Featured Wines - July 2016

If we had only three words to describe the 2013 Lavau Gigondas, they would most assuredly be packed, pure, and polished. Wow! What a stunning contemporary rendition of Gigondas (50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre) the Lavau brothers have fashioned in 2013. Deep and amplifying aromas of blackberry, cassis, cherry, and anise meld with a light waft of the most pleasing incense to fill the nose. And on the palate, this heady Gigondas is...

For decades Bethel Heights has produced many of Willamette Valley’s finest estate grown Pinot Noirs. Equally compelling is Bethel Heights’ 2013 Estate Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay, though due to limited production few have had the opportunity to enjoy Bethel Heights’ tasty Burgundian style Chardonnay. Awarded 90 Points from Wine Spectator, the 2013 Bethel Heights Estate Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay is sure to turn some heads and elicit more...

We were not surprised to see that the critics are in love with it as much as us; it’s earned 91, 92, and 95 points from Wine Advocate, Vinous, and James Halliday, respectively. Ben Glaetzer’s 2013 Bishop McLarenVale Shiraz displays an inviting royal purple robe, bold, textured flavors, and wonderful purity. The wine’s visual appeal is followed by an enticing aroma of cassis, mulberry, and spice that greets the nose from the...

Caminhos Cruzados’ 2014 Titular Dão White or Branco (40% Encruzado, 40% Malvasia Fina, and 20% Bical) has quickly become a staple among our tasting panel members. Light, fresh, and highly aromatic, this tasty white wine makes for a wonderful anytime quaff. Pale straw in color with an enticing bouquet, redolent with orange and lime blossoms and a soft gentle minerality, the 2014 Titular Dão White makes an extremely favorable first impression...

Big, bold, and beautiful are the words that best describe the 2014 Tierra y Mar Russian River Zinfandel. Born during the magical 2014 vintage, the third splendid vintage in a row in Northern California and a vintage when the earth moved, rocking Russian River’s cousins in Napa Valley, the 2014 Tierra y Mar Russian River Zinfandel displays all of the hallmarks for which Russian River Zinfandel is renowned. For starters, deep ruby and regal...

Sparkling with a glint of the Aegean sun, the 2015 Kir-Yianni Paranga White cuts a fine figure in the glass, adding eye appeal to the wine’s olfactory and gustatory charms. And thanks to a delightful combination of Roditis (80%) and Malagouzia (20%), the 2015 Kir-Yianni Paranga White offers seductive aromatics, a round, soft mid-palate and good crisp acidity that aptly frames the wine’s juicy flesh. Hints of apricot, peach and wild mint mingle...

The 2014 Barista Pinotage continues Val de Vie’s hot hand with “Coffee Pinotage.” Named after the coffee machine and the attendant who brews and dispenses espresso and lattes, Val de Vie’s 2014 Barista Pinotage tastes like no other Pinotage. In fact, we doubt Barista resembles any other wine you have ever tasted, unless of course that other wine happens to be another special “Coffee Pinotage.” The nearly impenetrable color of the 2014 Barista...