*** $$ Shelton Monga Zin Old Vine Zinfandel, 2005, Cucamonga Valley, CA - LIVE Review and Rating

In the glass, Shelton Monga Zin is medium red with a light brick element. Distinctive aroma that picks up a charred sugar suggestion. That continues into the palate, where it combines with a spice combination, and finishes with no alcohol heat, but a whacky mix of spices. Three stars out of five.

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**** $$$ Nivole Moscato D'Asti, Michele Chiarlo, 2007, Italy - Review and Rating

Review: The Nivole Moscato D'Asti is very light yellow color, with honey overtones. There are specks of effervescence in the glass.


Served cool, the Nivole shows bright, floral elements - mostly white flowers - almost gardenia-like. A touch of light funk, almost very light honey-ish. Hint of grass - just a hint. More suggestive than powerful as a nose.

On the palate, though, the suggestiveness gets brought to light with real taste! A vibrant, sweet peach touches the center palate, framed by just a hint of sweet acids. It flows along the sides of your mouth to a delicate, crisp white-honey finish. Yum. Four stars out of five, since I would stay with this for an evening rather than moving to another lightly sweet wine for a taste.

I don't see that aging would improve the vibrant floral freshness of Nivole Moscato D'Asti. Interesting that "nivole" means "cloud" in Piedmontese - an appropriate name indeed for such a light, yet powerful wine.

According to the importer, "Moscato d'Asti is one of the most sublime and delicate of all dessert wines, which should be consumed at its freshest and most youthful. Its very low level of alcohol makes it particularly light and soft on the palate, and especially gentle for consumption after dinner, when wines of greater alcoholic content have typically been consumed beforehand."

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**+ $ St. Urbans Hof Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 2007, Germany - Review and Rating

Review: The St. Urbans Hof Riesling, 2007 from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany, made it to the high-value prospects on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list for 2008, scoring 90 points and selling for an affordable price. The version that I have is labeled "Urban Riesling" - it shows the same alcohol level from the same winemaker. Oddly, it lists "Mosel" as the region, rather than "Mosel/Saar/Ruwer". My retailer assures me it is the same wine in a different importers bottle. Let's see how it stacks up...

In the glass the St. Urbans Hof Riesling shows as clear with a deep vanilla cast. Served cool, the aroma comes forth as sweet fruit, with just a hint of grass and mineral. On the palate, a bright sweetness is the first note, with a touch of butterscotchy glycerin. I find it just a bit cloying and offputting, versus the clean, crisp lines I was anticipating from the sip. The finish lingers for just a few seconds, and the ending shows some residual syrupiness from the sugars.

Not my favorite riesling sip. I will award two stars out of five with a plus for the possibility that some of the syrup will tone down with time.

Wine Spectator's 90 points were accompanied by this commentary: "Needs a little air to reveal its floral, apricot and slate aromas and flavors. Beautifully integrated, with a lingering, stony, savory finish. Drink now through 2018."

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