Laura Michael Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, Napa Valley, California

11 Monday Jan 2021

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Opaque and dark purple.  The nose has a big dose of funk right off the bat- standing water comes to mind.  Once past that shocker I get Napa sunshine with ripe blackberry, toasty oak and Ribena.  The palate is blueberry and blackberry tart with coconut and creme.  The oak influence is appreciated.  Mid palate has very lithe tannins and mild acidity.  Leather and tobacco appear on the finish with cassis.  Really delicious as the wine progressed .  91 points and at $50 per bottle it gets 4 stars. Paired with Spinach rolled Flank Steak and Ceaser salad. Drink till 2023. Salut….

Chateau Cantemerle ’01, Haut-Medoc, France

11 Monday Jan 2021

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The cork failed on this 20 year old Classed Bordeaux but it’s a dark purple and almost opaque with a touch of bricking.  The nose is classic Claret that is well aged.  Tobacco, raisins, steeped plum and a healthy dose of leather.  On the palate it is a touch sour initially with cherry that gives way to tertiary flavors of cedar cigar box, Maduro and leather.  It’s very mature and certainly delicious.  The tannins are fully integrated at this point so the wine is at peak if not just past.  The finish has a modicum of acidity, the structure that has let this wine last this long. It is the final bottle of a case I purchased in 2003.  It’s sad to see it go but I’m glad I have been able to track its evolution.  92 points from me has been consistent in all my tastings of this wine. The pros went sub 90 back in the early days, I guess they did not think it would hang in there for two decades and evolve so beautifully. If you want to try one, they are available online for about $80. We drank it all by itself , something I would recommend. 5 stars. Salut….

Tailored Republic Pinot Noir 2019, Arroyo Seco, California

08 Friday Jan 2021

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I do believe that Pinot Noir pairs nicely with Duck, so here we go! This one is quite a dark shade of red but completely see-through. The nose has a candied strawberry waft along with pomegranate and some mulling spices. The palate is very approachable and offers crisp red cranberry and cherry flavors. There is a juiciness to this wine that I am enjoying. The mid palate goes back to that initial strawberry note but I also sense a decent amount of acidity. There are tannins lurking in the background that hit me on the delightful finish that is a bouquet of red fruits and a touch of spice. Yummy and light with some good fruit, it will go great with my bird. Drink till 2025. 89 points for this $19 bottle make it a 4 star wine. Salut….

Pine and Brown Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa, California

07 Thursday Jan 2021

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Dinner is Lamb Shanks with black eyed peas and Rattatouile. I needed a stout, dry wine so I turned to this young Cab Sav. It’s dark purple, and totally opaque. The nose gives me ripe blackberry, rich plum compote and I can smell the 14.8% heat. On the palate the taste echoes the nose- rich purple fruit flavors intertwining with beautiful tannins and a touch of acidity. The fruit is very rich with Cali sunshine evident. I get a hint of Iodine on the mid palate alongside the layered plums, blackcurrant and berries. The acidity kicks it up a notch on the finish and the dryness on my gums remains for a long period. The flavors linger for nearly 15 seconds. Delicious stuff that gives off some Oak influence right at the end. 92 points for this $90 monster makes it a 5 star effort. Drink till 2029. Pricy but yummy! Salut….

Camille Benitah Pomme Roll Cabernet Franc 2018, Napa Valley, California

06 Wednesday Jan 2021

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I often plan my dinner around what I want to drink. Sometimes I pair the wine to the meal and sometimes I just drink whatever. Tonight is Strip steaks on the charcoal. A mid-fatty cut of beef that doesn’t need huge tannins, but good fruity notes are more appropriate. I had a glance at the lineup of Cab Savs on my tasting bench and stumbled on this Cab Franc, the name which has an awesome twist- Pomme Roll. Google it, a right bank commune that relies on this varietal for some huge name Chateaus.

This one is bright purple and nearly opaque. The nose is perfumed with violets, black currants, sweet blackberry and a hint of the 14.8% punch. On the palate it is delicious and smooth. Black fruit salad with juicy acidity and a good dose of fine grained tannins. The structure is perfect for what I am pairing, not overly dry but with nice cut from the acidity. The dark fruit theme continues on the mid palate where I also get some black Twizzler and tea notes. The finish is quite dry but still very fruity and fragrant. The violets adding yet another layer to the complexity of this wine. It’s rather a big red that could use a touch of aerating or cellar time for a year or two. It should drink nicely till 2026. I am really enjoying it and did not get any alcohol apart from the initial whiff. 91 points for this $26 wine makes it a 5 star effort. Salut….

Don Ercilla Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Valle Central, Chile

05 Tuesday Jan 2021

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This Chilean Cab is bright purple and nearly opaque in the glass. The nose is very black raspberry driven, almost over the top. Red licorice and candy notes come into play as well. On the palate it is a dark fruit melange with oak influence and a hint of sweetness. It sounds funny but whilst a touch sweet it also has a good dose of tangy acidity. Greenish tannins go straight for the gums with astringency galore. The mid palate tastes of sour black cherry and blackberry, an interesting take. The juicy finish lets up some on the dry factor, letting the fruit shine through. I am cooking up some Lamb Merguez sausages to pair, I think that will work nicely. Drink this 87 point wine till 2024. At $20 it’s a three pointer. Salut….

First Drop Mother’s Milk Shiraz 2018, Barossa, Australia

04 Monday Jan 2021

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It’s been four years since I had a drop of Mothers Milk, I was super excited to see it in my local wine shop. I’m cooking Venison Tenderloins in a mushroom sauce and think this might be the perfect match. It’s about 80% opaque and a medium shade of murky purple. On the nose it is spicy, peppery and has notes of licorice, blackberry and charred oak. On the palate it is really smooth and flavorful. Blackberry, anise and cola flavors shine through alongside some juicy acid. The mid palate is very fruity and has gobs of acidity to go along with lithe tannins. The fruit is working hard at this point to remain center stage. The finish is quite tart from the structural components but I do get more flavors right at the end. Black fruit melange, that licorice note and the acidity go on for ages. This is a very fresh wine that is drinking nicely and will do so till 2025. I’m going with 89 points and for $20 it gets 4 stars. (Ps. one of the pros went as high as 96!). Glad I re-discovered it! Salut….

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Napa Valley, California

04 Monday Jan 2021

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I love my neighbors Arty and Keef…. you see, they have a nice collection of Napa Cabs in their cellar and I get the chance to taste alongside quite often. When this text arrived, I made sure to head over tout suite.

Wow- black beauty.  Opaque AF and showing long legs in the glass.  The nose is magnificent.  A dusty take on blackberry jam, cassis, toasty oak and a hint of eucalyptus.  On the palate this wine is super focused with very defined blueberries, blackberries alongside some Lapsang Souchong tea notes.  Very integrated tannins and really lithe acidity help bring out the California sunshine in this wine- it’s definitely fruit forward and open for business.  Delicious- 93 points and 5 stars for this $100 stunner. Drink till 2025 with Filet or other less fatty meals. Salut….

Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas La Louisiane 2018, Rhone, France

03 Sunday Jan 2021

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Tonight is the first Sunday of the New Year, which means we are celebrating 2021 with a standing Rib Roast plus all the trimmings. A juicy, fatty cut like this needs a tannic wine, so I searched for something young that would help temper the Beef.

This Grenache is semi opaque in the glass and a pretty shade of purple. The nose is very inviting- black raspberry, bacon, blueberry jam and a hint of blackberry. Very intricate and complex. The palate is beautiful, with a perfect set of tannins for my meal. The flavor profile is more black fruit with some very well integrated oak nuances. Violets and lavender also come to mind. The mid palate has lush dollops of more black fruit and a tea component. The tannins are really fine grained but ever present for a really delicious mouthfeel. The finish has a definitive blueberry note that I got from the nose. Very complex and swirling, this wine is a treat. I paid $35 for this stunner that scored upwards of 97 points with the pros. I have to say, it is really delicious but a touch young… worthy of at least 95 points which makes it a 5 star effort that I will be stocking up on. I plan to drink until 2028 at the very least. Salut….

Domaine Pascal et Mireille Renaud Vers Cras 2018, Pouilly-Fuissé, France

01 Friday Jan 2021

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This Chardonnay pours a rich gold in color and shows off some nice legs in the glass. The nose is very crisp with lemon rind, green almond, passion fruit and pineapple. The palate is very mineral driven with citrus backing it up whilst melon, more passion fruit and a touch of yeast co-mingle with some lithe acidity. The mid palate is warmer, fuller and less acidic. The flavors are rounder with more of the tropical fruit notes. The finish reverts back to being juicy from the citrus and acidity. It’s quite decent in length to boot. The minerality gives this wine some verve while the fruit shines. It is delicious and will pair beautifully with our shrimp scampi. Drink this 91 point Burgundy till 2029. At $55 it’s pricy and gets 4 stars. Salut….