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Review	Product Name	Vintage	Rating	Date Sort ascending
Secondo Marco - The Drunken Cyclist	Valpolicella Classico Ripasso DOC	2014	90-92	Jul-2020
Review “I have been to Italy a dozen times or so and most of the time I am there, I am drinking the wines of the region. I have been to Verona a few times now, but despite this, I have only had a few Ripasso’s (not counting Amarone, naturally). This wine is far more approachable than I had imagined and does not require a rich history with its big brother, Amarone. Rich, fruity, and just slightly stewed, this is lovely from the jump. Similar thoughts on the palate, but with added depth and myriad flavors, this is great on its own but better with a bit of beef in front of it.”
Cantele - The Drunken Cyclist	Primitivo IGT Salento	2017	88-90	Jun-2020
Review “This wine hails from the Puglia region (the “heel” of the “boot”) and is made from a really close relative to the American Zinfandel (some say that the two are identical, but I won’t get any more into that here). Fairly dark in the glass with ripe, dark fruit (plum, cassis), and a healthy shot of black pepper. The palate is certainly more reserved than most of its American brethren, but there is still plenty of fruit to go around. As one would expect from an old-world wine, there are also oodles of acidity-this wine, while fruity, still craves food. In all, a solid wine for a more than reasonable price.” (Very Good to Excellent)
Lapostolle - The Drunken Cyclist	Cuvée Alexandre Carmenere	2016	89-91	Jun-2020
Review “From one of the larger producers in Chile, the Cuvée Alexandre line always delivers. Dark in the glass, as one would expect, with blackberry, cassis, and a vegetal aspect that is more reminiscent of Cab Franc than Carmenere. The palate is fairly luscious and inviting with rich fruit, good tartness, and subtle tannins. Yum.” (89-91 points, Very Good to Excellent)
Château de Saint Cosme - The Drunken Cyclist	Little James Basket Press Rouge	N/V	97-89	Jun-2020
Review “100% Grenache. OK, go ahead and argue with me, but I firmly believe that Grenache (and Syrah for that matter) reaches its apogee in the South of France. While this is not technically in the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation, it probably should be. Fruity, full, fun (not all wine has to cause introspection) with a nice tartness and an above-average finish. While this was bottled in 2019, it is technically a non-vintage as it is a solera wine–some wine from each harvest is added to the tank (ostensibly the same amount that is pulled out to be bottled), thus it is a constantly changing blend of several vintages. Think about what a big shot you will be when you pull out that tidbit at your next party (whenever that is allowed to happen). Very Good.”
Wirra Wirra - The Drunken Cyclist	Wirra Wirra Catapult Shiraz	2017	89-91	Apr-2020
Review “The wine is dark and a bit brooding with dark berry fruit, tartness, and plenty of “Shiraz spice.” A delightful wine.”
Nautilus Estate - The Drunken Cyclist	Nautilus Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc	2019	89-91	Apr-2020
Review “Full disclosure: I am typically not a huge fan of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as it tends to over-emphasize the grassy/cat pee characteristics. While those are certainly here with this wine, there is also intense fruit (guava, passion fruit), minerality, salinity, and an overall creaminess that is a departure from most SB from the country. Very Good to Excellent.”
Di Majo Norante - The Drunken Cyclist	Ramitello Biferno Rosso DOC	2014	87-89	Apr-2020
Review “Molise is a wine region of which most have likely never heard. Once a part of the better-known Abruzzo region to the north, it has only been “independent” in the last 50 years or so ago. Inky dark in the glass (as Aglianico tends to render a wine), with dark fruit: plum, blackberry, cassis. A bit austere, but with some muted fruit, plenty of acidity, and quite a bit of tannin on the finish. This seems to be a fairly good marriage between the two varieties: Montepulciano fruity and fun, Aglianico big, muscular and brooding. While at a severe deficit, it seems the latter dominates. Decant, get some beef, enjoy.” (Very Good)
Stella - The Drunken Cyclist	Moscato Sicilia IGT	2017	88	Jun-2019
Review “Moscato is one of those wines that you always have around. Why? Well, for one, your mother-in-law loves sweeter wines, and prefers those that sparkle. I have not witnessed a significant difference (statistical term) between moscatos—they tend to be fruity, slightly sweet, and extremely refreshing, which is the case here. As a plus, it’s Sicilian, which is a win.” (“Good to Very Good”)
Loimer - The Drunken Cyclist	Extra Brut	N/V		Dec-2016
Review “42% Grüner Veltliner, 33% Zweigelt, 25% Pinot Noir. Barely any color, just a slight pale greenish hue. Apple and pear a go-go with really great acidity. A nice biscuity note, great fruit and a lengthy finish. You do not see a ton of Austrian Sekt on the shelves in this country, but we should as this is wonderful. Outstanding.” 90-92
François Montand - The Drunken Cyclist	Brut Blanc de Blancs	N/V		Dec-2016
Review “A blend of mainly Colombard, Ugni Blanc & Chardonnay. Although not indicated anywhere on the label, the fruit for this wine comes from the East of France, including areas in the Jura region. Bright and lemony on the nose and very pale in the glass. Dry and mineral on the palate. A solid effort from a well-respected producer whose family hails from Champagne. Very Good.” 87-89

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