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Andrew Holod Influencer Badge

Ombibulous. Former NSM for Grapes of Spain.

1296 wines • 271 followers • 260 following

Sidebar Cellars

Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.5

I must not be the right audience for this wine, looking at the other notes. It seems to me quite straightforward new world SB. Vaugely citric and vinous. It shows neither pyranize like green notes nor overt tropical character. It's sort of crisp but not incisive or weighty. Maybe perfect for Goldilocks? — 6 days ago

Bob and Ericsson liked this
John Howard

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Oof ok. Liked the kerner.
Andrew Holod

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John, with a bit of air and warming up it did start to show some melon/cantaloupe, but still a little simple for me.
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

Lacking leaner SB notes it sounds like. Try the kerner. Much more grippy as far as I can tell.

Lyrarakis wines

Pirovolikes Vineyard Dry Vilana 2017

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.9

Great as a palate whetter, pending burgundy-style, garlic butter snails l.
Pale medium yellow.
Nose is lemon oil and pine resin, with a hint of nuttiness.
Palate is high acid, medium plus body, crisp finish that is quite long.
— 6 days ago

Andrew liked this

Vipava 1894

Malvazija 2020

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.9

Vipava appears to be both the winery org name and valley where the grapes are grown. Assuming this is grown in two sub-regions; Vipavska Dolina (low?)and Vipavska Tal (high?). Estate bottled, hand picked.
Pale-medium yellow. Nose of lilac, Paperwhites, white peach nectar and other aromatic pit fruits. Good as an aperitif as it is bracingly dry. Lead into pasta with Marcel Hazan's tomato/onion/butter sauce.
— 16 days ago

Bob liked this

Azienda Le Marie

Blanc de Lissart Malvasia Moscata 2020

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.0

No specific vintage listed but back label shows L BDL20.
Medium yellow gold. Nose is a fruit salad of fuzzy skinned nectar; peach apricot and plum vying for attention. Seems well balanced for an aromatic wine but also shows its weight and richness. Versatile with food.
Note this ostensible 2020 vintage was cork finished for at least one US importer.
— 6 days ago

Bob and Ericsson liked this

Marqués del Puerto

Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2004

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.4

This was my only bottle.
Initial color is dusky brick with ruby glimmers.
Nose is muted, earthy, tertiary fruit character of dried cherry, some tobacco and some oak.
Medium bodied, slightly raspy tannin structure, as over oaked or over extracted. Missing the polish and glossy red fruit I hope to find in aged Rioja.
Served with rabbit and chicken paella and good friendship.
— 6 days ago

Ericsson liked this

Masseria Li Veli

Salento IGT Verdeca 2019

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.8

Initially paired with steamed, garlic/lemon scented fresh artichokes, this wine went down the familiar path of falling apart on the palate. Chalk it up to operator error.
Continuing on with braised Tuscan kale (garlic, anchovy, chili flake), cured meats and aged provolone, this starts to bloom.
Pale yellow/gold. Gently sweet nose of almond blossom, sun-warmed peach skin. On the palate this is dry, medium-full bodied and oily in texture. It offers a fleeting, subtle, vegetal sweetness, like cardoon or slightly wilted daisies (maybe an echo of the earlier eaten artichoke, of the same botanical family?). Some white grapefruit, tangerine peel, citrus oil notes. Quite interesting and worth coming back to with more time open.
— 12 days ago

Ericsson liked this

Sybille Kuntz

Mosel Qualitätswein Trocken Riesling 2013

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.0

This bottle shows more of a lime cordial character on the nose and follows with slightly flinty/petrol driven, crisp, green and yellow fruit in the mouth. Bracingly dry finish. — 6 days ago

Ericsson liked this

Domaine Pascal Aufranc

Les Crots Les Cerisiers Juliénas Gamay 2015

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.2

Dark purple.
Nose is a bit funky, gout de terroir and all that.
Palate falls flat with unresolved CO2 on palate, so poor transport temp, storage or unfiltered baddies getting ahead of this wine.
— 6 days ago

Ericsson liked this

Bodegas Dios Ares

Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2012

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.8

Child's birth year wine to share with a truffled roast beef and both Mother and Baba.
Medium ruby. Some cherry fruit backed by a cyanic, cherry pit/almond note. Tannins resolved. Just enough structure to stand up to the dish.
— 10 days ago

Bob and Ericsson liked this

Giovanni Manzone

Le Gramolere Barolo Nebbiolo 2012

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Andrew Holod

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National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

Opened my first bottle of this child's birth year wine at 10 years old.
Surprisingly dark, purple color. Nose is pretty classic with herb and hummus tinged plum fruit. The texture here was the high point for me, fine, powdery and yet still engaging tannins that seem to point to additional aging potential.
Not super complex but very good.
— 16 days ago

Bob liked this