Sandra Silfven, writing for Detroit News, sampled the latest wine released by rock band Train. A Sauvignon Blanc titled Bullet Proof Picasso, the same name as the band’s seventh studio album, was described by Silfven as having aromas of “honeysuckle, grapefruit, lemon and ripe stone fruit.”
She added: “This is a crisp, tangy Sauvignon Blanc in a pale green bottle dressed up with a label portraying the famed “Painted Ladies” houses across from San Francisco’s Alamo Square park. The Victorian and Edwardian homes painted in pastels are in the neighborhood where lead guitarist Jimmy Stafford lived during the band’s early years.
“Dressed up in a green-tinted bottle with a label that is unmistakenly San Francisco, this crisp wonder has all the good beats of its producer, Train. Swirl the wine and inhale the delicate honeysuckle, grapefruit, lemon and ripe stone fruit. Flavors are tart-crisp-dry with a hint of herbs, lime zest and minerality.”
Price: $14.99
Eberle Cotes-du-Robles 2010, Paso Robles, California
Dave McIntyre, writing in the Washington Post, recommended this Californian-French fusion modelled after the wines of the Côtes-du-Rhône.
He said: “Gary Eberle is a California pioneer, among the first to champion Rhone Valley grape varieties in a movement that would become known as the Rhone Rangers. This blend, modeled after Côtes-du-Rhône, features Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Durif (better known in California as Petite Sirah). While it resembles a Rhone wine in style and weight, it has a New World emphasis on fruit over earthiness.”
Price: $21
Felino by Viña Cobos Malbec 2013, Mendoza, Argentina
Rating this Argentine Malbec just short of “exceptional”, McIntyre said: “This popular line of Argentine wine from famed California vintner Paul Hobbs shows Mendoza at its best: dark-fruit flavors and aromas, rich texture and a sense of adventure. The local distributor is just switching over to the 2013 vintage, but this wine has been consistently good year to year.”
Price: $21
Laibach the Ladybird 2013, Western Cape, South Africa
McIntyre also squeezed in a recommendation for this South African Chardonnay.
He said: “It could be labeled as a Chardonnay, as it contains 85% of that variety in its blend. But that would be misleading. While the Chardonnay gives the wine body and richness, the 10% Chenin Blanc lends a mineral note, and 5% Viognier adds a floral component. The result is a delicious white wine that defies stereotypes in favor of pure pleasure. There is also a very nice Ladybird red blend of Bordeaux varieties, but the white has the edge.”
A “serious wine with notes of pear, apricot and quince, and a long, lovely finish” is how Irene Virbila, writing for the LA Times, described this ‘Jesera’ Pinot Grigio.
She said: “The name is quite a mouthful, but this Pinot Grigio from the Collio DOC on the Italian border with Slovenia is worth seeking out. This is no simple, easy-drinking Pinot Grigio, but a wonderfully complex, rich white the color of pale onionskin. “Jesera” from the venerable Venica estate is a serious, even fleshy wine with notes of pear, apricot and quince, and a long, lovely finish.”
Price: $18 to $23
Lemelson Vineyards Dry Riesling 2012, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Rebecca Murphy, writing in the Dallas News, recommended this “gem of a Riesling” from Oregon produced by Eric Lemelson who manages seven certified-organic vineyards across the Willamette Valley.
She said: “Oregon has a great reputation for its pinot noir wines, but the riesling grape seems to be pretty happy there, too. This gem from the Willamette Valley is generous with peachy, chalky, lime zest flavors reined in by focused, vibrant acidity. It is light-bodied, dry, crisp and sure to please, especially if you pair it with a chicken stir-fry or a fish taco.”
Price: $18.49-$19.99
2010 DeAngelis Rosso Picen, Marche, Italy
Keeping it short and to the point Michael Dresser, writing for the Balitimore Sun, said this wine was “perfectly delightful” and should be drunk “right now”.
He said: “There’s a deep wild berry and game character to this wonderfully rustic but smooth wine from central Italy. It offers great flavors of blackberry, herbs and earth. This full-bodied wine has the tannic backbone to last 3-5 years, but it is perfectly delightful to drink right now.”
Price: $16
Amapola Creek Chardonnay 2012, Russian River Valley
This Russian River Chardonnay, fermented in French oak barrels, was recommended by Dennis Sodomka writing in the Augusta Chronicle – which he described as a “special occasion” wine.
He said: “This Chardonnay is a pale straw color in the glass, with just a touch of green. The nose is full of pear, citrus and floral aromas with a bit of minerals. The flavor is classic Chardonnay, full of pears, apples, melon and toasted oak. It is a powerful wine, complex, with layer after layer of flavor. It has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel with a long, easy finish. This is a great special occasion wine.”
He added: “The vineyard on the western end of the Russian River Valley is just up the hillside from the valley floor. The steep, terraced hillside provides good drainage and reduces the water available to the roots, which then leads to tiny berries with intense flavor. The vineyard contains two Chardonnay clones, Rued, a musque selection that adds tropical aromatics, and Dijon, which produces a classic Chardonnay profile with rich fruit flavors and pleasant minerality.”
Price: $44 to 46
2012 Douglas Green Cabernet Sauvignon
Colette Bancroft, writing in the Tampa Bay Times, sampled this “sturdy” Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa produced by winemaker Douglas Green. Founded in 1942 by its namesake, the winery now exports bottles to 50 countries around the world.
She said: “The Cab we sampled, sourced from vineyards in the Swartland and Robertson regions, is available at wine-savvy markets for about $9, which makes it a genuine bargain. On the nose, the wine offers a rich aroma of black currant and a swirl of wood smoke. That mouth-filling black currant continues on the tongue, along with dark berries and a layer of date and raisin, adding up to deeply concentrated fruit. Hints of smoke, oak and clove round out this well-structured red, continuing into a long finish.
“Of course, this sturdy cab would pair beautifully with grilled meat, say a grass-fed rib eye rubbed with ground porcini mushrooms. We would also like it with a plate of lush, strongly flavored cheeses, like a creamy Morbier and a fine funky blue.”
Price: $9
Grifone Sangiovese IGT 2013, Tuscany, Italy
Finally Gil Lempert-Schwarz, writing for the Las Vegas Review Journal, described this Italian Sangiovese as a “killer value” wine from the “heart of noble winemaking in Italy”.
He said: “The wine expands to show its ample vibrant red and black fruit medley, dominated by the classic — similar to the chianti zone — red cherry characteristic, followed by currants and cranberries, hints of toasted oak, wood and fine minerals. The midpalate is rich with ripe red fruits, especially saucy cranberries, going into a nicely balanced and lengthy finish, with just a touch of youth and phenolics at the end. It is a singularly great expression of the traditional young Tuscan wine, but with added depth, showing nice quality in the bottle.
He added: “It is an amazing wine for the money, probably one of the greatest value wines on the market now.”
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