MARVELOUS Avignonesi 2018 Vino Nobile (Tuscany)

Nobile gets "red-headed-step-child"-like respect - 

but there are lots of things to like about these wines, 

especially when a great producer has their say: 

Avignonesi 2018 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

CELLAR WORTHY Mission Hill 2018 Quatrain (Canadian Wine)

They've changed the 'formula' of Quatrain and it is for the better

Mission Hill 2018 Quatrain

 

 

Written Review ... Syrah 47% / Cabernet Sauvignon 26% / Merlot 18% / Cabernet Franc 8%    
Quatrain was looking for an identity and it has found it - 2016 they made the change to Syrah dominant.
Smooth and silky with a peppery backbone, blue and black fruit notes includes: blueberry, blackberry, smoked-plum, all with a delightful length to the finish with spicy-tannic notes.

SERIOUS Claymore Wines 2018 You'll Never Walk Alone

Mataro is Mourvedre, so this is a GSM blend with a different name; 

but this is a different kind of wine and wine company - let me explain: 

Claymore Wines 2018 You'll Never Walk Alone

 

 

This is a GSM blend (but call it Mataro, not Mourvedre), is full of black pepper, blackberry, dark and brooding fruit that keeps giving the more it stays open. Rich and close to unctuous, yet well-balanced with acid and tannins bringing it all together. It still has a few years ahead of it, but drinks well right now. It is 14.7% alcohol, so just beware.

STUNNING Stags' Leap Winery 2018 Petite Sirah (California, USA)

This is not a grape you seen on its own very often, 

but after tasting this my only question is - Why Not?

Stags' Leap Winery 2018 Petite Sirah

 

Stags’ Leap Winery 2018 Petite Sirah 

Now this is the bee's knees. Really good. Smile inducing – add your platitude here. Dark fruit and spice, subtle pepper, white smoke, cassis and black cherry; I love that spice on the end, the great length, I have much more to say about it, but I want to get back to the glass. You need this wine in your life.  (**** ½)

 

MIND-BLOWING: Domaine de Nerleux 2018 Les Loups Noirs (Loire, France)

A brilliant bottle of Cabernet Franc that simply blew my mind

Domaine de Nerleux 2018 Les Loups Noirs

 

... WRITTEN REVIEW ...

Vines planted back in 1997, 70% of the wine spends 18 months in oak, 10% new, the other 30% remains in stainless steel and is then back-blended into the wine to create a fruitier character; the result is a wine of wonderful depth and character: dark berry fruit, nicely spiced with hints of vanilla. The dark fruit comes across as cassis and blackberry – this wine just sings in the mouth.  (**** ½)

Masi 2018 Campofiorin (Veneto, Italy)

They don't always give themselves a 5-star vintage, but this one they did : 

Masi 2018 Campofiorin

 

>>> THE WRITTEN REVIEW <<<

Rated as a five-star vintage by Masi themselves, probably one of the toughest ratings to get – judging yourself is never easy – they then proudly display this rating above the vintage date for all to see. The good news is, this wine does not disappoint. Lots of plum and black cherry lead things off as the aromas and palate are very fruit-forward and the balance is there, as the wine is listed at 13%. There's subtle herbal and great spice notes - and the acidity is totally on point. Will only get better with age, but is drinking very well right now.  (**** ½)

Querceto di Castellina 2018 SEI Chianti Classico, Gran Selezione (Italy)

High elevation vines? It's a thing, right? 

Sure, but it wasn't always this way. Let me explain and also tell you about this gorgeous wine

Querceto di Castellina 2018 SEI Chianti Classico, Gran Selezione

 

>>> WRITTEN REVIEW <<<

high altitude fruit makes this a real winner with a delightful hit of acidty that keeps things fresh and lively, full of sour cherry and cranberry with a light touch of cherry cough drop, firm tannins, the wine is very approachable now, but has good aging potential ... **** 1/2

Zonte's Footstep 2018 Hills Are Alive Shiraz (Australia)

Zonte is a super-cool project created to "show off" different expressions 

of Shiraz from different regions throughout Australia - this is one of those stories

Zonte's Footstep 2018 Hills Are Alive Shiraz

Bocale 2018 Montefalco Rosso

This wine is a total delight, but watch out, I have one warning about it

Bocale 2018 Montefalco Rosso

 

>>> WRITTEN REVIEW <<<

Wow ... Simply wow ... This Rosso is a beauty with its juicy red fruit, cassis, tobacco, lovely spice notes and good acidity to keep it fresh and lively on the palate. I kept sipping and sipping until I looked at the alcohol: 15%, then I slowed down. Still a beauty bottle for sipping or for dinner, just keep that alcohol in mind.  (****+)

read more at  

https://michaelpinkuswinereview.com/ 

 

Rockway Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Franc

Golf course or winery? 

It's both and thank goodness, or we be missing out on this delightful 2018 Franc

Rockway Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Franc

 

THE WRITTEN REVIEW

I would not put 2018 into the pantheon of great Ontario vintages - but it proved to be adequate, and when it comes to Cabernet Franc sometimes that's all you need; which is why it has become a staple-grape in Ontario. This wine proves to be soft across the palate with nice black raspberry, blackberry, subtle tobacco, and herbal character, bordering on wet tobacco leaf - a hint of tannin bite and a little smokiness joins the fray for good measure. There's also a nice intensity on the finish.  Rating: ****

 

Castello Banfi 2018 Summus (Italian Wine)

This Super Tuscan international blend is one of those unforgettable wines

Castello Banfi 2018 Summus

--- THE WRITTEN REVIEW ---

(watch the video above)

Castello Banfi 2018 Summus

Very perfumed and very fruit forward with dark plums and black cherry dominating both the nose and palate. Elegant and delicate with a good backbone of acidity that manages to push its way through all that fruit to show it whose boss - but ultimately helps carry the wine to its next sip. Deep dark fruit wins the day here.  (****+)

Luigi Bosca 2018 Finca Los Nobles Field Blend (Argentinean Wine)

A real bruiser of a wine that gets better the longer it is open : 

 

Luigi Bosca 2018 Finca Los Nobles Field Blend

 

 

 --- THE WRITTEN REVIEW ---

 

This is one of those wines that really grows on you ... the more you sip the more you’re gonna love it - it also develops over the course of a few hours into something “wow”. Starts out smooth, supple and subtle - it has a little of a lot, but not too much of anything: dark fruit, pepper, mocha, charcoal, floral with a blueberry-esque finish, reminiscent of Brookside Dark Chocolate Covered Wild Blueberries ... And it just lingers and extra long time. Give it 5 years in the cellar before drinking or, if drinking now, decant.  (**** ½)

Zonte's Footstep 2018 Baron von Nemesis Shiraz (Australian Wine)

I love these labels, but labels mean nothing if the wine inside isn't good, with Zonte's both come together

 

 Zonte's Footstep 2018 Baron von Nemesis Shiraz

  

--- The Written Review ---

Zonte's Footstep 2018 Baron von Nemesis, Limited Release Shiraz

Super juicy black fruit, namely cassis and blackberry with some vanilla notes - loads of licorice and blackberry flavor with a touch of floral and white pepper - especially on the finish ... This screams Australia and don't let me forget about the cherry-plum finish that raises the bar to the next level.  Rating: ****+

Gaja 2018 Barbaresco (Italian Wine)

What happens when there's a "difficult season" in Barbaresco, this : 

Gaja 2018 Barbaresco

 

 

The Written Review

Gaja 2018 Barbaresco

Barbaresco may be the most misunderstood wine of the Piedmont region, especially when compared to the more popular and more known Barolo. It is still made with the Nebbiolo grape, grown at a maximum of 8 tons per hectare, it spends less time in wood and is therefore released 1 year before Barolo. As for the 2018 vintage in the area, it was one of challenges: "crazy vintage" was the phrase used to describe it - rain in the beginning, then hail damage … so many problems that the 2018 single vineyard offerings were "lost" and went into this straight Barbaresco; but the single vineyard loss makes for a more upscale base-model Barbaresco: lovely and fruit forward with both red and black fruit taking a turn on the palate - vibrant acidity with notes of both earthy and floral adding complexity offset by gentle tannins - light, fruit forward, incredibly aromatic and well balanced. It's a beauty for a “crazy vintage”.  (****+)

Bersano 2018 Nizza DOCG Cremosina (The Wine Review - #329)

I'm a fan of Barbera, but I became a bigger fan when I learned about Nizza

 

Bersano 2018 Nizza DOCG Cremosina

 

 

The Written Review ...

 

Bersano 2018 Nizza DOCG - Cremosina
This Nizza Barbera comes from the oldest vines of Barbera owned by Bersano (55 plus years) was aged the prerequisite 12 months in big oak casks and achieved 14.5% alcohol. Not only is the color of the wine dark, but it has a dark soul as well: mocha, spice, blackberry, cassis with good acidity and a lovely smokiness ... On the palate it's smooth, silky and dare I say sexy with a beauty mocha, black cherry finish. This was my second Nizza and I was already falling in love with these wines.  (****+)

Escudo Rojo 2018 Origine Cabernet Sauvignon (The Wine Review - #326)

To many Rothschild is synonymous with France, but should we also be equating it to Chile

 

Escudo Rojo 2018 Origine Cabernet Sauvignon

 

available at the winery (and other fine wine stores)

 

 

 

 

Escudo Rojo 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Origine
(The Written Review)

This is a special cuvee of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the most storied part of the vineyard. It spends 12 months in barrel (25% new) with additional resting in bottle for another year. Lovely expression of Chilean Cabernet with plenty of minty notes on the nose along with black cherry - the palate is delicate with that mint, but loads up on blackberry and black cherry along with a lovely note of chocolate on the finish. Fresh, long and elegant.  (****+) 

Prisoner Wine Co 2018 Unshackled Cabernet Sauvignon (The Wine Review - #...

The Prisoner un-cuffs a wine that easier on the pocketbook - but still damn tasty : 

 

Prisoner Wine Co 2018 Unshackled Cabernet Sauvignon

 

available at the winery (and other fine wine stores)

 

 

Prisoner Wine Co. 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Unshackled

Sweet red fruit with a good acidity... Typically big alcohol for California (14.5%) but with a juicy dark fruit, and chocolate and subtle spice ... Sure it has that California fruit, it's a seductive wine with all that sweet fruit, but there's also a milk chocolate note that really sways your taste buds and the core is all dark fruit. (****+)

Barnard Griffin 2018 Merlot (The Wine Review - #323)

Long time Washington winemaker makes a delightful Merlot

 

Barnard Griffin 2018 Merlot

 

 available at the winery (and other fine wine stores)

 

 

Merlot sourced from three vineyards in Washington: Black Rock, Vinagium, and Lonesome Spring Ranch - two located in Yakima and the other from Red Mountain ... All age 17 months in a mix of new and neutral European oak barrels. Now, this is pure Washington Merlot pleasure as notes of violet meet black fruit helping to drive the wine forward - there's a smooth delicacy across the palate with subtle smoke ... But when all is said and done this is a drinkable, almost crushable, bottle of Merlot that's balanced and has enough complexity to please oenophiles and newbies alike.  (****+)

Bleasdale 2018 Broad-Side (The Wine Review - #321)

Looking for an Aussie fruit-bomb? This ain't it : 

 

Bleasdale 2018 Broad-Side

 

available at the winery 

(and other fine wine stores).

 

Badia A Coltibuono 2018 Chianti Classico (The Wine Review - #318)

Not just a wine review, but also a comment on global warming : 

 

Badia A Coltibuono 2018 Chianti Classico