Wines on Pride Day

Washington, DC
Tasted Saturday, June 8, 2013 by isaacjamesbaker with 544 views

Introduction

Hey, it's Pride Day in DC, so why not drink a rainbow of wines with good friends?

Flight 1 (12 Notes)

  • 2012 Château de la Bonneliere Sauvignon Touraine 87 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine

    Always a reliable sauvignon blanc, the 2012 has a crisp, mineral-driven approach. Nose of green apple, pineapple and notes of grass and limestone. Juicy citrus fruit on the palate, but lots of minerals and acid, making this a tangy and seafood-friendly wine. I like the limestone and lemon peel notes on the finish.

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  • 2012 Domaine des Cassagnoles Gros Manseng Côtes de Gascogne Reserve Selection 86 Points

    France, Southwest France, Gascony, Côtes de Gascogne

    An interesting example of Gros Manseng, with aromas of melon peel and tangerine mixed with herbal notes of white pepper and sage. Zippy acid on the palate, but there's also some fresh tangerine and melon fruit. The green onion and sage notes combine with a mineral note. Medium finish. This isn't great, but it's good, and a solid buy for the price.

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  • 2011 Château de La Greffiere Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse Vieilles Vignes 87 Points

    France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse

    Nose is full of yellow apple, pineapple, sweet tarts and minerals. Juicy yellow apple on the palate, backed up with some nice buttered toast notes (not too much). The acid keeps it relatively crisp. Finish shows notes of green apple and a hint of mint. The barrel fermentation adds some depth, but doesn't overdo it. I still like the 2010 vintage more, but this 2011 is a good effort at a reasonable price.

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  • 2012 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Chateau de Castillon Rosé 88 Points

    France, Provence, Bandol

    Light salmon-copper color. This rose smells of white cherry, tangerine rind, oyster shell and limestone. So crisp and fresh on the palate, with juicy watermelon and tangy white cherry flavors. The minerals linger long onto the finish. Delicious stuff, I'd be happy to serve this at my table any day.

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  • 2012 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé 90 Points

    France, Provence, Bandol

    A step ahead of the Cuvee Castillon for my palate, this is Bandol rose done very well, and a steal at $20. A slightly darker salmon color than the Cuvee Castillon, this wine shows aromas of lemon peel, apple slices, minerals and a a garden of fresh herbs. I'm loving the aromas, and it even seems like a year in the cellar could do these aromas some good. The palate's full of cherry, strawberry and tangerine fruit, but there's a lot of pepper and herb kick to this wine. The acid is high, but well integrated. Such a nice, mineral- and pepper-laden finish. Serve chilled, but let it warm up, as it's a very expressive rose.

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  • 2012 Château La Coste Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence La Grande Pièce 86 Points

    France, Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence

    Lots of white cherry, strawberry shortcake and minerals on the nose. A littler more weight than I remember tasting before, but still shows nice crispness and minerals, along with wild strawberry fruit. A solid, easy-drinking rose. Very reasonable at $14.

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  • 2011 Château La Coste Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Bellugue 88 Points

    France, Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence

    Love the grapefruit, cherry and strawberry aromas, along with the hefty dose of Provencal herbs and spices on the nose. Juicy, holding significant weight, but the acid is crisp and lean. Lots of green apple, citrus and white cherry flavors, but I love the peppery, herbal kick to this wine, which lingers onto the finish. Even better than when I tasted this eight months ago. This could hold its own with a lot of different foods.

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  • 2010 Serafin Père et Fils Bourgogne Blanc 86 Points

    France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc

    A solid 2010 Bourgogne, but perhaps in a bit of a strange place right now. Aromas of hazelnut, lime, kiwi and mineral. The palate is plush and creamy, with focused acid, and flavors of key lime and green apple. Medium finish with acid and minerals. It's good stuff, but it seems lacking depth at the moment. I'd like to taste this again in a year.

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  • 2010 Mas Martinet Priorat Menut 87 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    Aromas of tobacco, toasted oak top the black cherry and blackberry fruit. Dense fig and blackberry fruit on the palate, along with iron and mineral notes. Medium acid. The creamy, toasty oak is well-integrated. While not the most complex wine, this blend of cabernet, grenache and merlot seems like it would be a crowd-pleaser.

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  • 2010 Juan Manuel Burgos Avan Ribera del Duero Nacimiento 86 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    This Ribera is a stylistic anomaly for Peter Weygandt, but it's still a good wine. Very modern and oaky, with aromas of fig and smoke and toast. The palate has some crunchy berry fruit that is attractive, and the medium acid helps to balance out. But this is definitely a bombastic wine, with toast and fig and smoke and sweet pipe tobacco. My buddy Harold said, "This is too much." Perhaps it could use a few years to settle down.

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  • 2011 Monte La Sarda Garnacha Viñas Viejas 86 Points

    Spain, Aragón, Vino de la Tierra Bajo Aragon

    This is a perfect $10 wine. Bright aromatics of cranberry, wild raspberry and tobacco. The palate is full of snappy red fruit and medium acid. Some dusty, earthy, tobacco characteristics add some complexity. I'm not a huge Spain wine collector, but I love me a Spanish garnacha that's so easy-drinking, cheap, yet memorable. I'd recommend serving this slightly chilled, almost like a Beaujolais.

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  • NV Blandy's Madeira Bual 5 Years Old Medium Rich 88 Points

    Portugal, Madeira

    A gold-orange-hazelnut color in the glass. Bursts from the glass with figs, caramel, dried honey, quince. Full and honeyed on the palate, with gobs of apricot, figs and dried mango. Secondary flavors of hazelnut, clover honey and cinnamon keep this interesting, and there's enough acid to balance the sweetness and richness. Simply delicious. With mixed nuts, bleu cheese and dried fruits, this Madeira could make anyone’s evening.

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