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

31 Tuesday Mar 2026

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$16, 5 stars, 91 points, Argentina, cafayate, calchaqui valley, Torrontes


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

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Ribbon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022, Ribbon Ridge, Oregon

15 Sunday Mar 2026

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$43, 2 stars, 87 points, oregon, pinot noir, Ribbon Ridge


Pale garnet colored, with high viscosity (13.8% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of bruised black cherry, pomegranate, red raspberry, baking spice, and crushed rock.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (+) tannins.  Medium intensity flavors diminish on the mid palate to end in a slightly watery finish that is short in length.  Such a shame, this one started out strong and encouraging with good structure, an interesting nose, and good flavors.  I can’t go higher than 87, and for the $43 price tag it gets 2 stars.  Drink by 2030.  Salut….

Ribbon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir

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Chateau Carbonnieux 2020, Pessac-Leognan, France

13 Friday Mar 2026

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$55, 4 stars, 90 points, bordeaux, bordeaux blend, cabernet sauvignon, france, pessac leognan


Deep ruby colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, blackberry, cassis, tobacco, bramble berry, ink, cedar plank, a touch of vanilla and chocolate.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are quite chalky.  Medium (+) intensity flavors are noted and the finish is medium (-) in length.  The tannins are really plush, the wine offering a great mouthfeel.  I like this Bordeaux blend of 60% Cab Sav, 30% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.  It gets 90 points, and at $55- 4 stars.  It would have scored higher if the finish had more to offer.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Chateau Carbonnieux

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Chateau Musar 2004, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

01 Sunday Mar 2026

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$140, 5 stars, 95 points, bekaa valley, cabernet sauvignon, carignan, Cinsault, lebanon


Deep garnet colored with a copper hue, and high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of dried cranberry, desiccated black raspberry, dried spices, telltale funk, leather, Rooibos tea, and perfumed vanilla.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins that are fully melded.  Intense flavors of dried red fruit, garigue, funky Brett-driven notes, leather, Rooibos tea and vanilla.  Stunning.  The finish is super smooth, a touch tart, yet I get a sweetness from the ripe fruit.  It lasts a good long while.   This is my daughter’s birth year wine so we are having a big Sunday Roast in her honor.  An amazing bottle that runs $140 currently and gets 95 points from me.  It will last forever, like most Musars and gets 5 stars.  Such a treat to drink this amazing wine.  It scored poorly on release but has stood the test of time.  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignan.  Salut….

Chateau Musar

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Santa Carolina ‘Carolina’ Reserva Carmenere 2019, Rapel Valley, Chile

27 Friday Feb 2026

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$13, 5 stars, 90 points, cachapoal valley, carmenere, chile, rapel


Medium ruby colored, with slight staining, and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, green pepper, black cherry, blackberry, sawdust, menthol, dried herbs, and a medicinal note.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of dark fruit, with some vegetal notes- green pepper, herbs, asparagus, and menthol along with that semidried wood chip hint.  The finish is medium in length and very soft.  Carmenere is to Chile what Malbec is to Argentina- a signature grape with very mouth-pleasing qualities, decent structure and lots of dark fruit.  This one is good, I like it.  Carmenere can be very vegetal if done incorrectly (ie. under-ripe fruit).  This one has just the right amount of green notes to make it interesting without going too far and vegetal.  90 points from me for this $13 effort makes it a 5 star wine to search for.  It has a few years of age already, but will go another 5 at least.  Salut….

Santa Carolina 'Carolina' Reserva Carmenere

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Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012, Tuscany, Italy

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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$40, 4 stars, 90 points, brunello, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


Pale to medium garnet colored with medium tanning and medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of tobacco, leather, tar, ripe cherries, prunes, a medicinal note, crushed/dried rose petals,  spice, and tamarind. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and medium tannins that are fully integrated. Medium (+) intensity flavors confirm the nose, especially that tamarind note that I got. It’s quite silky and quite high in acidity. A cherry note hits on the back end where the finish is medium in length. This is a decent Brunello. Nothing major. It gets 90 points for me. At $40 for newer vintages, it’s a 4 star effort.  Drink till 2032.

Bonacchi Podere Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino

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Bodega Garzon Reserva Tannat 2022, Maldonado, Uruguay

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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$18, 5 stars, 90 points, Maldonado, Tannat, uruguay, VWTC


The WOTN for almost everyone at the 42nd virtual wine tasting.  This one keeps hitting on all cylinders.  I have opened various vintages and they are all top rated wines that please the crowds.  This one was typical- deep ruby colored, with slight staining.  Medium (+) intensity aromas of black cherry, black berry, plum, licorice, charcoal, vanilla, and a touch of alcohol peeking through.  On the palate, it was dry, with med (-) acidity, a full body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors and a medium (+) length finish made this black fruit driven wine shine.  It got 90+ point from me and on our tasting score sheet- 15/20.  We paid $18 for it, making this a 5 star wine to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Bodega Garzon Reserva Tannat

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Penley Estate ‘Francis’ Cabernet Franc 2023, Coonawarra, Australia

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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$20, 3 stars, 88 points, australia, Cabernet franc, coonawarra, VWTC


A most unique smelling and tasting Cabernet Franc that we opened at the 42nd virtual wine tasting.  Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity (12.5% ABV).  A medium (+) intensity nose of sweet red apples, cranberry juice, bubble gum, green pepper, and rhubarb.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  A dry, medium (-) finish left me bewildered at the flavor profile of this wine.  Some hated it, others were indifferent, I was intrigued.  We paid $20 per bottle and I am thinking it is an 88 point wine, making it worthy of 3 stars.  Drink soon.  Salut….



Penley Estate 'Francis' Cabernet Franc

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Duorum Tinto 2020, Douro, Portugal

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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$18, 4 stars, 89 points, Douro, portugal, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, VWTC


The second wine of our virtual tasting was this Portugues blend.  Deep garnet in color with a medium (+) viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, ripe blueberry, black cherry, vanilla, and a medicinal note.  Medium (-) acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins were noted.  On he plate we also got licorice in addition to the aromas already mentioned.  A pleasant, medium length finish made this an 89 point wine for me.  At $18 this wine delivered nicely and gets 4 stars.  It’s already approaching six years of age, it will last another half dozen.  Salut….

Duorum Tinto

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Cantina Terlano-Kellerei Terlan Tradition Pinot Grigio 2023, Alto Adige Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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$19, 3 stars, 88 points, Italy, pinot grigio, pinot gris, trentino-alto Adige, VWTC


This Pinot Grigio from Trento-Doc was served both chilled and at room temperature at the 42nd virtual wine tasting.  The tasters found it to be pale lemon in color with low viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium intensity aromas and flavors of unripe pear, lemon rind, a mineral twist and green apple.  It was dry, with medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  The finish was medium (-) in duration and unremarkable.  The room temperature version was just flatter, less intense and felt heavier on the body with lower acidity.  I vacillated between 87 and 89 points so the average rules here- 88 points for this $19 bottle makes it a 3 star wine.  I would drink in the short term.  Salut….


Cantina Terlano-Kellerei Terlan Tradition Pinot Grigio

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