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!

• 2018 Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Nik Weis Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett (Mosel): Sweet pear and fresh lime, all hot for one another and making out in public. $25 B+
• 2016 Georges Duboeuf Domaine des Quatres Vents Fleurie (Beaujolais): Pepper, violets, berries, and *substance*. $22 B+
• NV Travaglino Cuvee 59 Brut (Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico): A fine homage to its spiritual idol, Champagne. $NA B+
• NV Zardetto Extra Dry (Prosecco Superiore di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene): Maybe lacking a bit of exuberance, but certainly not lacking in the florals department. $NA B
• 2010 Badia a Coltibuono Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (Tuscany): Sultana, spices, and rum raisin locked in a powerful and entertaining battle for supremacy. $45 A-
• 2015 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo (Piedmont): Funky vViolets growing in gritty, fertile earth. $50 A-
• 2018 Two Hands Wines Gnarly Dudes Shiraz (Barossa Valley): The dudes are crafting a silky, deep, and expressive, well, expression. $30 B+
• 2015 La Pitchoune Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Hedonistic, or restrained? How about… both? $50 A-
• 2018 Gundlach-Bundschu Estate Vineyard Gewurztraminer (Sonoma Coast): What’s a little heat between friends, when everything else about the conversation is just about pitch-perfect? $21 B+
• 2015 Grgich Hills Estate Grown Chardonnay (Napa Valley): Fresh peach main course, and a lemon pie dessert. $43 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 Brennan Vineyards Reserve Lily White (Texas): Cantaloupe, citrus, and copious amounts of captivating, crowd-pleasing capability. $25 B
• 2018 Rodney Strong Rose of Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): Life’s a bowl of cherries. And grapefruit peel. And rose petals. And fun. $18 B+
• 2018 Rodney Strong Charlotte’s Home Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Sonoma County): Flint, flowers, and melons reminding you that warm Summer nights are not forever… $14 B
• 2017 Davis Bynum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Sonoma County): Combining vineyards like Voltron to assemble into something greater and more ass-kicking than the sum of its parts. $35 A-
• 2018 Troon Vineyard Vermentino (Applegate Valley): Expressively excellent, and excellently expressive. $18 B+
• 2017 Vintage Longbottom Henry’s Drive Shiraz (McLaren Vale): The journey in this case is long, juicy, bold, large, and worth the drive. $50 A-
• 2017 Prinz Salm Two Princes Riesling (Rheinhessen): Princely amounts of both stone fruits and serious QPR. $19 B+
• 2015 Chateau de Montfaucon Lirac (Rhone): A bright spotlight on Lirac’s fresh, spicy red-berry soul. $20 B+
• 2010 Travaglino ‘Vincenzo Comi’ Riserva del Fondatore Brut (Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico): A bit overly assertive, sure, but its raw talent simply cannot be denied. $33 A-
• 2015 Bel Colle ‘Simposio’ (Barolo): Energetic, earthy, and expertly crafted; just don’t forget the steak knives. $55 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 Freigut Thallern Student Rotgipfler (Thermenregion): If it’s friends that you want to make, then by gawd, with peachy goodness like that, it’s friends you shall receive! $NA B+
• 2017 Alphart am Mühlbach Zierfandler Ried Otzler (Thermenregion): Hello, dad… Hello, mom… I’m your l-l-l-l-l-LEMON bommmmmb! $NA B
• 2016 Weingut Stadlmann Mandel-Hoh Zierfandler (Thermenregion): I’ll take all of that dried pineapple to go; on second thought, I’m gonna eat it all right now… $34 B+
• 2016 Johann Gisperg Reserve St Laurent (Thermenregion): Funky, fresh, and talking a walk on the wild side. $NA B+
• 2013 Lamole di Lamole Vigneto di Campolungo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (Chianti): Classic, right down to its red plummy core, at which you’ll also find some black truffles. $40 A-
• 2016 Marco Felluga Russiz Superiore Cabernet Franc Collio (Friuli-Venezia Giulia): We surrender to our new, benevolent black-pepper overlords. $28 B+
• 2015 Marco Felluga Molamatta Collio Bianco (Friuli-Venezia Giulia): Queue up the Robert Palmer, because this one is… simply irresistible. $25 B+
• 2018 Alois Lageder Chardonnay (Sudtirol – Alto Adige): Lemons for days, with more than enough zest to spare. $14 B
• 2015 Materra Right Bank (Oak Knoll District): Playing it a bit (too) safe and a bit (too) soft. $50 B+
• 2016 Balletto Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): There is nothing about this that isn’t lovely, tasty, and friendly – including the price, in the case of the latter. $25 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!

• 2016 Weingut Piriwe Pinot Noir (Thermenregion): Spices right from the garden, delicately nuanced. $NA B+
• 2015 Weingut Schwertführer 35 Pinot Noir (Thermenregion): When you want your secondary to outshine your primary, in good ways. $NA B+
• 2016 Weingut Schwertführer 47er “Top Edition” St. Laurent (Themenregion): Balanced between power and poise, freshness and juiciness. $NA B+
• 2016 Weingut Familie Auer Reserve St. Laurent (Thermenregion): Doing its best Pinot Noir impersonation; and it’s a damned good one. $NA B+
• 2016 Johann Gisperg Reserve St Laurent (Thermenregion): Wild, racy, and smoking a big, spicy cigar. $NA B+
• 2016 Jean-Claude Dagueneau Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly-Fume (Loire): You get some gunflint, and *you* get some gunflint, and *you all* get some gunflint! $28 B+
• NV Gratien & Meyer Cremant de Loire Rose Brut (Loire): Classic presentation, and juuuuuuuust the right amount of elegance and creaminess. $17 B
• NV Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Rose Brut (Alsace): Red berries, roses, and an endearing sense of self importance. $22 B+
• 2016 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner Meritage (Dry Creek Valley): A rustic personality peeking out from behind a freshly cleaned and modern suit. $50 A-
• 2016 Bannister Wines Lancel Creek Pinot Noir (Sonoma County): Bramble, all cleaned up and attending the opera. $60 A-