Cosentino Winery Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Columbia Valley, Washington

05 Monday Apr 2021

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I’m an old fan of this winery, having been a tasting room member at one point. This Cabernet hails from Columbia Valley. It is a touch murky with medium shades of purple in the glass. The nose has steeped plums, charcoal and blackberry pie. The palate is really yummy- if not at peak, it’s close. Ripe plums, cedar, black berry and espresso. The mid palate is very refined with very well integrated tannins and good acidity. The dark, mature fruit theme continues but what impresses me the most is the mouthfeel. It is really full, rounded and balanced. The finish is very juicy, the acidity really gripping at this point. The prune and blackberry flavors fade after a decent amount of time but the tannins hang on to my gums for an eternity. Lovely stuff that gets 89 points from me. It should be drunk sooner rather than later and for $17, it gets 4 stars. Salut….

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Frog’s Leap Merlot 2014, Rutherford, California

04 Sunday Apr 2021

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Tonight I am cooking a standing rib roast in my Big Green Egg- something I have never done before. I figured it was a good time to crack this Napa Merlot open and give it a try. It’s got a nice purple hue and is about 70% opaque. Thin legs in the glass hint at the 13.4% alcohol. On the nose I get rich plums, perhaps some blackberry and toasty oak. The initial palate is delicious with plum torte, blackberry coulis, some smoked wood, Tobacco and some fruit cake. The mid palate has exceptionally integrated tannins and really nice acidity. The plum and blackberry flavors are very much present but I’m starting to get a dark cola note.  The finish is very rounded with the tannins and acidity in perfect balance. I can almost taste the California sunshine in this wine. Merlot is such a supple, rounded varietal that has been unfairly thrashed of late. I really enjoy this particular profile and am going with 92 points. Drink till 2028 with any grilled meat, rich pasta or even by itself. At $33, it gets 5 stars. Salut….

Collina San Ponzio Barolo DOCG 2016, Piedmont, Italy

04 Sunday Apr 2021

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This Barolo is relatively young at five years but I wanted to try it. In the glass it’s almost got a touch of orange and is completely see-through. The nose is intriguing with cherry, sandalwood and a little bit of Bergamot. The initial palate is definitely fruity with some astringency hitting my gums right off the bat. Very strong cherry flavors alongside cedar notes and black tea. The tannins are really starting to grip on the midpalate but I am enjoying the bright red fruit flavors that accompany. Towards the finish I get more of a cola taste with some lively acidity to balance or attempt to balance the very dense tannins. 91 points for this young Nebbiolo blend that runs $30 making it a 4 star effort. Drink from 2022 till 2027 with pasta, steaks or grilled poultry. Salut….

Scissor Kick Cellars Shiraz 2015, Clare Valley, Australia

01 Thursday Apr 2021

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Shiraz is typically dark and brooding and this one is no exception, really rich purple and 75% opaque in the glass.
The label states a 15.3% alcohol so buyer beware. The nose has that jammy raspberry/cherry twizzler profile which I’m not a huge fan of- I hope the palate is a little bit more in my style. So, turns out this is quite a rich and reduced raspberry offering with toasty oak and red currants on the initial palate. As I drink this wine I’m starting to really enjoy it- the candy element long gone. The mid palate has juicy red fruits with a modicum of tannic dryness.  The finish is relatively straightforward with good fruit, gentle acidity and a touch of tannin.  There’s a nice mouthfeel that makes it easy to drink.  Overall this is an 88 point wine that should be drunk by 2027.  Ps.  I did not get a hint of the alcohol, well disguised! For $19 it gets 3 stars from me. Pair with Lasagna, grilled sirloin or even roast duck. Salut….

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Mount Eden Vineyards ‘Domaine Eden’ Chardonnay 2016, Santa Cruz Mountains, California

31 Wednesday Mar 2021

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I’m excited to taste this wine, the little brother to the Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz mountains- one of my favorite whites. In the glass it is quite a bright shade of yellow. The nose is very lemony with Quince and yellow apple hints, perhaps a touch of butterscotch. On the palate it is very refreshing, focused and definitely citrus driven. The finish is rather curt but not overly acidic, providing a nice fruit closure. I picked this wine to pair with Shrimp Scampi- I think it will do the job beautifully. It gets 91 points for me and should be drunk before 2028. At $27, its actually a good value for the quality and gets 5 stars from me. Salut….

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Bougetz Cellars “Bliss” Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Rutherford, California

30 Tuesday Mar 2021

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This Sauvignon Blanc is very pale yellow in the glass. On the nose I get lemons, D’anjou pear, green apple and honeysuckle. The palate is lively and fresh with citrus notes, that green apple hint and some floral interjection. Not overly tart, there is a core of acidity that keeps the wine fresh. The finish moves away from the focused lemon and pear notes- getting a little more body and a hint of minerality. Tasty stuff that will serve well with my baked Salmon and Ahi tuna steaks. I am going with 89 points for this $26 effort which makes it a 3 star effort. Drink chilled till 2025. Salut….

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Aberrant Cellars LÜK Petite Sirah Crater View Vineyard 2017, Rogue Valley, Oregon

28 Sunday Mar 2021

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Really dark shade of purple in the glass and completely opaque. The nose is opulent with blackberry, graphite and violets. The palate is exactly what I was expecting and hoping for: rich black fruit, good structure, decent tannic grip and some zesty acidity. The black fruit theme continues on the midpalate where the tannins start to coat my gums. I also get some black tea and dark cherry. The finish is a rather dry affair with the tannins completely coating my mouth- forcing the acidity aside but still allowing black currants and tea flavors to shine through. The use of oak is evident but not overpowering. I picked this wine tonight to pair with some Argentinian sausages with chimichurri sauce. The tannins will complement the slightly fatty nature of the sausage without overcoming it. Other pairings would include a nice juicy sirloin, perhaps eggplant Parmesan. It gets 91 points for me with a drink window that is open till 2028. Rather pricy at $40, it gets 4 stars. Salut….

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Tamarack Cellars Chardonnay 2017, Columbia Valley, Washington

25 Thursday Mar 2021

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A medium shade of yellow in the glass with hints of lemon and pear on the nose. The palate is light, refreshing and pretty mild on the pH scale. Lemon drop and yellow pear dominate thew flavor profile but I get a hint of pineapple which is quite intriguing. The tartness starts to show up on the mid palate, where this light-bodied wine gives off more of the pineapple notes. The finish is relatively short and introduces a hint of lanolin, but the main components are the lemon and pineapple. It’s a nice, easygoing drop of un/barely oaked chardonnay that is not flabby or buttery. It reflects the grapes and minimalist intervention. For $15, it get 3 stars as I am going with 86 points. Drink till 2024 with shrimp scampi, salad nicoise, or even a chicken pie. Salut….

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Xavier Vignon ‘Arcane XV Le Diable’ 2015, Vin de France, France

21 Sunday Mar 2021

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The final wine at tasting #16 was this 100% Mourvedre. It showed very well after the previous two gems, holding its own with good structure, great primal fruit and a reasonable price point. In the glass it is a bright, youthful purple that is 70% opaque. The nose brims with cherry candy and red twizzlers (same thing). Pepper, smoky meat, lemon and citrus (?) were also noted by the tasting panel. Probably the most descriptive being ” Candied nuts from a New York food cart”. Black cherry and Dr. Pepper rounded us out. The palate illicited two gasps of “Wow- Steve”, I guess they liked it! Black cherry, cracked pepper, raspberry and dark plum were noted as was Amaretto, cloves and very dry tobacco. The wine had a sanguine minerality to it with a streak of iron in the mid palate that was noticed by several. I hated the initial flavor profile btw- as I do with most reds that kick off with that red candy nose- but this wine quickly pulled me in with its richness and depth. I ended up giving it 16 points on the tasting scale and 91 for-real points. The pros went even higher at 94! For $30, it’s a nice treat that gets 5 stars from me. Well balanced with nice tannins and gentle acidity- I would pair with grilled steak all day long, drinking till 2030 at the least. Salut….

El Coto ‘Coto de Imaz’ Gran Reserva 2012, Rioja DOCa, Spain

21 Sunday Mar 2021

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Number three in the lineup at the 16th virtual wine tasting was this stunning Spaniard. Dark purple and 75% opaque, it had a complex nose of cigar box, buttered popcorn, black pepper, roasted nuts, blackberry coulis, dill, vanilla and an earthiness. Juicy tannins hit right off the bat with blackberry, oak, vanilla, blueberry and Maduro. Great acidity made for a gorgeous mouthfeel and the wine showed a touch of earthy dust, which I look forward to in Riojas. This was one of the standouts since we started the Virtual Wine Tasting Company. I gave it 20 points and on a technical scale- 94 points. For $30, its worth stashing a few of this 5 star gem away and drink till 2030 with grilled meats. Salut….