-
Beronia Rioja Reserva, 2010
Myeh. This drinks like the red wine Robert Parker likes, which means predictably. It’s like a Jack in the Box; you know what’s coming out of the bottle simply by his points. It’s a smooth and easy to drink red, rich and I guess satisfying, but it’s like how many Godzilla movies can Hollywood […]
-
Burrowing Owl Merlot, 2011
Evocative of the varietal, with typical cherry, hazelnut and woodsy notes. It seems a little heavy, a little headstrong, in an oppressive rather than ethereal fashion. On the plus side we made harissa cumin chicken, with leeks, lemon and arugula, strong and assertive flavours, and the BO had the stamina to go the distance. […]
-
Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir, 2012
We’ve started in on a case from Burrowing Owl. First out of the box was the 2012 Pinot Noir. Wow. This has more layers than a German schichttorte. It starts a little commonplace. Just another mediocre Pinot from the OK with not much on the nose and a medium body. Then it pops on the […]
-
Clos du Soleil, Signature, 2009
From the cellar: We were gifted what I once called BC’s best red. We drank a bottle of the 2010 at a restaurant and I went on about it with anyone who would lend an ear (here’s our review from back in the day) then after what seemed eons I was gifted a bottle of […]
-
Domaine de L’Idylle Divine, Roussanne, 2013
Light, refreshing, brightly acidic, tart to the point of palate cleansing. A tad hard to place. There is no hovering bouquet, but what there is—gooseberies, kumquat, damp earth—is pleasant, pleasurable and very food friendly; go cheese and go big. Go fondue. If you’ve ever had a wine from Switzerland—a good wine from Switzerland—and you liked […]
-
Chateau Villars Fronsac, 2010
From the cellar: A few years ago we bought six bottles of Fronsac. Still a couple left in the cellar, so we pulled one out to test its legs and celebrate this glorious spring weather. It is aging stupendously. Berries, licorice, charcoal, a spicy kick, smooth like angora, intense and fruit forward with a soft […]
-
Champ Divin Chardonnay, 2013
You could just suck on a lemon. It really is that tart, that acidic. Interesting? Check. Refreshing? Check. The antithesis of butterscotch hard candy new world Chard? Check. Food friendly? In the way a Coke is with Chinese food, rinses down the grease. Savvy sipper? Sorta. We drank it a little too cold, then […]
-
Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon, 2013
We like Chinon. The Cabernet-Franc wine that is. We can’t afford Chinon. The wine or the ticket to France. So we buy cab franc from South American and other new world growers. The Raffault is a base model or entry level sipper that makes a lovely late in the day red for lighter fare and […]
-
Ribeira Sacia Adras Godello, 2013
Super acid. Shockingly long finish. Refreshingly non-conformist. Explosive with a burst of Mediterranean sun. I felt like I was on the beach at Cadaqués with a bowl of fish soup looking west from the eastern-most spot in Spain. Who’s drinking Godello? I mean here on the West Coast, on a regular basis? It should be […]
-
2013 La Grange aux Belles Anjou Rouge 53
Mild, pleasant, pleasing. Uncontroversial. No one is going to slap their head and ask about the provenance. Or exclaim” I coulda had a V-8.” We couldn’t help but think of something archaic though—a 1920s jazz hit sung through a megaphone, a depression era dance contest. It drinks elegantly but without pizazz and is reminiscent of […]