Saget Pere et Fils Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine 2020, Loire, France

24 Friday Mar 2023

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Pale lemon colored with light viscosity legs (12% ABV).  The nose has aromas of lemon and lime, grapefruit skin, sea air, white blossom, hard Anjou pear and citrus curd.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a light body- very crisp on the mouthfeel.  The flavors echo the citrus notes with salinity and fresh flowers.  The pear note is somewhat muted on the palate.  The finish is medium in length and refreshing- the tartness and light bodied nature of this varietal really showing through.  It begs for  some seafood or a salad with a rich dressing.  I would give this $14 wine a score of 87 and drink till 2024, making it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Les Vins Jean-Claude Debeaune Domaine de Grand Croix 2020, Brouilly, France

23 Thursday Mar 2023

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Deep purple with high viscosity legs (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of grape, red raspberry, lilac- it’s sorta muted right now.   The palate is dry with medium acidity and sandy tannins that are medium (-) in intensity.  The body of this Gamay is medium to full and is silky with ripe red raspberry, red licorice, orange peel and black cherry.  The finish is a touch tart but delightful and quite long.  I paid $25 for this 88 point wine making it a 3 star effort that I’m pairing with roast Duck.  Drink till 2027.  Ps. Carbonic Maceration is commonly used in Beaujolais but I don’t sense its use in this Cru level wine.  Salut….

G. Stepp Riesling 2020, Pfalz, Germany

21 Tuesday Mar 2023

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Medium lemon colored with a watery sheen in the glass (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon, lemon spritz, lanolin, slate, white peach that’s not quite ripe, green apple, some petrichor and perhaps- a touch of petrol.  The palate is dry with high acidity, I feel this wine is medium (-) bodied.  The palate confirms the citrus notes along with the minerality and I also get a bit of grapefruit pith on the mid palate.  The stone fruit are a little muted as is the petrol.  The finish is medium with a bit of leftover phenolics.  I like this no-nonsense Riesling for what it is- easy drinking, capable of taking on several styles of food and modestly priced at $14.  I’m pairing this 88 point wine with Thai shrimp noodles.  4 stars , to be drunk by 2026.  Salut….

Weingut Winzer Krems Blauer Zweigelt ‘St Severin’ 2021, Niederosterreich, Austria

19 Sunday Mar 2023

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Medium cherry-red colored with a watery sheen in the glass (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red licorice, maraschino cherry, red raspberry, rhubarb and Dr Pepper.  The palate has a touch of residual sugar (RS) with medium acidity and lithe tannins.  Red fruit and red licorice for flavors that are very enticing and refreshing.  I like the simplicity of this wine- no oak, no big tannins, not acidic.  The finish is quite long.  It’s very easy to drink and will pair nicely with our roasted veggie bowls with Kielbasa and Andouille off the grill.  I like this $18 offering and will buy more for the summer.  It reminds me of Gamay with it’s juiciness and light body.  88 points and 4 stars from me- drink till 2025.  Salut….

Substance ‘Me’ Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Merlot 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington

17 Friday Mar 2023

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Medium garnet, this 4 year old Merlot is starting to show a bit of age already.  The nose has some tertiary notes starting to come alive but there is still loads of primary and secondary aromas of black plum, bramble, black raspberry, vanilla, sage and violets.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and gritty, medium (+) tannins.  The brambly fruit character is there along with vanilla and spice, black raspberry and purple florals with signs of maturity by way of caramel and some desiccated plum.  The body is quite full, not surprising since this bottle boasts a 14.5% ABV.  The finish is velvety smooth and long with black raspberry dominating.  I like the vanilla/oak note on the front end,  but it disappears on the back end.  Really delicious wine that I am pairing with corned beef since it’s St. Patricks day after all.  92 points from me for this $42 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2028.  Salut….

16 Thursday Mar 2023

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Pale lemon-lime colored with a watery sheen in the glass (12% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of grated lemon rind, lime cordial, apricot and paperwhite flowers.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a light body.  Steely, cutting lime and lemon flavors are very precise along with some rounder apricot and floral notes- the citrus really honing in on the center of my tongue.  The acidity is very juicy and refreshing.  This wine needs some seafood to temper it a touch.  Perhaps a dozen clams on the shell with some plump oysters in all their saline beauty would do the trick.  It finishes lean with a medium length.  At $ 17 I like this 88 pointer that gets 4 stars from me.  I would drink it till 2027.  Salut….

 

Bodegas As Laxas ‘Val do Sosego’ Albarino 2021, Rias Baixas, Spain

15 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Pale lemon with medium thin legs (12.5% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of peach ring, tangerine, apricot, white blossom, marzipan and a touch, no, a smidge of lychee.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium body.  It is rounded with a silky mouthfeel and I get flavors that are not as intense as the nose but correspond.  It’s a delicious wine that I’m tasting at room temperature but would pair beautifully as a chilled accompaniment to shellfish.  The finish is medium in length and turns a touch bitter.  Yummy stuff that gets 91 points from me and for $19 it’s a 5 star wine to stock up on for the summer.  Salut….

Weingut Winzer Krems ‘Kremser Goldberg’ Kellermeister Privat Gruner Veltliner Trocken 2020, Kremstal DAC, Austria

15 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Medium lemon with a touch of petillance and medium legs (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon rind, pomelo, white flowers, crushed gravel and pith.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a touch of bitterness and medium body.  The flavors I get are citrus dominated per the nose but I also get a rounded, creamy textured note of lemon curd.  The finish is medium to long and the crispness of the acidity lingers but is not biting.  I like this $25 effort and give it 90 points and 5 stars.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Olivier Ravoire Bandol Le Pont 2019, Provence, France

12 Sunday Mar 2023

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Deep ruby colored, this 60/40 blend of Mourvèdre and Grenache has slow, gobby legs showing off its 14% ABV.  The nose is meaty and gamey right off the bat.  Black fruit galore with blackcurrants, blackberry, mulberry, wild herbs, licorice and menthol.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins.  A full bodied wine with dark fruits, herbs (aka garrigue) and some smoky game meat all meld together nicely to form a very pleasing flavor profile with nice balance and decent structure.  It’s not overly complex but has a primal sense to it.  89 points from me for this $25 bottle makes it a 3 star effort to drink till 2028.  I’m doing a Sunday roast to pair with- should work out just right!  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Napa Valley, California

11 Saturday Mar 2023

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Inky purple in the glass, this opaque wine has thick, slow moving legs and leaves a stain on the glass (14.5% ABV).  The nose has ripe and concentrated aromas of cassis, blackberry pie, perfumed violet, vanilla and blueberry alongside baking spices.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and very fine grained tannins that grip nicely.  The rich, ripe black fruit and cassis syrup are evident as is the oak influence which is in check.  Full bodied, this wine leads me to a long finish that has some charred oak hints as well.  At 5 years old, it is drinking beautifully and will do so till 2030.  I’m pairing it with braised lamb and roasted sweet potato.  It would go nicely with a filet au poivre with gratin potatoes as well.  93 points from me for this $65 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to savor.  Salut….