Hess Collection Allomi Vineyard Chardonnay 2021, Napa Valley, California

04 Sunday May 2025

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Pale lemon colored with very narrow legs showing off a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of popcorn, lemon brioche, orange blossom, salted caramel, pineapple, vanilla, and melon.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and more intense flavors.  The buttery notes that dominated the nose take second fiddle to the lemon, brioche and vanilla notes.  It’s a heavy weighted wine with plenty of mouthfeel, lots going on.  The finish has a telltale Napa chardonnay note of butter and brioche- no doubt from judicious oak and lees stirring.  It goes on for quite a long while.  It’s perfect for the baked Red Snapper and wild rice I am pairing it with.  This is a lovely bottle that has some aging capacity and will drink nicely till 2034.  It gets 92 points from me, a tad higher if the nose was more forthcoming.  At $34, it’s a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Hess Collection Allomi Vineyard Chardonnay

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Western Cape, South Africa

02 Friday May 2025

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black plum, licorice, charred oak, mint, tomato stalk, and coffee.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins that are plush. Slightly more intense flavors of black cherry, black plum, licorice, coffee, and a hint of tomato leaf.  The finish is very smooth and lush, the tannins completely melded and the ripe fruit shining through.  It’s a tasty drop with a structure to age short term that will pair nicely with filet, veal or a hearty roast duck.  I enjoyed the 2019 vintage and think this one is on par at 89 points.  Still running $13, it’s a solid 4 star wine.  Salut….

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Franck Massard Garnacha 2021, Spain

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14.2% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red raspberry, garrigue, strawberry, funky mushroom, violet, and rhubarb.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins.  There’s a noticeable astringency on the mid palate.  Medium intensity flavors of red raspberry, rhubarb, pomegranate, strawberry, earthy dried herbs and some barnyard funk.  The finish is a lively, tart affair that goes on medium length.  An interesting wine that I am enjoying, as I did the 2019 vintage.  It will pair well with lighter meat dishes, tapas, or even a roast hen.  Drink till 2028.  89 points for this $15 bottling makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Franck Massard Garnacha

Domaine Passot Les Rampaux Fleurie 2022, Beaujolais, France

28 Monday Apr 2025

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Medium purple colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, white blossom, orange peel, acai berry, blueberry, and black grape.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of acai berry, slightly underripe blueberry, red and black cherry, white blossom and crunchy red grapes.  Cru Beaujolais is not at all what Nouveau is.  The fruit is vinified differently and the resultant structure, especially tannins, are much more apparent.  This Gamay based wine is built to last a few years, and might just be starting its approachable stage.  The finish is medium (+) in length and drives home the slightly green nature of some of the fruit, tart is the key word here.  It’s a very interesting and slightly different wine that I am enjoying tremendously.  91 points worth for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine, to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Domaine Passot Fleurie

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal

27 Sunday Apr 2025

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Pale strawberry colored with slight staining, and high viscosity (20% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of chocolate covered raisins, Brazil nuts, blueberry compote, stewed black cherry, old railroad ties, and crushed/dried flower petals.  The palate is semi-sweet with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (-) tannins that are fully integrated.  Medium (+) intensity flavors echo the nose but there is a definitive streak of alcohol that burns on the way down.  There’s also a mid palate bitterness and some old wood influence.  The finish is quite long, but unfortunately quite hot as well.  Alcohol does not normally bother me, but this one is incessant.  At $55, it’s not your everyday dessert wine.  It’s a decent drop but I can only go 90 points, making it a 3 star wine.  Pair it with something sweet or cheesy.  Salut…..

Quinta Das Carvalhas 20-Year-Old Tawny Port

Gramercy Cellars Lower East ‘The Bowery’ 2018, Walla Walla, Washington

25 Friday Apr 2025

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of game, lavender, violet, black plum, black raspberry, a whiff of vanilla, some coffee, a licorice.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are silky.  Medium (+) flavor intensity of black plum, black raspberry, violets, a touch of game, and some licorice.  The vanilla and coffee disappeared.  The finish is medium in length and shows off the meaty side of the blend (46% Carignan, 29% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache and 10% Syrah).  A very Southern Rhone style wine, with the heat to go along with it.  Even though it registers 14%, I am aware of it on the mid palate and back end.  A lovely drop that runs $25 and gets 91 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Gramercy Cellars Lower East the bowery

Devocion Cabernet Franc 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

23 Wednesday Apr 2025

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Deep garnet colored, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of green pepper, charcoal, black plum, blackberry, cassis, tomato leaf, funky mushroom, and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are a touch gritty even after a few years of age.  Medium intensity flavors of blackberry, black currant, black plum, green pepper, tomato stalk, and a smoky oak note but no sign of the funk.  The finish is nice and dry with the tannins still gripping whilst black fruit notes linger mid length.  It’s a nice drop and only runs $20.  I am more upbeat than others and will go with 90 points for this organically made wine, making it a 4 star effort to drink till 2029.  Salut….

Devocion Cabernet Franc

Chateau Guiraud 2004, Sauternes, France

21 Monday Apr 2025

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Medium gold colored with high viscosity (13.5% ABV). Medium (+) intensity aromas of honey, apricot, orange marmalade, white flowers, and green almond. The palate is sweet, with medium (+) acidity, and a full body. Medium (+) intensity flavors of spun honey, apricot, orange marmalade, white tea, spicy chai, white blossom, and preserved lemons.  The finish is medium (+) in length,  unctuous, and delicious.  It is evolving nicely and will continue to do so for a few more years. It begs for blue cheese, or a cherry tart.   It’s not as intense as the 2003, scoring a point less as a result.  93 points for this $26 bottle makes it a 5 star effort.  Salut….

chateau girded sauternes

Benjamin Darnault Les Parcelles Grenache 2020, Languedoc, France

19 Saturday Apr 2025

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Medium ruby, hinting to garnet, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Grenache has medium (-) intensity aromas of red raspberry, baking spice, rhubarb, lavender, orange peel, and juniper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of raspberry, red currants, rhubarb, orange peel, and baking spice.  The finish is medium in length and charming- adding a point where the intensity of the nose lost one.  It’s had five years to meld and has done so nicely, a smooth mouthfeel and juicy red flavors without much intervention.  I am planning to pair with roasted suckling pork and sweet potatoes.  It gets 90 points from me and for $15- 5 stars.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Benjamin Darnault Les Parcelles Grenache

Karen Birmingham Reserve Zinfandel 2021, Lodi, California

15 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Deep ruby colored, with medium viscosity (15.2% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of licorice, black plum, black raspberry, coffee, and violets.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a full body, and medium (-) tannins.  Flavors of blackberry, black plum, black raspberry, toasty oak, coffee and licorice.  The finish is medium in length and silky, the mild tannins caressing.  I plan to pair with Pork Tomahawks and this lower tannin level is perfect for the white meat.  The high alcohol is noted both on the nose and the back end, but that’s to be expected of modern day Zins.   It’s a tasty drop for sure and bests the 2020 vintage of the same wine I previously tasted.  91 points from me and at $15, it’s a 5 star wine to drink till 2029.  Salut….

Karen Birmingham Reserve Lodi Zinfandel