I suppose admitting to having enjoyed a 2007 Rhone damages my AFWE creds . . . . oh well, it good stuff, no apologies!
Girasole, Pinot Noir, Mendocino 2012
Nose and palate: black cherry, blackberry, and blueberry/acai with earth, chai, and cedar smoke. Medium-full bodied, fresh, juicy, and accentuated, with 2012’s ripe, attractive fruit. The fruit profile is very much California, but the frame is reminiscent of Beaune. Very well done. Drink now. 2.5 Stars [10/18/15]
Feudo Zirtari, Inzolia-Chardonnay, Terre Siciliane 2012
Rich and somewhat aromatic nose of pear, overripe stone fruits, a hint of honey, almond, savory herbs and spice, and mineral. Same notes on the palate, with pear, apricot and nectarine supported by almost bitter tangerine notes, with honey/nectar, candied almond, savory herbs (sage?), spice (mace?), and mineral. Full bodied but kept reasonably fresh by generous tangerine acidity, with a reasonable sense of density and depth. The bitter notes are just a little bit out of balance, and keep this from being truly excellent. Nonetheless, very nice. [10/31/15]
Andrea Faccio, Villa Giada, Chiaretto, Monferrato Chiaretto 2013
70% Barbera, 30% Nebbiolo. Deeply colored for a rose: dark pink toward light red. Fresh, rich, aromatic nose, with a strong note of Nebbiolo tones coming through. Sweet pie cherry upfront on the palate, followed by plum, punctuated by a note of black currant/blackberry, with notes of roses, and on the finish, hints of leather/choloate, tobacco/sweet green notes, and forest floor/mushroom (Nebbiolo coming through nicely there). A heavy, weighty style of rose, but with juicy acidity. Very, very food friendly. One of the best roses I’ve had in a while. 2.5 Stars [11/8/15]
Le Mas des Collines, A et C de Taxis, Gigondas 2007
Dark ruby, pink then clear at the rim. Closed and unexpressive at first but with impressive depth and density. Exceptional, dense nose with great depth. Outstanding aromas of smokey earth, leather, tar, garrigue, lots of mineral depth, all on top of prominent fig, plum sauce, blackberry and raspberry. Same notes on the palate, with generous, juicy acidity balancing the lush, dense fruit, all supported by tarry, slightly aggressive structure, and lots of mineral depth. Chewy and big bodied, but very polished, it caresses your mid palate before a kick of structure and tannin toward the finish remind you that it is very much a Gigondas. This is at a really nice point, relatively harmonious, and at peak for those who prefer its fruit, but has the structure and balance to evolve very nicely for 5 to 10 more years, depending on your preferences (question is whether to catch in 5 before its fruit starts to pull back, or in 10 when it should be fully mature). Impressively good! 4 Stars. [11/9/15]