Boschendal Vin d’Or Late Harvest 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

20 Monday Apr 2026

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I bought every bottle the local Philly wine shops had at the time- it was on sale for $15.  The last bottle I drank was stunning, this one- even better.  The color has matured to gold, the elixir, golden.  I took no notes as it was a birthday celebration.  I would rate this as a 95 point wine and put it up against many well known dessert wines.  Luscious with honey, apricot, marmalade, orange blossom.  Structured for the long haul with fantastic acidity, this wine is a shocker for the price paid.  I might have one bottle left from my haul years ago.  Current vintages are Viognier/Riesling blends.  They retail at the winery for about $38 a bottle.  Salut….

boschendal vin d'or noble late harvest

Cos D’Estournel 2001, St. Estephe, France

20 Monday Apr 2026

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For my birthday weekend I opened/will open some treasures from the cellar, including the 2001 Cos.  I did not take real notes as I wanted to enjoy my family, and the wine.  It was stunning.  I remember the day I purchased the case, back in 2003?  I have tasted this wine’s evolution and it is at peak.  Delivering aromas and flavors of  everything you could image a Left Bank wine of such pedigree could offer….. Cassis, tobacco, pencil shavings, plum, blackberry, baking spice, etc etc.  The intensity on the nose and palate were both amazing and the finish clocked in as medium (+) in length.  The tannins have done a good job keeping up with Father Time, fully melded yet still gripping.  Such a lovely, silky bottle with plenty of life left.  95 points from me.  Salut….

cos d'estournel

Hermann J. Wiemer HJW Vineyard Riesling 2019, Finger Lakes, New York

18 Saturday Apr 2026

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Pale lemon colored, with medium viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon pith, petrol, peach, crunchy yellow pear, lanolin, sea spray, and beeswax.  The palate is slightly off-dry, with high acidity, and a medium body.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of petrol, peach, lemon zest, lemon pith, underripe pear, saline and lanolin.  The finish is zesty from the high acidity, refreshing, and medium (+) in length.  It’s delicious and worthy of high praise.  I’ve been sitting on this bottle in hopes of seeing tertiary development in light of its obvious aging capacity, but decided to pull it far too young.  It still offers great satisfaction for the $45 price, but will certainly reward further cellaring.  94 points from me making it a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Hermann J. Wiemer RIESLING HJW VINEYARD

Justice Pinot Noir 2024, Sonoma Coast, California

15 Wednesday Apr 2026

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13.4% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red cherry, strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate, red licorice, and orange blossom.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of red fruit, with rhubarb interjecting its sour note, along with some crunchy tannins.  I doubt this wine has seen any oak, purity of fruit is what’s on offer here.  The finish is medium (+) in length, garnering some points.  It’s a decent drop overall, but it lacks much depth and complexity.  I paid $10, reduced from $15 at Costco.  I would say it gets 89 points and for that price- 4 stars.  I am planning to pair it with Cod, and soft shelled crabs- I know…. not typical.  Drink now.  Salut….

Justice Pinot Noir

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