Ettl Heideboden Cuvee 2023, Neusiedlersee, Austria

14 Tuesday Apr 2026

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Deep purple colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, cedar plank, elderberry, a medicinal note, green leafy herbs, petrichor, licorice, and acai berry.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  Medium (+) intensity flavors solidify the black fruit and medicinal notes but it’s the ripeness of the fruit that has me curious.  The finish is medium in length and very enjoyable, thanks to the tannins that caress my gums.  It’;s an interesting blend of 75% Zweigelt ( a cross between St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch), 15% Blaufrankisch, and 10% Merlot.  It’s a tasty drop that gets 92 points from me, and at $17, it gets 5 stars.  Enjoy till 2029.  Salut….

Ettl Heideboden Cuvee

Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny Les Pierres Blanches Cabernet Franc 2023, Loire, France

13 Monday Apr 2026

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Medium ruby colored, with medium viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of green pepper, black raspberry, a medicinal note, charcoal, red plum, baking spice, and lingonberry.  The palate is dry, with medium (-) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors overshadow the somewhat light nose.  I get red fruit, spice nuances but less of the pyrazine driven capsicum. It’s got a very soft mouthfeel and I am enjoying the slight tartness balancing out the fine grained tannins.  It’s not a heavy wine, delicate is the key, so I would pair it with lighter fare- chicken, duck, veal and maybe a filet.  It’s drinking nicely now and will cellar until 2030.  91 points, and for the $25 price point- 5 stars.  Salut….

Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny Les Pierres Blanches Cabernet Franc

Precision Wine Co. Method Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Napa Valley, California

07 Tuesday Apr 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry, bramble berry, cassis, smoke, coffee, blueberry, vanilla bean, baking spices, and cocoa powder.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are ripe and pleasing.  Medium (+) intensity flavors enforce the aromas that I got and the wine finishes medium in length.  I’m not sure if I am sensing a touch of residual sugar or if the grapes are super ripe.  Either way, it’s delicious and smooth.  I don’t think it has much cellaring capacity, but when a bottle is this ready to be drunk, no need killing time.  Regularly priced at $20 at my local Costco, I got it for half that on sale, which is a steal since I think this is a 90 point wine, making it a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Precision Wine Co. Method Cabernet Sauvignon

Saxum Vineyards Broken 2016, Stones Paso Robles, California

05 Sunday Apr 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with moderate staining, and a medium viscosity (15.9% ABV).  On the nose I get medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe black plum, blackberry, purple licorice, vanilla, baking spice, coffee, eucalyptus, black pepper, game, and alcohol.  It’s hard to hide the whopping near-16%, but they did the best they could.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and medium (+) tannins that are silky and powdery.  Medium (+) intensity flavors caress my mouth- rich, ripe and smooth, with deft oak.  The ten years of aging this wine has received has really smoothed it out.  The tannins are noteworthy.   The evolution has just begin as the fruit softens and tertiary development begins.  It’s a young wine with another two decades of cellaring capacity.  The finish is long, black fruit-driven and delicious.  The alcohol is not noticeable on the palate strangely enough, just of the initial whiff.  An amazing blend of Syrah, Mataro, Grenache, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah with a touch of Roussane.  95 points from me for this $150 effort, which has to get 5 stars.  Salut….

Saxum Vineyards Broken Stones

Glenelly Estate Reserve Red 2017, Stellenbosch, South Africa

05 Sunday Apr 2026

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The closer at our 43rd virtual wine tasting was this banger from Stellenbosch.  A lovely wine that I have drunk older vintages of and it did not disappoint.  The tasting group noted how opaque it was with a deep garnet color, slight staining, and medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of floral perfume, thrift shop, mangrove, ocean spray, leather, licorice, coffee, and vanilla.  That’s quite an interesting set of descriptors, but then again, there was a decent sized crowd at this tasting.  The palate was dry, with medium (-) acidity, a full body, and high tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors echoed the nose but we also got some blackberry, black cherry, and green pepper- consistent with the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.  Delicious but young- this wine will cellar nicely till 2037 if it’s at all like it’s older siblings.  91 points from me and 17/20 on our tasting sheet.  We paid $22 last August, making this an amazing deal and worthy of 5 stars.  Salut….

Glenelly Estate Reserve Red

Vina Tarapaca Gran Reserva Carmenere 2021, Maipo Valley, Chile

05 Sunday Apr 2026

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The third wine of our virtual tasting was this delicious Carmenère with a bit of age on it.  We noted a deep ruby color flexing to garnet, with high viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (-) intensity aromas of blackberry, vanilla, baking spice, and green pepper for days.  On the palate it was dry, with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that were well integrated.  One of the tasters said- “It tastes like salad”.  I guess the green pepper component was obviously driving the bus.  Otherwise- we noted plum, coffee, blackberry, vanilla, and baking spice.  It came alive on the palate and showed off a medium (+) length finish which earned it 91 points.  On our tasting sheet I gave this $22 effort 15/20 points and would drink it over the next 4 years with a juicy steak.  5 stars.  Salut….

 


Vina Tarapaca Gran Reserva Carmenere

Astrolabe Pinot Noir 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand

05 Sunday Apr 2026

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Second up at the virtual wine tasting was this Pinot from New Zealand.  Pale garnet colored, with slight bricking, and low viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of rose, barnyard, cherry, stewed strawberry, cola, chocolate covered cherries, and rhubarb.  The palate had medium acidity, a light body, and low tannins.  Medium intensity flavors focussed on cherry, cola, and a medicinal note.  Red fruit was the dominant undertone.  A long finish was noted which helped bolster the score to 92 points.  On the tasting sheet- 19/20.  For $22, this is a delicious 5 star wine to seek out if you like a mix of Old/New World Pinot.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Astrolabe Pinot Noir

Weingut Markus Huber Terrassen Gruner Veltliner 2023, Traisental DAC, Austria

05 Sunday Apr 2026

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We tasted this wine chilled and then at room temperature at the 43rd virtual wine tasting, held over Zoom.  It was pale lemon colored, with low viscosity, (12.5% ABV).  The nose had medium intensity aromas of pear, lemon, green apple, nectarine, lanolin, lemon pith, and a hint of the telltale white pepper.  The palate was dry, with high acidity, and a medium (-) body.  Medium (-) intensity flavors included pineapple, semi-ripe pear, apricot, green apple and the pepper note.  A medium length finish was noted.  I enjoyed the chilled version, giving it 91 points and on our tasting sheet- 14 points.

The room temperature version was less intense on the nose, with slightly different aromas and flavors.  Honeydew melon, green apple, honeysuckle, white pepper, more pith than when chilled, persimmon, and apricot.  The wine felt less acidic, rounder and more full bodied- waxy.  The finish was slightly longer, yet I did not enjoy it as much.  It garnered 89 points and only 12 /20 on the sheet.  I would drink this $22 wine chilled over the next few years with fresh seafood, perhaps a chicken salad.  4 stars.  Salut….

Huber Terrassen Gruner Veltliner

Bodegas Riojanas Vina Albina Reserva 1998, Rioja DOCa, Spain

03 Friday Apr 2026

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Medium garnet, fading to copper with bricking on the edges.  Medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of prune, sweet dried cherry, blackberry jam, walnuts,  and leather- becoming intense.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a light body, and medium tannins that are fully melded.  I get the same flavors as the nose, but a touch sour. As it evolves I find it balanced with a hint of stewed rhubarb and dried cranberry giving it some zip.  The finish is medium in length and classically Old World.  91 points- drink till 2028.  No pricing information.  Salut….

Bodegas Riojanas Vina Albina Reserva

Bodega El Esteco Blend de Extremos Torrontes 2025, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina

31 Tuesday Mar 2026

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Pale lemon colored, with a watery sheen (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lychee, rose water, lemon and lime pith, guava, gooseberry, orange blossom, and a stony note.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, and a medium (+) body.  Medium (+) intensity flavors echo the nose and finish medium in length.  Delicious, refreshing, yet serious.  I love this variety and really enjoy a good bottle of it.  91 points from me for this $16 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  I’m pairing it with chicken and rice, but you could throw pretty much any fish dish at it for a great match.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Bodega El Esteco Blend de Extremos Torrontes