June Wines

July 6, 2017

Richard Moore

Wine of the Month

We able to enjoy some really good wines during June, but it was the wine we opened up the last day of June that won the month. Opolo’s 2014 Rhapsody took the month and maybe even the year.

Opolo 2014 Rhapsody (33.15 Opolo Wine Club)

OMG what an amazing wine! This is a Bordeaux-style blend, although there is no information on the Opolo website about this vintage I did find a mention that it is a Cabernet Sauvignon 66% , Merlot 20%, Malbec 14% mixture. I doubt that information as the previous vintages (2012 and 2013) on the Opolo website mention it as a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Given what I am tasting I would believe the Opolo website. All I know is I LOVE this wine and it might be my new favorite. Tasting notes from the bottle: “This wine opens with heady aromas of black cherry, plum and dried cranberry. On the palate, flavors of blackberry, currant, tobacco and tea leaf mingle with richly integrated tannins in this full bodied and well balanced wine.” I would agree very much with the tasting notes with the exception of tea leaf, which I do not pick up at all. This wine is as amazing on the nose as it is in the mouth with a nice long finish without being overly harsh. The tannins blend well with the fruit on the finish and seem to last for many minutes. Now for the bad news, it seems that this wine is not available to buy (even for club members). I am going to send an email to see if I can snag some more bottles.

Il Paradiso di Frassina '12 UVE' 2009 Super Tuscan (19.99 WTSO)

Super Tuscan’s are hit and miss for me. This one caught my eye as it is a blend of 12 grapes (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cesanese dAffile, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Ancellotta, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Canaiolo). I have found this wine fruity with a lot of different tastes going on, and it seems there are too many to really categorize. Here are some notes I had written two years ago when I got the wine: “Too flowery for me, maybe 12 grapes is getting too much.” Think I still agree with my comments and I am not a huge fan of this wine. Tasting notes: “A wine with an extraordinary sensory power. It is almost impossible to give a virtual definition of the sensory elements of this wine, owing to the complex variety of its clones. It shows continuous changes in taste suggesting scents of fruit, vegetable, spices, tobacco and minerals.” Seems to support my comments of not being able to really categorize tastes. An interesting wine to drink and try and categorize, but not one I will be doing a repeat buy of.

Cotes de Provence Rose 2015 Domaine du Garde Temps Tourbillon Vieilles Vignes (12.99 WTSO)

Personally I think the best Roses come from Provence. They just seem to know how to make a nice crisp, dry Rose. This one is a good if non descript Rose, and is a nice sipping wine for a hot summer day. Tasting notes: “A cascade of fresh fruit aromas escapes on the wine’s pour, with hints of almond and wild herb aromas. Its dazzling salmon shine is inviting enough, and upon tasting, all is confirmed: refreshing, cooling, with a zest and a zip and a perfectly cutting acidity to bring it all together.” I pick up strawberry on the nose and the aroma is pleasant. In the mouth the strawberry disappears and more of the almond comes through. Would I pick up more? Most likely not as I have found another Provence Rose that we really love, see my review below.

Fawnridge Winery 2014 Petite Sirah (25.25 Case discount from winery)

For more information on Fawnridge winery see my notes on their Malbec. I remember tasting this Petite Sirah at the winery and thinking this is a really good Petite Sirah. It is big and bold as you would expect from a Petite Sirah with some pretty substantial tannins that make for a nice long finish. It is fruiter and smoother than I am used to from a straight Petite Sirah and for my taste these are very nice attributes. I would make this my top Petite Sirah. Tasting notes: “Deep dark color and full-bodied flavors of blueberry, chocolate, plums and black pepper. A big, bold wine that's sure to please.” I would agree with the notes, with the chocolate and black pepper coming more on the back end. So far Fawnridge is on a roll with the wines I purchased and had sent home. I will pick up more if it is available next time I order another case from Fawnridge.

Vallee des Pins Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rose 2015 (11.99 WTSO)

We really like this Rose, and it seems I have ordered 22 of them over the last year. This is a Rose that we first had in France while on a bike outing to Versailles. Before heading into Versailles we picked up supplies for a picnic lunch including this wine that the owner of small wine shop in the town market recommended. Tasting notes: “This is a pale rosé by design. In the nose, red fruits like raspberries and strawberries come out, with more exotic fruits like guava in the background. The palate is fresh and clean, emphasizing ripe strawberries and perfectly balanced acidity.” This wine is as enjoyable on the nose as it is to drink. I would agree with the tasting notes and add that I pick up some watermelon smell and taste. Initially the wine is a bit tart, fruity and crisp. As it sits in your mouth the taste transitions to a smoother feel and the guava starts to come through. Highly recommended and I will continue to stock up as long as WTSO offers it or I can find it.

Fawnridge Winery 2015 Chardonnay (18.75 Case discount from winery)

Continuing to enjoy our wines from Fawnridge winery. I bounced back and forth on rating their Chardonnay, from three or four stars so I would say 3 1/2. A very crisp and minerally Chardonnay, with green apple hints and citrus/acidity with a bit of butter. We tend to like our Chardonnay’s more buttery than this. Our daughter Kristina really enjoyed this wine and I find it an enjoyable wine of which I would order a few more of when I order some more wines from Fawnridge. Tasting notes (2013 Chardonnay): “This wine is a French style with rich tree fruit qualities and a silky texture. The subtle oak gives it a soft mouthfeel ending with a luxurious, lingering finish.” Not sure that the 2013 notes apply to this wine, I can remember tasting the 2013 a few years back and it was much more buttery than I find the 2015.

Chankaska 2015 Riesling (11.99 Total Wine)

This is the first Minnesota winery I have reviewed and Minnesota wines are an interesting topic all unto itself. The short is that there are some very good whites and rose’s and a handful of good reds. This wine is one I like and enjoy, especially during the hot summer months. The grapes are not from Minnesota, but come from Washington state. Usually I am not all that excited to taste wine made with imported grapes, but we happened to taste this Riesling at the winery and it was a notable wine. The fact that I can get it at my local Total Wine for a very reasonable price made it even better. Tasting notes: “Aromas are similar to previous vintages with hints of tea and ginger, with lime blossom, melon and cinnamon spices delicately unveiling as the wine opens in the glass. In the mouth the wine is elegant to drink, with clean fruit flavors and a delicious balance of sweetness and acidity.” Not sure I agree that this wine as complex as they indicate in the notes. It has a pleasant aroma but fairly subtle. In the mouth I get strong pear fruit with a nice acidity that balances the sweetness. This is about as sweet a wine as I like to drink, and the acidity helps. You can bet I will continue to pick up bottles of this wine to enjoy this summer.

Roblar Santa Barbara County Reserve 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (13.99 WTSO)

I was rummaging around in my basement cellar and found this bottle. I thought I had finished all the bottles I had purchase so it was a pleasant surprise as I like the wines from Roblar but WTSO has not been selling them. This is a solid Cabernet that has a pleasant aroma and fruitiness to it. Tasting notes: “It is very juicy, with a solid Cabernet character of the appellation. There are classical aromas of dark red fruit, including black cherry, kirsch and red licorice. The palate builds to a nice crescendo with black raspberry, boysenberry, currants, cherry, plum, dark chocolate, and red flowers.” Well, I am not sure I am getting all those tastes and aromas from the wine. I am not familiar with kirsch at all but do pick up black cherry on the aroma and a bit of pepper. On the taste I would go more with the plum/cherry and red flowers with a hint of dark chocolate and a bit of spiciness especially for a Cabernet. There is a very long finish with a nice balance of tannins. I am guessing the addition of 15% Syrah and 5% Malbec grapes adds the spice, and makes for more of a Spanish style wine to me (actually a good thing). If I can get some more Roblar wine I will definitely pick up some.

Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2013 (17.99 Total Wine)

This is a wine we first tried at a local restaurant and have enjoyed it over the years. Tasting notes: “tantalizing raspberry, blueberry, classic briary and spicy flavors” There definitely is a jammy fruit up front that then develops into a very spicy flavor for a Zinfandel. This a very good solid Zinfandel, but the bottle of Windsor Oaks Vineyards Zinfandel we opened up after this bottle is a much better Zinfandel for less money. Not sure I will be picking up more of this wine as I can think of other Zinfandels in the same price range I would opt for. (Opolo Mountian Zinfandel, Dry Creek Zinfandel, Korbel Zinfandel, Michael David Earthquake Zinfandel, Peachy Canyon Incredible Red)

Vina Robles 2012 Suendero (40.50 Vina Robles wine club)

This in one great wine. While it has a huge finish, the up front taste is smoother and jammier than I was expecting. Mid taste the wine really opens up and explodes in your mouth with some really great spice. Tasting notes: “Aroma: Dark currants and black cherries with hints of licorice, mocha and spice Taste: Full-bodied; Rich and full-bodied; dark fruit flavors with well-structured, chewy tannins that linger into a long, balanced finish” I would agree very much with the tasting notes as this is one very chewy and tannin based wine that has a huge finish leaving a wonderful chalky finish. The dark fruit jam lasts for a long time along with the tannins, think minutes. Interestingly the tasting notes mention you can age this wine until 2025. I can tell you my other bottle will not make it past 2017! Looks like they are sold out at Vina Robles online, but this might be a wine to try and find some bottles of. If we had not opened up the Opolo Rhapsody on the last day of the month this would have been the wine of the month.

J. Lohr Estates Riverstone 2015 Chardonnay (7.97 Total Wine)

I am not going to spend much time on this wine, it was very subpar for J. Lohr. Tasting notes: “The enticing aromas are reminiscent of peaches, meyer lemon, yellow floral, baking spices, honey and cocoa. Those aromas echo on the palate and are complemented by fresh orange and apricot balanced with creamy texture from aging sur lie. Flavors of crème brûlée and a touch of oak can be found on the long finish.” To me it has an almost an offensive taste, harsh and metallic with a bit of butter. I really expect more from J. Lohr based on my experience with their wines. I could not even choke down a glass of the wine and poured the remainder of the glass and bottle down the drain.

Until next month, happy tasting and drinking.

Ratings:

Wow, knock my socks off good. A wine to stock up on.

A very good wine, also a wine to stock up on.

A good average wine that is very drinkable, one that I might buy

again.

An okay wine, one I can drink but would not run out to buy any of.

Not worth really drinking, most likely poured out.

keywords: Wine,Wine Tasting, Wine Reviews

description: New wines tasting notes for June 2017