IRIS VINEYARDS OREGON PINOT GRIS - 2008

13.5% alcohol. Twist-off closure.

TASTING NOTES:

Light gold color with floral aromas and flavors of mango, citrus, white peach and pear. Crisp acidity, refreshing. Good length with tropical notes and minerality. Very clean finish with tartrate crystals in the glass. A small bit of frizzante on early pours.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89 PTS

This is exceptional Pinot Gris. I wish this wine had longer finish but overall it is a winner. Great mouthfeel, balance and zest.

ALVEAR PEDRO XIMENEZ SOLERA - 1927

I'm finally back from traveling and vacation so it time to write about wine. I've had some fantastic wine experiences and hopefully will write about some of them down the road.

I recently retasted a great wine that I thought was worth boasting about again. About 4 years have flown by since I last reviewed this wine and it still holds up. This incredible solera is made with portions of previous vintages dating back to 1927 and it remains my favorite Spanish dessert wine.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark amber color with maple syrup and fig on the nose. Flavors of liquefied Fig Newtons, Hermit raisin and spice cookies, and vanilla are still present in this ever evolving release. However, either my memory tricking me or it has changed a bit. I'm missing the bold, roasted hazelnuts that were my favorite aspect of this wine. They are still there but not nearly as robust.

The finish is still long and keeps going begging for sweet pairings.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

94 PTS
You can sip it alone but it is so much better with dessert, especially chocolate. The price has gone up since way back when it used to be about $15. Now it the 375ML runs around $20, but I'm not complaining.