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Review	Product Name	Vintage	Rating	Date Sort ascending	Favorite
Tasca d'Almerita - The Drunken Cyclist	"Antisa" Catarratto Sicilia DOC - 2018	2018	90-92	Sep-2020
Review “Grillo, even though considered an “ancient” variety is a cross of two other Sicilian grapes: Cattarato and Zibbibo (both extremely fun to say, by the way). Once used almost exclusively in the production of Marsala, due to its hardiness in extremely hot climates, Grillo (GREE-lo) has been used to produce a dry wine since the early 1990s, and its popularity has exploded. Quite aromatic, much more so than Pinot Grigio or even Sauvignon Blanc, this wine gushes with guava, gooseberry, and an intense salinity. I have been fortunate enough to visit Sicily a couple of times now and this Grillo immediately takes me back there, which is an incredibly beautiful bonus.” (Excellent)
Tasca d'Almerita - The Drunken Cyclist	"Guarnaccio" Perricone Sicilia DOC - 2017	2017	87-89	Sep-2020
Review “I have to admit that I do not drink a ton of Perricone, but I have the viable excuse that it is fairly difficult to find in these Disjointed States, which is too bad. While there are other Sicilian reds that I would likely opt for first, this is still stellar choice for pizza/pasta night. Dark, fruity, spicy, and full of body, this wine is a great option for just about any scenario. Except bungee jumping. That would be bad.” (Very Good)
Tasca d'Almerita - The Drunken Cyclist	Lamùri Nero d'Avola Sicilia DOC	2016	89-91	Aug-2020
Review “In my experience, there are a couple of ways a Sicilian winemaker could go with Nero d’Avola: big, fruity, pizza, pasta, party wine or shy, introspective, reserved, “here, try this.” While this falls somewhere in the middle, it is certainly closer to the former than the latter. Dark in the glass, as one would expect from a Nero, with dark fruit (plum, blackberry), a splash of funk, and a healthy dose of black pepper. The fruit is the star on the palate, with the aforementioned black pepper, and fairly racy acidity. Very good.” (Very Good to Excellent)
Shaw + Smith - The Drunken Cyclist	Pinot Noir	2017	91-93	Jul-2020
Review “Very light in the glass, almost translucent, with aromas of cranberry, dried cherry, and dusty earth. Delightful on the palate: quite tart with lovely fruit, although reserved, particularly when compared to juicy fruit-driven Pinots from, say, the Russian River Valley. In fact, this is much more reminiscent of a French Pinot than any from the Golden State (California), not from Burgundy but from the Loire Valley (Sancerre).”
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.”
Henschke - The Drunken Cyclist	Henschke Henry's Seven	2016	90-92	Jul-2020
Review “Viognier co-fermented with Shiraz, the Grenache, and Mourvèdre fermented apart. Deep crimson color in the glass which is fruity, but more Rhône Valley than Hospices du Rhône with dark cherry, ripe plum, and a hint of allspice on the nose. The palate is fruity (again, in the Old World style) with ample tartness and more than a modicum of depth. Very nice.”
Domaine Blain Soeur et Frere - The Drunken Cyclist	Brouilly	2018		Jul-2020
Review “When I first started leading bike trips in France, Beaujolais was usually my go-to region when ordering a bit of wine for the table. Why? Well, it was approachable (rarely too tannic or obtuse), affordable (on most wine lists in France, a good cru Beaujolais can be had for under 40€), and exceedingly food-friendly. (Beef, chicken, most pasta? You bet.) My first choice, back in the day, was Chiroubles since it was the lightest of the Crus (due to its elevation) and easily the most fun to say. My second choice? Brouilly. Just slightly beefier than Chiroubles and almost as fun to say. This iteration from Blain Sœur et Frère (sister and brother) is right in that wheelhouse: fruity (plum and dark berry) but not over-the-top, plenty of acidity to cut through most meals (grilled chicken? yowza), and a finish that lasts long enough to keep the dinner table chatter interesting. Very Good to Excellent.”
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)
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.”
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)

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