Some New Releases From Divine

Last week, I was able to taste some new releases at the office of Divine.

2014 Posidoria Rosé, Sumarroca
This Tempranillo rosé has a attractive, light nose with notes of wild strawberries, gravel and dry biscuits.
The taste is light, fresh and juicy with notes of lingonberries, wild strawberries and gravel. Fine. Would work well with an array of summer sallads.
85p   (tasted 2015/05)

2014 Roero Arneis Villata, Terredavino
I drink Arneis all to seldom, because when I do, I always think so... This shows a cool, herbal, fresh nose with notes of melon, lemon peel and sand.
The taste is young and tight with fresh lemon  and melon fruit and additional notes of gravel and dry herbs. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2015/05)

2014 El Gallito Merlot, Bodegas Isidro Milagro
This inexpensive, correct Merlot shows a light, berry nose with some warm herbs. Good.
The taste is light and fresh with notes of chocolate, plums and herbs. Well made.
83p   (tasted 2015/05)

2013 Barbera d´Asti Rosso Fuoco, Terredavino
The first Barbera from Terredavivo displays a straight forward, fine, dry nose with notes of almost ripe raspberries, liquorice, earth and dried flowers. Very good.
The taste is tight and earthy with fine cherry fruit, road dust and liquorice. Needs food, a bit angular on its own. A fine earthy note. Angular or not, I like it.
85p   (tasted 2015/05)

2013 Open Now, Domain Hegarty Chamans
This has a open (!), interesting nose with a funky character and notes of dry chocolate, plums, peppers and a some barnyard scents. Even a touch volatile. Very good.
The taste is young and tight with a more "normal" peppery lingonberry- and blueberry fruit and some forest floor notes. A fine dryness in the finish. This is good!
89p   (tasted 2015/05)

2013 Domaine de Fondreche
A perennial favourite producer of mine. From 2013 there is no more Cuvée Fayard or Nadal, but this blend instead. Not a move to my liking if this vintage is representative. Not that it is bad, far from it, but I feel it more stream like made. Well, future vintages will tell.
The nose of the 2013 is big, open and spicy with notes of sweet blueberries, blackberries, meat stock and some smoke. Very good. A fine sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is young, focused and caressing with notes of blueberry pie, pine resin, meat and flowers. A long, warm finish. Will surely improve with 2-4 years in the cellar.
88p   (tasted 2015/05)

2012 Barbera d´Asti La Luna e I Falò, Terredavino
The second Barbera from Terredavino is a beauty. The nose is all about ripe, salivating cherry aromas alongside notes of damp forest floor, plums, liquorice and some chocolate. Very, very good.
The taste is young, concentrated and fresh with notes of cherry liquor, plums, damp earth and dried flowers. Long and focused. A bargain for 19 Euro. This will go into the cellar.
91p   (tasted 2015/05)

2013 Malbec, Achaval Ferrer
Me and Malbec is not an item to be. Except for some old Catena versions, I never really get a higher pulse when tasting Malbec. This one has a warm, fairly deep nose with notes of smoky plums, hot spices and that refinery scent that I associate with Malbec.
The taste is warm and seedy with sweet black fruits, scorched earth, leather and diesel oil. Long and warm. It is solid made but I don´t like it. Others may.
81p   (tasted 2015/05)

2012 La Falaise, Château de la Négly
Also a perpetual favourite of mine, Château de la Negly seems to produce fine wines in every vintage. The 2012 La Falaise sports a deep, complex nose with notes of ripe blueberries, cherry liquor, damp earth, lavender and dark chocolate. Very deep and fine.
The taste is wilful and tight with dark, spicy blueberries paired with notes of chocolate covered black cherries, black pepper, forest floor and violets. Very, very good.
92p   (tasted 2015/05)

2012 Tous les Jours, Andrew Murray
A fine, open, cool nose with notes of freshly crushed white peppers, blueberries, matchbox, anise and earth. A very fine, elegant nose with a laid back character. Very, very good.
The taste is young, seedy and fine with notes of peppered blu- and blackberries, gravel, thyme and liquorice. A long, structured finish. This is a fine wine, which will be even better in 3-5 years time.
91p   (tasted 2015/05)

2012 Stock Syrah, Sine Qua Non
My first word in my tasting book is a profanity so I will spare you that, but I will say - holy moly! This is goood! The nose is bottomless deep and hauntingly beautiful with masses and masses of violets, raspberry liquorice, black peppers, expensive leather and some pine aromas. Very, very deep and complex. Just great!
The taste is high toned, intense and brilliant with notes of ripe, ripe blackberries, violets, dark chocolate, leather and that Maillard taste of a peppered and fried steak. Stunning. And very primary yet, will evolve for decades. Gotta love it.
97p   (2015/05)

2011 Gold Series No 1 Syrah, Lillian
A year older California Syrah, and a very different character. The nose is big and open with notes of spicy blueberries, bonfire, matchbox, meat stock and raspberry coulis. Very, very deep and backboned.
The taste is intense and tight with notes of sweet blueberries, liquorice, dark chocolate, balsa wood and lots and lots of steady tannins in the long, long finish. More structured and backward than the SQN above. Need a lot of time, I would not touch a bottle for 5+ years.
93p   (tasted 2015/05)