Wine report: Taster's choice

The Newton office had it's final tasting of the season, and the theme was Taster's Choice. Participants were encouraged to bring in either a favorite wine to share or a bottle they were eager to try. The benefit was that most everything came with a recommendation, so there were few disappointments. First the reds.

Añares, Rioja reserva, 2010. In a competitive field of riojas, this one hits a sweet spot. For fifteen dollars, Añares is neck and shoulder above the rest. Put a steak on the grill and open a bottle of Añares, and you are set for the evening.

Penya, Côtes Catalanes red blend, 2015. This French wine is Spanish at heart. The blend of grenache, carignan and syrah (garnacha, cariñena, syrah) is typical of a Catalunyan wine. It carries notes of blackberries and raspberries, including the  grassiness of the plants themselves. Carignan adds floral notes to the aroma and taste. I see this wine in a traditional ham dinner: cloves embedded in the crosscut rind, a sweet glaze in the gravy boat. Add a kale salad with toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries and balsamic dressing for a fine meal. There is a lot of lees in the glass, though. Decant this bottle slowly for best presentation.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Fay Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013. The first of our cabernets was from a long-established producer that helped put California wines in the international conversation. We could only describe it with intangibles like "deep aroma" and "smooth finish", but this bottle was one of the tasters' favorites. This is not a wine for everyday drinking (unless you have very deep pockets), but if you ever get a chance to try it, leap. A good cabernet can age for 20 years or more, so we tasted this one quite young. Shall we have a ten-year reunion to try it again?

Gavone Brothers, Elvis in Hell Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006. Don't even try hunting down this relic; it is a hobby wine from our tech guy, this bottle unearthed while packing up the cellar for a move. How did it hold up after ten years of aging? Well, it exceeded expectations. The aroma had a slight pruniness over fresh-cut cardboard. The taste evoked a hip flask at a fish market. All in all, sippable without inducing spit takes.

Now the lighter wines.

Cuvaison, Chardonnay, 2013. This offering from the Carneros growing region of Napa Valley got several nods. Not overly oak aged; one commenter appreciated that it wasn't too buttery. Our insider reported that this was the white wine served in the Obama White House. None of us would have refused a second glass.

Les Portes de Bordeaux, Rosé, 2016. I have to say that after several weeks of recent sampling, rosés don't do anything for me. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by this offering. It is an easy drinker, and for seven dollars at Trader Joe's, don't be afraid to pick up a few bottles for your next back yard summer party. Good times.

Zorvino Vineyards, Fragole Z. A local producer from New Hampshire, just north of us, hits the nail on the head. A strawberry dessert wine. It tastes like a strawberry dessert. Serve it with a puff pastry filled with whipped strawberry crème. Or instead of. If you are a fan of sweet wines, you will glow.