Incredibly purple, deep color, clear. Raspberry, cherry, red fruit, mushroom, earth, smoke, anise aromas. Dry, medium acid and tannin, flavors of black fruit, blackberry, plum, jam, bramble fruit, floral. WHO: Bodegas Viños de Fábula WHAT: Mencía WHERE: Bierzo, Spain WHEN:-read more-
Clear, bright, straw yellow. Herbal, eucalyptus, honey, apple, pear, floral aromas. Dry, medium acidity, pear, yellow apple, ripe fruit, light finish. WHO: Bodegas Laxas WHAT: Albariño WHERE: Rías Baíxas, Spain WHEN: 2007 HOW MUCH: $15
Clear, stained tears, deep brick to garnet red. Vegetal, black cherry, pepper, earth, olive, blackberry aromas. Dry, medium acid, medium-full body, medium tannin, fruity, plum, cherry, oak. WHO: Viñas del Vero WHAT: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir WHERE: Somontano, Spain-read more-
Clear, deep, brick red color. Vegetal, earth, dark fruit, cassis, spice, pepper, developed aromas. Dry, medium tannin, medium acidity, red fruit, smooth. WHO: Bodegas Viña Magaña WHAT: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo WHERE: Navarra, Spain WHEN: 2004 HOW MUCH: $20
Clear, pale lemon yellow with a little pétillance, or effervescence. Clean nose with light to medium intensity. Youthful aromas including green apple, lemon, lime, pineapple, slate, and anise star. Off-dry with medium acidity, body and light alcohol. Intense fruit flavors-read more-
Deep garnet red to a faded mahogany rim. Clean, full aromas of dried fruit, jams, licorice, blackberry, spice, oak, caramel, Port, cinnamon, cherry, and raspberry. Dry, medium-full body, medium acidity, medium-high tannin, flavors of coffee, cherry, spice, oak, raspberry, plum;-read more-
Moving to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, I fully expected to be surrounded by heavenly coffee, fantastic food, killer microbrews, and world-class Pinot noir. Lots of Pinot noir. What I did not expect was to discover a thriving scene of-read more-
Clear, pale to medium-light yellow color. Clean, grassy, herbal aromatics up front. Green pepper—definitely indicative of the Cabernet Franc. Dry, medium acidity, medium body, and medium-light mousse. More green pepper and vegetal flavors balanced with some grapefruit/citrus and creamy, yeasty-read more-