2015 Leaning Post The Fifty Chardonnay – Vintages 578864 – $21.95 – **** – Wonderfully complex, and showing some restraint. This checks a lot of boxes that make me excited to grab a few bottles of this. The aromas of green apple, melon, and just a hint of spice. There is a nice texture on the mid-palate that opens up with a little weight. But there is a mineral note that goes from the nose to the finish, where it is met with nice acidity – something about the mineral keeps this wine crisp and restrained. This wine is fantastically food friendly because of the clean, and refreshing finish.
2014 Wildass Red – Vintages 86363 – $19.95 – **** – Another bottle that shouldn’t be left in a cellar but enjoyed immediately (that being said J-L Groux, master of the red blend has created these wines so that IF you forgot about a bottle or two for 3-5 years you would still be happy to open them). Brimming with juicy raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, and hints of cocoa and smoke. Even though this is ready to drink now, I wouldn’t call this uncomplicated – the fruit and smoke create something that has a little depth and complexity. But the price point is screaming at you to enjoy this with barbeque. While this will be perfectly at home on your table next to food, this is the sort of wine I enjoy for dessert enjoying the last bits of sunlight as the days grow shorter.
