hello & welcome to our weekly wrap of wine reviews. It happens on Wednesdays because I am a sucker for alliteration. Without further ado…
Christophe Lindenlaub – 2018 En Equilibre Riesling
Lindenlaub is a natural wine producer out of the Alsace region of France. His wines are organic/biodynamically farmed, no added sulfur.
Tasting notes: There’s a nice smoky/petrol character on the nose. Grapefruit up front, nice acidity on the backend.
This bottle will run between $28-$32 on average. TBH that’s a steal for what you’re getting.
Argyle Vineyards – 2015 Vintage Brut
If you want to make your friends think you spent way more money than you actually did, this is the bottle.
There’s an abundance of phenomenal wine coming out of the Willamette Valley, and Argyle takes the cake when it comes to bubbles.
This bottle generally sells in the $25 range and you can find it at most Total Wines or Specs. 🥂
Lopez de Heredia – 2009 Vina Tondonia Reserva
Lopez de Heredia is the poster child for Spanish Wine, specifically Rioja. They were founded in 1877 and have bottles dating back to 1870 in their cellar. The winemaker, Maria Lopez de Heredia, is a rockstar, to put it lightly.
As a winery that has been around for so long, they’re not as concerned about finances so they are able to hold their wines until they are deemed ready. A current release bottle is generally about 9-10 years old.
The wines will have a dried fruit characteristic to them and the secondary notes start to shine. TBH, I’ve never drank a less than spectacular bottle from here.
The best part? You can find this bottle, current release, for around $30 at most wine stores. It’ll be a good change of pace for all you Cab drinkers out there. Cheers.
McPherson Cellars – 2016 La Herencia & 2016 Les Copains
The McPhersons are Texas wine OGs. Doc McPherson started planting vines as early as the 1960s. His son, and current winemaker at McPherson Cellars, Kim McPherson, went off to California to learn the trade. Like any good West Texas boy, Kim came back home looking to establish the High Plains as a legitimate wine growing region. Fast forward to present day, McPherson Cellars is producing compelling wine and the High Plains is an established, reputable AVA.
If you have a friend that is iffy about wine, McPherson is a great jumping off point. Back in 2013 when I didn’t like wine, my wife poured me a glass of McPherson… and I now co-run a wine blog.
Ruinhart – Champagne Rosé
Let’s talk about celebratory bottles.
Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house in the world, exclusively producing champagne since 1729. i.e. they know how to make a quality bottle of sparkling wine.
My favorite is their rosé. I don’t get to say this about wine often, but it’s pure finesse in a bottle. There’s the laser-focus and freshness from the Chardonnay followed by the richness and texture of the Pinot Noir.
Is the bottle expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
You can generally find this bottle in wine stores for around $89. Go grab a bottle for the good times, you won’t regret it.