Author Archives: caspernick

Paolo Scavino Sorriso Langhe Bianco 2023, Piedmont, Italy

23 Tuesday Sep 2025

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Medium lemon colored with gold accents, and a watery sheen (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lanolin, lemon pith, lime, tangerine, white grapefruit, peach, green herbs, and wet rock.  The palate is dry, with a medium (+) body and medium acidity.  The fullness of the wine detracts initially from the flavors- of which I get grapefruit, melon, peach, lemon zest, and bouquet garni.  The finish is medium (+) in length and the acidity starts to grip at that point, the fruit lingering ever so.  Delicious and pairing beautifully with roast Cod and Brussel Sprouts.  91 points for this $18 bottle makes it a 5 star effort.  A delicious un-oaked Chardonnay/SavBlanc/Viognier blend that has not gone through MLF.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Paolo Scavino Sorriso Langhe Bianco

ZD Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Napa Valley, California

21 Sunday Sep 2025

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I’m a little concerned about this bottle, the cork is showing signs of seepage, but here goes.  Deep ruby colored, slight staining, and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry coulis, vanilla, baking spice, black plum reduction, a hint of eucalyptus, toasted oak, cedar lined cigar box, acai berry, a trace of toasted coconut, and a touch of cassis.  There’s obvious ripeness in this Napa Cabernet- the sun was definitely shining!  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and medium (+) tannins- but there’s also a definitive sourness to the wine.  Is it seepage from the cork?  The fruit is slightly muted, but still showing ripeness and structure.  The tannins smooth out nicely and the finish is long with dark fruit dominating, yet there’s something slightly out of balance.  For such a rich and ripe wine, the tartness is quite obvious.  I wonder if the bottle is flawed?  Tertiary development is forthcoming as the primary fruit is still the driving force, I would imagine a long lived wine if stored correctly and a cork that was intact.  I can only go 92 points on this award winning wine which runs $257 ex-chateau.  3 stars- pairing with grilled tri-tip.  Salut….

ZD Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Massaya Classic – Le Colombier Rouge 2021, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

16 Tuesday Sep 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with slight staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black raspberry, cedar, blackberry coulis, menthol,  coffee bean, dark chocolate, wild herb, and ripe fig.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are pretty grippy.  The flavors hone in on black fruit with iodine, menthol and oaky wood notes.  It’s a young bottle, which is typical for Lebanese wines- they have great longevity.  The finish is pretty dry and tannin driven for the first part.  The fruit notes end medium in length, leaving me with a slightly bitter after taste.  It’s yummy, but young.  It’s a blend of 35% Grenache Noir, 35% Consult, and 30% Tempranillo.  I would give it a potential 90 points, it cost me $19 and gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

Massaya Le Colombier Rouge

Shumi Winery ‘Iberiuli’ Mukuzani 2022, Georgian Republic

15 Monday Sep 2025

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Deep ruby colored, with moderate staining, and medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red and black plum, vanilla bean, blackberry, acai berry, a medicinal note, and dried green herbs.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  The flavors are of medium intensity but get sidelined by the really seductive tannins.  Black fruit, oak influence by way of vanilla and a medicinal note, coupled with some dried herbs.  The finish is pretty decent in length and adds a bit of charred oak to the mix.  The Saperavi variety is one of two main teinturier grapes that are produced- the flesh is not clear, but pink colored which makes the wine very dark when fermented on the skins.  I paid $18 for this delicious wine that will be paired with Oxtail stew.  It gets 91 points from me and therefore- 5 stars!  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Shumi Winery 'Iberiuli' Mukuzani

Castello di Monsanto ‘Fabrizio Bianchi’ Chardonnay Toscana IGT 2022, Tuscany, Italy

30 Saturday Aug 2025

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Pale gold in color, with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lanolin, lemon pith, pink grapefruit, a touch of vanilla, melon, and straw.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and a hint of phenolic bitterness.  The medium (+) intensity flavors mimic the nose with the exception of the melon and straw.  I like the acidity, it’s not cutting but it builds towards the back end and leaves the palate refreshed, the weight of the body initially dragging this wine down.  I don’t sense MLF, but there is a very deft hand at play in the oak department- it’s very nicely done and not overwhelming.  The finish is medium in length and moving more toward the tart side of things.  I like this wine.  It ran me $28 and gets 91 points.  I think it has decent cellaring capacity with a drink-by date of 2035.  Five stars from me!  Pairing it with Shrimp Scampi.  Salut….

Castello di Monsanto 'Fabrizio Bianchi' Chardonnay

Anselmo Mendes Contacto Alvarinho 2023, Vinho Verde, Portugal

25 Monday Aug 2025

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Pale gold with copper highlights, and a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of peach, orange blossom, Brazil nut skin, lanolin, sea spray, iodine, and white grapefruit pith.  The palate is dry, with high acidity, and a full body.  There’s a waxiness to the texture- it’s an interesting dichotomy of high acidity that normally pierces, against the full bodied, waxy mouth coating sensation I am getting.  It’s a touch bitter from the skin contact but I get the grapefruit pith and fruit, saline, peach, orange blossom, and a hint of nutty skin.  The finish is quite tart and refreshing, easing up on the heaviness I initially got.  It lasts a medium length.  Overall this is a delightful wine that I paid $23 for.  It gets 91 points and 5 stars.  We are baking Salmon with a lemon caper butter and rice to pair.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Anselmo Mendes Contacto Alvarinho

Bodegas Neo Punta Esencia 2004, Ribera del Duero, Spain

10 Sunday Aug 2025

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Deep garnet with slight copper edges, and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of baked cherry, fig, prune, dusty earth, vanilla, iodine, baked blueberry pie, leather, and dried herbs.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are still grippy but integrating nicely.  The flavors are very persistent and echo the nose.  This is a classic Tempranillo, aged in  French oak is my guess.  The finish is long and silky.  It’s still vibrant with years of cellaring capacity.  I opened it for my daughter’s 21st birth month and I’m glad I held on to it for so long.  It gets 94 points from me and can found online for about $130, making it a 5 star wine for a special occasion.  Salut….

Bodegas Neo Punta Esencia

Il Borgo Collinare Nero d’Avola 2023, Sicily, Italy

06 Wednesday Aug 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with a hint of staining, and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red currant, blood orange, white cherry, cinnamon-driven spice box, a hint of licorice, and pomegranate.  I can almost smell the acidity.  The palate is dry, with high acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins that are hitting on the upper cheeks.  Medium intensity flavors of red fruit, some spicebox and a hint of blood orange peel.  The finish is a zesty affair with the acidity firing on all cylinders.  It finishes a medium (-) length without much fanfare.  It’s a basic, everyday bottle that runs $8 and gets 85 points from me.  Drink sooner rather than later, this 3 star effort is made from organic grapes.  Salut….

il borgo collinare nero d'avola

Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz 2004, McLaren Vale, Australia

03 Sunday Aug 2025

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Deep murky ruby fading to a slight copper edge, with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV), and signs of non filtration.  The nose has intense aromas of blackberry coulis, brambleberry, shredded coconut, vanilla, coffee, molasses, tobacco, eucalyptus, leather, leather, and cracked pepper.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and medium (+) tannins that are still grippy, yet integrating nicely.  The wine has a certain, unfiltered texture that gives is a unique mouthfeel.  The flavors are rich, intense and mimic the nose.  Layers of ripe fruit mixed with oak nuance and some tertiary development point to a wine that still has considerable aging capacity.  At 21 years old, this wine is still showing off its pedigree.  The finish is long and smooth, making me realize the tannins melt away ever so gently and leave me with a balanced and lush finale that shows off the fruit, wood and tertiary development.  This is a stunning wine, one which I opened way too early several years ago, and regret doing so after trying this second bottle.  Amazing stuff that gets 95 points from me.  We are pairing it with try-tip, in celebration of my daughter’s 21st year on earth, the same vintage.  One source online has a bottle for $330.  It’s a big price to pay, but my baby only turns 21 once.  5 stars.  Drink till 2045.  Here’s my first review, prior to wine training.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz

Patz & Hall Little Boot Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017, Russian River Valley, California

18 Friday Jul 2025

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Medium ruby colored with charcoal highlights, and medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red raspberry, pomegranate, rhubarb, spice box, vanilla bean, coffee, red plum, and bramble berry.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are nicely integrated.  Red fruits dominate the flavors with a hint of oak influence- vanilla, coffee, spice box.  Red raspberry and rhubarb are the dominant players here.  The acidity kicks it up a notch on the back end where the finish is quite long and slightly tart.  I can feel a touch of heat, which is surprising for me.  I like this wine, it’s not exactly my style of Pinot, but it has the right level of extraction and has a lovely mouthfeel with layered fruit being supported by nice structure.  It should cellar nicely and drink well until 2035.  92 points from me for this $65 bottling gets it 4 stars.  I’m pairing it with Pork Tomahawk chops.  Salut….

Patz & Hall Little Boot Vineyard pinot noir