Quipster Merlot 2018, California

13 Friday Nov 2020

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I have been on a bit of a Merlot kick lately and this one had my name on it. It is semi opaque and a dark shade of purple in the glass. On the nose it gives off plum, cedar and spice box. Plums, baking spices and blueberry pie all hit the palate. Very fine grained tannins pop up on the middle palate along with more blue fruit flavors. There is a nice shot of acidity that keeps me on my toes, balancing out the tannins. There is a second wave of blueberry and plum flavors that really hit the back end, overriding the tannins and giving me a great fresh finish. Whilst not a big or complex wine, it drinks nicely and will do so till 2025. I’m pairing it up with some Steak and Cheese Hoagies. Should do the trick nicely. 88 points and 3 stars for this $15 wine. Salut….

Patrice Grasset Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Loire Valley, France

12 Thursday Nov 2020

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Pale gold in the glass with weepy legs. The nose is bright citrus, cut grass and green apple. It smells fresh and inviting. On the palate it is quite rounded and full. Nice flavors of Pomelo, lemon zest and green apple are kept fresh with a touch of acidity. The mid palate cuts more with lemons and a herbaceous note. The finish is a delight- long and generous with the citrus notes whilst not too tart. There is a warmth to this wine even though I am tasting it chilled, the mouthfeel is great. I am enjoying it thoroughly and will pair with Beef Bulgogi, a Korean dish. The spices will work well with the lower acidity of this Sauvignon Blanc. 90 points and 4 stars for this $26 wine that you should drink till 2023. Salut….

Tintoretto Sangiovese 2019, Sicily, Italy

11 Wednesday Nov 2020

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Semi opaque with deep red color and thin legs in the glass.  On the nose I get cherry,  cinnamon, juniper and oak.  The palate has got cherry juice, blood orange and fruit cake notes with some lovely tannins to give it a touch of dryness.  There’s a hint of astringency on the mid palate that quickly fades into a juicy finish that gives me rhubarb and cherry flavors along with that touch of wood.  A delicious, lighter style of Sangiovese that will drink well into 2025.  I’m pairing it with Chicken Alfredo.  89 points and 4 stars for this $17 wine. Salut….

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Chateau d’Yquem 2010, Sauternes, France

11 Wednesday Nov 2020

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It’s not often I get to drink an iconic wine, but when friends have a bottle for a special occasion and I get to taste- it’s magic.

Rich gold in the glass.  The nose is stunning- honey, waxy tangerine, nutmeg and apricot.  On the palate it’s super rich with unctuous layers of peach, honey, almonds, apricots and honeysuckle. The mouthfeel is full bodied with palate filling sweetness, a hint of acidity and tons of nuances that keep me coming back for more. What an amazing wine that gets 95 points. Spectacular but young, drink till 2040. If you can find it in 750ml, it will run close to $300. Ours was a smaller 375 ml that gets it 5 stars. Salut….

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Cade Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Howell Mountain, USA

10 Tuesday Nov 2020

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Opaque AF, inky black in the glass.  On the nose I get rich blackberries, black cherry and moondrop grapes with perfume and fruitcake. Very complex.  On the palate I gets loads of sweet cassis, black cherry reduction and an insanely integrated set of fine grained tannins.  Juicy acidity balances this wine perfectly.  The mid palate has got gobs of cassis, espresso bean, sweet vanilla and coconut.  The finish is exquisite.  Long, lush, semi dry and just chock full of blackberry jam, blueberry pie and luscious oak.  An absolutely amazing wine that is blowing my socks off.  96 points.  Drink till 2026.  No pairing needed- it drinks beautifully all by itself.  5 stars for this treat that runs 200 bones.  Stunning.  Salut….

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Chateau Lynch-Bages 2007, Pauillac, France

10 Tuesday Nov 2020

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Dark purple and opaque.  The nose has a dusty waft to it that took a bit of swirling to dissipate.  Cedar shake, plum reduction and toasted pine nuts finally come through. On the palate it is very smooth with a concentrated core of blueberry, cassis, cedar, tobacco and leather- classic Pauillac.  The wine picks up some dusty tannins on the mid palate and the fruit gets concentrated and focused.  The tertiary flavors take a back seat temporarily while the blueberry and cassis really shine.  The finish is a touch tart with some rooibos tea along with the fruit theme that has persisted along with some oaky vanilla.  It’s still young with staying power .  Drink till 2027.  92 points and 4 stars for this $135 Fifth Growth. Salut….

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M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine 1996, Rhone, France

10 Tuesday Nov 2020

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Orange, bricked and nearly see through in the glass.  Stewed prunes, almonds, port and raisins on the nose.  Tinny and over the hill but it has some reticent notes of steeped raspberries, traces of tannins and a modicum of acidity.  It’s too bad that this one is past it’s due date cause I reckon it would have been a decent wine. No score or points. Salut….

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Numanthia 2015, Toro, Spain

09 Monday Nov 2020

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Last up at the 11th Virtual Tasting was this stunner. It did not appeal to many yet was my wine of the night even though I did not really enjoy drinking it. Let me explain….. This monster is a baby. It has so much complexity, depth and power that is hidden behind a huge tannic wall that it’s hard to coax anything out of it unless you have an aerator, a few days of patience or are willing to take my word for it and cellar some for another 4-5 years. The tasters noted the following:

Inky and nearly black.  Clove, grape hubba bubba, graphite, pencil shavings, creosote.  Very young with loads of tannins.  Cloves, blackberry, iced coffee.  Bitter finish.  Black currant, jam, tawny port like. Tomato.  Short to medium finish.

For me it had layers of anise, tar, black fruit, oak and teeth staining tannins. Great structure will hold this wine together till 2035, but I would cellar until at least 2025, giving a decent 10 year window of enjoyment. Pairing this muscular red with anything but the heartiest of Ribeyes would be foolish, it needs juicy, fatty meat to help cut the tannic grip. On night 2 it was starting to open up and on day 3 I doubled down on the black licorice/anise flavors. The tannins are finally starting to give way. This wine is going to be amazing and for $35 well worth buying a few for the cellar. 95 massive points from me and 5 stars only because I cannot give 6! It’s 100% Tinta de Toro, aka Tempranillo. Salut….

Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2016, Veneto, Italy

09 Monday Nov 2020

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This wine was the third offering at the 11th Virtual Wine Tasting. I have drunk an absolute ton of this wine from earlier vintages and was really looking forward to introducing the Ripasso style of winemaking to my friends. Unfortunately, this wine has been a letdown of late. See my previous posts on the Zenato Ripasso.

Our tasters said the following: Semi opaque, dark purple.  On the nose- Blackberry jam, rich nose, floral, black licorice, peppery, leather, lilac.  On the palate, berry.  Sweeter that expected.  Sharp finish.  Spicy, green pepper, berry.  Velvety but slightly bitter on the back end.  Iodine and leather for the finish.

I was underwhelmed and am giving this wine 89 points yet again. For $25 it’s a solid 3 pointer but there are far better wines to spend that kind of loot on. Drink till 2025. Salut….

Pedra Cancela Selecao Enologo 2016, Portugal

09 Monday Nov 2020

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Number 2 wine at our 11th Virtual Wine tasting was this Portuguese steal that came in at $14. An equal blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo). The tasters had the following to say:

Semi opaque, dark red.  Nice legs but only 13%.  Cigar box, earthy, fig, dried fruit, jammy.  Black pepper?  Dusty bramble.  Sour cherry, earthy, fine grained tannins that hit on the finish.  Light to medium bodied.  Black tea, dry finish.

I enjoyed this wine but did not love it. One of the pros went huge with 96 points, I’m thinking 89. It was enjoyed by many at the tasting and bang for the buck- it was a hit. 5 stars. Drink till 2024. Salut….