Mossback Russian River Pinot Noir 2019

Mossback's 2019 Pinot Noir by Matchbook is everything that you want out of a Russian River Pinot Noir. Dark berries, cranberries, chocolate, rose petals, and green peppers. All on a medium body with a smooth mouthfeel, a little bit of a grippy tannin, and a bitter chocolate and coppery finish. It's quite elegant with a drop of rusticness. For $25 I'm all about it!

Listen to Mike and Joey talk about two other wines by Matchbook on Grapes & Capes Episode #7 "Pyromania"!

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The Arsonist Red Bend 2017

This is 53% Petite Verdot, 24% Malbec, and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon from Dunnigan Hills, California, that was aged in oak for 24 months.

Right off the bat there's a lot of black licorice and oak, followed by  eucalyptus, root beer, vanilla, dark chocolate, orange peel, and decaying roses. It's rich and big and raisinated with soft tannin, uplifting acidity, and loaded with character. Once you taste this $20 blend you'll keep going back for more. Pair with a big ol' ribeye, cheeseburgers, or raspberry cheesecake.

Listen to Mike and Joey talk about this wine on Grapes & Capes Episode #7 "Pyromania"!

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The Arsonist Chardonnay 2018

This is 100% Chardonnay from Dunnigan Hills, California, that was aged in five months in oak after going through malolactic fermentation.

It's full bodied and rich with a bright acidity. It's very tropical with pineapple and banana, but also has notes of cooked apple, buttered biscuit, toasted vanilla, and butterscotch. Mike calls this "a dessert", and Joey says it's one of his favorite Chardonnays for under $20. Pair with a Chinese PuPu Platter or your traditional Thanksgiving dinner!

Listen to Mike and Joey talk about this wine on Grapes & Capes Episode #7 "Pyromania"!

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Grapes & Capes Episode #7: Pyromania

The building is on fire as Mike and Joey drink two wines from Matchbook Wine Company's The Arsonist label and read about the ultimate pyromaniac villain Heat Wave in The Flash #218 (2005)!

Listen on Anchor / Apple / Google / Spotify

Breaker / Overcast / Pocket Casts / Radio Public / RSS

*** Help Support the Podcast ***

Wine #1: The story of Matchbook Wine Company, The Arsonist Chardonnay 2018, pairing it with Chinese food, Royal Palace in Dennisport, Wok 'n Roll in South Yarmouth, finding the right Chardonnay to win you over, wines for Thanksgiving

Comic, Part 1:  The creation and origins of Heat Wave, The Flash #218 (2005) "Heat Wave" pages 1-12, the darkness and brutality of Heat Wave while feeling sympathy for his character, more Game of Thrones (should we just make a GoT podcast, I mean jeez), Donny Cates

Wine #2: The Arsonist Red Blend 2017, Petite Verdot is the miracle grape

Comic, Part 2: The Flash #218 (2005) "Heat Wave" pages 13-22, Siri never helps, the connection that keeps Heat Wave and Captain Cold connected forever

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Tinto Rey Verdejo 2018 & Matchbook Petit Verdot 2017

Ooooooooh! It's Matchbook time again! I can't say enough about these guys, and these are probably the two wines by them that I talk to people about the most. The 2018 vintage of the Tinto Rey Verdejo is... just imagine me pinching my fingers, kissing them, and then flicking my wrist out while saying "MWAH!". Italian kissy fingers. It's got this medium to full body with a creamy mouthfeel and the perfect amount of acidity to play along with those. There's much more citrus than previous vintages but the notes of pear and honeysuckle are still there. It's just so good. Their best vintage yet. And since the first time I tasted Matchbook Petite Verdot I have not stopped raving about it. This stuff is absolutely killer and I have not met a person who hasn't tried it and not been taken back by surprise. The 2017 vintage is no exception. Big and juicy with blackberries, raisins, and violets. Full bodied, high in ethanol fumes, bright in acidity, and tight tannins. This PS is a rock star.

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The Arsonist Red Blend 2017

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Dracarys! The Arsonist is their label for wines a price point or two higher than their flagship Matchbook label, and their 2017 Red Blend is 53% Petit Verdot from Dunnigan Hils, 24% Malbec from Dunnigan Hills, and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon from Chalk Hill.  It was blended before being aged in French, American, and European/American hybrid oak barrels for 24 months, 30% of which are new. The final ABV is 13.9%.

As always the color is a beautiful garnet. On the nose there's aromas of black cherries, blackberries, orange blossoms, anise, and... yes... as I say every vintage: root beer. Why is that? Am I just crazy? The palate has a much brighter fruit to it this year though, with flavors of red cherries, cranberries, mocha, and root beer, on a full body with a rich mouthfeel and grippy tannin. It finishes with cranberries, mocha, and a spike in mouthwatering acidity.

This is one of those wines that everybody loves once they've tried it, and 2017 is probably the best vintage that I've had of it. Dude, it's AWESOME. A fruit forward stress relief wine by itself, but also making me really want a Porterhouse right now. Arsonist finishes Matchbook Month with two Highly Recommended ratings!

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $20

Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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The Arsonist Chardonnay 2018

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

The Arsonist is their label for wines a price point or two higher than their flagship Matchbook label. Their 2018 Chardonnay is 100% Chardonnay from the Matchbook Vineyard in Dunnigan Hills, California. It was barrel fermented and frequently stirred, and 100% when through malolactic fermentation. 10% of the best lots from the Chardonnay in the vineyard were aged an additional five months longer in oak, and only half of those were selected to become the final blend for the 2018 Arsonist Chardonnay.

Year after year this is one of my favorite Chardonnays. There's aromas of pears, melon, buttered grilled corn muffin, and vanilla ice cream topped with butterscotch. On the palate it's full bodied with a rich and smooth mouthfeel, and an acidity that pops on the finish. There's flavors of melon, canned pears, banana, and vanilla. Then it finishes looooooong with melon and banana. The Arsonist does it again. This is an incredible Chardonnay for the price!

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $20

Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Mossback Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Mossback is the Sonoma label for Matchbook, and their 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon from Chalk Hil, 15% Merlot from Chalk Hill, and 9% Petit Verdot from Chalk Hill. 6% of the wine was fermented in French oak barrels and aged in those same barrels, while the larger tank fermented portion would be aged for 22 months in French, hyrbrid, and American oak. The final ABV is 13.9%.

On the nose there's aromas of cassis, blackberries, black tea, dried tobacco, and mint. On the palate it's medium bodied with little spike of acidity perfect for food. The Merlot and Petite Verdot provide lushness and smoothness on the mouthfeel, making this a softer / sweeter tannined, more mellow and easy drinking Cabernet. There's flavors of cassis, pomegranate, dark chocolate, oak, and a little bit of licorice. This is a very enjoyable Cabernet for the $25 that it will cost you. And it’s pairing pretty darn good with these Rice Crispy Treats.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $25

Rating: 3.5/5 = Satisfying / Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Mossback Chalk Hill Merlot 2017

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Mossback is the Sonoma label for Matchbook, and their 2017 Merlot is 85% Merlot from Chalk Hill and 15% Petit Verdot from Dunnigan Hills. It was aged for 22 months in in American oak, 27% new, and it has an ABV of 13.9%. The nose is just amazing with anise, cherries, cranberries, dark chocolate, olives, and a big ol' chunk of dirt. On the palate it's medium bodied with a rich mouthfeel, a balanced acidity, and soft chalky tannin. All of those aromas return as flavors, and it finishes with long lasting cranberries and dark chocolate.

You know I'm a big fan of Merlot and this one is ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! As Matchbook says themselves, it combines Old-World earthiness with New-World fruit, and I gotta say it's just enjoyable as all hell and a fantastic Merlot for the price.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $25

Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Mossback Russian River Chardonnay 2018

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Mossback is the Sonoma label for Matchbook, and this Chardonnay is 92% from the Aquarius Vineyard (Russian River Valley) and 8% from the Matchbook Estate Vineyard (Dunnigan Hills). Despite just a small amount of the wine seeing oak aging, to me vanilla is the most prominent feature in the aroma and flavor. There's also pineapple, peach, lime, and honey. It's got a wonderfully rounded palate and is an overall balanced wine, and then there's the addition of butterscotch on the finish that ties it all together to be a solid, serviceable, and reliable Chardonnay for the price.

This is exactly what you want from an $18 Chardonnay without swinging too far to the left or too far to the right in the political spectrum of the Chardonnay oak & butter war. It's momma bear's "just right".

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $18

Rating: 3/5 = Satisfying (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Chasing Venus Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Although they're located in California's Dunnigan Hills, Chasing Venus is their New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc project out of the McLean vineyard in Marlborough. As much as I love Matchbook overall as a winery, I have always been honest about the ones that I just didn't dig (as I am with every wine). My reviews on previous vintages of this? Not all that good. The 2018 got a 2 out of 5. My review on this vintage? Much, much better. Drastically better.

Yes, it's clearly a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but it isn't the "POW, NEW ZEALAND PUNCH TO FRIGGIN' FACE!" that I've grown weary of. The acidity isn't out of control and it's got this lovely silky mouthfeel that coats your teeth and tongue on the finish. I get more passion fruit than anything on the nose and palate, but there's also lime, gooseberry, and freshly cut chives. And I don't feel like my mouth was assaulted after I swallow. I feel completely happy and like I want more!

What a huge turnaround this wine took. It's not pungent and intrusive. It's in harmony with all of its components and a real joy to drink. Chase down some of this 2019 Chasing Venus!

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $16

Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Matchbook Red Gravel Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! To see all of my reviews by this winery for the last five years, check out my Matchbook label. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec, this wine was aged in French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels for 12 months. The color of the wine is ruby red. Like the 2016 vintage, on the nose there's aromas of tobacco, eucalyptus, mocha, black cherries, and a pinch of sea salt (maybe more like ice melt?). Such a good nose. On the palate it's medium bodied with a rich mouthfeel, dusty tannin, and a brighter acidity than I remember from other vintages. There's flavors of black cherries, cassis, black tea, anise, and vanilla. Then it finishes with black cherries, anise, pencil shavings, and astringency from that dusty tannin.

This Cabernet has been a favorite suggestion of mine for $15 for years. As mid-range California Cabernet seems to be trending more and more to being lush juice bombs, this is always just a solid Cabernet for the price with the classic Cabernet profile.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $15

Rating: 4/5 = Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Matchbook Old Head Chardonnay 2018

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! This is the second time Matchbook has had their own month on this blog, but I've done A LOT of reviews of their wines in the past six years. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Their Old Head Chardonnay has become one of, I'd say, my top three suggestions for a Chard in the $15 price range. I've been reviewing every vintage since forever and I've loved it every time. The 2018 vintage is made from 100% estate grown Chardonnay using Clone 4, Clone 17, Dijon Clones 95, 76, 124, and Clone 809. 75% of it was barrel fermented while 25% was fermented in stainless steel. 78% saw aging in 2 to 5 year old French and American oak, 22% of that new. The final ABV is 13.9%.

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Tinto Rey Rosé 2019, April Wine Pick

April is Matchbook Wine Company Month, with reviews focusing on their wine all month! This is the second time Matchbook has had their own month on this blog, but I've done A LOT of reviews of their wines in the past six years. To learn about their history, read my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Tinto Rey is one of the labels that Matchbook produces, and their Rosé is my wine pick of the month!  It's April! It's officially Rosé season! This wine is made from 50% Tempranillo, 35% Tannat, and 15% Verdejo. It was fermemted in stainless steel hand has an ABV of 12.8%. For the third vintage in a row, the color is  Crayola peach. There's aromas of white peaches, limes, strawberries, and potpourri. On the palate it's medium bodied with a slightly oily mouthfeel and bright but not overpowing acidity. There's a bit of saltiness among flavors of cherries, peaches, limes, and strawberry. Then it finishes nice and juicy, with the acidity brightening the fruit. Yum yum! This is a very good Rosé for the price!

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $19

Rating: 4/5 = Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Wine Quickie: Matchbook Petit Verdot 2016

Matchbook Wine Company is one of the best winery friends of the blog and they're located in Dunnigan Hills, California. The 2016 vintage is the very first of their Petit Verdot varietal and it consists of 88% Petit Verdot, 11% Malbec, and 1% Teroldego. Each variety spent 13 months in oak barrels separately, and then after being blended it spent another 13 months in oak barrels. There's definitely a lot of wood all over this wine, and also violets, prunes, raisins, blackberries, and mocha. It's medium bodied with a bit of a tart acidity, but the ethanol is hot, the tannins are tight, and the finish is bitter, so it's still young and I'd recommend that it be decanted if you want to drink it now. Overall it's a really good wine and I highly enjoyed it, but honestly it's worth spending the $3 more to get their Arsonist Red Blend, which is Petit Verdot based, because that takes things to another level.

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Wine Quickie: Tinto Rey Rosé 2018

Tinto Rey is a label line by Matchbook Wine Company, who is one of the best winery friends of the blog. The winery and vineyards are located in Dunnigan Hills, California, and the Tinto Rey line's purpose is to produce Spanish style and Spanish varietal wines there. So I'm surprised that this is labeled as a Rosé instead of a Rosado, but not surprised when thinking about it from a marketing perspective.

This is 54% Tempranillo, 30% Tannat, and 16% Verdejo (a white varietal). Like the 2017 vintage, the 2018 Rosé is Crayola peach in color. And everything else is pretty similar to the previous vintage, as well. It has a bit of an oiliness to the mouthfeel of its fuller body with restrained acidity and a slight touch of astringency. There's loud floral notes on the nose, with overall characteristics of watermelon, cantaloupe, lime, and concrete. A solid rosé for the price for people who like their rosé fuller bodied.

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Wine Quickie: Mossback Russian River Chardonnay 2017

Mossback is the Sonoma label line by Matchbook Wine Company, who is one of the best winery friends of the blog. The line was created when they decided that they needed to make a good Pinot Noir, but that's rather difficult in Dunnigan Hills. So their winemaker used his connections in Sonoma to get his hands on some fruit, and Mossback was created! This Russian River Chard is from the  Aquarius Vineyard and it does contain a splash of the Matchbook Old Head Chardonnay from Dunnigan Hills. There's aromas of pineapple, pears and big fluffy flowers. Then there's flavors of yellow pear, apricot, honeydew melon, and butterscotch. It's got a medium body, impressive roundness, and is wonderfully balanced for a $17 bottle.

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Wine Quickie: Mossback Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Mossback is the Sonoma label line by Matchbook Wine Company, who is one of the best winery friends of the blog. The line was created when they decided that they needed to make a good Pinot Noir, but that's rather difficult in Dunnigan Hills. So their winemaker used his connections in Sonoma to get his hands on some fruit, and Mossback was created!

The 2016 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is medium bodied with a lush mouthfeel, soft grainy tannin, and a finish that bursts with dark fruit. There's black cherries, blackberries, leather, cedar, and spice. This is a nice example of a cool climate Cabernet at the right price of $25!

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Wine Reviews: Best of Winter 2018/19!

Today is the first day of Spring, so here's the best wines that I reviewed for this Winter season!

#5. Corvezzo Terre di Marca Rosé "Sur lie" Frizzante

Region: Veneto, Italy
Review Release: December 23rd, 2018

I freaking love this. I love its personality. It's so very interesting on the nose and so fun and thirst quenching on the palate. That tart acidity on the finish is just begging for some food, too. Suddenly I really want fish tacos to pair with this. Unfortunately it doesn't look like this is available in United States right now, but it's sold for roughly $13 in the European Union. So I'm running with that. And I'm giving a damn good score.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $23

Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended(what does that mean?)

#4. Emilio Hidalgo Fino Sherry

Region: Jerez, Spain
Review Release: February 1st, 2019 (Wine Pick of the Month)

This is 100% Palamino. The color of the wine is a golden yellow. Caramel leads the charge of aromas, followed by dried apricots, prunes, brown sugar, and almonds. Fantastic nose. On the palate it's a lighter bodied Sherry, as it should be, with a nice salinity to its mouthfeel and bright acidity. There's flavors of apricots, almonds, Greek olives, and yeast. It feels and tastes so good on the finish that there's no rush to take another sip. Which is a good thing because it has a 15% ABV. Take your time and enjoy.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $16

Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

#3. Ventisquero "Grey" Glacier Garnacha Cariñena Mataro 2017

Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Review Release: January 17th, 2019

The wine is purple in color. On the nose there's aromas of cherries, strawberry jelly, black olives, cinnamon, and burnt toast. The nose is freakin' awesome. In the mouth it's light to medium bodied with a slippery mouthfeel, a pep to its acidity, and sweet tannins. It's got a smokey and savory profile surrounding fruity flavors of cherries and strawberries, and spice flavors of vanilla and cinnamon. Then it finishes savory with flavors of tangy strawberries and gritty leather.

This is absolutely delicious and I couldn't recommend it more for a $20 Grenache blend. The way the savoriness of the midpalate and finish plays with the flavors really make this wine highly enjoyable, and I can't wait to try it with some cheese. With that said, it gets a perfect score in price vs. quality.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $20

Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

#2. Casa Agricola Santos Jorge Herdade dos Machados Reserva 2012

Region: Alentejo, Portugal
Review Release: March 1st, 2019 (Wine Pick of the Month)

The wine is a dark and inky ruby red in color. The nose is stellar with aromas of black cherries, rose pedals, cloves, vanilla and cracked pepper. True to previous vintages, it’s bold and hedonistic in the mouth with big dark fruit, rosemary and cedar. The tannin is soft but the ethanol shows its strength on the minty, cleansing finish.

Outstanding. Just outstanding. Pair with beef stew, pot roast, or barbecue.

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $16

Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

#1. Matchbook Estate Bottled Petite Sirah 2016

Region:  Dunnigan Hills, California
Review Release: January 3rd, 2019

The color of the wine is a gorgeous ruby red. There's aromas of plums, vanilla, black pepper, and bay leaf. On the palate it's medium to full bodied with a rich mouthfeel that becomes a cloud of lushness when swirled around in the mouth. The tannins are both sweet and grippy, and the acidity is present but takes a seat in the back. There's flavors of blackberries, red apple, black pepper, and vanilla. Then it finishes juicy with the tannins tightening their grip.

For $17 this is a freakin' dream, and a run-away perfect score for a $20 Petite Sirah. The Giguiere's did a hell of a job with this one. It's an absolute joy to drink!

READ THE FULL REVIEW / WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $17

Rating: 5/5 = Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

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Wine Review: Chasing Venus Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Matchbook Wine Company is back yet again on the blog, and this is wine #4 of 4 that I'm reviewing for this go-around. The Arsonist Red Blend 2016 was my January Wine Pick, I've already reviewed Matchbook Estate Bottled Petite Sirah 2016 and Tinto Rey Verdejo 2017 and now I'm concluding with Chasing Venus Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018.

To learn more about Matchbook Wine Company, one of my favorite wineries, you can read all about their great story in my article "A Brief History of Matchbook Wine Company".

Chasing Venus is named after the mission given to the astronomers that traveled with Captain Cook in 1769 to study Venus while he explored the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere, where he discovered New Zealand and Australia. By tracking where Venus was in the sky in these areas during different times, they were able to calculate how far away the Sun is from Earth for the very first time.

58% of the 2018 vintage is from their McLean vineyard while 42% is from their Comely Bank vineyard, and it has a 13% ABV. Back in July of 2015 I reviewed the 2016 vintage and in May of 2018 I reviewed the 2017 vintage.

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