Geeks and geeky wines with GeekWire

Mónica Guzmán writes a weekly column for GeekWire, and this week she wanted to focus on geeky wines. Jameson Fink of the Wine Without Worry podcast lined up what he considers some fun "geeky" wines to taste, and they were kind enough to ask me to join them. And here is Mónica's article.

• 2012 Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini

  Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini

  A slightly chemical note to the nose blows off to reveal an almost Marsanne/Roussanne sort of nose. Quite ripe at 14.5% and very mouthfilling on the palate. Savory and also quite juicy with lots of citrus flavors. It finished with mouthwatering acidity and simply begs for sun and Mediterranean food. (OK, in the middle of a rainy Seattle winter we can just dream of Santorini...)

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• 2012 Arianna Occhipinti Sicilia SP68 Bianco

  Italy, Sicily, Sicilia

  A huge, floral nose that screams of Moscato. Peaches and mandarin oranges just blast out of the glass. There is just a bit of reductive road tar or pine resin hiding beneath the more blowsy personality that hints at something else to come. And then WHAM, the palate has a completely different personality. Assertively dry and very challenging at first. Deep, toasty, intellectual. Almost reminiscent of an orange wine in terms of the structure (skin contact?). This one really needs to be followed for hours.

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• 2011 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Zweigelt

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal

  My only prior experience with Zweigelt wasn't positive, so this was a refreshing treat. Poured from a 1.0L screwcapped bottle. The vintage was in hyper-small type on the back. Tar, soil, stem and leaf on the nose. The palate is all juicy fun though, strawberries and other boisterous red fruit. Clearly low in alcohol and showing fine tannins on the finish. Mmm, this is just good, clean fun!

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• 2011 Domaine Piron & Lafont / Piron-Lameloise Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent

  Dark and brooding with licorice and stem on the nose. This requires more time, coaxing and swirling than I have to give it. The palate opens with leather and licorice but then moves to a wonderfully seamless, dense and deep core of brooding fruit. The finish is just loaded with structure, quite drying tannins at this stage. Still, the purity of the core fruit is very promising. I am just starting to dig into Cru Beaujolais, and this one definitely deserves another look.

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Great fun and great wines, thanks Mónica and Jamison!