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Featured Entries:
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Domaine Rose-Dieu Plan de Dieu, 2014
Domaine Rose-Dieu 2014 “Plan De Dieu”, 14.5% ABV, Approx $16/bottle in 2016. Most wine lovers have favorites when it comes to Côtes du Rhône village-level wines. This one I found locally for about $16, but I’ve seen as low as $12 online! Domaine Rose Dieu’s Plan De Dieu, a full-bodied, spicy blend of Grenache, Syrah, […]
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Troon Takes Orange Wine to the Next Level
Troon Vineyards 2019 Kubli Bench Amber, Estate Orange Wine; Applegate Valley AVA, OR. 13.3% ABV, MSRP $30/bottle. Kubli Bench Amber is an orange wine from Troon Vineyards, a Demeter BioDynamic, Certified Organic winery in the Applegate Valley AVA, located in the southwestern region of Oregon. The Kubli Bench Amber is a blend of 74% […]
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Smith Madrone: Blurring the Lines Between Old and New World Wines.
I recently had the opportunity to join in a live tasting of four wines I’d highly enjoyed a year ago. The winery, Smith-Madrone, is one of the best under-the-radar labels you can find. I’m still surprised their prices have not sky-rocketed, but their wines are selling out faster every year and their value is among […]
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Wines of the Dão
When I think about wines with tremendous value, my first reaction is the Iberian Peninsula. But move over Spain, the wines of Portugal are coming through! OK, so is this really new? Maybe you’ve tried some Portuguese wines before. But this IS new, unless you have truly paid serious attention to the wines of the Dão […]
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Old World Flavors From a New World Vineyard: Lucas & Lewellen Toccata Classico 2015
Lucas & Lewellen Toccata 2015 Classico Red Wine, Santa Barbara County, California, USA. 14.7%ABV, SRP is $29/bottle. Sample Provided. Winemaker Megan McGrath Gates blended 50% sangiovese, 30% cabernet sauvignon, and 5% each of merlot, cab franc, petite verdot, and freisa , from Santa Barbara County’s Los Alamos and Valley View vineyards. Color is a medium […]
Recent Reviews
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Troon Takes Orange Wine to the Next Level
Troon Vineyards 2019 Kubli Bench Amber, Estate Orange Wine; Applegate Valley AVA, OR. 13.3% ABV, MSRP $30/bottle. Kubli Bench Amber is an orange wine from Troon Vineyards, a Demeter BioDynamic, Certified Organic winery in the Applegate Valley AVA, located in the southwestern region of Oregon. The Kubli Bench Amber is a blend of 74% […]
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Smith Madrone: Blurring the Lines Between Old and New World Wines.
I recently had the opportunity to join in a live tasting of four wines I’d highly enjoyed a year ago. The winery, Smith-Madrone, is one of the best under-the-radar labels you can find. I’m still surprised their prices have not sky-rocketed, but their wines are selling out faster every year and their value is among […]
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Wines of the Dão
When I think about wines with tremendous value, my first reaction is the Iberian Peninsula. But move over Spain, the wines of Portugal are coming through! OK, so is this really new? Maybe you’ve tried some Portuguese wines before. But this IS new, unless you have truly paid serious attention to the wines of the Dão […]
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2016 Aridus Graciano and Syrah from Cochise County, Arizona
Aridus 2016 Graciano, Cochise County, Arizona. %14.4 ABV, SRP $37/bottle. By Jim vanBergen, JvBUnCorked. All Rights Reserved. Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019. May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission. Color is an opaque purple center with dark ruby edging. The nose shows black and blue fruit compote, eucalyptus, and a subtle herbal blend. […]
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Pazo Torrado Albariño Rias Baixas, Galicia
Pazo Torrado Albariño 2017, D.O. Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain. 12.5%ABV, SRP around $11/bottle. All Rights Reserved. Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019. May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission. By Jim van Bergen, JvBUnCorked Color is a translucent medium straw. The nose offers a luxurious floral aroma, hyacinth, orchid and pineapple. […]
Recent Commentary:
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Evening Land 2011 Bourgogne Rouge
My love of pinot noir began with Burgundy and expanded rapidly around the world. More than ten years ago, I was attending an Oregon regional tasting and had been severely impressed with an Evening Land wine I tasted from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of the Willamette Valley. When I found out they were also making […]
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Enjoying Aged White Wine & Pierre Morey 2011 Bourgogne Aligoté
Let me start with a wine review: Pierre Morey, 2011 Bourgogne Aligoté, Meursalt, Cote D’Or, France. 12% ABV; Case purchase in 2013 for $17/bottle. At nine years of age, the color has only slightly deepened to a maturing pale gold. Aroma is light and mellow, reductive of dried wildflowers and lemon zest. On the palate, the […]
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New Year’s Bottles and my “Dry” January
Several close friends decided to have a dry January. Everyone understands the idea, you’re dieting off the weight that got put on over the holidays, and your liver could use a break. While I had some time off from work, I saw my doctor and had my blood work done- so I know my liver […]
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Flattery in Wine?
When people make fun of your passions, or when personal and professional interests crossover, it must be a sign your blog is doing something right. Right? A friend of mine texted me today with this gem: It was funny, in a laughing-at-Sideways kind of moment. But now I’m suddenly feeling like a glass of merlot! […]
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What You Learn When Pouring for Others
I love pouring wine for others. I recently donated several cases of wine to a fundraiser, and in addition to the wine, I poured glasses to the attendees. They walked up to a wine bar, I asked them what they liked to drink, and then poured them a taste. Sometimes I poured them tastes from […]
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Acquiesce New Wines, 2017
9 AprIt’s the little things in life… like getting excited when you see a grape you’ve never heard of, from a producer who is well- known in a very small group for making absolutely tremendous wines in one particular style. And I wonder to myself if there’s a chance that Acquiesce could possibly continue their run of making world-class Rhône style white wines with another stand-out? It really could not be possible, again. But let me taste the wines, and see for myself…
Acquiesce Winery 2017 Bourboulenc, Mokelumne River Appellation, Lodi, CA, USA. 12.5% ABV, SRP $28/bottle.
Color is golden sunshine. The nose offers citrus, lemongrass, honey, and cut green apple. On the palate, a cool and vibrant mixture of white pear and lemon zest with secondary notes of lime, orange rind, and pineapple. Sweet citrus on the front palate while the acid cuts from mid-palate back, making the back of the tongue curl in response. Such a beautiful food wine, this is a delight to enjoy the afternoon sunshine but pair this with grilled vegetables, sushi or fish -maybe seasoned with a sprinkle of Provençal herbs- and you can plan to finish the bottle, maybe even open another one. This wine is solid enough to handle some flare and spice; you can also pair it with Asian or Middle-Eastern fare, from Halal or Falafel to Thai, and Chinese- especially Peking Duck, or steamed dumplings, unless you want to break a baguette open with some brie and just enjoy.
Acquiesce Winery 2017 Clairette Blanche, Mokelumne River Appellation, Lodi, CA, USA. 13.5% ABV, SRP $28/bottle.
Pale straw in color, the nose has a distinctive blend of fennel, peach, and dried apricot. On the palate, lemon-lime, starfruit, and a hint of almond paste wrap the front of my tongue as the wine warms along the back palate, rounding out into a savory note with the finish. I loved this with baked chicken and couscous, but this wine begs any dish with a hint of salt, and can easily pair with lighter fare like fish or cheese, but just as easily with dried Italian salumne, fresh shellfish, or Spanish tapas, the list of Mediterranean food options grows and grows…
Yes, Sue and Rodney from Acquiesce have done it again with classic French varietal grapes that will make you think you’ve landed back in the southern Rhône Valley. Pour a glass and try it once by itself, and again with a bite of food and see how well it makes your mouth sing in pleasure when paired.
These wines are such huge crowd-pleasers, I don’t expect them to last long, so buy soon, or sign up for Acquiesce’s club and join the in-crowd.
Oh- and remind yourself to keep the bottle. Every loves this bottle design, and one of your friends is going to ask to keep the empty for their kitchen. Trust me, it never fails, as soon as I put the bottle in the recycling can, that one of the guests sidles up, and asks quietly if they could possibly get the beautiful, curvaceous bottle I just finished pouring. Sigh…
#WIYG? / What’s in your glass?
à votre santé!
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Tags: Featured, Lodi Wines, White wine review, Wine Commentary, Wine Review