Category Archives: Wine reviews

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

Lachini Vineyards ‘La Contrada’ Red 2018, Walla Valley, Washington

15 Tuesday Jul 2025

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Deep, inky purple colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.6% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of cassis, blackberry compote, coffee, vanilla bean, dried herbs, sweet pomegranate syrup, milk chocolate, and acai berry.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins.  The flavors are quite pronounced and delicious.  They mimic the nose and really show off the Bordeaux-style blend of 75% Cab Sav and 25% Merlot.  It’s got length and breadth with a long finish.  This is a youthful wine that has great cellaring potential but is drinkable right away.  Lovely stuff to pair with game meats, grilled steaks or a lamb chop.  93 points for this $55 bottle makes it a 5 star effort in my opinion. Drink till 2035.  Salut….

Lachini Vineyards ‘La Contrada’ Red

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2000, Clare Valley, Australia

13 Sunday Jul 2025

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Medium garnet colored with very evident bricking, and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of mulled plum, blackberry compote, raisins, prunes, walnuts, desiccated flower petals, dried coconut flakes, dried dill/herbs, a touch of eucalyptus and a hint of green almond.  That last line is interesting.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body and medium (-) tannins that are truly melded.  Medium (+) intensity flavors that mimic the nose and are interlaced with vibrant acidity that is tempered by the silky, if almost imperceptible tannins.  The wine has a gorgeous mouthfeel- akin to velvet.  The finish is medium (+) in length and very smooth.  This is a a very mature wine that is fading gracefully.  I remember drinking gallons of it in its youth and loving every drop.  It’s not cheap, but well worth the $47 entry fee for the current vintage.  It gets 89 points from me as it has very little aging capacity left.  Drink this 4 star wine sooner rather than later.  Salut….

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz

Chateau Belle-Vue La Renaissance Red 2009, Mount Lebanon, Lebanon

08 Tuesday Jul 2025

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Deep ruby colored bordering on garnet with copper highlights.  Slight staining on the wall, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV) are getting me ready for a heavy hitter with some age.  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of cassis, tar, tobacco, vanilla thread, mulled blackberry, stewed cranberry, pomegranate molasses, chocolate and spice box.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky yet fine grained.  The intensity is pretty high and the flavors mimic the nose.  The acidity slides in on the mid palate and turns the whole experience slightly tart, yet refreshing.  The tannins are very polished and velvety.  The age of this wine is evident by the color and the mature state of the fruit, yet the structure is very solid and holding this wine up nicely, yet another testament to the power of Lebanese wines.  This beauty ran me $35 plus shipping (I hate that). and will last for another 10 years.  This blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon gets 93 points from me and 5 stars.  Well worth the effort to look out for it.  Delicious by itself, it would pair beautifully with roast Duck, Filet or Shish Kebabs.  Salut….

chateau Belle-Vue La Renaissance

Fattoria della Talosa Vin Santo di Montepulciano Occhio di Pernice 1996, Tuscany, Italy

07 Monday Jul 2025

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It’s called Occhio di Pernice, which means Eye of the Partridge- relating to the deep amber color.  This one has a slight haze due to non-filtration and a high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of walnuts, prunes, candied orange peel, salty caramel, Seaspray, and spun honey.  It’s quite complex. The palate is sweet, with a full body and medium (+) acidity.  The flavors are intense and mirror the nose.  It’s quite an unctuous drop packed full of flavors that layer on themselves.  The sweetness is balanced by the juicy acidity.  This wine begs for a stinky Blue Cheese or super ripe Brie.  The finish is long and silky.  What a treat.  We paid $45 ex-chateau for this 94 pointer that makes it worthy of 5 stars.  It’s just being released after 29 years- shockingly good stuff.  Made predominantly from Sangiovese grapes made in the Vin Santo method.  Drink till 2040.  Salut….

talosa occhio di pernice vin santo di Montepulciano