The Place Is the Thing with Mary Taylor Wines
Mary Taylor is an innovative importer who’s taking a fresh approach to the wine business. Not unlike the wines that Kermit Lynch imports, Mary Taylor’s wines are small-production and regional; the big difference, however, is that the brand on the label is the importer, not the producer. They are not hiding the producer, whose names are on the label and who definitely get all the credit for making the wine—but the two biggest names on the label are Mary Taylor and the region the wine is from. This design reflects Mary Taylor’s philosophy of emphasizing the importance of place in winemaking. This is an incredibly effortless way to start exploring wine—yes there could be a hard to pronounce region or obscure varietal, but there is no need to worry about mispronouncing them. Find a region you like, and dig in! If you are seeking well made, regionally specific wines, fear not—these are the wines you’re looking for! Once you have tried a bottle with the name Mary Taylor on it, you’re sure to try another.
2020 Mary Taylor Wines "Lucia Ferreira" Branco Dão $17.99
Dão is one of the most fascinating wine regions in Portugal. It is an isolated mountainous region that has a historical reputation for making “Burgundian” wines. Relative to some of their neighbors, that might be correct. I like the Burgundian reference as a way to frame your perception of a wine made with varietals that you might be unfamiliar with such as Encruzado, Bical, Gouveio, and Malvasia Fina. It’s something akin to a Pouilly-Fuissé texturally, with the aromatics of a southern Italian white blend, and the subtle yet penetrating minerality of a German Riesling. OK, the most straightforward way of looking at this is as a white wine from Dão that is ridiculously delicious.
2020 Mary Taylor Wines "Rus Jimenez" Manchuela $17.99
Manchuela is in the southeast corner of Castile-La Mancha near the border with Valencia. It is located at the transition point from the coastal Mediterranean to the continental Masseta climates. The hot days are tempered with cool nights that make it easy for conscientious farmers to produce organically, like they do here. The varietal is Moravia Agria, a local variety that has not received as much attention as the region's more famous Bobal. This is what is so great about Spain: almost every region you go to has varietals that you have never heard of. The easiest way to describe this would be a Mediterranean Bierzo—dark-fruited with a savory twist. It’s medium-bodied with a sappy, concentrated midpalate and a fresh finish. Surprisingly complex, very enjoyable.
2021 Mary Taylor Wines "Filipe Ferreira" Douro $17.99
Dry red wine sourced from some of the best historic vineyards for making Port. The Douro is a magical wine region with steep, terraced vineyards that overlook a majestic river and are interspersed with forests. Old-vine Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinto Roriz grow on very stony schist soils. This is a dry, old-world red that is medium-bodied, has dark fruits, a floral lift, and a hint of minerality.
2022 Mary Taylor Wines "Adrian de Pablo" Tempranillo Castilla $15.99
This is a wine that shows off the versatility of Tempranillo. It is easy imagine how hot it gets in the middle of Spain during the summer, and this is a Tempranillo that was made for warm weather. It’s more like a Cru Beaujolais than a Rioja, and it sees no oak. The wine jumps out of the glass aromatically with sappy dark cherries, flowers, and a dusty earthiness. The palate is medium-bodied with very easy tannins and fresh acidity. This is a wine that will be enhanced with 15-20 minutes in the fridge before serving. A perfect old-world red wine for any occasion where you want red, but don’t want to use any appliance that generates heat.