Christopher Hagin

Angel • Joined 20 September 2022

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Velvet red in color, this Malbec from Dave Harvey's Columbia valley vineyards outshines any of the options from South America that I've tried in its fresh, smooth, and fruity qualities. I decided to open it this weekend in honor of my beloved Packers visiting their rival Seahawks in Seattle for SNF. On the nose, I detect ethyl rhubarb, cherry, ginger, and lavender. The body is chockful of blueberry jam, linseed oil, and pomegranate. A low tannic, acidic display, this Malbec gives me all the pleasures of Pinot noir and Zinfandel bundled into one extraordinary bouquet. Dave Harvey has made a premium wine worthy of any fine dining establishment or high end catered party. Easily five out of five hearts in the old rating system.

Price:

$27.99

Angels:

$10.99

A superb representative of the Spanish varietal, this garnache speaks volumes to the masterful artistry of Franck Massard and his hard work in the Catalonian vineyards of Spain. This bottle was a gift from a friend, which poured a nice translucent ruby-bronze red. On the nose, I detect cinnamon, star anise, and salted celery. The body is a bouquet of smoked cherries, baked passion fruit, and overripe blueberries that belies this wine's fantastic aging potential. I am new to this variety as well, so I find it a nice hybrid between a more robust tempranillo and a fruitier Zinfandel. The finish is smooth like a Pinot noir but robust enough to carry hints of Swiss Chard and boysenberry. I would rate this a 4.5 out of 5 stars on the old rating system.

Price:

$22.99

Angels:

$14.99

Golden-straw colored on the pour, this French chenin Blanc classic is an outstanding representation of the terroir and varietal. I'm detecting limey-minerality and fresh cream on the nose. The body opens up with fresh pairings of Anjou pear, blood orange, and crushed daisies which combine to enhance the intricate composition of the wine. A very bouquet of excellence and raises my appreciation of all of Patrice's offerings. I would rate this 5/5 hearts.

Price:

$21.99

Angels:

$11.99

Patrice Grasset Vin de France Chenin Blanc 2021

$11.99

Price:

$21.99

Angels:

$11.99

Ondine Chattan Presents Mendocino Muscat Canelli 2021

$21.99

WOW, Online strikes again with her Muscat Canelli. This vintage is the best sweet white wine I've ever had and should be on everyone's summer wine shopping list. The pour is a pale, transparent gold color. On the nose, I'm detecting lemon creme, limestone, and cinnamon. The body has a delicately sweet, complex profile of honeysuckle, swiss chard, red delicious apple, and lime. There is a perfect balance of sweetness in the body that leads you into a smooth, pleasantly sweet finish. I'm surprised there's any of this vintage left to buy!

Price:

$21.99

Angels:

$16.99

DRG Daryl Groom Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022

$40.99

I knew I was in for a treat, as DRG's reputation precedes him and I've had Russian River Valley-sourced wines before and never been disappointed. This personal favorite variety was no exception for a Thanksgiving day feast celebration. It had a pinkish-red translucent consistency on the pour with scents of fresh churned butter, strawberry, and blueberry. The body has a delicate complexity of water chestnut, celery, and rosemary that complements all the various sides and meats of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Very smooth tannins and an almost watery consistency makes it an easy transition for dessert and post-meal conversations. This is a gem of Sonoma County and I give it 5 out of 5 hearts without hesitation.

Price:

$40.99

Angels:

$22.99

Stefano di Blasi IGT Toscana 2021

$19.99

When my 8 year old son decided to make homemade marinara and cheese ravioli...I knew I had to pull this one out of the cellar to pair with it and a ground beef lasagna. A lush blood red on the pour, this is a signature Toscana blend from Stefano that meets all the needs of a big Italian red. On the nose, I detect candied yams, star anise, and onion powder. The body has sharp flavors of overripe cherries, rhubarb, and black currants. The finish is a pleasant tingling of medium high tannins and a lingering tartness that envelopes the delicious taste of a classic Italian dinner.

Price:

$19.99

Angels:

$13.99

Scott Peterson Rumpus California Red Jubilee 2020

$9.99

Wasn't sure about a wine called "Rumpus", but I'm glad I took a flier on it! This blood-red blend checks all the boxes for me. My favorite varieties are red blends from Portugal and Spain--so I can definitely tell there is the Iberian influence from the oaky-spice notes throughout the body. The first sniff after corking alludes to the cherry-rhubarb fruity flavors both in the nose and the body. I'm also getting vanilla-clove spices in the finish that complement the low-medium tannins. I would believe you if you said this was aged in oak barrels! I took the serving suggestion to heart and chilled in the fridge for 30+ minutes before drinking--although I think it would be fine at a normal 60-65F. I'm giving a rare 5 star review because of the quality, value, and the delicious fruity overtones throughout the experience.

Price:

$20.99

Angels:

$9.99

Quevedo Family Touriga Nacional 2019

$24.99

This Portuguese staple is my new standard for wines in the big, bold red categories. A dark ruby, purplish hue on the pour, this national symbol of Portugal has notes of sharp rhubarb, black currant, and blackberries on the nose. These lovely black fruit expressions lure me into a beautiful symphony in the body--limestony tannins with waxed beans and grapefruit cocktail ease me into a very smooth finish. This red wine paired perfectly with a lean grilled pork chop with seasoned thin green beans and edamame. I can't wait for my next shipment of majestic Portuguese wine!

Price:

$24.99

Angels:

$16.99

Brothers Miller Paso Robles Valdiguie 2020

$24.99

First time trying this variety from Paso Robles. It has a nice bright ruby red pour reminiscent of Pinot noir. On the nose, I detect a fruit forward repertoire of blueberries, vanilla, and thyme. The body has a lovely bouquet of rhubarb, blackberry, and limestone with a highly tannic finish. This Valdiguie combines the lush pleasures of Pinot noir with the robust, deep flavors of a Cabernet Sauvignon, which complemented my dinner of grilled pork loins with an air fried okra medley perfectly.

Price:

$24.99

Angels:

$14.99

David Akiyoshi Reserve Clarksburg Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

$21.99

I'm a Pinot Noir drinker by default--but this Cab really broadened my horizons with it's almost-sweet, rosy body and cranberry finish. I drank this with Mac n' cheese and hot dogs cut up in it...#dadlife!...making it the fanciest thrown together dinner I've ever had.

Price:

$21.99

Angels:

$14.99

Karen Birmingham Clarksburg Merlot 2020

$16.99

Karen is making merlot great again. This bottle is a beautiful expression of what good merlot should be. When I uncork the bottle, I immediately get strong fruit aromas of blueberry and black currants. The pour is a perfect ruby red with a muted cinnamon and clove spice in the body. There is a slightly acidic finish intermingled with a vanilla undertone that speaks to the relatively high ABV at 14.8%. This can be an everyday wine or for a special occasion (birthday dinner for my dad--St. Louis style pork ribs with BBQ side medley). I applaud Karen for an excellent selection of some underrated grapes.

Price:

$16.99

Angels:

$11.99

F. Stephen Millier Angels Reserve Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

$8.99

Somehow, Stephen keeps making excellent wines at bargain barrel prices. This CS has some interesting aromas upon corking: hints of mowed grass and ginger. About 1.5 hours after aerating, the scents morph into clove and blackberry. The pour is a perfect purplish-ruby hue with more brambly blackberries and limestone on the nose. The body is shockingly smooth for such a young CS. In a blind taste test, I would say this was a Pinot noir for how smooth and delicate the structure of the wine is. The finish is as smooth as a coconut silk pie, with very low tannins and a bare hint of acidity. This paired excellently with oven-roasted country ribs, Sicilian pasta, and vegetable medley. This will be my new go-to variety, but honestly, any of Stephen's wines should be on your daily list.

Price:

$15.99

Angels:

$8.99

F. Stephen Millier Sweet Selections Muscat Canelli 2022

$20.99

What a great, refreshing, medium-sweet white! I taste peaches and dandelions on the finish. This one was surprisingly more complex than your run-of-the-mill muscat from the local wine store. You get a pleasant bouquet of floral aromas and luscious fruit on the finish.

Price:

$20.99

Angels:

$10.99

Camille Benitah North Coast Chardonnay 2021

$12.99

Camille does it again--this is a fresh, premier California Chardonnay that hits all the right buttons for a late summer Friday evening. It pours a rich, pale gold with notes of honeyed caramel, candied yams, and lilies. The body is a rich cornucopia of floral rhubarb, ethyl overtones, and burnt toast. The finish comes on strong with those floral-fruit tannins, so I would argue for a reclassification to fruity white from rich white. It was an excellent pairing to garden fresh salad medley (onions, bell peppers, tomatoes), baked beans, and lean pork chops.

Price:

$32.99

Angels:

$12.99

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Christopher Hagin

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Christopher's Top 3 Wines

Dave Harvey Columbia Valley Malbec 2022

Franck Massard Garnacha Spain 2021

Patrice Grasset Vin de France Chenin Blanc 2021

What Christopher has been up to

Patrice Grasset Vin de France Chenin Blanc 2021

Ondine Chattan Presents Mendocino Muscat Canelli 2021

DRG Daryl Groom Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022

Stefano di Blasi IGT Toscana 2021

Scott Peterson Rumpus California Red Jubilee 2020

Quevedo Family Touriga Nacional 2019

Brothers Miller Paso Robles Valdiguie 2020

David Akiyoshi Reserve Clarksburg Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Karen Birmingham Clarksburg Merlot 2020

F. Stephen Millier Angels Reserve Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

F. Stephen Millier Sweet Selections Muscat Canelli 2022

Camille Benitah North Coast Chardonnay 2021

Lindsey Rich

Ken Wright

Mirko Sella

Ondine Chattan

Chris Baker

Gerd Stepp

Alex Farber

Franc Dusak

David Akiyoshi

Stefano di Blasi

Matt Parish

Macario Montoya

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