Category Archives: Wine reviews

Apriori Pinot Noir 2017, Sonoma Coast, California

28 Friday Jan 2022

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Pale ruby, this see-through Pinot has beautiful color and watery legs in the glass.  The nose is stunning- pronounced aromas of strawberry cobbler, red cherry, cherry cola, dusty wood, raspberry and red licorice.  The palate is very smooth with a great expression of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, red cola and licorice with that sawdust-like earthiness.  Very lithe tannins balance a medium acidity making for a mid weight mouthfeel that goes on and on.  The finish is a touch tart and juicy but has great length.  The thing I like so much about this varietal is it’s ease of drinking when young yet it has great aging capacity if made properly.  This one is only 4 years old but will go on until 2030 at the least, pairing with roast pork, grilled Cornish hens, eggplant parmigiana or even a peppercorn filet mignon.  It is seductive and lithe yet complex and mysterious.  Delicious expression of the grape that gets 92 points from me and 5 stars for its $32 price point.  Salut…..

Edmond Cornu et Fils Les Bons Ores Chorey Les Beaune 2014, Burgundy, France

27 Thursday Jan 2022

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I’m roasting a rustic chicken so Pinot Noir is my choice of red.  This Burgundy is pale garnet, showing off its 7 years of age.  The nose gives off a decent amount of sour cherry, some mushrooms, a bit of earth, stewed strawberry and pomegranate molasses.  The palate is quite tart with sour cherry notes, that earthy funk and a hint of the strawberry.  The wine is dry but very light on the tannic structure.  They are very well integrated.  The mouthfeel shows light to medium body and it finishes with a sour twist that lasts a good long while.  I get no evidence of new oak in this wine, nor is there much complexity.  It is a basic, everyday wine that fits in nicely with my Coq dinner.  I would also pair it with lighter meat dishes, pasta with red sauce or even a stew.  88 points for this $35 effort makes it a 3 star effort to drink by 2028.  Salut….

Tinazzi Poggio ai Santi Le Guardie 2019, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy

26 Wednesday Jan 2022

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Pasta for dinner means an Italian wine but I’m afraid this one might be a touch young.  Made from Montepulciano grapes it is medium opacity with garnet hues.  The nose is medium (-) in intensity and gives me aromas of red licorice, cherry, smoke, nutmeg, red plum and cherry cola.  The palate is not what I was expecting- much more approachable.  Dry, with medium (-) tannins, juicy acidity and medium weight body.  The flavors are medium intensity with notes of cherry, cola, strawberry, nutmeg, and a hint of red plum.  I don’t get the smoke component any more.  The tartness of the cherry is evident on the finish, which is relatively short.  I like this wine as a basic, no frills red that will serve the pairing well.  It gets 88 points from me and for the entry-level price of $11 it is worthy of 4 stars.  Keep a few on hand for a weekday spaghetti night.  Drink now.  Salut….

Nugan Estate Parish Vineyard Shiraz 2018, McLaren Vale, Australia

25 Tuesday Jan 2022

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A deep purple color with thick legs in the glass.  On the nose I get pronounced aromas of blackcurrant, ripe black plum, jammy blueberry, anise, chocolate and a dusting of white pepper.  The palate is technically dry but the ripeness of the fruit makes it seem sweet- like jam.  Spicy yet it really shows off the sun-drenched fruit.  Black and blue berries with licorice, pepper, and a slight oak influence with mocha/chocolate.  This wine is max throttle.  Full bodied, silky smooth tannins, medium (-) acidity and a long finish.  Amazing stuff if you like a brash Shiraz.  For $20 I’m glad I loaded up on this 93 pointer that will drink beautifully till 2028 and pair with most grilled meats or hearty stews.  5 stars.  Salut….

Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin Red 2017, Paso Robles, California

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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Almost opaque, this dark ruby colored ‘Red Wine’ is a blend of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah that rings in at 13.9% ABV.  The nose has rich black plum, blackberry coulis, licorice and vanilla.  The palate is meh…  Tart, dry and lacking depth of fruit.  I do get some blackberry and plum but I’m missing the oak nuance, the licorice and am distracted by the sourness.  The tannins are medium (+) and the wine is mid weight.  The finish is short, TG.  Not impressed by this $18 wine (I paid $10) that gets 84 points from me.  1 star and a major pass. I’m pairing it with leftover Lasagna.  Salut….

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2009, Sauternes, France

22 Saturday Jan 2022

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We had a dinner party last night and finished on this sticky, which did not go down well.  I promised myself a re-taste was in order so I reserved a glass to give it a go today.

Deep gold, nearly amber in color with shimmering legs.  The nose is almost Oloroso-like with lots of green almond.  A touch of honey, some poached apple, apricot and a hint of beeswax come through.  The nuttiness is almost overpowering.  On the palate it is sweet but not unctuous, full bodied and syrupy but lacking depth of flavor.  Medium acidity on the back end is noticed and the wine has a decently long finish.  I don’t really care for the nut profile, I was hoping for more botrytis notes.  Right now 88 points for this $50 wine, garnering 2 stars.  Next bottle coming right up………

Bottle #2- same appearance.  Less nuts, more honey, more precise and focused on rich cooked fruit and other nuances of the style.  Th palate is much better on this bottle, leading me to believe I had a slightly flawed bottle.  It still has an austere nature to it and is definitely not my style of Sauternes.  Bumping my score up to 89 points still makes it a 2 star wine.  Drink with a cheese plate, especially some Blue till 2030.  Salut….

Sojourn Cellars Wohler Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Russian River Valley, California

21 Friday Jan 2022

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Pale garnet in the glass this wine exhibits big legs showing off its 14.2% ABV.  The nose is classic Pinot- cherry, strawberry, baking spice, cola, a bit of bramble and a touch of earthiness.  The palate is very precise with cherry driving the way.  The baking spice, cola and bramble/earth are all present but the red fruit really shines.  Juicy acidity and very svelte tannins make for a ‘sour cherry’ feel that I am really enjoying.  Medium bodied it has a medium finish that is really fruity.  I have had this brand before, enjoying it every time.  This one happens to be out of a Magnum and we are pairing it with appetizers of roasted Beef Marrow, charcuterie and phyllo cups filled with goodies.  It will work well with roast pork, chicken, filet mignon or duck.  92 points from me for this slippery smooth charmer that runs $54 and gets 5 stars.  I love this region BTW, the Russian River makes top notch Pinot that I look out for.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Gewurztraminer 2020, Finger Lakes, New York UPDATED

19 Wednesday Jan 2022

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Another Finger Lakes wine to try from our recent trip- this one is a Dry Gewürztraminer which I am pairing with Beer-Can Chicken….  but I am a little concerned.  The cork was funky, looked very wet and there was some schmutz inside the neck.  I ran the first glass through a filter and here goes nothing:

Medium lemon color in the glass.  The nose is somewhat muted, surprising for the varietal but not for this particular bottle.  I do get some citrus, hazelnuts, bread and a hint of the telltale lychee.  The palate is better.  Medium intensity flavors of tangerine, lemon, lychee, rose, geranium and no sign of the bread or nuts.  Light to medium bodied it has gentle acidity and a medium length finish.  I love the varietal, but this bottle might be suffering.  Luckily I have another one nearby.  I’ll give it a try in the near future.  For now this $25 wine gets 86 points and 2 stars.  Hopefully it will improve on the next go.  Salut….

 

UPDATE

I wrote to the the winery to let them know I had an issue and they promptly refunded me the cost of the bottle.  Tonight- I taste the second bottle.

It has evidence of being frozen, with crystalized deposits in the neck.  The appearance is fine otherwise.  The nose shows much better than the previous bottle.  Medium intensity aromas of geranium, lemon, tangerine, rose and lychee that are crisp.  The palate is dry from a residual sugar standpoint but the varietal always has a certain sweetness to it that I love.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of the aforementioned citrus and floral notes, with less emphasis on the lychee.  Shame, as I look forward to that component in Gewürztraminer.  Medium bodied it has great mouthfeel for a wine of low acidity.  The finish is decent in length and concentrates on the flowery flavors versus the citrus.  It is drinking far better than the flawed bottle and gets a respectable 89 points from me making it a 4 star effort.  Bravo for pulling it together!  Salut….

Dr. Konstantin Frank Muscat Ottonel 2020, Finger Lakes, New York

18 Tuesday Jan 2022

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Next up in my series on Finger Lakes wines is another aromatic varietal- Muscat Ottonel.  This one is a deep lemon color in the glass and rings in at 11.5% ABV.  The nose has pretty florals, lychee, sea salt and lemon/lime spritz.  On the palate it is off-dry with a hint of sweetness and plenty of body.  The tropical fruit coats my mouth and the aromatics are powerful.  This wine is weighty with medium (-) acidity and a long finish.  It is delicious and unique.  I decided to pair it with English Bangers and Mash with onion gravy.  I do believe it will work well- as would a Cobb salad, perhaps Lobster Thermidor or even roasted Cornish Hens.  It reminds me of last night’s Gewürztraminer but with less acidity, less minerality but more body and fruit.  89 points for this $20 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink now.  Salut….

Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewurztraminer 2020,Finger Lakes, New York

17 Monday Jan 2022

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On our recent trip to the Finger Lakes I picked up some bottles to bring home for a more in-depth tasting and evaluation.  We kick off that series with this aromatic white made from the Gewürztraminer grape.  It’s a medium shade of gold in the glass.  The nose is full of aromatics- lychee, rose water, lemon verbena and finely sliced ginger.  There is a sharp focus in this wine and some minerality to boot.  Th palate tastes off-dry but I doubt there is any residual sugar- the 13% ABV points to a full fermentation.  Beautiful flavors of lychee, lemon verbena, ginger, honeysuckle and apricot would make me think I am drinking nectar.  Medium acidity makes for a great mouthfeel- this wine coats the palate with it’s full bodied weight and finishes long.  I am a big fan of this grape and look for it when shopping- this 91 point effort is well worth ordering if you like an interesting wine that veers away from the usual.  At $17 it gets 5 stars from me.  I would pair this with spicy dishes, Asian fare, even Jamaican Curry.  Drink chilled sooner rather than later to preserve the freshness.  Salut….