The Desert Wine Guy - 2017 Matua - Pinot Noir Rose.

   Today I moved wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of soil as I prepared my new pond in the Backyard. Between that and the digging in the Florida Humidity, I am ready for a nice glass (or two) of the 2017 Matua - Pinot Noir Rose. Yes readers, you did read that correctly, I, The Desert Wine Guy, am reviewing a Rose. Ahhhh.....Desert Wine Guy, what's up with you buddy, judging by your review history, you never touch a Rose? I am sure that is what you are thinking right now and honestly, so am I because it's true. I have to assure you that the purchase of this wine was indeed, accidental. Ya see, the other day, I went to the store to buy the Matua, Sauvignon Blanc and thought that I was actually picking that wine from the shelf, but I made a mistake and picked up this one instead. I had actually done a review (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-desert-wine-guy-2019-matua.html) of the Matua, Sauvignon Blanc in the past, loved it and was going to give it a re-look but I guess that is not to be, at least not right now. When I finally was able to sit down today to do my review is when I first noticed that I actually did not buy the wine that I thought I had purchased.

Pinot Noir Grapes On The Vine

Well, it's too late now to run back to the store so a review of a Rose it is. I have to admit, I have my reservations on this wine because as I have already eluded to, I am not really a Rose drinker. If I want a wine with a bit of sweetness and tropical fruit I always go to a good New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc (thank you Matua), a Riesling or even perhaps, if I am really desperate, a good old fashioned, Wine Cooler (oh no). While I thoroughly enjoyed the Matua Sauv Blanc, I hope in the end I can say the same for this wine. With all this in mind, here goes my review.
   The price for this wine was $14 but there was a deal of buy one, get one free so in actuality, I spent $7.00 for it. The bottle is screw cap sealed unfortunately as was the Sauvignon Blanc varietal I believe. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol and according to the Tech Sheet (https://www.matua.co.nz/-/media/Files/Matua/Tasting-Notes/Regional-Range/Matua-Marlborough-Rose-2017-Tasting-Note.ashx?la=en-US&hash=70D63EF22DA5FDD3DDA357CE812D4FA0211650DB) this wine is all Pinot Noir and the grapes for the wine all come from the Marlborough region of New Zealand.
   Let's check out the label on this wine. I have to admit that I liked the label better when its bottle held some wonderful Sauv Blanc :) The label itself though is nice and I think the blue goes nicely along with the white words. The Fonts chosen are very nice and when combined together just scream, Summertime. One really cool thing about the label is that it has a Snowflake symbol on it and when it turns blue, the wine is chilled to the perfect temperature, and yes, it works.

Matua Warehouse

   Now to the Bouquet. I am getting an ultralight Strawberry Note here but nothing really to speak of or that is truly worth talking about. I am picking up the tiniest bit of a Nectar Note which is on the end of the Nose but really nothing that has any bragging rights. Overall I have to say that as far as the wines Bouquet goes, there is really nothing that impresses me.
   Let's look at the wine now as this should be interesting. The main body of the wine has almost an orangish/reddish tint to it and the Lip (edges) of the wine is a darker Orange. These colors seem to overall have a watery type dilution to them as well. Looking at the wine now as it sits in the glass on a table, I see a peachy/orange colored liquid.
   Now, onto the Palate of the wine. The wine is dry folks, like, really dry. There is very little if any sweetness to it. That is what I feel I need to say right upfront. The first Note up is a fairly serious Nectarine Note which is followed by a Note of Peach but these two fruits seem to be missing any tropicalness or really any sweetness to them. To me, it is almost as if these fruits were picked unripe and remained that way. The wine does however have a nice crispness or acidity to it which helps to create a mouth watering Note to it so that is good. Following this up, there is a Cranberry Note and it comes in just before Mid-Palate.

Bill Spence - Co-Founder Matua Winery

This Cranberry Note is nice but does actually add to the dryness that the wine exhibits in abundance. Following all this up is a bit of a Grapefruit Note which lies just before the Finish and is decent and well placed. I am getting a good bit of pepper to this wine as well and that I really am enjoying.  Deep within the wine is a Strawberry Note that transfers over from the Nose of the wine and is presented fairly decently.
   Guys, I'm sorry but I really can't go on writing about this wine as I really do think I have said enough and told you all that there is to know about it. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 83 points which means that the wine is simple, mediocre. While the wine is drinkable it certainly does exhibit some unfavorable characteristics to it. If you love an ultra (and I mean ultra) dry Rose than perhaps you have found your next pool wine or leisure wine but do be aware that guests might be put off as that dryness is a good bit over the top. The wine is missing tropicalness and any sweetness which should be coming from ripe fruit and to me, this is a killer. I can deal with dry but missing the two Notes I just listed really does the wine in for me, I definitely would not buy the wine again. As a last Note here I have one last note of caution in reference to this being a pool wine, I think $14 is a way too high to pay for this wine. Even if you can get the deal I got for $7.00 a bottle I would still say, stay away.

 
                                                                                                                                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

Let's Talk About Wine Folly

 

   As someone who writes about and reviews wine, there are times when I myself need to do some research online as believe it or not, I do not know everything when it comes to wine. There is one particular website that seems to have become my "go to" wine site in order to find a lot of information from including some amazingly wonderful graphics & charts.

Madeline Puckett

Today I want to talk a bit about that website as I do believe that if you want to educate yourself on the topic of wine, they are worth taking the time to learn about. The site I am talking about is named Wine folly (https://winefolly.com/). Anyone who uses the internet to do some learning about wine has come across this site as they are pretty popular and for good reason. Let's go ahead now and dig a little deeper into this website.
   Wine Folly was started in October of 2011 to very simply, educate people on wine. The company was founded by three friends, Madeline Puckett, Justin Hammack & Chad Wasser. In case your are wondering, Madeline is the CEO of the company and the one responsible for all those great graphics & maps that really teach and elevate the site from just an ordinary wine site into a powerhouse of wine learning, she is also a certified sommelier. Chad is the guy behind the scenes as he is the cameraman.  As for Justin, he is the web developer & Director of Marketing (among other things) for Wine Folly. Wine Folly is located in Woodinville, Washington and is estimated at having around 70 employees while making around $41.5 million dollars a year. Recently, Wine Folly has ventured into a new project named Global Wine Database (https://www.gwdb.io/) which is basically a PR company and also a way for wineries to promote themselves better.

   Why am I writing an article on Wine Folly? For the past year or so, I have been meaning to write this articular actually and I finally scratched myself out to do it as it is well deserved and they are certainly due my appreciation for having occasionally "borrowed" some of their graphics for my articles. Time after time, I find myself going to their website to gain information on a geographic location or on a lesser known grape varietal that might be in a wine blend that I am reviewing. Lately I have discovered that Wine Folly even has a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/Winefolly/videos) where Madeline will occasionally taste wines and discuss various wine topics in general. I love her bubbly personality and how she really enjoys what she does and I think you will as well. I think when you watch her videos you will leave with a new appreciation of wine, definitely a lot more wine knowledge then you had prior to visiting her channel and perhaps a little happier as well. Madeline also has a knack for explaining things in a simple and down to Earth way. If she uses a word that she feels someone might not understand, she immediately explains what it means and why it is important.
   While doing some research for this article, I have noticed that it seems as if people love to attack Mrs. Puckett rather than Wine Folly itself, almost like they have something personal against her.

Wine Folly - The Master Guide

These comments range from attacking Madeline herself all the way to the information she puts out. Madeline has been in the wine business for a good amount of time and doesn't seem to play into wine snobbery and I think this deeply offends those who do as they believe that the wine world should remain a mystery where as Madeline (and yours truly) clearly does not. These criticisms make me wonder how many people have bad things to say about me. Keep in mind that wine is pretty subjective folks, A writer for Wine Folly, or any other wine project might like one particular wine but you might not and that is fine and normal. What I suggest is that you find a wine site such as this wine blog and or Wine Folly where their wine tastes are more suited to your liking, this way you will feel comfortable with their future wine recommendations. As I finish this little review off, I highly recommend that you check out the Wine Folly site and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
                                                                                                                                   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 - 2016 Peju - Merlot

2016 Peju - Merlot

   Ya know that feeling you experience when you walk into your favorite wine establishment? If you are like me, you feel like a kid walking into a candy store. That is how I felt earlier today because not only did I find a new favorite wine store here in Central Florida but they carry numerous Napa Valley labels that I have not seen since moving from the West Coast. It seems like every time I walk into a wine shop near me and ask for some Napa wine, I get looked at as if I have three heads or I get told, "let me see if that is available" and of course, it never is. As soon as I walked into this store I saw these Napa labels I had been asking for and I had to find out if they carried any wine from my absolute favorite winery which is Peju (https://www.peju.com/). The answer amazingly, was yes, they did and I was pointed over to the correct section where I saw both the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals. I honestly didn't feel like spending the $45 for the Cabernet Sauvignon (which by the way is a great buy) so instead, I chose the Merlot to perform the tasting on. Today I will be doing that review and sharing it with you guys so, get ready because hopefully this will be a great wine. One last item of interest here is that as well known and awesome as the Peju Winery is, it is very difficult to find their wine outside the winery for some reason. Thankfully, that problem no longer exists for me.

Yours Truly W/ Herta Peju

   Let me continue here by talking a little about the winery and tell you that Peju has unapologetically always produced "Old World" style red wines which are made for wine lovers who are not afraid of Tannin's, Spice, French Oak and Acidity just to name a few different possible tasting Notes. Ever since I first stepped foot into the winery and tasted their wines many years ago, I have been in absolute love with them. The wines are in your face, certainly able to age and ready to knock your socks off now or years from now. Located in the Rutherford AVA of the Napa Valley, Peju was founded in 1983 as a family-owned winery, which it still is today. The winery was founded with just 30 Acres of land but the actual winery itself wasn't built until 1991. Today, the winery has expanded to 204 Acres in four different sub-Ava's of the valley.
   Now, let's talk about the actual wine folks. Today's wine up for review is the 2016 Peju - Merlot. This wine cost me $25 retail but sells for $48 at the winery or $43.20 if you join one of their wine clubs. The wine is cork sealed (of course) and is a small blend of 95% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon & 1% Petit Sirah. All of the grapes for this wine come from the Persephone Vineyard in Rutherford, California and the wines alcohol percentage is at 15%. As a last bit of info here, the Winemaker for this wine is Mrs. Sara Fowler who was named Best Local Winemaker by Napa Valley Life Magazine in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
   As usual, let first us get to the label here on this wine now. I have to be honest as always with you guys and tell you that while I don't have anything really against the label that Peju has chosen for not only this wine but some of their others as well, I think it is just simply, okay. The label shows an image of the winery however it is sort of plain and nothing really to look at, I wish they would come up with a big re-design.

Tasting Menu - Peju Winery

   It is Bouquet time now folks and as I pour the wine and bring the glass to my nose, there most definitely is a nice Note of baking spice leading off here. Happily, I am also getting a nice bit of cocoa that is going just perfectly along with that baking spice. I am also thankfully, not getting any sense of this being a sweet or fruit forward / jammy wine. Following these two Notes up is some nice oak but not so much where I have to sit back in my chair and scream, "Oak Monster" as Gary Vaynerchuk would say. Adding to these Notes is one of Cigar Box and while not overwhelming, this Note is truly effective as well and helps in creating a Bouquet of seriousness and certainly one of anticipation. Overall, the Nose on this wine is acting like a hand that is reaching out and pulling me into the glass, without any resistance of course. The only think left to do now is actually taste this wine.

   Now, I finally get to taste this wine and I have to tell you that I really am just dying to do just that. Okay, guys, straight out of the gate here, after taking my first sip of this Merlot I want to throw out one word and that one word is "powerful". Talk about having to sit back in your chair to take it all in, that is what I am having to do here, please give me a minute :) Okay, I am back and I think it is great how already, I am finding something awesome about this wine and I am only in the beginning stages of this review. Up first, I want to talk about an incredible acidity that is definitely not shy but certainly not over the top either. In my humble opinion, it is classic Peju and is perfect. I do believe that what maintains this incredible acidity at the perfect presentation level is that wonderful baking spice that was so available on the Nose and thankfully also transfers on over here nicely. Let me continue now with another word and that word is "juicy". The wine certainly wets the Palate as it also exposes a big-time juiciness which is in complete harmony with both the baking spice and incredible acidity. Having said this, you might begin to believe that the wine is all about being in your face and while it definitely is about that, there is also an underlying bit of softness to it in the sense of that cocoa Note that transfers from the Nose and it is very content with being able to express itself with a bit of softness and not fighting for any more attention. This cocoa Note comes in just slightly before Mid-Palate and immediately begins to impart its flavor onto the wine. Adding to all this is a slightly rich Blueberry Note that really stands out but thankfully not for a sweetness factor because that is not a problem in this wine. This Blueberry provides a lushness here and thankfully as I said, forgets to bring along its usual friend which is sweetness. Yes, I am getting just a touch of sweetness but it is just enough to ensure that the wine is able to present a slight break from the other Notes and nothing that tries to lead the wine.

Entrance - Peju Winery

As I move on here, you need to do something for me. I want you for just a second, to just sit back and think about all these Notes in conjunction with one another. Think about what I am tasting and how much in Heaven I am. I hope you are picking up that his is a serious wine I am reviewing here guys. I want to tell you red wine lovers that for a Merlot, a red wine which is not supposed to be exposing this much energy and flavor, the wine is kicking butt. Folks, I'm not done here because Black Currant makes its appearance and let me tell you, it is freaking awesome. The amazing darkness and depth this Black Currant adds to this wine is outstanding and just adds to the wines big structure. The Black currant Note comes into play just after the opening and seems to love its placement in this wine and it uses that placement to the fullest extent. As I said earlier in this review, Peju reds are normally pretty serious wines and from what I have tasted, the winery does not want to be known for making reds for today's newer wine drinkers. If the wine even started to think about heading the way of an overly fruity and jammy wine it wouldn't get very far as there are way to many serious Notes in its arsenal to stop it. These Notes pull the wine back from even the tiny bit of jamminess over reach and it is held in proper check. In other words, this wine is NOT anywhere in danger of becoming a Generation Z, or New World type red wine so please don't worry. The bit of jamminess that is present is used to actually work for the betterment of the wine. As if all this weren't enough, I am getting some fresh Cinnamon here on the Palate and it is perfectly proportioned to help elevate this wine into stardom. The balance of this wine is simply amazing and there is no tearing of the palate in different directions.

American Oak Holding Peju Wine

It seems that every Note this wine throws out latch onto one another and they all agree to be best of friends. So, how about boldness, how does that sound in your Merlot? Well folks, if you want boldness in your Merlot, you are in luck here because there is amazing boldness that flat out jumps from the wine as it is not laid back and is also not what I would call merely "approachable" at least for the new wine drinker or even the wine drinker who considers Barefoot or Sutter Home to be real wine (sorry folks). One last point to make concerning the boldness of the wines Palate presentation is that it is direct and straight to the point. As I describe all this, I also can't forget to tell you that the wine also has the ability to present a lovely smoothness to a certain point. That smoothness comes into play with that lushness at Mid-Palate and it is almost as if they were meant to just present themselves together and have a limited (although effective) impact on the overall wine. These Notes amazingly don't subdue this wine so don't think they do, they simply add a layer of complexity to it.

   Folks, I do believe that I have said enough here. I think you certainly understand my feelings on this Merlot. I need to wrap this up for you and give you my rating on the wine. Now that we have come to the final paragraph, I want to simply say.....amazing! How's that the one descriptive word to sum this wine up. I need to add the words, strength, boldness & balance, these three words also must be said as this wine exhibits all of these characteristics and wraps them up into a huge generous package called the 2016 Peju - Merlot. This is not your typical Merlot folks so don't expect to be. I can very easily tell you with confidence that this expression of the varietal can be offensive to the average Merlot drinker but not to the people this wine was created for. I am very impressed by winemaker, Mrs. Sara Fowler as she really outdid herself. I think at this point that I have said enough about this wine....plus it's all gone and I'm sad. It is certainly time to give you my rating and on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 96 outstanding points.

   For those of you interested in a little bit more concerning this wine, here is the Tech Sheet (https://shop.peju.com/Catalog/PRT_16111_PARTTECHSHEET_20200616_125723.PDF).

                                                                                                                                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 - 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