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reviews wineries

Samples!

The folks at Santa Margherita USA sent me some samples for review this week, with the understanding that I don’t guarantee reviews for samples, etc etc. 

That said, all the bottles retail at a price that’s in my drinking/reviewing sweet spot, so I’ll probably let y’all know what I think about them. The Muller Thurgau is particularly interesting, and who doesn’t love a Tuscan Rose? (I mean, probably lots of people have never had one, so maybe the answer to that question is “lots of people.”) I also really like Nero d’Avola, and blending it with Syrah is very promising for the summer bbq season. 🙂

Here’s the question: should I have a little Italian night with my family (per my step-mom’s suggestion) and taste them all at the same time, with food? This is, after all, how Italian wines are made — to be drunk with food. Tasting them alone usually doesn’t do them justice. Alternately, I could drink them individually with whatever food I happen to have made when it seems like a good tasting time. 

On one hand, individual tastings seem to give me more time to spend with each wine, but on the other hand, having a big Italian wine and food nights sounds pretty fun. 🙂 

If you have a strong opinion either way, let me know in the comments! 

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reviews

Tasting Erath “Prince Hill 115” Pinot Noir 2012


Sometimes you just have to open up a really nice bottle of red wine to go with your Friday night leftovers. 🙂 Half (or more) of my professional community is living it up in Vienna this weekend, but I’ve had a week of conferencing myself, and had a great round of idea-spinning today at work. Anyhow, between Brexit and various other hullaballoos, it’s been a heck of a week. 

Enter this well-heeled swashbuckler of a Pinot Noir! Bright and deep: bright red plum and cherry aromas, underpinned by really whiffy mushroom. On the palate, some really spicy-zingy stuff happens: cranberry, that plum again, then some slinky, tiger-tiger-burning-bright, smoky oolong action lingers on and on. Like, a lot. For a long, long time. You can’t really call it a “finish” — more like the slowest of slow fades. These flavors stick around longer than an unloved in-law. 

This magnificent malingerer isn’t cheap — probably about $40-50 — but if you like big Pinots that go for days, you might want to check it out!