2018 Wirra Wirra Sauvignon Blanc Scrubby Rise Adelaide Hills
Cheerful notes of sweet lime and honeydew melon with that clean aroma of my grandmother's line-dried laundry. Light and refreshing, no oak.
2015 Portteus Barbera Rattlesnake Hills
First tasted and liked last summer; it's even better now. Pomegranate and boysenberry fruit with loamy/mushroomy earthiness underpinned by surprisingly good Italianate acidity. An unpretentious, delicious bargain in Washington wine.
2016 Bodegas Volver Monastrell Tarima Hill Old Vines Alicante
Brought to dinner by a guest. Not even close to the same league as the well-balanced and substantive '15 (which made the WS Top 100). Hollow body and simple-syrup sweet. PASS.
2017 Domaine de la Denante Saint Véran Les Maillettes Chardonnay
Purchased a case early last summer and every bottle consumed before last night, I now understand, was wasted. Big fruit up front tastes too ripe and peachy-sweet until, after about 30 minutes, it relaxes into Meyer lemon and white pepper wonderfulness. Best at cool room temp.
2012 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Cloudy, with sour notes. Dumped it.
2018 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling Eden Valley
Great, clean nose has enough complexity to expect a lot more than the hollow palate delivers. A friend's bottle, it was opened yesterday. Didn't taste then but got in on the retaste today in which it didn't show much improvement. Dilute. Don't think this has any aging potential despite the usual expectations for this product.
2017 Mollydooker Shiraz Blue Eyed Boy South Australia
Back-room/in-store taste. All blueberries and bourbon--sweet, sweet fruit, smoke and spice. For all that I generally dislike all that, it had a certain balance and I could momentarily see what its followers love about it--until I read the label. 16.5% alcohol. Sorry, not going there.
2016 Powell & Son Shiraz Barossa Valley
In-store, back-room taste. Forget everything you, you lousy North American, believe about Aussie Shiraz in general and Barossa wines in particular, this Shiraz is dialed back and elegant--like Shiraz used to be before Parkerization. More in the style of Torbreck whose shop Mr. Powell escaped from, and neither excessively sweet or alcoholic. $50
2013 Tulpen Cellars Coalescence Walla Walla Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Currently showing excellent secondary development. The oak has integrated and puts some spice on the red fruits which are getting leathery around the edges. Love this.