Cameron Hughes Lot 683 Zinfandel 2017, Sierra Foothills, California

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Semi opaque and medium intensity purple.  The nose has spicy blueberry jam, candy and licorice.  On the palate it is very fruity, dry and mouthwatering.  Blackberry paste, cedar shake and iodine caress the tongue while really nice tannins completely coat my gums.  It is a luscious mouthfeel if you’re in the mood for some tannic grip.  The midpalate and finish carry on the theme and it ends on a nice dry note of black jam, cinnamon, some wood influence and that licorice note.  90 points.  Well made and for $12 this is a steal worthy of 5 stars.  Drink till 2027 with some sirloins, perhaps venison and definitely roasted veggies.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 622 Riesling 2016, Columbia Valley, Washington

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Tonight I’m cooking outside the box, chicken livers in peri-peri sauce and some in a Port wine reduction.  I’m grilling a pork loin as a backup.  So, I needed something white that will take the heat of the spicy sauce, Riesling is the obvious choice.

It’s a light shade of yellow in the glass,  the nose is very fresh with citrus, melon, apple peel.  On the palate it’s quite sweet, round and full bodied.  It’s not as focused and acidic as I was hoping for, it’s more of a salmon or pate on toast kinda wine.   It will work I think, but the style is wrong for the pairing.

The palate offers up yellow pear, banana, melon and a touch of candied apple.  Not a lemon or lime in sight.  The midpalate is really rich, expanding into those flavors whilst the finish is short and sweet- literally.  I’m enjoying this wine all by itself, really tasty and easy to drink.  I’m going 89 points and 4 stars for this $12 bottle.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 676 White Blend 2016, Santa Barbara, California

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Very golden in the glass, beautiful and rich.  On the nose I get peach stone, yellow apple, melon.  On the palate it’s quite different- I still get peach stone, but the focus is more pineapple, honeydew, lanolin.  The mouthfeel is quite full, a nice level of acidity and some glycerin.  The mid palate shows off stone fruit and a touch of sour apple.  The finish is medium length and continues the theme nicely.  This is a good blend of Roussane, Viognier and Marsanne that I would serve with caeser salad, smoked salmon or grilled chicken.  89 points, $14 and 4 stars.  Salut….

Vieux Chateau Certan 2003, Pomerol, France

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Semi opaque, medium purple in the glass.  On the nose it’s cooked. Over the top.  Sorry folks, no notes today.  Too bad, I was looking forward to some aged Bordeaux.  It can be found for $160 and got 90 points back in the day.  Salut….

Beaulieu Vineyard BV Reserve Tapestry 2007, Napa Valley, USA

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This is the third tasting of the Tapestry over an eight year period.  The cork broke in half which gave cause for concern, the bottom part showing off a deep stain, nearly black.  That normally bodes well for me, except the failed cork part.

The wine still has a lovely purple hue with a touch of orange bricking.  The nose gives off tons of leather, tobacco, some red currants and black cherry.  The palate is focused and concentrated.  Tertiary flavors are forefront- earthiness, that parched tobacco and leather …  black fruits appear after a while but it’s not a seamless transition.  The wine has very integrated tannins and a nice streak of acidity.  It’s holding up well for 13 years old, but I would drink by 2027.  It has evolved well and will continue to soften, shedding the fruit along the way.  It’s a nice Napa Cab that gets 90 points from me and can be found for $55.  4 stars.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 660 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Red Mountain, Washington

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Semi opaque in the glass, bright purple.  On the nose I get graphite, blackcurrants, oak and twizzlers.  On the palate there are some gentle notes of black cherries, a dose of dry tannins and some black tea to go along with black currants.  The mid palate has a cherry cola component with black fruits and that slightly unbalanced tannic dryness.  The finish is dry but fresh and packed with black fruit flavors, some oak and a touch of minerality.  Decent wine for a weekday.  87 points, which contrasts with others opinions btw.  Drink till 2024, 2 stars, $25.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 672 Chardonnay 2017, Rogue Valley, Oregon

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Very pale yellow in the glass, but interesting to look at. The nose has lemon zest, walnuts, .  The palate is fresh, not cutting.  I get a citrus component and pineapple.  It’s very tasty and easy to drink.  The mouthfeel is light and bright, not much acidity and no cloying oak.  It’s a wine made for easy foods, appetizers or a poolside quaff.  88 points but a real treat at $14.  3 stars.  Salut..

L’Etoile 2015, Lalande de Pomerol, France

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Very rich purple hues in the glass. The nose is a combo of blue fruit and dark berries, with a tobacco and spice box note thrown in . The palate is very enticing with blackberries, crisp tannins, fruitcake and black tea.  The midpalate continues the theme and takes us to the really juicy finish of Ribena, tea, creosote and Maduro leaf.  Very enjoyable, seamless and drinking well for a relatively young Bordeaux.  91 points and 4 stars at $25.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 2011 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

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Very dark purple in the glass with feint legs, interesting as it boasts 14.5% alcohol.  The nose is rich with cassis, plum extract, oak and tea.  The initial palate starts off jammy, full bodied and tannic.  The dark fruit is very unctuous and the flavors just keep coating my mouth.  The mid palate shows off a nice acidic bite alongside more cassis and leather.  The finish turns a touch blue, berries and oak come to mind.  This is a really delicious yet still young Napa Cab that shows off the Cali sun in a nice, full bodied package.  92 points and 4 stars for this $75 beauty.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 628 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Walla Walla, Washington

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Blackish blue in the glass that is somewhat murky.  On the nose it’s delightful- blackberry pie, yeast, and iodine(strange, but believable).  On the palate it has a unique flavor- blackberry meets charcoal.  I can’t think of a better descriptor.  There’s a vast cask influence here and I’m loving it, not over-oaked but the fundamentals are there.  Vanilla, popcorn, coconut.  It’s not over done, just a nice, deft use of it to give this wine a unique flavor.  The mid palate continues the blackberry theme and the tannins creep up, barely noticeable until the finish and by then- dry gums!  The whole package is mouth-filling, interesting, well structured and balanced.  I like it, a lot. 91 points and 5 stars for this $19 wine.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….