Dolcetto’s reputation in some quarters as an easy-drinking, even insubstantial, wine is challenged here. This is an elegant example of what Dolcetto can be in the right hands. Perfumed, floral nose with black cherry and anise arising out of the glass. A complex mix that includes blackberry and a dusting
A very expressive and complex Ribera del Duero wine, and the winery is not shy about it. The “MB” stands for “Muy Bueno” – “very good.” Spends 2 years in oak and another 2 in bottle before release. Chocolate, cigar box, and pepper on the nose carry through on the
Another lovely offering from the folks at White Rose in Oregon. They offer a wide range of wines from different vineyards. This one opens with a classic pinot nose of smoked cherries and plums. Tannins are soft and fruit is silken as it lingers on the palate after you first
A baby that shows every sign of being a great grownup when it fully matures. Deep purple with a seductive nose of blackcurrants, chocolate, and rosemary. Great gobs of blackberry fruit and pistachios on the palate, with balanced tannins. Finishes beautifully and languorously. This has not yet been released at
White Rose has consistently produced very good and, more often than not, excellent pinot noirs. The Dundee Hills AVA is a fine example. A nose of raspberry and juniper berries leads the lucky drinker into a velvety, balanced wine of lovely fruit with more light spice tones of cinnamon and
A bit of an odd duck of cru Beaujolais, to my palate of thinking. Starts off with nice bright cherry and blackberry on the nose, but the follow through is disappointing. Fruit seems one-dimensional and the tannins are more pronounced than I would have expected, giving the wine a dusty
A nice offering from Down Under. Nose is stubbornly tight at first, but then yields notes of cassis, cedar, and green pepper. Generous fruit on the palate, with restrained tannins and overtones of juicy blackberries and chocolate with oak floating throughout. Finish is clean, albeit not languorous. Have it with
This is a buyer’s wine from a portfolio of wines bought from different wineries and bottled under a proprietary label. The owner lost her sight but not her olfactory sense. This is unoaked, with blackberry on the nose but with slight vegetal asparagus aromas. As is sometimes encountered with some