Domaine du Grand Montmirail Le Côteau de Mon Rêve Gigondas 2017, Rhone, France

29 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Very dark red/purple in the glass. On the nose this Grenache blend gives me some raspberry, game, violets and pomegranate. The palate is exceedingly smooth with layers of dark red fruits. Raspberries, rhubarb, pomegranate, blueberry and Ceylon tea notes are abundant. There is a very lithe tannic component with really mellow, balancing acidity to give this wine a nice mouthfeel. The mid palate goes a touch drier but the fruit components remain the same. The finish has more black tea and is quite dry, the tannins kicking it up a notch. Very smooth still and tasty to boot. Moxie is fixing up some Filets and this was the perfect pairing for the lean meat. I really am enjoying the melange of red and blue fruits as well as the structure of this wine. I’m going with 92 points. The pros went way higher (96 and 95). Lovely stuff that can be had for $30 and gets 5 stars from me. Blended with Syrah and Mourvedre as is typical for Rhone wines. Drink till 2029. Salut….

Andas Mountain Cuvée Red 2019, Mendoza, Argentina

28 Monday Dec 2020

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Quite dark and brooding in the glass.  The nose is somewhat muted but I managed to swirl some black cherry and cassis.  The palate is basic with black and blue fruit notes, gentle acidity and mild tannins.  The mid palate is a little hollow but I do get some plum and blueberry notes.  The finish is rather short but the tannins hold on for a while, not overly dry but present.  A weekday wine to pair with pasta or pizza it gets 85 points from me.  Drink till 2022. This unique Argentinian red nlend of Bonarda, Malbec, and Syrah cost me $21 and gets 2 stars. Salut….

Jen Pfeiffer The Rebel Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Australia

26 Saturday Dec 2020

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It’s Boxing Day, aka the day after Christmas. We have started a new tradition of eating Fondue on the 25th, it’s easy requires very little effort. As usual, we had tons of leftovers, so I am grilling the remaining Filet. I put the chicken in the crock pot and let it slow cook in Buffalo sauce which I’ll be shredding in a few minutes as a precursor to the main dish. I needed something light, lively and hopefully a touch acidic to pair with the spicy heat I am anticipating with the chicken. Out came this Aussie Sav Blanc.

It’s a very pale shade of yellow with a hint of green in the glass. On the nose it bursts with citrus notes, pineapple and green apple. The palate is delicious with great floral hints, juicy lemon/lime/tangerine notes and some lithe acidity. I was hoping for more for this particular pairing but it’s fine as is. The mid palate has a touch of lanolin and yet more lemon. The acidity kicks in on the mid length finish- it’s not overly juicy but I like the cut. It is refreshing and keeps the wine lean. Enjoyable, quaffable and versatile. I really enjoy this varietal and feel it has so much to offer as far as pairing ability. 88 points from me for this yummy bottle that runs $10. 5 stars, stock up for the summer. Salut….

Chateau Cos D’Estournel 2001, Bordeaux, France

26 Saturday Dec 2020

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It would not be Christmas without an aged Claret. This 19 year old took the honors and I am sure glad I picked it. Wow, what a stunner. I did not take notes but recall the wine looked a dark shade in the glass with no signs of bricking. The nose was astounding- tobacco, leather, earth, steeped plums and cassis. On the palate this wine is at plateau. I cannot even describe the beauty of liquid elixir. It was layered with the tertiary flavors I had smelled plus a surprising dose of dark currants, cassis and cedar. The tannins are fully resolved at this stage of the maturity, sublime being a good descriptor of the mouthfeel. The finish was super long and gratifying. This wine was a home run and has rewarded my patience. I think it still has a few years of life, but like I said- it’s at peak now. I have 6 more bottles in the cellar, lucky me! You could pair this wine with an array of foods, but simply enjoying it on its own would be amazing. I have written about the ’01 Cos before, once in 2012 and then in 2013. I am upping my score to 95 for this $150 beauty and sticking with 5 stars. Salut….

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay 2018,California

24 Thursday Dec 2020

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I needed a white to go with tonight’s Christmas Eve dinner, this one was up next on the bench and seems appropriate considering the fare. It’s a dark yellow color in the glass. On the nose this wine offers butterscotch, yellow apple, lemon zest and popcorn. The palate is smooth, buttery and full bodied. The classic Cali Chard notes are evident. Oak influenced lemon, apples and melon make for a very tasty wine that will appeal to many. My mate Dusty would love this one, his sister-in-law Arty would hate it. I know many people truly dislike the flavor of Chardonnay that has undergone Malolactic fermentation with an abundance of butter flavor as a result. Others love it to the point of seeking it out. I digress. The mid palate is warm and a bit more cutting with a whiff of acidity starting to appear. The finish is long and silky with popcorn, butter, lemon and green melon flavors carrying through til the end. Not much acidity sticking around for the finale but I’m okay with that. This is for short term drinking and will pair well with Salmon, shrimp cocktail or even baked chicken. I like it for what it is and give it 89 points. For $11 I can see why it’s one of the most widely produced Chards out there. 5 stars for this daily drinker that needs to be bought by the case if you like the style. Drink till 2022. Salut….

Diversi dal Solito Vino Rosso 2019, Sicily, Italy

24 Thursday Dec 2020

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Here’s the scene- it’s Christmas Eve, Moxie is making her grandmother’s famous Holiday Crunch for dinner (a pasta casserole) and I am having to pick between four different bottles to try. Eenie meenie moe and voila- the Vino Rosso beats the Barolo, the Gigondas and the Cab Franc.

No idea what the blend is until I pour the wine, it’s gotta be a Sangiovese. Light purple, totally see through and obviously Italian. The nose gives me muted cherry, raspberry and cedar plank. On the palate it is very soft and easy drinking. Strawberry and cherry give it away. Very little tannin make this super light weight and easy without any astringency or acid. The mid palate is a red fruit melange plus some plum that takes me to the short lived finish. Right at the very end I sense some acidity taking hold, but it’s not jaw dropping. A tasty wine that will go well with our pasta dish which normally gets smothered in hot sauce. 86 points and 2 stars for this $19 charmer. Drink now. Salut….

Evangelos Bagias Rippey Family Vineyard Zinfandel 2019, Lodi, California

23 Wednesday Dec 2020

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Very dark purple and nearly opaque in the glass. The nose on this Zin gives me sweet plums, white pepper, licorice and dried cherry. On the palate is has a warm intro bursting with purple fruit ganache, sweet black cherry and a modicum of very fine grained tannins. The mid palate continues the black/purple fruit theme but it’s here where I sense the 15.1 % alcohol. It’s not bothersome, just be careful! The tannins are really well integrated so that I get just a touch of dryness on the backend to go along with some steeped plum and charcoal notes. I really am enjoying this wine, it will pair nicely with the braised Lamb shanks in the oven. It gets 89 points from me and for $11 it’s one to stock up on for casual meals and Friday Happy hours. 5 stars, drink till 2024. Salut….

David Marchesi Provare Sauvignon Blanc 2019, California

22 Tuesday Dec 2020

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This Sauvignon Blanc is light yellow in the glass. The nose has the expected citrus notes but there’s something else lurking there. Melon I think but it’s papaya that really had me fooled. On the palate it is quite sprite with some lively acidity and a pop of lemon burst flavors. Really tasty and refreshing. The flavor profile mellows out as the wine transcends the palate until I am left with ripe papaya and lemon curd on the long finish. Candied Ginger is another note that I picked up on at the very end, interesting. I’m intrigued by this wine. It started out very sharp, transitioned to a warmer, fuller mouthfeel and finished with exotic flavors that rolled on for quite a while. I’m on a Sav Blanc journey right now and this is a great example of the light and zesty varietal. 90 points from me. I would pair it all day long with seafood or even spicy Indian curry. $10 makes this a 5 star effort. Drink till 2021. Salut….

Matt Parish Cabernet Sauvignon Tino 2018, Napa Valley, California

21 Monday Dec 2020

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This Cabernet Sauvignon is very dark purple and opaque. The legs I see on the side of the glass bely the 14.5% alcohol I’m about to hit. On the nose I can smell the heat, but I also get lashings of blackberry, plum torte and some eucalyptus. The palate is very lush with Cali sunshine- black fruit melange, very integrated oak and a nice minerality. The tannins start to grip right away but there is a juicy acidity to balance it. The mid palate has a singed alder note to it with black berry reduction. The finish is quite dry but the medium dash of acidity make for a nice mouthfeel. It lasts a good 20+ seconds as I enjoy the black fruit and oak influence. Nicely done wine that will last till 2027. I am reconstituting Sunday night Rib Roast into Au Jus steak sandwiches and adding an eggplant parmesan to the fold. Should pair beautifully. 91 points from me for this lush, layered wine that will set you back $25. For that it gets 5 stars. Salut….

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

20 Sunday Dec 2020

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This Mourvedre shows a rich purple color in the glass and is semi opaque. On the nose it is gorgeous, if not different. Bright purple fruits of plum and blackberry with some bacon fat and licorice. The palate is lush with ripe blackberry, smoky oak, lavender and more licorice. The tannins are very much present, really pushing my gums on the mid palate but I am enjoying them- very polished. The dark fruit theme continues and the finish is medium in length with more smoke, game, blackberry and violet. It’s a rich wine with great structure, the varietal usually being part of a blend. I like the expression of fruit in this one and think it will drink nicely till 2030. If you like them young and brawny, drink now or else decant/aerate. The pros went large on this one, 94 points. I give it 92 with a 5 star rating cause you can pick a bottle up for $24. This one is destined for the Sunday Rib roast with all the trimmings. Salut….