Justin Bogaty Winemaker Series ~ Chardonnay 2019, Rosé 2019, Merlot 2019

In the four years that I've been reviewing wines by the Justin Bogaty / Bogati Family Winery out of Virginia, I've had some of their Chardonnays but never their Justin Bogaty Winemaker Series Chardonnay. The 2019 vintage is medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and tamed acidity. It's got a tropical classic aroma and flavor profile of pineapple and banana, and then of course vanilla. It's a good solid Chardonnay and I like it, but that Veramar Chardonnay (also made by Bogaty) is still on my mind. The 2019 Rosé continues to be juicy and fun with a melting pot of Jolly Ranchers. Sour apple, watermelon, and strawberry. Full bodied and, yeah, it's a little sweet but everybody needs to calm down with their fear of that word. I said it's fun. Have fun. The 2019 Merlot is just so amazing on the nose. Super spicy with black pepper and cinnamon, then plums and cherries. It's lighter on the midpalate than I was expecting, with also brighter acidity. Perky with tart unripe blueberries and almost like an apple skin thing going on. There's also plums, a nice minerality, and black tea. It's got such a great nose and it's so different and interesting on the palate. I'm thinking it would actually be pretty damn good with a grilled cheese.

Look for three more wines by the Bogaty Famiy Winery in the premier episode of the upcoming Grapes & Capes Podcast!

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Veramar Vineyard ~ Chardonnay 2019 & Cabernet Franc 2019

I have a long standing relationship with the Bogaty Family Wine Group out of Virginia, going back to 2014. I've done so many reviews of their wine that they even have their own label on the blog. As I do a rebrand from blogging as my main focus to a podcast (don't worry, I'll still blog) it makes me happy that I'll blog about 5 of their wines before I premier the podcast with 3 of their wines. These guys are so good. I love their wine, I love their appreciation of the online wine community, and I hope to continue working with them for years to come. Veramar Vineyard is one of Bogaty's labels. The 2019 Chardonnay is literally like drinking the juice on the bottom of the fruit salad bowl. Pear juice, pineapple juice, melon juice. It's so flavorful and... juicy! Barrel fermentation gives it a nice oakiness, too. And its bright and tart acidity gives it a lot of spunk. I loved it! Spunky Chardonnay! Moving on, you all know how much I  love Cabernet Franc and how much I've realized how good it can be in Virginia. This stuff... yo... this is AWESOME. It's medium bodied and it feels like it would have a silky mouthfeel if the tight grainy tannins and ethanol weren't so strong. (This is a nudge-nudge that you can let it sit to open up or age it). There's notes of plums, cranberry, tomato leaf, black pepper, and beach sand and/or ice melt. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Veramar does it again and makes me so damn happy!

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Morgan Winery ~ Highland Chardonnay 2018, Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Rosé of Grenache 2019

Wasn't Morgan just on this blog? Well, they're back! And delivering that same great quality as they always do. The 2018 Highland Chardonnay is like a buttered biscuit with a side of pineapples. It's pretty oaky and you know that's my jam with Chardonnay. However, the bright and tart finish makes it more versatile with food than most oaky buttery Chards. Speaking of bright and tart, the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc out of Monterey is all about the zip! There is Semillon in here so it's got a medium body and a round mouthfeel, but I hope you like Sour Patch Kids because the tartness will make your mouth pucker. And not in a bad way, because it's pretty yummy and very refreshing. It's very grassy with grapefruit and lemon. I'm drooling thinking about this with Oysters Rockefeller. Finally, it's the 2019 Rosé of Grenache. With a weighty mouthfeel and tamed acidity, this is a rosé that's meant to savor instead of porch pound. Of course there's watermelon and strawberry, but there's also vanilla and orange skin. The best part of this wine is the finish. It's super juicy and, in a big surprise, spicy.

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Tinto Rey Verdejo 2018 & Matchbook Petit Verdot 2017

Ooooooooh! It's Matchbook time again! I can't say enough about these guys, and these are probably the two wines by them that I talk to people about the most. The 2018 vintage of the Tinto Rey Verdejo is... just imagine me pinching my fingers, kissing them, and then flicking my wrist out while saying "MWAH!". Italian kissy fingers. It's got this medium to full body with a creamy mouthfeel and the perfect amount of acidity to play along with those. There's much more citrus than previous vintages but the notes of pear and honeysuckle are still there. It's just so good. Their best vintage yet. And since the first time I tasted Matchbook Petite Verdot I have not stopped raving about it. This stuff is absolutely killer and I have not met a person who hasn't tried it and not been taken back by surprise. The 2017 vintage is no exception. Big and juicy with blackberries, raisins, and violets. Full bodied, high in ethanol fumes, bright in acidity, and tight tannins. This PS is a rock star.

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