries, structure, and, well, on pretty much everything. $35 A-
• 2017 Enio Ottaviani ‘Strati’ Romagna Pagadebit (Emilia-Romagna): Pear, White Fig, and Grapefruit all go surfing together. $NA B+
• 2017 Domaine de Sainte Cecile du Parc ‘Notes Frivoles’ Rose (Pays de Caux): With all of that pleasing structural bite, it’s not really living up to its namesake – in good ways. $17 B
• 2014 Christine Mouton Bertoli Domaine de Sainte Cecile du Parc ‘Sonatina’ (Coteaux du Languedoc): Bring on the BBQ, because this one has some savory meat to smoke up. $24 B+
• 2017 Ferraton Pere & Fils ‘Plan de Dieu’ (Cotes du Rhone Villages): We could talk about how floral, earthy, and solid this is, but it’d be a hell of a lot more fun to just drink it. $15 B
• NV Leclerc-Briant Reserve Brut (Champagne): Almonds, brioche, lemons, and decided improvement since its last report card. $65 A-
• 2014 Taylors Wakefield Exceptional Parcel Release ‘The Visionary’ Cabernet Sauvignon (Clare Valley): Eucalyptus, cassis, and a near-incredible sense of wonder. $200 A
• 2012 Truchard Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Carneros): This old fellow still has plenty of charm, attitude, and cigars to share. $38 A-
• 2015 Sosie Wines Spring Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma County): A fine teakhouse plate – as in, bold and meaty, but also refined. $43 A-
• 2015 Sosie Wines Vivio Vineyard Roussanne (Bennett Valley): Oily/vibrant, floral/rich; it kind of enjoys showing off its contrasts. $38 A-