The Desert Wine Guy - 2016 Murphy Goode - Red Wine

   The other day I was in my local Supermarket and came across the 2017 Murphy-Goode, Sauvignon Blanc which cost me $12. I reviewed the wine the same day I bought it and I really enjoyed it. Today I went to the same Supermarket and noticed that all of the Murphy-Goode wines were on sale as the tag said "buy 1, get 1 free". That would make each bottle $6 a piece and I couldn't resist that offer, so here we are.
   Today's wine up for review is the 2016 Murphy-Goode, Red Wine and i'll start off by telling you that this is a blend of six different red varietals which are 34% Zinfandel, 27% Merlot, 16% Petite Sirah, 13% Petit Verdot, 6% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. That's crazy huh? Finishing this section up, the wine comes in at 13.5% Alcohol and is sealed with a Screw Cap.
   Let's go ahead now and learn a little bit about the Murphy Good Winery (https://www.murphygoodewinery.com/wine). Back in 1985 three friends who all loved wine decided they were going to put their money together and form a winery, the Murphy-Goode Winery. Two of those guys, Tim Murphy, who is actually considered the "Father" of Sauvignon Blanc in Sonoma County, and Dale Goode, were the actual grape growers of the trio and the third, Dave Ready, was the marketer of the team. Today, Daves sons are the winemakers for Murphy-Goode, and Tim Murphy's three sons oversee the vineyard operations.
   Let's now for a second go ahead and look at the label and see what I think about it. Looking at this label I for some strange reason think of a Bourbon or whisky bottle. Perhaps this is because of the Fonts used, I don't know. I also like how it seems that the label is broken into segments as well. Overall, my impression of the label is it is simply, okay and nothing special.

Murphy-Goode Founders - Tim-Murphy,Dale-Goode,David-Ready

   So as I pour this red blend into my glass I am looking at a wine that is a fairly dark Burgundy in color. The very edges appear to be the only difference as they are clear. Now when I say edge, I mean there just barely is an edge as it seems that Burgundy color seems to almost have throughout the entire wine. I am liking the way this wine looks guys, it is rather impressive in its appearance.
   As I move to the Bouquet of this wine I am getting a deep note of both Black Cherry & Cola with both coming softly up from the bottom of my glass. These notes are also giving off a rather nice perceived sense of some depth to this wine. Now, whether or not that will turn out to be a reality remains to be seen. A Cedar note is also coming on strong here and along with the other notes brings a great sense of warmth on the Nose but not an alcohol warmth. I would be remiss if I didn't mention a Black Plum Note to add to this wines ever so satisfying and rich Nose presentation. On the very back-end of the Bouquet is a note of Cocoa that I wish there was a tad bit more of. All in all I have to say that this wine is showing off a Bouquet way above its price tag folks. As for 'Legs" on this wine, there weren't many but the ones that are present are slow dripping.
   Alright now, so I have been tasting this wine as I went along here and I actually want to just cut to the chase so to speak and tell you my conclusion and what I overall think about the wine right now but, I will restrain myself. Let me begin by letting you know about the bit of Oak and a touch of Cinnamon that I am picking up. These two Notes both combine together very nicely in general and present a bit of richness on the Palate. The Cinnamon Note also however does also bring along with it a touch of sweetness which does unfortunately expand a bit as the wine sits in the glass. I will talk more about this sweetness later on. Aside from that drawback, this richness also helps in presenting the wine as a rather nicely done, slightly rich, oaked, powerhouse of a red wine. Adding to this are Notes of both Mullein & Black spice which joins in for the fun to help add to the wine an earthy Palate feel which is overall delicious.

Murphy Goode - Winemaker -  Dave Ready Jr.

Thankfully, I am not getting any fruit forwardness here in the wine but do keep in mind that there is a bit of sweetness that some may confuse for it. Now please note that I differentiated between what in my opinion is the nasty taste of a fruit forward wine and the ultra controlled release of some sweetness in a wine as there is a difference. As for Tannin's, there are none but that is okay as this wine doesn't require them in order to offer up a big mouthfeel and the wine is more than capable of sanding on its own without them. As I move on now, I wonder if you have ever tasted a Bing Cherry. For those of you who grew up with this fruit as I did when I was a kid in Brooklyn, you will find this wine to have an identifiable taste, that being of Bing Cherry. This note comes into play just before Mid-Palate and is ever present afterwards as it thankfully doesn't just fade away. This wine also manages to presents a good bit of acidity as well which adds some explosiveness on the Palate as well as a moderate mouth watering  bit of juiciness that I for one certainly appreciated and enjoyed. Do you guys like a wine that showcases a medium note of ripe Blueberry? If you do, your in luck as the Blueberry presents a softness along with it and seems to work together with that Cinnamon I mentioned previously for the benefit of the wine. Well guys, I do believe that I am done with this review as I have some wine to enjoy and so it is time to get to the conclusion section. I will see you there.

Murphy-Goode, Winery

   As I begin this conclusion paragraph I will start off by addressing that bit of sweetness in the wine that  promised I would. One of the only real drawbacks to this wine comes from that sweetness presented. At first the Palate exposure to the sweetness is perfect as it is not offensive but as the wine opens a bit it does become somewhat of a challenge to overlook it and I simply couldn't. Having said this, I have to tell you something else about sweetness in my red wines. I normally am not a big lover of sweetness in my reds and I am pretty sensitive to it. If you happen to be less sensitive to the note of sweetness in your red wines then you may consider this to be a blockbuster wine. In actuality though, I believe people who have either preference will still overall enjoy this wine as much as I did. Doing my research on this wine I have found read that a lot of people have commented that this is a "very easy drinking wine" but I must disagree, this wine is not for the person who wants an average red wine to pass the time or enjoy at the pool. Go ahead, don't listen to me, serve this wine to your non red wine savy friends and see the reaction you get but don't say I didn't warn you. This wine is just a bit too much "in your face" to please the average non Palate educated drinker. Between the acidity and the influence of the other Notes, this wine is slightly above your average daily drinker Guys, this wine took me by complete surprise and I enjoyed it. On The Desert wine Guy rating scale, I give this wine 92 points but it may have scored higher if not for the bit of sweetness that prohibited further elevation. I am glad that I have another bottle on hand to enjoy as I did get one free. Would I recommend that this wine end up in a wine cellar, certainly not but I do think that it should be kept on hand for a good time.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy
  









   

   

The Desert Wine Guy - 2019 "The Crossings", Sauvignon Blanc

  Welcome back everyone to The Desert Wine Guys wine blog. Today I am going to be doing one of the last Sauvignon Blanc reviews for a while because I do believe it is time to expand my varietal horizons a bit. I am open to suggestions that you guys might have as far as different white wine varietals to try so please, go ahead and put them in the comments section at the end of this review.
  As you already know, today I will be reviewing a Sauvignon Blanc, to be more specific, I will be reviewing the 2019 - The Crossings, Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough (Awatere Valley) region of New Zealand (https://www.thecrossings.co.nz/). I bought this wine the other day at my local supermarket on clearance for $9.20 but it normally retails for $11.99. The wine is screw cap sealed, comes in at 13% alcohol and the grapes for the wine come from various vineyards in the Awatere Valley.
  Checking out the label now, I like it as I think it fits well with being on a bottle of white wine. The label sits low on the bottle and is also on the narrow side so as to show off more of the wine as it rests in the bottle. I like the fonts and script used as well as their sizes and placement.

Wine In A Bag.....Wait, What?

  Let's dig a little deeper into this wine now and check out what it's all about. Let's continue here with the wines Bouquet. As typical with this varietal from Marlborough, the wines Bouquet is strongly on the gooseberry side and the Note is dominate which is not necessarily a bad thing. I also get a bit of grapefruit, grass and perhaps just the tiniest bit of melon as well.
  The review of the Palate of this wine will actually come in two different parts and you will see why as you read on. Starting off here, that dominant Gooseberry that I got on the Nose just transfers right on over here and it is dominant here as well, like, really dominant. Again as well, that grapefruit Note also comes across as well and it is not exactly willing to take a backseat here. When put together these two Notes unfortunately present the wine as being a very astringent expression of the varietal. Adding to this is what would normally have been some rather nice acidity but unfortunately when combined with that gooseberry & grapefruit astringency that the wine appears so proud to be putting on display, it really makes for an over the top astringent, harsh and truly Palate offensive wine. If you can somehow manage to put these Notes aside, which will be hard, you might manage to get a taste of a hidden bit of tropical fruit but not much. As an example, I am getting (barely) an unripe Nectarine that is actually trying to soften the other Notes but really has no chance at being successful and in the end falls flat in that endeavor.
  

   So, fast forward about a half an hour or so now. You always hear about drinking a white wine really cold but for me it seems that when I drink a white wine cold like that, I seem to come across wines that presents themselves as this one does which is harsh, astringent and Palate offensive. It is only as these wine warm just a bit that they begin to open and develop on the Palate and that is what happened here..... kind of. So, the wine has now warmed just a bit but enough to be a little more open on the Palate. Yes, that Gooseberry Note is still present and dominant but it has begun to give way a bit to other Notes such as one of grass. This grass Note seemed to play right into what a normal New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc should posses and it was decent but still had a battle to fight. That Nectarine that I got earlier which was unripe and lacking any sweetness at all has now been allowed to express at least some sweetness and it is just enough to allow me to at least have some hope for the wine. Getting back to the gooseberry for a minute, I don't want you thinking that the gooseberry Note has lessened any as it hasn't, it just seems to be playing a little better with the other Notes, that's all. I am now also getting some Pineapple intermixed with the gooseberry and other Notes. That over the top grapefruit Note has been lessened as well by just a bit and is now ever so slightly enjoyable rather than just simply offensive. With this wine the word "herbal" is not just a word here as there is a nice herbal Note present that I rather enjoyed. Finishing this wine up is a light Passion Fruit Note which is just after Mid-Palate and I think the one fruit that really was at least a bit effective in providing a small amount of a change to the wine later on but once again, not enough to make any difference. This and every Note in this wine seems to unfortunately take a back seat to that darn gooseberry and grapefruit and I am disappointed. Okay guys, I think I have said more than enough about this wine, I must get to my conclusion now as quite honestly, I am at about half a bottle and I have tasted more than enough so let's do that.

   Well, here we are at the final paragraph of this review. I just want to come out and say that I really, truly did not care for (I didn't like it) what this expression of the wine had to present. I didn't mind the actual Notes of the wine themselves including the gooseberry and grapefruit, but I did mind the strength at which these two presented themselves as they were the cause of the wines harshness/astringency. I did mind the lack of any real sweetness or tropicalness. No, for those of you who may ask, I am certainly not asking for a sweet wine as that is what a wine cooler, Moscato or a Riesling are for. All I wanted is a Sauvignon Blanc that didn't forget it was supposed to possess at least a bit of sweetness as well as a bit of tropicalness as that sweetness and tropicalness unfortunately was not to be had in any effective amounts. What was to be had is a wine that went way over the edge of harshness to a wine that I almost found to be undrinkable. Now, there are those who will read my review and run right out and buy this wine because what I described in this review is a wine which in their opinion is what the varietal from this region is supposed to be. If this is you then I say go buy the wine because you will enjoy it, you will certainly have no competition from me at the shelves. If however, what I want in this varietal is what you want then I say stay far away because you will find this wine as offensive as I did. Before I leave you, I want to let you know that this wine is available in a bag (yeah, really) and a carton as well as a bottle. Perhaps that is the type of wine I was reviewing (Fetzer anyone), I don't know but that would certainly explain why I rated the wine at the rating I did. Having said all this, on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 85 points which means that it might perhaps be okay as a pool wine but other than that I would stay far away from it as there is much better for the price. I also would not present this wine to anyone with a distinguishing Palate as they will lose respect for you as far as wine goes. At the same price range I would recommend searching out a wonderful Matua Sauvignon Blanc or perhaps for a few dollars more a Whitehaven.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy



www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy
 

The Desert Wine Guy - 2018 Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc

   The other day I was doing some shopping with Mrs. Desert Wine Girl in our local Supermarket here in Florida and as we walked in I noticed that there was a display which read "buy one get one free" in reference to this wine which is the 2018 Hess Select - Sauvignon Blanc. Well I figured it was from the Hess winery so how could I resist. Today you and I will find out together if I should have resisted. Let's go ahead and get into this wine review now.
   Lets start off with the fact that the wine cost $20. Now I found out later that the wine actually  averages $10 for a bottle so this buy one, get one "deal" was really no deal at all. The wine is sealed with a Screw Cap unfortunately and comes in at 13.5% Alcohol. The Hess "Select" Collection Sauvignon Blanc comes from the North Coast of California and the wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
   As I go ahead and pour the wine into my glass, what am I seeing as far as legs (Gibbs-Marangoni Effect) go is that they are thin and flowed slowly down the sides of my glass. As for the color of the wine now, I get an almost clear liquid with perhaps some slight silver showings in my glass.
   Moving now onto the Bouquet I'll tell you straight out that I loved it. This wine presented a very tropical Bouquet and one which made me think of ripe melon and Guava, I'm totally feeling it. Honeydew is presented as well and is brought out in such a way that it doesn't dominate over the other Notes. Topping the Bouquet off is a note of Pineapple as well and it matches the strength of the Honeydew in its presentation.
  Alright, now onto the Palate presentation of this
wine now. Beginning off here there was a  

massive Palate overdose of Apricot as well as a good bit of a Lemon/Lime harshness.While the Bouquet of the wine was nice and tropical, the Palate was really missing this tropicalness big time. As I continue on here I must tell you that the wine was overall abrasively harsh on the Opening which was followed up by a big Mid-Palate misfire due to its overall flatness and lack of ability to show anything off. In reality I could end this review right here and give you the Desert Wine Guy rating but I won't do that so just yet so let me backup a bit for you guys. When you first taste the wine, for a split second there is a bit of a fruity tropical melon note on the Palate and you first think that the tropicalness from the Bouquet transferred on over to the palate but that is definitely not the case. The melon note lasts for just that second and then is gone, for good. As the wine warms a bit that tropical melon lasts just a slight bit longer but not long enough to be really worthwhile or of note. An overdone and harsh Lemon Zest is what this wine seems to be proud of and is in love with exposing and presenting these notes in an over abundance. That is it, as you can see, the wine is super limited in as far as its taste goes. This is NOT what a Sauvignon Blanc should be, not even close.
   Guys, I'm sorry, I am just totally not feeling this wine. What could have possibly given this wine some sort of life was some nice tropical fruit Notes and at least some type of structure, but neither were to be had at all. Even if the wine lost a heck of a lot of its Palate abrasiveness and harshness, this wine would be a flop. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine a weak, sink pouring, 86 points. I definitely should have resisted.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

2018 Firebrand, Reserve Chardonnay

   Hey guys, today I am reviewing another small label wine which is the 2018 Firebrand, Reserve Chardonnay. Let me go ahead and open up this review by telling you that I paid $12.99 for it and it is cork sealed. The wine comes in at what I believe is a rather high alcohol percentage for the varietal which 14.5%. This was one of those wines that is from small wineries which usually seem to line the main walkway of the big box liquor stores. In actuality, that was actually cool as it was my plan to buy one of these wines to review that day anyway so, mission accomplished there. The Firebrand label is made by O’Neill Vintners & Distillers (https://www.oneillwine.com/) and O’Neill Vintners & Distillers is owned by Bogle vineyards (https://boglewinery.com/#).
    Let's go ahead and talk about the label on this bottle for a minute. Simply put, I love the presentation of the label. The front label is Black with the words being in gold & Chestnut Brown. Looking at the fonts I have to tell you I'm in absolutely love with them. Vibrant label colors against a wine that appears as a goldish brown in the bottle looks fascinating. What a wonderful presentation it all creates when combined all together. Here is a label created by someone talented in the design field.

Chardonnay Grapes

   Let's now check out the visual presentation of the wine itself. As I look at the wine in the glass and while being held over a piece of white paper, I see that it has a super nice gold edge. Past this super nice gold edge, the overall wine itself has a very light beautiful golden appearance. I am really liking what I am seeing right now Chardonnay fans. This is a beautiful and visually classy looking wine sitting in front of me in the glass. While the review is still in the very early stages and a wines appearance doesn't always translate into it being a good wine, rightly or wrongly, I am beginning to have some high expectations for this wine.
   Right off as I start on the Bouquet, there is a big ripe nectarine Note here folks combined with a spicy, oak type aroma here as well. Intermixed with these two notes is a very forwardly presented Honeysuckle Note. Overall I think the Bouquet is super nice.
   While everything so far is appearing to be rather nice, the wine on the Palate presents overall a somewhat different story unfortunately. Starting off here is a bit of a nectar type Palate presentation right up front. The Honeysuckle I got on the nose transfers over from there and onto the Palate and comes in just under that nectar Note in Palate dominance levels but it also brings with it a big sweetness to the wine, an overdone sweetness. There is a nice bit of oak just after these notes which also comes over from the Nose of the wine and it is actually nicely presented. Being a Chardonnay I wasn't surprised that the wine showed a bit of butteryness to it from that oak. This butteryness is not exactly light on the Palate but at the same time, it wasn't overpowering either, however, you will taste it. Here in my opinion comes the Note that really put this wine over the top as far as sweetness and simply killed it. A butterscotch Note is certainly here as well and it is not shy. This butterscotch is where another dose of sweetness comes into play and that is not a good thing as the wine does not need any more sweetness then what it received from the Note of nectar. By the way, this butterscotch Note in a Chardonnay usually comes into being when the varietal spends a little too much time in oak. To me this butterscotch note is way overdone guys and helps to make for a very sweet, almost syrupy wine. There are a couple of nice notes here and at times you can tell that the wine really wants and tries so hard to be a good wine but the overdone sweetness and sense of syrupiness overall, really simply does this wine in. One of the notes in particular that is really nice is the note of a wonderful pepper spice. This note is presented pretty nicely, is forward on the Palate and does it's best to impact the Palate in a wonderful way, here I was very impressed. Trying to enjoy this peppery Note unfortunately just made it harder to drink the wine because I kept thinking of what the wine could have been yet try as I might these good Notes simply weren't enough to save the wine. Look guys, I can go on telling you about the my disappointment but why bother, it's time for the closing paragraph.

   If you aren't expecting a Chardonnay or know what one tastes like, you will enjoy this wine, it is tropical/Honeysuckle/butterscotch and sweet to a fault in my humble opinion. The wine itself however is a decent pool wine and guests I think will will enjoy it for that. As a whole however, I do think it is overpriced and should be selling for no more than $5.99, sorry.  I am going to issue a caution here, do not attempt to offer this wine up as a Chardonnay to a critical wine drinker or anyone who has a Palate developed enough to be able to identify varietals because you will be laughed out of your own gathering. In this case, tell your friends that you bought a white Summer blend specifically made for the pool at.....$5.99. A wonderful label, a beautiful looking wine but it is all for nothing as if falls flat in the long run. On The Desert Wine Guy rating I am giving this wine 86 points, certainly NOT recommended if you are expecting a Chardonnay in any way, shape, or form.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy

The Desert Wine Guy - 2018 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

   "This is without a doubt the best Marlborough expression of this varietal that I have ever tasted, plain and simple." That is what I said back when I reviewed the 2017 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-desert-wine-guy-2017-whitehaven.html). With a Desert Wine Guy rating of 94 points, the wine impressed me enough to track down a few more bottles and to also now review it's younger brother, the 2018 vintage. Luckily for me, this young brother of the 2017 vintage was rather easy to find as when I went back to Costco to purchase a couple of more bottles of the 2017, I also noticed that right there in the very same bin was the 2018 vintage as well. By the way, aside from purchasing this wine I went ahead and purchased two more bottles of the 2017 vintage. Let's get into this review now.
   As you already know by now, today's review is of the 2018 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (https://whitehaven.co.nz/products/2018-whitehaven-marlborough-sauvignon-blanc-375ml) which is of course from Marlborough, New Zealand. Let's go ahead and get into some specifics of the wine now. I purchased this wine from Costco for $12.99 but I have seen it in at some other stores regularly selling for as high as $17.99. The wine comes in at a very comfortable 13% on the alcohol scale and is made from 100% Marlborough fruit.

Harvest Time

   I'm going to skip the Paragraph where I would normally discuss the label on the bottle because this wine happens to carry the same exact label as the 2017 vintage which I raved about in it's review. If you are interested in my thoughts on the label(s) you can read them by clicking the lnk above.
   Right now I want to talk about the Bouquet of this wine and what it has to offer up. Right up front I want to tell you that the Bouquet as a whole is immediately creating for me a very Springtime/pool time vision in my mind as it should. First up here is as expected is some pretty serious Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc, Gooseberry which although not quite as fragrant as the 2017 expression, is indeed very nice and eye opening. There also certainly is at least the perceived promise or the sense at least of a good amount of a crispness & cleanness that could perhaps hopefully be displayed on the Palate. Whether this crispness/cleanness will actually appear on the palate or not I am not sure, but I am choosing to believe in that unspoken promise :) A nice Grapefruit Note is also expressing itself rather nicely here on the Nose and also adds a sort of a light, Grapefruit type tangy overall Note to what I am smelling. Adding to these juicy notes is one of Kiwi which comes right after the initial opening Nose and also appears to act as a carrier of sorts as it doesn't allow any of the other Notes to fade which is good. Mixed deep within the Bouquet is also a nectarine Note that brings to mind a perceived sense of perhaps a bit of some sugar that might also show itself on the Palate. Overall, this is a wine that at least appears to display what hopefully is going to be a super tight and structured, classic Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc. Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, it's time now to move on and dig a lot more into this wine and discover if it's the real deal as the last vintage was.

Whitehaven Vineyard - Marlborough, New Zealand

   Let's now talk about the taste of the wine, what is it showing on my Palate? Let's begin with that super nice and certainly front & center note of Gooseberry I got earlier on the Nose. This Gooseberry quite effectively carries over and makes its presence known here on the Palate for sure and I certainly couldn't be happier about that. Thankfully as well, the big time crispness/cleanness sense that the Bouquet was signaling really does transfer over here onto the Palate as well and in a very big way. This for sure is one of the wines strong points and it is not shy in expressing it. If you have ever heard the term waking the Palate up, that is what that crispness/cleanness does quite effectively. While I am at the beginning of breaking this wine down, let me tell you here and now that it is already a nice example of the varietal and expression of the region as well. Adding onto that crispness/cleanness is a big time bright & juicy Grapefruit Zest type Note which comes along just before Mid-Palate only adding to that crispness & cleanness that the wine is so proud to put on display and also transfers that zing I got on the Nose, onto the palate. The Grapefruit Zest really hits you on the sides of the Tongue and certainly has control of that area of the Palate but also of course ends up effecting the rest of the Palate as well. If you really think about it, each part of the Tongue sort of compartmentalizes what you are tasting and this wine is at times a great example of that compartmentalization. Following these Notes up is one of juicy Passion-fruit and I have to tell you guys that this wine is showing off exactly why the Marlborough expression of this grape varietal has been greeted with such open arms everywhere, including by me. As I sit here and enjoy this wine I want you to know that it is simply exploding in my mouth and I am truly enjoying it. Okay, so far so good but there are a couple of slightly bothersome things going on in this wine.

Marlborough, New Zealand Wine Region

The first bothersome issue and one that I also find rather out of character is that I can't help thinking that there is the ever so slightest bit of Carbonation present here although there is nothing visually apparent. I am certainly getting a bit of that carbonation on the tip of my Tongue. This is nothing that is really TOO distracting but as I said, it does seem a bit out of place here and does therefore cause a break so to speak in what would be the normal flow in the tasting of the wine. I don't recall picking this carbonation up on the 2017 vintage by the way. How about some light fruit now that is used to lighten this wine up with some sweetness. As everything in the wine intermixes and and we head towards the Finish I am getting Notes of both apricot & peach and these fruits introduce some needed sweetness to the wine however herein also lies the second issue that I have with this wine. While the sweetness aspect is as I said, needed and it is mostly held in check, it does approach the palate a bit forward at times and also perhaps steps over the acceptability line by just a slight bit in my opinion. A furthur word of interest here concerning the presentation of sweetness and something you should be aware of is that this sweetness rises a bit as the wine warms and then really in my book does step a bit even further over that edge. The 2017 vintage did not present these issues by the way. Now that I have that out of the way I would surely be remiss if I didn't also tell you about some juicy Lemongrass that is presented by this wine and in abundance as well. Without a doubt, this Note is instrumental in helping all of the other Notes present in elevating this wine up the Desert Wine Guy rating scale. Before I get to my conclusion on this wine there is one last aspect of it that I want to bring to your attention and that is the "pucker factor". This wine certainly is a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and as such, the Palate will be presented with fruit Notes that will tweak it towards the sweeter side and also to the grapefruit tang (zst) side and so you will be presented with all types of different fruit charactersitics all of which are enjoyable. The bottom line is that there is no down time for this wine which I like a lot.

   Alright, let me go ahead and wrap up this review. This is a wine whose whole life seems to be dedicated to reinforcing Summertime fun because it just livens the entire Palate up for that very experience. Before I end this review I feel the need to again address that bit of sweetness that I mentioned earlier. Please don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the wine, a lot, but that tad bit of extra sweetness really presented shall I say, a slight issue for me, perhaps it won't for you though. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine when enjoyed cold, 93 points which is one point lower than the 2017 varietal and yes, that one point makes a difference. If you prefer to enjoy the wine just a hair bit warmer, that rating drops to 91 points. The next time I enjoy this wine (and there will be a next time) I will certainly break out the ice bucket for it. One last thing before I go, aside from the two issues I listed, there is an unknown something that is just missing here that also prohibits elevating the wine to that 94 point (cold) rating,what it is I can't quite put my finger on though and so I'll just leave it at that. The bottom line is that I did enjoy the wine and I would not shy away from buying it again. One last thing before I go is that I learned in my research of this wine that the Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc label is actually SUPER popular with those people who love the Marlborough expression of the varietal. I actually feel rather behind the curve for not having discovered the producer sooner but I guess better late than never.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy 

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV   





































 

2017 Chateau Ste Michelle, Chardonnay

   Today certainly is a humid one here in Central Florida and after working a bit in the garden, completing my daily workout routine & finally crawling to the pool :) I think I deserve a bottle of Chardonnay. As fate would have it, the other day Mrs. Desert Wine Girl was kind enough to actually surprise me with a bottle of Chardonnay, and luckily for me, it's been chilling in the fridge for the past few days. Hold on a minute please while I get it, I'll be right back.

   Okay, I am back now and as you already know, today's wine review is of a Chardonnay, the 2017 Chateau Ste Michelle, Chardonnay (https://www.ste-michelle.com/) to be exact. The wine sells locally for around $11 and is cork sealed. The alcohol percentage of the wine is 14% and even though the winery does own two different vineyards, as with the other wines in this series of offerings, Chateau Ste Michelle says that the grapes for this wine come from "world-class vineyards in the Columbia Valley". In plain English, that means they source their grapes from different vineyards in the Columbia Valley of Washington State which they might own or have control of (Estate grown) or might not own or have control of. This can be either a good thing or a bad thing as it can at times be in certain instances a sign of a label or offering where not too much effort was put into the wine. The vines for this wine are 100% Vitis Vinifera Rootstock as the dreaded phylloxera bug has thankfully not been found in the vineyards probably due to the area's weather in the winter months. The wine is 100% Chardonnay, sat Sur lie, and aged for more than six months in a mix of both French and American oak barrels (10% new) as well. In order to further affect the tasting profile of the wine, 42% of the grapes were tank (think Steel) fermented.                                                                        

    Moving on now to the label of this wine, I like it. I think the design is perfect and goes so very well with the color of the bottle as well as with my knowledge of the varietal of wine that is in the bottle. I love the picture of the Chateau on the label and think it is in proper proportion to everything else on the label. I also think the gold label around the neck of the bottle adds a nice touch.
   Taking a long look at the wine now there is an incredibly nice looking large gold lip too it. The rest of the wine is a very super light pale straw in color but also possesses a sort of clarity as well to it. As for the Legs of the wine, there were select areas where there were numerous skinny Legs but other large areas where there was more of a coating on the glass that appeared to be prohibiting them. These areas have a clear almost oily type coating to them.
   Now, onto the Nose of the wine we go. Right off the bat here, there is a modest Buttery sense or perception to the wine that I am getting. This perception is intermixed with a nectarine Note as well as a good bit of peach on the back end. Topping off this Bouquet is some rather nice cream & spice Notes.
   As for the Palate now, I must start off with the fact that there is a very noticeable flatness to the wine when really chilled which begins just after the Mid-Palate and continues through to the Finish. It's really unfortunate how that flatness is so successful in injecting itself in the wine, it seems as if it is fighting the wine in some ways and is another Note which is purposefully hindering the wine from excelling. As the wine warms a bit that flatness thankfully seems to lessen to a great degree and is thankfully much less of a drawback. Also right away as well I need to warn Chardonnay lovers that a good bit too much of the feared Malolactic Fermentation is present in this wine, at least for my liking.
This Malolactic Fermentation which is in reality not really a Fermentation at all as it doesn't use yeast, is usually tasted in this varietal as a sometimes oily/buttery type Note and in this wine, it is a good bit overdone for my liking. Many times expressions of this varietal are known for this oily/butteriness when allowed to sit for a long time in oak, some like it and others such as myself, do not, especially when presented to the extent it is here. As I continue on now, I am getting a slightly sugary Golden Apple and a nice bit of Stone Fruit as well. A big-time spice Note is present on the Palate and is one of the few positive aspects of the wine. The wine also exhibits a type of creaminess on the Palate that is instrumental in its presentation and is rather nice and enjoyable as well. The wine, unfortunately, however, fails in its presentation overall as it does not possess any level of crispness or acidity nor does it poses any amount of lemon or grapefruit to it, I think the varietal should exhibit these Notes as a given. As I continue here I have to tell you that the wine displays an overdone level of sweetness/tropicalness that is certainly a fault and out of place to be a good representation of the varietal.

   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 85 points as I am not impressed. I have seen other so-called "professional" reviewers issuing scores for this wine at 89 or 90 and I am not exactly sure why. The wine is "off" and unbalanced. The wine is missing quite a bit of the very basic Notes for which a Chardonnay should be displaying. I guess the bottom line is what do you yourself expect from the Chardonnay varietal? As you can probably tell, I myself expect an awful lot more then this wine is able to offer up. When I review a wine in general, I rate it based upon the established criteria of that particular varietal. In the case of this wine, I expect the wine to come as close as it can to the full range of what a Chardonnay is supposed to exhibit. I ask you guys, how much fairer can a wine reviewer be? I think that I have said more than enough when it comes to this wine. The bottom line is that I do not recommend this wine if you are in the market for even a halfway decent Chardonnay.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy     

2017 Buck Shack - Cabernet Sauvignon

   Guys welcome back to my wine blog. Today we are going to be talking about a fairly inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon that I bought at my local Supermarket. It seems as of late that I am finding all my wines at the local Supermarket actually. I guess I like the convenience of doing my shopping and picking up some wine at the same time. I will tell you that the pickings, however, are getting rather slim as there are some wines they carry that I simply have no interest in such as Barefoot & Sutter Home to name just two. Well anyway, there I was having a rather hard time finding a wine that I might want when my eyes suddenly locked onto this particular one due to its striking label. Although I wasn't really looking for red wine, I simply couldn't resist it. So, here I am a few days later now sitting out back by the pool and for some reason, I am dying to taste the wine so let's get right into this review.
   So as I was saying in the opening paragraph, my eyes locked onto this wine as the label is that enticing. If there ever was a wine whose label needed to be talked about this is definitely this one. At first, I thought this wine was one of those new-fangled "fad" type reds that are being made in old Bourbon Barrels but after reading the label a little closer I realized thankfully that was not the case although the winery does make a Cab that does sit in Bourbon Barrels for a time.

   Let's begin by finding out a little about this wine. I'll start off by telling you that the alcohol percentage for this wine is slightly higher than normal for the varietal and comes in at 14.9%. The wine is part of the Shannon Ridge (https://shannonridge.com/our-wines/) line up of wines and the Winemaker for the wine is Joy Merrilees. The grapes for this wine come from the Red Hills in the AVA of Lake County, Ca and there were only 11,000 cases of this wine made. The wine is a small blend being 80% Cabernet Sauvignon & 20% Petite Sirah and sat in both American as well as French Oak for 12 months. The bottle is also thankfully Cork sealed, no screw cap here. Let's move now to discussing the label on this wine bottle.
   Folks, in my opinion, the label absolutely SCREAMED "classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, I do think the name on the label is rather odd and taken by itself, I wouldn't care for it but combine it all together into this package and WOW! Guys just look at the Fonts and the size of those Fonts which are used for the name "Buck Shack", is that not crazy great? I love the drawing of the Buck to go with the name as well. As I continue to look at the label (and as I have already said) I see that this is another wine from the AVA of  Lake County, California and I have to say that I have been rather impressed with that area as of late at least as far as red wine goes. The way everything is placed on the label has been so well thought out folks. Admittedly, this is a busy label and there is a lot going on here but it all tells you something cool about the wine. As for the back label, It is very well designed as well although a lot less busy and there is actually an explanation of where the "Buck Shack" name came from, it is an old Bourbon Shack located on the property.

Joy Merrilee, Winemaker, Shannon Ridge

    Let's talk about what this wine looks like for a minute. On the Pour, the wine displays a fierceness of sorts as it displays itself a nice dark Burgundy. As I look further at the wine as it is sitting in my glass now, I can just barely see through it to the white paper underneath it. There is the tiniest bit of a clear edge to the wine but just the tiniest bit. As far as "Legs" go there were a lot and they were fairly thick and dripped rather quickly.
   Now I get even closer to tasting the wine. Here is where I talk about the Bouquet of this wine. First up and extremely nice is a good bit of a rustic Cigar Box Note. This was actually rather a surprise to me as I just didn't expect that Note to come from this fairly inexpensive a wine. Following this Note up are the Notes of both Raspberry & Cranberry and they are attempting to convince me that this wine could possibly have some complexity to it but they also bring some hints that this could possibly be a wine with rather nice depth to it. As a final Note here on the Bouquet I must include a nice bit of Cocoa which is rather apparent and most definitely enjoyed yet certainly is not overdone. I have one final thought here and that is, on one hand, nothing on the Nose of this wine rushes out in what I would call "attack" mode yet, on the other hand, these Notes are very effectively presented and I am certainly enjoying them.

   Now, folks, I get to tell about what the wine tastes like because you can have the most beautiful label and the nicest smelling wine but if the wine itself is badly made what good is it all? So, let me take a few sips of this wine and I'll get back with you....... Okay, I'm back and......WOW!! This is a $15 wine guys, who would have thought? I am truly at a loss for words here and I don't know where to start. I'll just cut to the chase here and let you know that I want....no....need to tell you my rating of this wine right upfront. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine a straight to the top 96 points. How about that for cutting to the chase? I'm not going to play any games here guys, the wine very simply, rocks. At this point, I have had the opportunity to have taken quite a few sips of this wine and have had time to sit back and think about what I was tasting as well, and what I have tasted is a true powerhouse of a wine. Now even though I have given so much away so early, I guess I will back this review up a bit and start from the beginning of the tasting. Leading off here are two simply phenomenal notes of both Cassis & rustic Cigar Box. These Notes coat the Tongue wonderfully but not so heavily as to hinder you from tasting everything else the wine is ready to throw out at you. For all of you "Old School" Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, this is your wine. That rustic Cigar Box Note that I got on the Nose translates smoothly right over onto the Palate and nicely intermixes with that Cassis to thrust both Notes out front as the lead Palate Notes of the wine. Following very quickly on the heels of these Notes is a robust and effective Black Pepper spice, I guess it would be fair to go ahead and add the Note in with the other two as Notes which lead off this wine and form the dominant Notes which steer the Palate presentation of this wine. These Notes envelop your Palate with that classic Cabernet Sauvignon power that made the varietal famous in the first place and shows why it earned the title "The King of Reds".

Big Valley AVA Lake County

Just as your mouth is taking these three Notes in and enjoying them there is another Note which comes into play and that Note is one of fresh Blackberry and it is almost as prominent but still just as amazing as the first three Notes are. Amazingly there is no clash of flavors here so don't think that your Palate is pulled or tugged in different ways as it is not. When combined, all of these Notes are just very simply classicly amazing as well as ripe, juicy & delicious. So, $15 huh? I'm sorry guys but I can't get over it. Please allow me to continue. A wonderfully smooth bit of Cocoa is present and also brings with it just a tad bit of richness however it is so very properly placed. Have you ever tasted a wine and picked up a Note in it that would be so much better if placed at another point in that wine? If you have then rest assured, that is not the case here. Getting back for a second to the word "richness" that I used, I don't want to scare anyone who loves a real Cabernet Sauvignon (me) as this Note of richness is not able to overpower any of the other Notes nor does it gain any traction in doing what it normally does to a red wine which is to drag that wine into a fruit-forward, sweetness type Hell. I say all this because I don't want you guys to shy away from this wine thinking that it is a fruit bomb because that is definitely not the case. Yes, the wine does present the ever so slightest bit of fruit forwardness but I do mean the ever so slightest bit and it acts as more of an opportunity to add a certain level of juiciness then anything else. As I said, the wine is not sweet nor is it a Generation Z (21-23-Year-olds) type of red wine. It is not for the new to drinking generation who is just so happy to be getting drunk that they will drink a Boones Farms type wine or something along that line and love it, no, this is a class act. As I continue to experience this wine I am without a doubt enjoying a tremendous succulence and juiciness that makes that previously mentioned black peppery spice even better, the wine has this opulence to it and I'm in Heaven. Guys, I'm not done by any means describing this wine. As I continue on here I can't forget to mention some rather fairly big-time Baking Spice that jumps right out at you and it is wonderfully delicious beyond belief. Okay folks, I have to tell you a bit of an insider secret. While reviewing this wine I had to stop but NOT because the wine was bad, perhaps it was due to the alcohol content and the fact that I hadn't eaten recently, I don't know but I did not find it a drawback in any way. The wine was left with a stopper in the Mouth of the bottle to prohibit any air from ruining it and today I am back to complete this review so let's pick up where I left off yesterday. Getting back to the Baking Spice, I just love how that Note intermingles with the Blackberry I mentioned above, it is to the point of being outstanding without a doubt. I wish you folks could just taste this wine right now. Alright, guys, one last thing I want to discuss and that is Tannins. Did you say, Tannins there DWG? Yes, that is what I said. These are not the Tannins of a wine that was just created and can sit for another 20 years but they certainly are the Tannins of a wine that can be cellared and was superbly made with a future in mind as well as a wine which is deadly serious about itself. These Tannins also bring a dark astringency of sorts to the wine but not to the point where you will be scraping them off of your Tongue. This astringency blends just superbly with everything else this wine has to present to you especially that Black Pepper. Guys, I could probably go on here but I think you have got the point. With that being said, let's get to the conclusion of this review as I realize it is a rather long one.

Shannon Ridge Winery

   This is a powerful and complex wine indeed and presents a great sense of attitude in what it brings to the Palate. I have to say though that I am rather disappointed but not surprised that this wine is not reviewed more then it is. I have only found one wine magazine/reviewer talking about and reviewing this wine, perhaps there was no money paid (oops, did I say that). When I drink this wine I get the feeling of enjoying a Cab from the likes of the Peju, BV, or even the Stags Leap Wineries, Yes, the wine is that serious. I bet you if you put a paper bag around the bottle and presented it at your next wine tasting party against any one of those Napa Valley Cabs I mentioned asking your guests what they thought of it and how much they think the wine cost, they would be in amazement of the wine and give price guesses of at least $75, guaranteed. This wine, especially at the price of $15 makes me think that it was made by a new Winemaker who truly knows their stuff and hasn't been picked up by a Napa Valley Winery just yet. I suggest that Shannon Ridge hold on to Mrs. Merrilee because she is going to bring great things to the winery in the future, in fact, she already has as evidenced in the creation of this wine. The wine very simply rocks, it is outstanding, it is the real deal, it is what a Cabernet Sauvignon should be. Don't let the price fool you because this is a "sleeper" and will eventually come to people's attention as will the Winemaker. I have already given my rating on this wine so I will end this review with the fact that I am going out tomorrow to buy at least two more bottles.

                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

P.S - Just prior to the posting of this article I was able to pick up only one bottle of this lovely wine as that was all that was left (even the winery is sold out) and it is currently happily aging in my Wine Cellar.

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy    


 

2019 Los Vascos - Sauvignon Blanc

2019 Los Vascos - Sauvignon Blanc

   As I sit down to write this review, America as a country is pretty much Locked-down. As always, I will stay out of politics here on this channel but I will ask that everyone please keep in mind the following....." power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."  Now, onto wine.
   Before I start off into this wine I must thank Dana Bruneau of Cuvee & Co. (http://cuveeco.com/) for sending me this wine. Cuvee & Co. is a digital and social marketing firm specializing in enological and viticultural pursuits of all kinds. Mrs. Bruneau has sent me wines from Barron De Rothschild Lafite (such as this wine is) in the past and for the most part other than for one wine, I have to say that they have all been simply wonderful. When Mrs. Bruneau presented me with the invitation to once again taste some wines from the same Producer I was very excited and couldn't resist, especially to taste a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay under Barron De Rothschild ownership. Let's go ahead now and get into this wine now.

   Today's wine review is on the 2019 Los Vascos - Sauvignon Blanc from Casablanca Chile (http://www.lafite.com/en/the-domaines/vina-los-vascos/the-wines/los-vascos-sauvignon-blanc/). Let's start off here with the following facts concerning this wine. The wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The bottle is Cork sealed and the wine comes in at 13% Alcohol. The vineyard (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gqii4adhxguffxo/AADy2o8XUrln0vIgIC9nmfppa/Los%20Vascos/Press%20Kit?dl=0&preview=Los+Vascos+Sustainability.pdf&subfolder_nav_tracking=1) the grapes come from is very much into sustainability, like to the max. Looking at their website, it really appears as if they take that idea to heart and completely embrace it. The production of this wine is limited to only 25,000 cases and the wine retails for $10.
   Let's go ahead and check out the label on this wine now. Guys, I am really liking what I am seeing right now. I absolutely love classic labeling. I am also getting the impression at least of a super classy and prestigious white wine being held within the bottle but I guess what else would one expect from a wine produced by Barron De Rothschild Lafite, right? I like the back label as well here as it is really informative and provides quite a bit of useful information, thankfully overshadowing the Surgeon Generals warning.

Sauvignon Blanc Grapes Hanging

    So now I want to get to the Bouquet for a bit. Upon bringing the glass to my nose now I get a light yet sufficient Note of Gooseberry. This Note is not as in your face as it can be at times from the New Zealand expression of the varietal but nevertheless is still present in a nice way. I am getting faint yet effective Notes of both semi-ripe Nectaurine & Peach as well here. These Notes are not at what I would consider to be dominating on the Nose but they are appreciated and nice. I am also enjoying a Lemon Note which is at the same presentation level as the other three Notes. Before I move on now I have to tell you that the Bouquet leaves the perception firmly rooted in my mind of a wine possessing the varietally, non-traditional, extreme crispness & boldness Notes of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal. If this wine shows itself off on the Palate as it does on the Nose, I am in for a unique experience.
   Now I am excited to actually look at the wine and tell you what I am seeing. Stunningly, as I look at the wine while it is held over a white background I see a sharply presented silver in color liquid sitting in my glass. The wine exhibits a brilliance or clarity to it that is almost unmatched. Now as I remove the background and look straight at the wine as it sits on the table in my glass I get a wine that switches to a nice light gold in color but still maintains that brilliance/clarity to it. I can't help but think of the words "classy", "clean", "brilliance" & "delightful" as I look at the wine. As I move to the wines Palate presentation now I will see if any of these descriptions continue to hold true.

Cellars at Chateau Lafite Rothschild

   On the Palate now I have to first tell you that my feelings on what the Nose was showing as far as "classy" & "clean" absolutely do translate over onto the Palate. Folks, my Mouth is almost bursting with acidic citrus flavor. The wine is weird in the fact that the first Note I get though is a bit of semi sweetness from that Peach and Nectarine combination but very quickly (almost immediately actually) this seems to reverse itself and is overtaken by the citrus Notes of both lemon along with a hair bit of lime. Wow, this wine is truly throwing out what I would definitely say is quite a lively, fresh & clean Palate guys. A small bit of Honeydew sweetness is present here as well and I think now that this, as well as the Peach & Nectarine, is where that initial bit of sweetness comes from that I previously mentioned. As I sit out back and sip on this wine I can't help but to appreciate the boldness and overall Palate cleanness of this wine. Following these Notes up is one of ripe pear which interjects itself rather nicely at Mid-Palate as it helps the other tropical notes sort of steer the wine away being too acidic or bright due to the Lemon & Lime acidity. I have to address the word of "sweetness" for a moment. These normally sweeter fruits do create a permanent presence in the wine but because they themselves are restrained, they can't even come close to altering the direction of this wine to that of a wine whose grapes were grown in hot weather. Continuing now, Lychee also creates a nice presence here and while on one hand, it is not exactly what I would consider to be subtle, on the other hand, it is not what I would consider to be overwhelming either, it is good though. This Lychee makes no attempt at taking the lead and seems to be very content on being in second or perhaps even third place knowing that it can be just as effective. The wine displays a substantial bit of minerality as well on the Palate and is not in the least bit shy in exposing it. Mixed into the wine is also a bit of an Orange Zest type Note that is present towards the Finish of the wine but is rather low key and well placed nonetheless. As a last Palate Note here I must add that the wine throws in a hint of a slight peppery Note that is dispersed throughout the presentation of the wine and I love it as I feel that it truly completes the package. This is a rather complex Sauvignon Blanc folks and is not the typical offering from the likes of California nor for that matter Marlborough, New Zealand that we all (including myself ) seem to love.  One last thing now, I have to let you know as it is something else of importance, a heads up of sorts I guess you could say. The wine possesses a bit too much of a sharpness at the Mid-Palate as it warms a bit so be vigilant on the ice bucket. I am glad that up until the end I was able to maintain the temperature of the wine. Well, guys, it is indeed time to conclude this review.

Eric Kohler, Technical Director of the Bordeaux Châteaux,

   As we are now at my final thoughts I will straight out tell you, warn you that if your Palate preference is locked into the New Zealand or California expressions of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal then this might not be a wine for you. This wine carries with it a very unique expression of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal and while it does hold to some similar common characteristics of the wine from those mentioned areas, it is unique in its dryness and its Lemony Acidity & minerality. All of those other interpretations are wonderful in my opinion, don't get me wrong and fortunately, I am open to all of them as I believe the varietal itself is amazing. As a reminder, when you buy this wine I highly, (I said highly) recommend that you keep it chilled as the sharpness that the wine normally exhibits really increases as the wine warms up and it is not desirable in my book. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 93 points which means that the wine is "Outstanding: A wine of superior character and style." Thank you once again, Dana, for sending me this super nice wine, I really enjoyed it.
   For those who are interested, here (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gqii4adhxguffxo/AAApzmO-nzien7J3xHaG5INBa/Los%20Vascos/Tech%20Sheets?dl=0&preview=Los+Vascos+Sauvignon+Blanc+2018+Tech+Sheet.pdf&subfolder_nav_tracking=1) is the Tech Sheet on the wine.


                                                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf

https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos

https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy