by Winepisser | Jan 9, 2019 | Quick Review
Fantastic white blend of Torrontes and Riesling with a surprising perfumy nose and bright apples coming through in the glass. You’d swear there was a bit of Chenin Blanc in here. Off dry. Paired well with a spicy chicken dish. Came very close to a five-star...
by Winepisser | Jan 9, 2019 | Quick Review
Delicious red blend that might have scored higher but was served at the wrong temperature. Musty cellar with bright fruit and strong tannins. Vivino reports it as a blend of cab, merlot and syrah; but it’s cab heavy. That’s a good thing.
by Winepisser | Jan 6, 2019 | Quick Review
First wine reviewed for 2019! Despite the label, let’s get this straight: this is not a garage wine in the traditional Bordeaux sense. It’s mass produced for one. Having said that, it’s a fine malbec, if somewhat overhyped for a standard grade...
by Winepisser | Dec 27, 2018 | Quick Review
Yet another sweet Peruvian wine made from the local Concord table grape cousin, Borgoña. Like most of these wines from Peru, they have a nose of horse stable which can — and usually is — off-putting. The flavor of the San Leonardo Perfecto Amor is better...
by Winepisser | Dec 15, 2018 | Quick Review
This chenin blanc falls short, lacking typical flowers and generally sitting mildly in the glass; some notes of generic fruit, but you’d be hard-pressed to determine which, since they are so fleeting. Fell flat when paired with soppressata.
by Winepisser | Dec 15, 2018 | Quick Review
Remarkably different from its Mosel brothers, this Pfalz region German reez has far less apple and far more tart, fresh pear; imagine biting into one fresh off the tree. Very mild nose, but moderately potent flavors hit the tongue; a floral finish lasts and lasts....
by Winepisser | Nov 21, 2018 | Quick Review
White grape blend of chardonnay, pinot grigio, gewurtz, muller-thurgau and more, the nose is perfumy and the overall flavors light and refreshing. Chardonnay dominates, but there’s no oak here. Peach and pear, perhaps. Drinks quickly, but you may forget it...
by Winepisser | Nov 18, 2018 | Quick Review
Dessert blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc renders as a peach-nosed, only-semi-sweet offering with honey as the dominant note. Despite the honey, it’s not syrupy; there’s no raisin here, either, thankfully. Honey was a bit too much like cough drops for...
by Winepisser | Nov 16, 2018 | Quick Review
Mineral nose, palate is strong green apple, with strong floral notes throughout. Some apricot. Slight bite which was not pleasant, since it didn’t fit well with the other characteristics.
by Winepisser | Nov 15, 2018 | Quick Review
Some very bright fruit but without much sugar, as this is fairly dry. Moderate tannins typical of the breed. Powerful nose of cherry. Paired well with veal parmigiana. I am only so-so on Chianti in general, but this was very nice.
by Winepisser | Nov 10, 2018 | Quick Review
Medium body cab with only moderate complexity but some interesting notes. Black pepper, blackcurrant and plum. Medium finish. Paired well with beef and pork plate.
by Winepisser | Nov 8, 2018 | Quick Review
Jammy but not sweet. Remove the cork and you are smacked in the nose with grape jelly, but the glass is slightly more sophisticated than that. Moderate acid, mild tannins, and powerful fruit notes. Probably wouldn’t pair well, but drinks fine by itself.
by Winepisser | Nov 7, 2018 | Quick Review
This isn’t a New Zealand SB, but like a perv sitting next to you in a movie theater, it comes close.
by Winepisser | Nov 5, 2018 | Quick Review
Great Rheinhessen riesling with notes of honey, apricot and apple. Moderately sweet. Long finish.
by Winepisser | Nov 3, 2018 | Quick Review
The Georges Duboeuf label is always reassuring. This one is great, and lively if a bit too smooth. Like Kojak after an arrest. Who loves ya, baby?
by Winepisser | Nov 2, 2018 | Quick Review
Nose is all jam and jelly but this doesn’t mean the flavors are jammy. Instead it’s a bold, dry and dark leathery cup. Bracing tannins.
by Winepisser | Nov 1, 2018 | Quick Review
Despite the Prisoner label, this one was a surprising let-down. Over-subtle, lacking typical zin notes and punch, and appearing overprocessed. It’s fine, and it paired well with a traditional US grilled hamburger, but just didn’t live up to the...
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
Surprisingly sweet and floral for a sauvignon blanc, but not oversweet. Comes off almost as a blend with chenin blanc. Still, it’s very drinkable but at 12% alcohol be careful. Pink grapefruit is the dominant note here.
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
I’m surprised the Underraga carmeneres don’t rank higher, but they just don’t knock my socks off. Either my taste in carmy is too picky or I need looser socks. This one has some meaty notes with a little smoke and dark fruit, but a slight unnecessary...
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
Sweet baked apple replaces the usual raisiny notes that mark these wines, so this is pleasantly different. Zero bitter aftertaste, and silky smooth. Light, not syrupy. Another five-star dessert wine, for those that love them. Blend of Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc,...
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
Very dry and came off as bitter, but improved after allowing to sit in the decanter for 30 mins and then running through an aerator. That was a lot of work to get the wine to break 3 stars though. Strong tannins make for a good pucker. Some wood comes through but the...
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
A nose that hinted at cupcake suggested this might be interesting (or weird), but the taste is neither. Fairly tepid generic white, you’d be forgiven if you thought this was a routine pinot grigio. The pairing was unfair: put up against a bold soy glazed scallop...
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
Slightly tart and medium sweet, this drink well by itself but the sugar might make it tough to pair. Apricot is the main note here with a very faint touch of spice. Vivino members rated this lower than I did, but this may be due to my preference for German Riesling. I...
by Winepisser | Oct 2, 2018 | Quick Review
A bit understated to the point of mumbling, this blend lacks any oomph to distinguish it from a million competitors. Notes of blackberry and smoke are subdued, but fans of subtle wine may find this acceptable. For me, it was just too timid. Paired with steak, it...
by Winepisser | Oct 1, 2018 | Quick Review
Subtle sauvignon blanc that gets close to a French offering but falls slightly short. Nose is asparagus but this doesn’t show up in the glass. Instead it very subdued hues of lemongrass and white raisin, but still adequately dry. It’s a fine glass but just...
