ALL-IN ON BOOK REVIEWS: Do you have a (non-fictional or fictional) book related to wine, spirits, or beer that you'd like reviewed? Contact me!

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Wine Reviews: The Best of Summer 2016!

It's the first day of fall and the first time I'll be wrapping up a season with a "Best Of"! A family member presented me with the idea and I love it. Thanks, Ryan!

So here are top five wines that I reviewed this summer, from June 20th to September 21st. Enjoy!

#5. Amity Vineyards Willamette Valley 2015 White Pinot Noir

Amity Vineyards Willamette Valley 2015 White Pinot NoirRegion: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Review Release: July 1st, 2016 (Wine Pick of the Month)


The color of the 2015 White Pinot Noir is a light copper yellow. The nose and palate are bright and lively with fresh lemon juice, cantaloupe, tart red berries, cooked pineapple and white flowers. It's full bodied with an absurdly high level of acidity that leaves your mouth salivating on the finish, begging for food.

The word amity means friendship. This wine is too cool to keep to yourself, so explore it with friends. Pair with fried fish, stuffed quahogs, or nachos.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $25
Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)


#4. Lieb Cellars Reserve 2011 Blanc de Blancs

Lieb Cellars Reserve 2011 Blanc de BlancsRegion: North Fork, Long Island, New York
Review Release: July 10th, 2016

When I really love a wine you'll often see me talk about character. That's because I feel like character is a big part of what makes a delicious wine so good. Character separates a wine from its competition. It makes that wine live forever in your memories. It makes you seek a certain wine out; not settle for one from the same grape or region.

This sparkling Pinot Blanc from Long Island has a character all of its own. I would drop $30 on this bottle in a heartbeat and I think you should too. If only to experience its character just once.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $30
Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)


#3. Bessa Valley Winery 2006 Enira Reserva

Bessa Valley Winery 2006 EniraRegion: Thracian Valley, Bulgaria
Review Release: August 25, 2016

The most aggressive characteristics of this wine, in aroma and flavor, at this point in its life is raisinated fruits, licorice and menthol. There's also juicy tomato, the inside of an acoustic guitar, and fine black table pepper. It has sweet tannins and a creamy full body, but it's so silky smooth that it can feel light as a feather. I kept taking sips just to feel it. On the finish there's menthol, it gains a tart cherry flavor and the tannins turn up the heat drastically.

Sweet on the nose, elegant on the palate, strong on the finish. Seriously, yo. This is some goddamn impressive vino. Hands down the best I've had from Bulgaria yet.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $40
Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)


#2. Garage Winery A.R. Hammond Rheingau Trocken Riesling 2013

Hammond Rheingau Riesling 2013Region: Rheingau, Germany
Review Release: September 18th, 2016

That petrol. That petrol on that nose. Doesn't that make you wanna smack yo momma? That's exactly what it does for me. I freakin' love it. There's also a slatey minerality and fruit aromas of apricots and white peaches.

In the mouth it's light and zesty and super dry. Super dry at 11.5% ABV? Yes. And here's the most important thing... it still tastes like a Riesling. Listen, I love Rieslings from dry to sweet. An enormous pet peeve of mine is when an incredibly dry Riesling is too stoney with barely any fruit so it doesn't taste like a Riesling. That happens a lot when you get up to 13% ABV and it greatly upsets me. But this baby is dry as a bone and it's still obviously a Riesling. The aromas of apricots and white peach carry over to the palate with petrol as an undertone, and it finishes with tart apples.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $15
Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)


#1. Lieb Cellars Reserve 2014 Merlot

Region: North Fork, Long Island, New York
Review Release: July 17th, 2016

The flavors are black. Black cherry, blackberry, black olive and black tea. It finishes with tongue and teeth void of saliva from the tannin, the corners of your mouth gushing with saliva from the acidity, and flavors of black cherry and black tea.

Remember "my dad could beat up your dad" from when you were a kid? My $24 Merlot will beat up your $24 Merlot. You have got to be kidding me with that price. This is one of the best deals in Merlot that I have come across yet. Lieb Cellars just curbstomped your dad with this wine.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $24
Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)
Newer Posts Older Posts Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Labels

*SPONSORED* ABriefHistoryOf Abruzzo Agiorgitiko Aglianico Airen Albarino Aleatico Alentejo Alexander Valley Alicante Bouschet Alsace Apothic Argentina Armagnac Arroyo Grande Arroyo Seco audio article Australia Austria Baco Barbera Barrossa Valley Batman Beaujolais beer Best Of biodynamic blend blog Bogati Bonarda book Bordeaux bourbon box wine Brachetto brandy Bulgaria Burgundy Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Cahors Caino Blanco California Campania Canada Canaiolo. cans Cape Cod Captain America Carignan Cariñena Carmenere Catalonia Cava Central Coast certification Chablis Chalk Hill Champagne Chardonnay cheese Chenin Blanc Chianti Chile China cider Cinsault Clarksburg cocktails Cognac Colombard Columbia Valley comics Cotes-du-Rhone Counoise Croatia CSW Dane Cellars DC dessert wine Distill Wars Dona Blanco Douro Dry Creek Dunnigan Hills Edna Valley Falanghina February Felix Hart Fer Servadou Fiano fiction Finger Lakes Folle Blanche formulas France Franciacorta Frankovka Frappato Furmint Galicia Galilee Gamay Garganega Gascony Germany Gewurtztraminer gin Glera Godello Graciano greco di tufo Greece Grenache Grenache Blanc Grillo Gros Manseng Gruner Veltliner GSM guest blog Heroes history horror how to Hungary interview Israel Italy Japan Jerez Kansas kosher Lambrusco Languedoc-Roussillon Left Coast Leyda Valley Lisboa Livermore Lodi Loire Loureira love letter Macon Madeira Madiran Malbec Malvasia Marcillac marijuana Marlborough Marsanne Marselan Marvel Massachusetts Matchbook Mavrud Mazuelo McLaren Vale mead Melnik Mencia Mendocino Mendoza Meritage Merlot Mexico Michigan mixology Monbazillac Monstant Montecucco Montepulciano Monterey Montery Moscato Mosel Mourvédre Muscadelle Muscat mythology Napa Navarra Nebbiolo Nero d'Avola New York New Zealand news non-alcoholic nonfiction Norello Mascalese North Coast Oakville Oregon organic original meme pairings Palestine Pecorino Pedro Ximenez Perricone Petit Verdot Petite Sirah Petite Verdot photo gallery phylloxera Picpoul Piedmont Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris/Grigio Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir Pinotage Pliny podcast Port Portugal Press Release Primitivo product Prosecco Provence quickie quote rakia recipe retail problems Retsina review Rheingau Rhone Rias Baixas Ribera del Duero Riesling Rioja Rondinella rose Roussanne Rubin Rueda rum Russian River Sagrantino Sake Salta Sandanski Misket Sandeanski Misket Sangiovese Sangria santa clara Santa Lucia Higlands Sauvignon Blanc science scotch Sekt Semillon Seyval Blanc Sherry Sicily Somontano Sonoma South Africa South Australia Spain spark Sparkling Spider-Man spirits stemware storage study sulfites Superman sustainable SWE Syrah Tannat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Temecula Tempranillo Tequila Texas thc The Flash Tinta Amarela Tinta Caiada Torrontes Touriga Nacional Traminer Trebbiano Trincadeira Turkey Tuscany Ugni Blanc Umbria USA Valdiguié Valiant Valpolicella vegan Veneto Verdejo Verdicchio Vermentino Vermont Vermouth Vernacca Vidal Blanc video Vinho Verde Viognier Virginia Viura vodka Walla Walla Washington State whiskey White zinfandel Wildstorm Willamette wine Wine Bloggers Off-Topic wine club Wine Pick Wolverine Wonder Woman Zinfandel Zweigelt