Wines with Character
wine reviews & Samples policy
Taste Drink Think is my approach to reviewing wines. I realize that no two people taste or smell the same thing, and that my (aroma and flavor) perceptions are subjective. For this reason, these wine reviews will be hedonistic versus empirical in nature.
What interests me is the “character” of the wine and its relevance to the brand, and what the winemaker is trying to achieve. Is the wine emblematic and representative of their winemaking philosophy, brand style, and identity as a winemaker?
2025 PZ Pošip Čara “Marko Polo”
The PZ Pošip Čara winery opened as a cooperative supporting about 100 family growers in 1984. They are considered large producers at about 17,000 cases annually. The wine opens with...
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2024 Nerica Pošip “Mindel”
Nerica was founded almost 25 years ago and is one of the leading producers in Čara, in the Pošip PDO. They are small family producers, but they are growing to...
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2025 Vitis Winery Grk
How many winery stories date back to 1775? The Cebalo Family has grown and produced wine since then. Today, they focus on Grk, the emblematic grape of Lumbarda on Korčula...
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2025 Tasovac Pošip
Lovely citrus aromas give way to floral and herbal notes on the palate. The fruit is bright, intense, and fresh, with a well-balanced acidity. It’s a beautifully structured wine with...
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2022 Black Island Winery “Merga Victa” Pošip Sur Lie
The wine is golden yellow in the glass, honeyed on the nose, with notes of tree fruit, rustic herbs, and a hint of salinity on the palate. The freshness and...
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2025 Bire Winery Grk
Pretty, floral, and fragrant on the nose; the wine shows lemon, lime, and grapefruit, and is bursting with lip-smacking fresh fruit and balanced acidity on the palate, along with a...
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2025 Zure Winery “Bartul” Grk
The Batistic-Zure family traces its ag and farming roots back 600 years. Founding the winery and agrotourism business in 1996 was a logical evolution. Even more logical was opening Zure...
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2023 Vina Grgich Plavac Mali
Of course, the big story has always been about Mike Grgich of Napa Valley and Judgment of Paris fame; But here you have a Croatian wine produced from indigenous grapes...
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2022 Ceretto “Bricco Rocche” Barolo
The wine shows a light brick color in the glass, with red fruit and spice on the nose. It shows red and blue fruit, rustic herbs and spice, and a...
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2017 Lavendar Oak Estate Red Wine
Big thanks to Christi for sharing a nine-year-aged estate red wine. Primary flavors include dried cranberries, tart plum, sage, and black pepper on the palate. Tertiary flavors are quite interesting,...
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2025 Quady North “GSM” Rosé
This wine is a vibrant blush in the glass, and you’ll be forgiven at a glance if you think it’s a Rosé from Provence. This is a fruit-forward dry rosé...
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2025 Press Gang Cellars “Trashfire”
I’m guessing that the 2025 “Trashfire” blend – 60% Chardonnay and 40% Grenache – is Winemaker Kyle’s playful take on so-called “natural wine”. Kyle, tell me if I’m wrong. The...
Read More »Samples Policy
For Winemaker Interviews – one wine (2 Bottles) is required with each interview. Participating wineries may send up to two additional wines which will be reviewed separately on this page and posted on social media.
Other wineries – if you are not participating in interviews, and would like to send samples, I will review up to 3 wines on this page. Please contact me below to request Samples Policy, Requirements & Shipping Information.
General Information – Samples submissions are accepted from any wine region and type of wine. Shipping is to a commercial wine warehouse. There are no fees for reviews. I will not review wines that are flawed. Samples are provided by the wineries.
Please check the FAQ Page for additional sampling information.
