Author Archives: caspernick

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Marlborough, New Zealand

19 Wednesday Nov 2025

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Pale stars colored, with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon/lime, grapefruit pith, peach, green almond, cut grass, and orange blossom.  The palate is dry, with high acidity, and a medium (-) body.  Medium intensity flavors of citrus with tropical notes and a green grass overlay.  The acidity is cutting and fresh.  The finish is medium (-) in length and I notice the wine taking on a bit of weight here.  It’s making my jaw water for sure, making me reach for another sip.  A delicious and typical Kiwi Sav Blanc that will provide much enjoyment, especially if paired with seafood.  It’s worthy of 89 point from me and at $13, it gets 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

Yamhill Valley Vineyards Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2017, McMinnville, Oregon

18 Tuesday Nov 2025

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Pale garnet colored, with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red cherry, strawberry coulis, straw, red currant, cherry cola, and a hint of plumcot. It’s New World in nature, lacking any funk, but not candied.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins that are fine grained.  The red fruit dominates the medium (+) intensity flavor profile with some earthy dry vegetal notes and a touch of cola.  The finish is medium in length and refreshingly tart.  This is a very tasty wine, albeit somewhat one dimensional, but it’s going to go well with baked Salmon.  It gets 90 points from me and for the $60 price point- 3 stars.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Yamhill Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir

Georges Duboeuf Domaine des Rosiers Moulin-a-Vent 2021, Beaujolais, France

16 Sunday Nov 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red grape, a green vegetal note (not loving that), pomegranate, cherry cola, and baking spice.  It’s somewhat one-dimensional.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (+) tannins that are quite grippy.  Medium intensity flavors of cherry, red grape, black tea, baking spice and pomegranate are overshadowed by a noticeable astringency.  It’s not something an aerator or decanter will fix, I think the tannins are green and hard.  The finish is medium (+) in length, but the tannic grip envelopes the whole mouth.  It gets 85 points from me, hopefully the other two bottles I have will mellow out.  Running $35 online, it’s a 2 star effort for me.  I’m going to pair it with Prime Rib, hopefully the fatty cut will sort out the tannins.  Salut….

Georges Duboeuf Domaine des Rosiers Moulin-a-Vent

Reputation Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Napa Valley, California

15 Saturday Nov 2025

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Deep ruby colored with an inky core, moderate staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of cassis, blackberry jam, black plum, mint, eucalyptus, coffee, blueberry, and a hint of oak.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a full body, and high tannins.  The fruit is ripe indeed, with cassis running the show.  Blackberry coulis, blueberry pie, some herbal notes and a trace of oak.  The tannins really grip on the mid palate and stay there for a prolonged period, the finish itself is medium in length and delicious.  This wine is a bit young, but could be decanted or aerated for immediate pleasure or cellared for a few years. Drink by 2035, with a juicy steak or lamb chops.  93 points from me for this $30 bottle that’s on sale at Costco for $15 makes it a no brainer 5 star effort.  Salut….

reputation cabernet sauvignon

 

Bodegas Caro ‘Aruma’ Malbec 2022, Mendoza, Argentina

14 Friday Nov 2025

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Deep purple colored, with moderate staining, and a medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of black plum, brambleberry, mint, eucalyptus, charred oak, coffee, iron, and grape licorice.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins that are pretty astringent.  Medium (+) intensity flavors mirror the nose with a silky mouthfeel.  The bitterness of the tannins hits on the finish, which is medium in length, somewhat detracting from an otherwise delicious and easygoing wine.  89 points from me for this $15 effort gets it 4 stars.  Drink till 2028 with game, duck or even roast chicken.  Salut….

Bodegas Caro Aruma Malbec

Boedecker Cellars Distinction Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon

12 Wednesday Nov 2025

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Pale ruby colored, fading to pale garnet, with medium viscosity (13.8% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black cherry, baking spices, ripe pomegranate, orange peel, black raspberry, toasty oak, and Turkish coffee.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors are medium in intensity and hone in on dark red fruit. The oak influence is not as evident as the nose,  with the focus being on black raspberry and black cherry.  I like it- the zesty tartness of the acidity makes for a lively mouthfeel.  The finish is medium (+) in length and juicy.  92 points from me for this $50 bottle gets it 4 stars.  Drink till 2033.  Salut….

Boedecker Cellars Distinction Pinot Noir

Aresti ‘Trisquel’ Gran Reserva Carmenere 2021, Curico Valley, Chile

10 Monday Nov 2025

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining, and a high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of green pepper, black plum, blackberry, wet rock, charred oak, black coffee, dark chocolate, and black cherry.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of black plum, black cherry, charred oak, dark chocolate, well steeped tea, and coffee lead to an interesting finish.  I stated that this was a dry wine, yet there’s a sweetness as it rolls onto the mid palate and then the back end.  I doubt there is any RS, but perhaps some very ripe fruit contributing to the taste.  It’s a medium length ending that I am enjoying.  I paid $9, on sale from $13 at Costco.  It’s a solid 90 pointer and gets 5 stars for it’s really good QPR.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Aresti 'Trisquel' Gran Reserva Carmenere

King Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2023, Monticello, Virginia

09 Sunday Nov 2025

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and high viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of licorice, green pepper, blackberry, cassis, acai berry, fresh green herbs, a hint of oak, chocolate powder, and vanilla.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of acai berry, anise, green pepper, herbs, and some blackberry.  The finish is medium (-) in length and turns a touch tart- refreshing.  It’s a nice bottle that we picked up at the winery, which is a must-visit if in the area.  It runs $30 ex-chateau and gets 90 points from me, making it a 4 star effort to drink over the next five years.  Salut….

King Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Vinos de Arganza Lagar de Robla ‘Coleccion Cuatro Hermanos’ Mencia 2022, Bierzo, Spain

08 Saturday Nov 2025

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of dried cranberry, black plum, baking spice, dried herbs, blackberry coulis, dark pomegranate, and petrichor.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  The flavors are of medium intensity and more secondary driven- chalk, iron, baking spice, dried herbs, and slate followed by dark red fruit and some blackberry.  The tannins are all-encompassing.  They seize the moment and grip from start to finish, slightly overshadowing the fruit on the palate.  The finish is medium (-) as a result.  It’s got lots of promise, and cellaring capacity.  Time will be kind to this wine and will reward the patient.  I would either decant/aerate it for immediate consumption or start drinking it from 2027 till 2035.  It’s a big wine that gets 92 points from me and at $25, 5 stars.  Salut….

Vinos de Arganza Lagar de Robla 'Coleccion Cuatro Hermanos' Mencia

Castelli del Grevepesa Coltifredi Riserva 2020, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

04 Tuesday Nov 2025

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Medium ruby fading to a watery meniscus, with slight staining, and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red cherry, leather, dried herbs, pomegranate, black currant, and an iron note.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that seem to dominate the mouthful.  Flavors are medium in intensity and I get dried red cherry, leather, iron, blood, dried herbs and overly dry tobacco leaf.  The finish is medium (-) in length and a touch tart.  The tannins go on for ages, drying up the gums in the process.  It’s a serviceable Sangiovese, nothing special.  A bit youthful, it will reward cellared for a few years to tame the tannic imbalance.  89 points from me for this $25 effort making it a 4 star wine.  The obvious pairing for me is pasta tonight.  Salut…..

Castelli del Grevepesa Coltifredi Riserva Chianti Classico