Wine Reviews: Mini Round-Up for October 23, 2023
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), so you can get right to the point and decide if they’re for you (or not). Cheers!
- 2019 Barone di Villagrande Etna Rosso (Sicily): A grippy, forward, and juicy ambassador for Etna’s volcanic magic. $26 B+
- 2020 Barone di Villagrande Etna Rosso Superiore (Sicily): Pure, pithy, and precise, with lemony expressiveness and white fig delight. $27 A-
- 2020 Iuppa ‘Nuna’ Etna Bianco Superiore (Sicily): Chalky minerality and fresh citrus from baby vines showing lots of future promise. $NA B+
- 2015 Terra Costantino ‘Contrada Blandano’ Etna Bianco (Sicily): Assertive. wily, herbal, floral, honeyed, and **alive**. $NA A-
- 2014 Terra Costantino ‘Contrada Blandano’ Etna Rosso (Sicily): Plenty of savory, supple, and cedar-tinged refinement and elegance to be had here. $NA A-
- 2019 Head High Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): A little leathery, a little powerful, a little dark, a lot tasty. $25 B+
- 2021 Lieu Dit Winery Rose (Santa Barbara County): Red berries, ocean breezes, impeccable precision. $24 B+
- 2015 Jolie Laide Wines Halcon Vineyard Syrah (Yorkville Highlands): California, as invaded by the Northern Rhône. $50 A-
- 2019 Echolands Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc (Walla Walla Valley): Herbal, fruity, breezy, and damn near unforgettable. $40 A-
- NV Old Westminster Winery ‘You are my Sunshine’ (Maryland): An acquired—but well-made!—taste for those who like their bubbles natural, vibrant, and full of off-kilter fun. $25 B+
