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

25 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


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

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


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

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


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

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


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

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


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

A trip to the PNW

15 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment


I have been spending some time in the San Juan Islands area of the Pacific Northwest, teaching sailing.  There’s a great wine shop in Anacortes called Compass Wines that has quite a varied selection of wines.  I have purchased from them on several occasions and enjoyed their offerings (except one) but took zero notes.  I seldom just drink a new wine without much thought to it so it’s a refreshing change to just pop-n-pour.  Here are a few I have bought from them, and with the exception of the Freisa, all were delicious and nicely structured.

The Color Collector Gamay Noir 2023, Willamette Valley, Oregon

08 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of grape bubble gum, violets, red raspberry, purple licorice, vanilla bean, spicebox and a gamy note once it has opened up.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium (-) body, and low tannins.  Medium intensity fruit flavors of red currant, red raspberry, grape bubble gum, violets, spice box and some vanilla and game.  It’s certainly a tart affair that refreshes, yet begs for food.  The finish is medium (-) in length and quite acidic.  This wine is interesting- not built like a carbonically macerated Nouveau nor does it have the structure (tannins) of a Cru Beaujolais, it has primal red fruit with high acidity and that telltale grape bubble gum note.  It’s delightful to drink and will pair beautifully with the baked Salmon I am preparing.  90 points from me for this $32 bottle makes it a 4 star wine.  I would drink till 2028.  Salut….

The Color Collector Gamay Noir

 

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2019, Rhone, France

06 Sunday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


Deep purple colored with copper highlights, slight staining, and a high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red and black raspberry, black cherry, violets, game, blackberry, black licorice, and saline.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are youthful and frontal.  The intensity of the palate is slightly less than the nose but echoes the varied red and black fruit, spice nuance and gamy note.  It’s a touch astringent, the tannins feel a bit green and persistent.  The alcohol is noticeable, not only on the nose, but on the mid palate and finish.  It eventually blows off.  The finish is medium (+) in length and concentrates on the black raspberry and game notes. I picked this wine to pair with rack of lamb, I think it will work out nicely, the tannins should resolve with the fat of the dish.  89 points from me for this Southern Rhone blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%), and Mourvèdre (10%).  At $17, it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau

Brothers Miller Thankfulness Red 2022, Central Coast, California

05 Saturday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,


Medium ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14.1% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, acai berry, a touch of game, and red licorice.  The palate is dry (perhaps a touch of RS? ), with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are crunchy.  Medium intensity flavors of black cherry, acai berry, charred oak, baking spice, black raspberry, and a medicinal hint.  The finish has quite a bit of tannic grip but the fruit flavors go on mid length.  My initial reaction to the nose was not overly favorable, but after a few sips I find myself enjoying it quite a lot.  It has an interesting bitterness to it yet the fruit is quite ripe.  Somewhat one-dimensional it lacks much complexity yet it delivers on what it has.  I like it, 89 points worth.  It came as part of a mixed case from a club and runs $15. This blend of Pinot Noir, Barbera, Grenache, and Valdigué gets 4 stars from me.  I would drink it till 2028 and pair it with corned beef, filet or even a roast chicken.  Salut….

Brothers Miller Central Coast Thankfulness Red

Cantine del Notaio Il Sigillo 2011, Basilicata, Italy

24 Monday Mar 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


The star of the 39th virtual wine tasting was this mature Aglianico.  Deep garnet colored with definitive bricking, slight staining, and medium viscosity (14%V ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of prune, dried nuts, desiccated cherry, swisher sweet cigars, raisins, musty barnyard, leather, and Absinthe.  The plate was dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins that were fully integrated.  Sipping this wine was ethereal- the flavors echoed the nose and the silky presentation had a long finish.  I would not cellar this wine any further as it’s at peak/slightly past peak and needs to be enjoyed to its fullest now.  A perfect 20 points were awarded by more than one taster and I gave this $80 bottle 94 points.  A super treat to drink this 5 star effort.  Salut….

Cantine del Notaio Il Sigillo Aglianico