Michael Stickings
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Reviews (246)
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Reviews
Evening Land Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011, Willamette Valley
Oregon, Usa$33.95
This is quite savoury and complex, with strong initial earthiness on the nose joined by cherry, raspberry, raspberry leaf, olive brine, mushroom, and black pepper, and there are nice berry replays on the palate, with spiciness building through the finish, even if there's a confected cherry-berry note that reduces the overall appeal. It's fresh and lively, with well-integrated elements supported by a solid structure... until it goes over a cliff with time in the open, a distinct woodsy note emerging, the fruit disappearing, and bitterness taking over. Ultimately disappointing and overpriced.
3.5 Stars
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Château Canteloup 2010, Ac Médoc
Bordeaux, France$16.95
Powerful and complex nose of petrol, tar, and pine leading to cassis, ripe dark fruit, and spice; less body than one would wish for, but still deep, rich, and rewarding, with bold but unobtrusive oaky tannins; perhaps could have used another few years in the cellar, but solid overall and outstanding value for such a serious, sophisticated wine.
3.5 Stars
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Versado Malbec 2012, Luján De Cuyo, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina$25.95
Still quite young, with marvellously rich and fruity aromas of cassis, blueberry, and blackberry, backed by mint and pine, with underlying subtle smokiness; solid tannic structure that could have used some maturing, but a serious, pleasant, and very tasty wine overall.
3.5 Stars
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Argyros Assyrtiko 2013
Santorini, Greece$21.95
In the end, this Assyrtiko from Santorini is too tart for its own good, with a puckering sourness that overwhelms even as it refreshes, but it's still pretty remarkable otherwise. It takes some time to open up in the glass, lemon first, then yellow plum, then, as it evolves, a raw-almond nuttiness that isn't entirely successful, but the highlights are the distinctive notes produced by volcanic soil and island air, namely, expressive minerality throughout and a faint touch of salt hovering about. Time could tame the excess and deepen the flavours, but even now, so young, it's pretty amazing.
3.5 Stars
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Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2013, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$23.95
This is a well put together and quite vivacious Niagara Riesling. It offers aromas of green apple, pear, pineapple, slate, and wet stone, but it's all about the zippy acidity after that, lemon tartness and lingering minerality. It's mostly on the drier and less juicy side of things, but the flavours hollow out mid-palate, followed by bitterness, and there isn't nearly enough non-citrus fruit to carry it. It's good to go now, particularly with food, but it could use a bit of aging to calm the acidity down and bring greater flavour depth and balance overall.
3.5 Stars
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Château Clarke 2009, Ac Listrac Médoc
Bordeaux, France$42.95
This fabulous blend of Merlot (70%) and Cab Sauvignon (30%) begins with beguilingly complex aromas of leather and tobacco joined by cassis, blackberry, raspberry, cherry graphite, vanilla, and black pepper, with amazing dark fruit, herbal, and spicy replays on the palate. It's quite ripe, as per the 2009 vintage, but there's also nice freshness, and in that balance it is both powerful and robust on the one hand and elegant and refined on the other. Indeed, everything is in place, well-integrated tannins and acidity, and the depth and length are both exceptional. Brilliant, high-value Bordeaux.
3.5 Stars
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Tarima Hill Monastrell 2011, Old Vines, Do Alicante
Spain$19.95
This expression of Monastrell is far more fresh and vibrant than the thick, heavy bottle would suggest (and not as hot as the 15% alc. would suggest), with blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and violet leading the way, along with redcurrant, minerals, and licorice. There's a lot of oak as well, but it's hardly overbearing, and indeed the vanilla and pepper spice bond nicely with the rich fruit and floral notes on top of an underlying earthiness. Soft and pillowy, with pleasantly powdery tannins, this is yet another superb value from yet another less-heralded south-eastern Spanish appellation.
3.5 Stars
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Viña Casablanca Nimbus Single Vineyard Syrah 2011, Casablanca Valley
Casablanca Valley, Chile$16.75
This is another wonderful Chilean Syrah, warm and inviting, with a soft, luscious embrace supported by immense flavour. It opens with gorgeous fruit, mostly raspberry, strawberry, and plum, but then the common Syrah elements come in, some mild meatiness along with black pepper, as well as earth, herbs, milk chocolate, licorice, and graphite towards the end. The mix of sweet and savoury is handled extremely well, with New World boldness nicely balancing Old World restraint, showing how well this grape can do in cool-climate Casablanca Valley. Simply delicious.
3.5 Stars
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Jim Barry Cover Drive Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Australia$26.95
Dominated by graphite on the nose and sour currant on the finish, it takes time for this Aussie Cab to find itself, even a day or so, but when it does it achieves wonderful balance and harmony -- old/new, light/dark, sweet/savoury, rich/refreshing all at the same time. The graphite-currant duo remains, but there's serious complexity with leather, dark chocolate, tobacco, spice, and red berry notes, with a hint of mint in the background. The deeper elements are worth pondering, but in no way is this some brooding beast, and while the tannins could have been softer, the results are excellent.
3.5 Stars
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Borgogno Langhe Freisa 2012, Doc
Piedmont, Italy$21.95
The nose on this Piedmontese Freisa, yet another uncommon Italian grape deserving of much wider attention and recognition, is just do distinctively Italian, and so gorgeously complex, with light, sweet strawberry, tart raspberry and cherry, berry leaf, dried herbs, and dusty earth, more savoury than sweet but very nicely balanced. It's dusty and acidic on the palate, and quite dry, with the flavours not nearly as compelling as the aromas, and it lacks depth, but it's wonderfully food-friendly in that typically Italian way.
3.5 Stars
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