trademark with mark joseph.. new distributor in town

With the collapse of Garco and Golden Barrel there will be new distributors in the market. Trademark is one that has been around for a short while but will be adding to their portfolio.

Hestia Chenin Blanc 2011 Washington   I was hoping for something here.. Chenin can be a great wine when produced in cooler climates..(vouvray)  this had a slight honeyed character with some minerality but the finish was blunt and dull.. reminding me of old italian whites

Anne Amie Cuvee A Muller Thurgau Willamette Valley 2012... this wine on the other hand is really fun... before Pinot was the rage in Oregon the german settlers had planted riesling and Muller, which is a hybrid of Riesling and.... , this wine has light melon and pineapple with pleasant acidity... a little short on the finish would be my main complaint

Vega Tolosa 11 Pinos Bobal La Mancha 2012 Bobal is a grape type from spain that usually is a blending grape.. dark inky in the glass. a slightly young nose that from the taste should go away with time.. nice grip or texture on the palate.. sweet cherry on the back

Gigi Rosso Barbera d'Alba 2010  dark purple in the glass, italian stink on the nose, cherry bfruit with some tannin on the finish... pleasant enough... but not really a stand out

Chateau Brandau Bordeaux Superiore 2011  mostly merlot with 20% cab,, meaty nose a little earthy on the palate.. medium body but there is a slight metallic hint on the finish which killed it for me

Gallo fine wines, not an oxymoron, really

Brancaia Chianti Classico 2009.. nothing but dusty earthy Italian stink. one would think they were corked except they did not have that flavor.. some weight to it but nothing of what I thought Brancaia would be like

Las Rocas Vielle Vigne Garnacha 2010... lots going on from this old vine monster.. worth twice the price... upfront fruit and structure. and good price for what it delivers... one of the times where gallo money helped improve the product and keep the price down.

marion with terra firma

Domaine du Pere Caboche Rose 2013  my first 13 rose to try. not really impressed with it. hints of strawberry.. a touch blu nt on the finish.. maybe predominately new vines

Smoke Stack Sauv Blanc 2012  smelled sb.. herbal,, melon.. surprisingly sweet..

The Path.. a new wine by the Sebastiani family  as a whole not very pleased with the assortment... too much residual sugar or fruity, not any complexity or thought to good wine, just drinkable wine.. all of them were from the 12 vintages.

Chard, Pinot noir, Cabernet and Merlot

josh mott. ionia

2011 Vinchio Vaglio Serra Rebus ruche  fromm Castagno Monferato.. sweet nose, some dark cherry fruit but quickish finish

Jax 3 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012 fruity nose, hints of rhubarb.. but red cherry on the palate.. nice enoughh

2012 Nemorino Rosso Tuscano blend of syrah, sangiovese and merlot.. not an italian stink on the nose, mouthwatering acidity.. pretty but not usual tuscan.. must be syrah

2010 Roza Ridge Petite Verdot Washington usually a blending grape because of its herbacious nature... this is a riper version nice up front fruit tannin.. some cocoa on the palate. fun wine

2008 Hyatt Winter Harvest Riesling Washington  golden yellow color.. light viscousity.. tastes more like a apple than grape wine.. not complex at all.. just sweet

Jade Lynch/ Bennett Lane Winery Napa/ Pinnacle

2010 Bennett Lane reserve Chardonnay.. forgot to ask why they call it reserve when they do not have a regular chard... purchased fruit.. lots of mid palate activity.. toasty nose, enough acidity but a slight dullish finish

2009 Bennett Lane Maximus described as a red feasting wine, named for Maximas someone from the middle ages.. Cab, merlot, syrah and malbec.. juicy with some texture on the mid palate..

2009 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Napa  good tannin, dark fruit long finish.. everything you want a $60 cab to do

2006 Bennett Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.. dusty nose, lots of upfront fruit tannin.. could probably hold for some time but when most current vintages are 2010.. hard to explain the 2006 is just in the store.. difference between restaurant where age is valued.. and liquor stores where the question is whats wrong with it..

claire and wines pinnacle

Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara 2012... slight green nose, vegetal probably will go away with age.. lots of red berry fruit but  expecting a little more

San Fabiano Chianti Putto 2012 bright cherry on the nose and palate.. not typical italian... but a good sipper

Fin Amour Mauyry Cotes Catalanes Languedoc 2008... toasty oak nose and way to much oak on the palate.. hiding the fruit.. way too much oak

Cult Cabernet Sauvignon NV.. vanilla and sweet cherry on the nose.. not a lot of tannin.. kind of boring after a bit..

Clio 2011 vanilla and lots of grip on the palate.. can use some food... lots of black fruit and tannin... tasty but big

Marian Fuica with Terra Firma

Americana Chardonnay 2012  candy sweet on the palate.. upfront fruity but not very interestng

Seigniur de Lauris Vacqueyras 2009  grenache based.. typical of the region.. dark in color and flavors of dark fruits.. restrained but interesting

Americana Petite Syrah 2011  lots of color not a lot of flavor

Agua de Piedra Malbec 2012 Argentina water of the stone.. a little earthy on the nose but good fruit through to the finish.. a touch dirty