For those of you who have wondered, “Does he really smell and taste all of that stuff in the wine?” Well, now is your chance to find out.
Saturday, Nov. 14, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the River Falls Market in Potomac, Maryland, I will be sampling the following wines.
Please come and taste the wines with me and see if I am right. You can write your own critique of the wines — and I may even share some participant’s “reviews” with listeners in a future Wine of the Week segment.
(AP Photo)
AP Photo
All year long, I have been extolling the virtues of wines coming out of Spain and Portugal. The 2011 Paco & Lola Albariño from the Salnés Valley in the northwestern part of Spain is one of the many reasons why.
Clean and bright, it offers up aromas of white orchard fruit and lemon pie on the nose. The palate is clean and textured with delineated flavors of pineapple, mango and kiwi on the front of the tongue and refreshing citrus flavors on the long and mineral-laden finish. $17
(Photo courtesy Paco & Lola Albariño)
Photo courtesy Paco & Lola Albariño
If you’re looking for a wine with a bit of pedigree, then you’ll love the wines of Louis Martini. Martini immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1899 and opened his eponymous winery in 1933. He firmly believed that the best wine could only be made from the best grapes.
The 2013 Louis M. Martini Sonoma County cabernet sauvignon is produced using grapes from several of the county’s most prestigious vineyards, whose unique characteristics were combined to create a rich, superbly balanced cabernet sauvignon. The wine offers ripe flavors of blackcurrant and jammy black plum accented by notes of rich vanilla, toasty oak and baking spice. The round, plush mouth feel offers firm structure framed by a fruit-focused finish. $18
(Photo courtesy Louis M. Martini Sonoma County)
Photo courtesy Louis M. Martini Sonoma County
Wine producer Michael Pozzan sources some of the best wines from select vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma Valleys. His collection of wines is named in honor of his beloved grandmother, Annabella, and represent not only quality, but value as well.
The 2011 Annabella cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley, California, expresses deep Bordeaux-like nose of plum, cassis and pencil lead aromas. The palate is full of dark fruit, such as blackberry, black current and black cherry. Dusty tannins and toasted oak support the fruit-rich wine on a medium frame all the way through the spice-laden finish. $19
(Photo courtesy Annabella cabernet sauvignon)
Photo courtesy Annabella cabernet sauvignon
More than 20 years ago, the Duckhorn Wine Company decided to launch a new project that would offer quality wines at a reasonable price. Since then, Decoy has established a reputation for value.
The 2013 Decoy Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California is a beneficiary of the talent, experience and expertise of all four Duckhorn Wine Company winemakers, each of whom has a unique area of specialization. This pretty pinot offers lovely aromas of fresh-picked strawberry and blueberry with subtle hints of lavender on the nose. In the mouth, perfectly balanced acidity and well-integrated French oak underscore the bright fruit flavors of strawberry, cherry and smoky forest floor to create an elegantly structured wine. $24
(Photo courtesy Decoy)
