Wine Reviews: Mini Round-Up for July 15, 2024

I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.

They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), so you can get right to the point and decide if they’re for you (or not). Cheers!

2023 Anselmo Mendes Contacto Alvarinho (Vinho Verde): Fantastic rendition. Fresh, structured, energetic, floral, citric, and stone-fruit-filled. $22 A-
2019 Masseria Li Veli ‘Contrade’ Negroamaro (Puglia): Still juicy and fruity, with spicy cherries, black raspberry, and a boisterous personality. $14 B
2023 Stinson Vineyards Rose of Tannat (Monticello): Tannat tamed into tangy, temperate red fruit without tarnishing its tobacco tinges. $25 B+
2016 Ranch 32 Estate Grown Pinot Noir (Arroyo Seco): Getting earthy and savory now, with spices and red plums, and plenty of rhubarb. $27 B+
2019 Resolute – Aerena Chardonnay (Sonoma Mountain): Mature, yet still rich, textured, structured, and spicy. $20 B+
2022 Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): A dreamy trip through backwoods, encountering truffles, wold black raspberry, tea leaves, & camphor. The mouthfeel has a lovely lightness that balances the darker fruit and dried herb action, along with a long AF finish! $75 A
2022 Lucia Vineyards Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands): A deep, dark rendition from this fab vineyard. Rhubarb, plum skin, black tea, leather, forest floor, black licorice… This one is generous. Young, and feels built for a long haul. $80 A
2012 Folin Cellars Tempranillo (Rogue Valley): A big, bodacious and bold red from a big, bodacious, and ripe vintage. $32 A-
2022 Domaine Bousquet ‘Cameleon’ Signature Chardonnay (Tupungato): No impersonating going on here, this is Chardonnay all the way with gig tropical fruit, & lots of lemon blossom; hard to turn down a chilled glass of this. $15 B
2022 Xanadu Circa 77 Chardonnay (Margaret River): Lovely bargain of pure pleasure here, with strong florals and gorgeous ripe citrus. $17 B+