Doug:
Stirm Wine Company, Kick-On Vineyard Riesling, 2016-
Dry Rieslings are perhaps on of the most overlooked and under-appreciated wines in popular culture and when a wine like this comes along, this fact is bitter-sweet. On the one hand, I'm grateful that I can buy something of this quality for this price but on the other hand, it's almost tragic that a wine of this complexity and beauty gets bypassed by the general wine drinking public. This cuvee shows a deep lime freshness, great acidity and a long finish. Pair it with the ebbing days of Autumn.
Dave: 2015 Maysara 3 Degrees Pinot Noir-
Here we are. The heat has broken, the nights are cool, and we have entered Pinot Noir's natural habitat. With any luck we will have many transitional days to enjoy the noble grape before the icy north winds drive us toward the beefed up Cabs and Zins of the world. I can't think of a better place to start than this pitch perfect and affordable Oregon wine. Maysara were originators when planting in the Van Duzer pass where the diurnal swings create bright, snappy wines with dark fruit and spice. The winery has actively pushed quality for it's 20 year history. They employ biodynamic farming and recently have decided to hold back release dates on some of the bottlings to deliver ready to drink products. The 3 degrees bottling is incredibly complete compared to other wines in this price range offering layered flavors, and the characteristic savory feel of pedigreed Pinot Noir. The aging is done in neutral oak allowing the subtle, natural spiciness of the grape to shine.
Pat: 2015 Ridge Ponzo Zinfandel-
Elegance is a rare quality for zinfandel, in general, loving the heat as it does but this expression of zinfandel from Ridge has achieved this and more. The Ponzo Vineyard is a mere 100 feet of elevation above sea level but being a slightly cooler region, this vineyard produces zinfandel that is a lovely balance of beauty, dimension, and structure. It has an aromatic citrus blossom on the nose, followed by flavors of mineral bing cherry, strawberry, cranberry, and herbal spice.
This rare expression of elegant zinfandel is ready to enjoy tonight, with your lamb and lentil stew!
Ray: 2009 Nusserhof Südtirol Lagrein Reserva-
No winery can earn my respect or admiration more quickly than a winery, or in this case, a weingut, that chooses to hold back their wines until they are in peak maturity. This is a winery for the people. And don’t get me wrong, I understand having to keep the lights on, but nothing is more upsetting than splurging on that special bottle, opening it up, and your first thought being, “I should have waited a couple more years.” A winery like Weingut Nusserhof gets it. They hold their wines until they are in peak maturity for your pleasure. This 2009 Lagrein is fantastic. Coming from a 2.4 Hectare plot farmed completely biodynamically, minimal intervention, and fully expressive. We don't have much of this wine, so I would seek it out soon!
