Shiba Sommelier

MS MW. Much Shiba. Much Wine.

[shibasommelier]

Mahón Gin

Nothing says Boozeday Tuesday like 1 liter of gin! This is made in a wood-fired copper still, using grape spirit instead of neutral grain. Apparently, the Island of Minorca was a port of call for British soldiers, who got the locals to start making gin so the Brits didn’t have to import it in and it became a thing! Oily juniper notes on the nose with other notes of pine, spruce, and lemon zest. Definitely viscous on the palate with a lot of juniper oils, pine, and herbal notes. Best enjoyed in a Pomada - the local drink that’s mixed with a 2:1 ratio with lemonade. 

41% abv

Island of Minorca, SPAIN

[shibasommelier]

2020 Bruma Plan B

Another fun wine from Mexico! Plums, cherries red licorice, green pepper with a hint of sanguine and earthy notes on the nose. Loads of plums and cherries on the palate. Soft feel from the Merlot with nice acidity. Fruitier on the palate but less earthy than on the nose.

3/5 bones

$$

Mourvèdre (35%), Grenache (15%), Syrah (15%), Malbec (15%), Merlot (10%), Montepulciano (10%)

13% abv

Valle de Guadalupe, MEXICO

[shibasommelier]

2020 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallèle 45

A lovely white blend from the Rhône makes little old me quite happy. Apple, pear, honeysuckle, peach, melon skin, and lemon rind on the nose. Apples, lemons, Asian pear, and lemon curd notes on the palate. Very nice!

4/5 bones

$

32% Grenache, 31% Viognier, 6% Marsanne, 3% Bourboulenc, 16% Rousanne, 12% Clairette

13.5% abv

Rhône, FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2015 Pascal Agrapart Venus Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Nature Millèsime

Happy Mother's Day to all the hardworking, super moms out there! My humoms has to put up with me everyday so she's welcome for the honor of doing so. Celebrating her and all moms out there today with this Blanc de Blancs bubbly. Golden ripe apples, lemons, hint of shortbread, white flowers, and mint on the nose. Apples, lemon cookies, ginger snaps, and chalk on the palate. Really delicious stuff! Cheers!

4/5 bones

$$$$$

Chardonnay

12.5% abv

Champagne, FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2012 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame

It's my barkday!! And like widow Clicquot of old and Yayoi Kusama, I am a GRANDE DAME indeed. So go ahead. Celebrate me. I sure did with this bubbly. Lemon, brioche, jasmine, and chalk notes on the nose. Nice mousse and laser-like acidity on the palate. Lemon, apple tart, brioche, candied ginger, and chalky notes all around. Cheers!

3/5 bones

$$$$$

Pinot Noir (90%), Chardonnay (10%)

12.5% abv

Champagne, FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2018 Sine Qua Non 'Ziehharmonika' Syrah

Happy Easter! The Easter bunny was generous this year - sharing a Sine Qua Non with me. Drank this guy too young, but loads of green and black olives on the nose with plum, blackberry, wood, and pepper notes. Wonderful acidity on the palate where it was more Zinfandel-ish. Definitely could use a LOT more age on this one! Happy Easter!!!

4/5 bones

$$$$$

Syrah

15.8% abv

Santa Barbara, California, USA

[shibasommelier]

2012 Pol Roger Brut Rosé

Feeling a little fancy with this rosé champagne from Pol Roger. A fun nose of raspberries, plums, red berries, linzer cookies, blood orange, and a hint of spice. Similar notes on the palate with a bit of a bite. Not my favorite coming out of Pol Roger but a nice tipple nonetheless.

3/5 bones

$$$$$

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

12.5% abv

Champagne, FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2012 Seña

So this is very nice Bordeaux blend from a Chilean winery founded by Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick. Loads of Bordeaux notes - cassis, plums, fresh leather, cherries, and a hint of nutmeg on the nose. Cassis, dark cherries, and plums on the palate with lovely sweet spices to round it out.

4/5 bones

$$$$$

52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenere, 12% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot

14% abv

Aconcagua Valley, CHILE

[shibasommelier]

1998 Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Gran Reserva

Pretty psyched about this 25-year old Rioja! Red cherries, plums, church pews, incense, dark wood, clove, and coriander on the nose. Despite its age, very ripe fruit on the palate with loads of plums and cherries. Salud!

3/5 bones

$$$$

Tempranillo, Garnacha

13.5% abv

Rioja, SPAIN

[shibasommelier]

2019 Ghost Block Pelissa Vineyard Zinfandel

My humans constantly disappoint me but it's hard to stay disappointed when I have a nice Zin on paw. Jammy mixed berry preserves, sticky blackberries, and macerated blueberries on the nose. Boysenberry jam on the attack on the palate followed by blueberry and blue raspberry notes.

3/5 bones

$$

Zinfandel

14.9% abv

Oakville (Napa Valley), California, USA

[shibasommelier]

2019 Inconnu "Kitsune" Red

How can I resist a label that has my foxy likeness on it? Especially when it's a right bank style red blend from Napa Valley made by a female winemaker? Cassis, blackberry, raspberry, molasses, and brown sugar notes on the nose. Red and black cassis, raspberry, blackberry, and a hint of new leather notes on the palate with good acidity to hold it together.

3/5 bones

$$$

Merlot, Cabernet Franc

13.5% abv

Napa, California, USA

[shibasommelier]

Francis Orban Extra Brut

I'm always partial to grower champagnes and this is a pleasant one. Brioche, lemon, and chalk notes dominate the nose. On the palate, you initially get brioche and chalk with lemon and a hint of apple on the finish.

3/5 bones

$$$

Pinot Meunier

12% abv

Champagne, FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2013 Frédéric Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Feeling pretty smug about this Grand Cru burgundy I have on paw. Riper fruit on the nose with juicy raspberries, cherries, wild blackberries, and stemmy notes. Pretty juicy on the palate with notes of fruit-flavored black tea. Sturdy tannins on this guy.

4/5 bones

$$$$$

Pinot Noir

13.5% abv

Gevrey Chambertin, Côte d'Or, Burgundy, FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2000 Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Happy Thanksgiving friends! Thankful for you all and of course, good wine. This Smith Haut Lafitte is no exception. Bright fruit on the nose - blackberries, dark cherries, fresh leather, and tobacco. Similar notes the palate with a nice velvety finish. This guy is still so young, despite being 22 years old! Lovely Bordeaux from an awesome vintage.

4/5 bones

$$$$$

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot

13% abv

Pessac-Leognan (Bordeaux), FRANCE

1999 Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Old leather, cassis, tobacco, spice box and blackberry notes on the nose. More fruit on the palate with cherries, cassis, blackberries, tobacco, and spices. A nice cherry finish.

4/5 bones

$$$$$

52% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon & 8% Cabernet Franc

13% abv

Pessac-Leognan (Bordeaux), FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

2021 Fossil & Fawn Do Nothing

Happy Howl-oween!! Ready to sting the humans into submission with this natural wine on paw. According to the winemakers, the name of this wine "refers to how we make it and what you should do when you drink it." DONE AND DONE. Strong blue raspberry, Hawaiian Punch, and berry cluster notes on the nose and palate. Fun. Tasty. Put some chill on it and enjoy!

3/5 bones

$$

Pinot Noir (80%), Chardonnay (20%)

12% abv

Willamette Valley, OR, USA

[shibasommelier]

2001 Château Latour

Don't you dare put your paws on my 2001 Latour. This guy is still opening after 20 years but some QUALITY stuff. Cassis and blackberries on the nose with leather, tobacco, and pencil shavings. Redder fruit on the palate than I would have expected with cassis and blackberries (of course), velvet, and tobacco.

4/5 bones

$$$$$

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

13% abv

Pauillac (Bordeaux), FRANCE

[shibasommelier]

FEW Spirits Barrel Gin

Bringing back a little #boozedaytuesday with some shiba side-eye. This is a barrel gin by FEW Spirits - where they take a regular gin, add some wood barrel contact and see what happens. Barrel gins can be used like a lighter bourbon - sure, you can make a G&T, but you’ll sip it slower. You can add it to ginger beer and fruit, you can even make an old fashioned, sloe G&T or GinBuck. Loads of juniper and wood notes, bitter orange, sweet black licorice and almost sugary cereal grains on the nose. Loads of wood, sweet preserved orange peel, and almond notes on the palate. I made a raspberry gin smash here and it was awesome!

93 proof/46.5% abv

Evanston, IL