Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.

This past week included a couple of wines from a newer producer in Santa Barbara County named Slouch Hat Wines. Matt Fowler fell in love with wine exploring Virgina’s wine country while working in Quantico as an analyst for the Marine Corps. A couple of entrepreneurial evolutions later, Fowler started a small wine label to pursue his passion. He sent through his Sauvignon Blanc and a GSM blend that are both worth checking out, though I thought the GSM was the most successful.

Flora Springs is one of the few names in Napa that might be as well known for their white wine as their red. Their Soliloquy white, primarily Sauvignon Blanc, with some Malvasia and Chardonnay blended isn’t exactly an imitation of a Graves-style white, but it tastes as if it were made in that vein. If you don’t mind a bit of oak, you’ll enjoy it.

I’ve also got a couple more wines from the little Marin-based producer Brooks Note this week, both of which I really liked a lot. The Monroe Vineyard Chardonnay is positively bursting with acidity and lean citrus notes while the Pinot from the famous Weir Vineyard in Mendocino’s Yorkville Highlands has an equally electric brightness expressed in red berries.

Russian River producer Merriam Vineyards sent through their rosé of Pinot Noir this week, which seems like it’s just about what you’d want as pool weather sets in, crisp, bright, and refreshingly pink.

Vino Vasai is the tiny wine label of Bill and Sandy Sanchez, who purchased a vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains of Oregon and now make small quantities of wine from their property they call Potter’s Vineyard. Their estate reserve Pinot was a nice expression of red fruits.

Lastly, I’m pleased to recommend the wines of one of the Douro region’s most iconic properties, Quinta do Vesuvio. Owned by the Symington family, Vesuvio is a historic property that, in addition to Port, makes three excellent dry red wines from the region. I tasted all three this week and can recommend them all highly, though the Pombal may offer the biggest bang for the buck, given that it can sometimes be found for less than $30. All three are wonderful expressions of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and other local varieties. If you’re interested in wines like this, stay tuned for a big report on my recent trip to the Douro that I hope to publish in the coming weeks.

Notes on all these below.

Tasting Notes

2023 Slouch Hat “As You Were” Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and lemon blossom. In the mouth, bright flavors of lemon pith, ripe apple, and a hint of grapefruit have a nice crispness thanks to decent acidity. There’s a faint chalky sensation that lingers in the finish. 13.3% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $28.

2023 Flora Springs “Soliloquy” White Blend, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apple, white flowers, and the vanilla of oak. In the mouth, green apple and green melon flavors mix with pink grapefruit and notes of toasted oak. Very good acidity and brightness, but for me, there’s too much wood influence here, which leaves a light bitterness in the finish that is both woody and citrusy. A blend of mostly Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of Malvasia and Chardonnay. 14.2% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $65. click to buy.

2021 Brooks Note “Monroe Vineyard” Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California
Pale yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and grapefruit pith. In the mouth, wonderfully bright flavors of lemon curd, lemon zest, and pink grapefruit have a brisk salinity to them and an electricity thanks to fantastic acidity. Crisp, bright, and lovely.13% alcohol. 200 cases made. Score: around 9. Cost: $42. click to buy.

2023 Merriam Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Pale peachy-pink in color, this wine smells of strawberries and watermelon Jolly Ranchers. In the mouth, faintly sweet flavors of candied watermelon and candied raspberry are bright with excellent acidity. There’s a faint bitterness that lingers in the finish. 13.7% alcohol. 150 cases made. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2019 Vino Vasai “Estate Reserve” Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Light ruby in the glass, with garnet highlights, this wine smells of raspberry jam and bruised apple. In the mouth, raspberry and red apple skin flavors have a citrus peel brightness thanks to excellent acidity. Lightly grippy tannins stiffen on the edges of the palate. Slightly disjointed but the flavors are good. 12.7% alcohol. 98 cases made. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $58.

2022 Brooks Note “Weir Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Yorkville Highlands, Mendocino, California
Light garnet in the glass with ruby highlights, this wine smells of raspberries and flowers. In the mouth, bright raspberry and redcurrant flavors mix with dried herbs and flowers, as bright, juicy acidity injects a little citrus peel brightness to the wine. Light muscular tannins grip the edges of the palate. Very pretty, with sweet oak emerging only in the finish. 13.9% alcohol. 200 cases made. Score: around 9. Cost: $56. click to buy.

2022 Slouch Hat “Parade Rest” Red Blend, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, California
Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of strawberry jam. In the mouth, strawberry jam, blueberries, and a touch of dried herbs have a nice roundness to them and very good acidity. Faint, gauzy tannins hang on the edges of perception. A blend of 23% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 37% Mourvèdre. 13.3% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $33.

2020 Quinta do Vesuvio “Comboio do Vesuvio” Red Blend, Douro, Portugal
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberry, black cherry, and Earl Gray tea. In the mouth, juicy blackberry and black cherry flavors are shot through with a touch of forest floor and some dried herbs. Excellent acidity, lightly muscular tannins, and a long finish. A blend of 35% Touriga Franca, 30% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, and 5% Tinta Barroca fermented and aged in steel. 14.5% alcohol. Certified B Corp. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $23. click to buy.

2021 Quinta do Vesuvio “Pombal do Vesuvio” Red Blend, Douro, Portugal
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of strawberries and flowers. In the mouth, strawberries, cherries, and raspberries have a juicy brightness thanks to excellent acidity. Ghost-like tannins hang at the edge of perception and emerge only on the finish as notes of berries and citrus peel linger for a long time. Lovely. A blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 2.5% Tinta Amarela, and 2.5% Alicante Bouschet aged in old oak barrels for 9 months. 14% alcohol. Certified B Corp. Score: around 9. Cost: $35. click to buy.

2021 Quinta do Vesuvio Red Blend, Douro, Portugal
Very dark, inky garnet in the glass, this wine smells of strawberry and blackberry fruit with a hint of bergamot. In the mouth, incredibly juicy flavors of blackberry, strawberry, and black cherry are shot through with a minty and citrusy note, along with black tea and dried herbs. Excellent acidity and very fine-grained supple tannins. Long finish. There’s an overall sweet roundness to this wine that is very appealing. A blend of 58% Touriga Franca, 40% Touriga Nacional, and 2% Tinta Amarela grown at 1476 feet of elevation and aged for 15 months in 80% new oak barrels. 14.5% alcohol. Comes in a bottle weighing 1.52 kg when full. Certified B Corp. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $100. click to buy.