Marcelo Pelleriti ‘Signature’ Cabernet Franc 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

27 Monday Jan 2025

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Medium ruby colored with light staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, green pepper, purple licorice, spice box, cocoa powder, and a forest woodsy note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that hit my cheeks more so than the front palate.  The fruit intensity is medium and mirrors the nose with the addition of a charred oak note.  The finish is medium in length where I also get a black tea hint- along with its astringency.  A tasty wine that averages $18 a bottle.  This to me is a 91 pointer that gets 5 stars.  It’s good and may cellar nicely till 2031.  I’m pairing with rack of lamb.  Salut….

Marcelo Pelleriti 'Signature' Cabernet Franc

Fox Run Vineyards Dry Riesling 2021, Finger Lakes, New York

24 Friday Jan 2025

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Pale golden yellow with low viscosity (12.6% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of petrol, bruised apple, lemon zest, petrichor, peach, nectarine, orange blossom, and candle wax.  (I know….).  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium (-) body.  Medium (+) intensity flavors coupled with the cutting acidity and lithe body make for a refreshing mouthfeel.  The finish is acid-dominant but the apple, lemon, and petrol notes do continue to medium length.  I like this style of Riesling, dry and fresh yet it offers the telltale petrol I search for in this variety.  90 points for this $18 effort makes it a 5 star wine that I believe could cellar nicely.  I’m pairing with seared scallops and steamed asparagus.  Salut….

Fox Run Vineyards Dry Riesling

Martinez Gassiot Late Bottled Vintage Port 2018, Porto Portugal

23 Thursday Jan 2025

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Deep, inky-ruby colored, with moderate staining, and high viscosity (19.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum ganache, fresh prune, blueberry jam,  cocoa powder, baking spice, leather, old oak, and a touch of juniper leaf.  The palate is sweet, with high acidity, a full body, and high levels of silky tannins that coat my gums.  The intensity of the fruit is medium (+) and mimics the nose.  It’s ripe, rich, opulent and delicious.  There’s a charcoal note on the mid palate that adds intrigue.  The finish is long and a touch astringent, which is kinda nice.  I’m thoroughly enjoying this $20 bottle that gets 91 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2030 with a nice cheese tray.  Salut….

Martinez Late Bottled Vintage Port

Patrice Grasset Chenin Blanc 2022, Vouvray, France

21 Tuesday Jan 2025

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Pale lemon colored with strawberry highlights, and a high viscosity (12.5% ABV). The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon zest, tangerine, wax, wool, grapefruit pith, quince, slate, white blossom, and white pepper.  The palate is a hint off-dry with medium (+) acidity, and a medium (+) body.  The flavors are quite pronounced- quince, grapefruit pith, lemon and tangerine with some interesting wool notes.  There is a waxy feel to this wine which is varietally correct.  The finish is medium (+) in length and weighty.  I am enjoying this $17 bottle that I will be pairing with baked Mackerel.  It gets 90 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Patrice Grasset Vouvray Chenin Blanc

Scott Peterson Rumpus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, California

19 Sunday Jan 2025

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Medium ruby to garnet colored with slight copper highlights, light staining, and high viscosity (14.8% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, blackberry, ripe black raspberry, a hint of twizzlers, some smoke, coffee, black tea, and violet. The palate seems dry, but I suspect a touch of residual sugar. Medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (-) tannins. Flavors of very ripe black raspberry- almost candied, black plum, pomegranate, black tea, coffee, smoke, and that floral violet note I got on the nose. There’s a strange astringency that hits me on the mid palate, not sure where that comes from. The finish is medium in length and pleasant, with a nice mouth feel. 87 points for this $14 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2026.  (It opened up nicely after 30 or so minutes).  Salut….

Scott Peterson Rumpus California Cabernet Sauvignon

Maxville Lake Winery Petit Sirah 2016, Napa Valley, California

17 Friday Jan 2025

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I have had this wine before and loved it- so I bought more.  It’s still inky purple colored with heavy staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe blackberry, a medicinal note, blueberry jam, eucalyptus, baking spice, vanilla bean, roasted coffee, dried oak bark, and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and high tannins that are integrating nicely.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of ripe dark fruit, oak by way of that medicinal note, coffee, vanilla, and baking spice coupled with some green notes.  The finish is long and silky, the tannins really retreat and allow the ripe fruit to take center stage.  It’s an awesome bottle and a great example of well made Petite Sirah.  It makes a statement, similar in nature to Napa Cabs, but in a bolder, more structured way.  94 points from me for this $55 bottle makes it a 5 star wine that will drink nicely till 2030.  I am pairing with T-bone steaks,  roasted veggies and yams.  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery Petit Sirah

David Akiyoshi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Clarksburg, California

15 Wednesday Jan 2025

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Medium ruby with garnet highlights, slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.4% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of candied raspberry, red plum, cranberry jam, cedar, tomato leaf, and pomegranate- decidedly red fruit driven.  The palate is ever-so slightly off-dry, with medium acidity, medium (+) body, and medium tannins.  The red fruit is sweet in nature and off-putting tbh.  It tastes a little manufactured and will likely appeal to many, just not me.  The structure is decent with some neat tannins, but nothing that screams ‘I’m a Cabernet Sauvignon’.  The finish is a little hot and medium (-) in length.  Whilst pleasant to drink, it will pair nicely with lighter meats or BBQ.  I would drink this 84 pointer till 2027.  For $12, it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

David Akiyoshi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Oyster Bay Chardonnay 2023, Marlborough, New Zealand

14 Tuesday Jan 2025

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Pale lemon colored with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of seaweed, lemon zest, flint, tangerine, pomelo, white blossom, pineapple, and passion fruit.  Quite the fruit cocktail imho.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body.  Medium intensity flavors of lemon zest, pomelo, white blossom, and pineapple with that briny seaweed note adding a touch of interesting segue.  It’s not your normal Napa Chard, nor is it a Chablis- something of an outlier from the two classics.  It is weighty but still refreshing, crisp yet stoic.  The finish is medium (+) in length and concentrates on the citrus notes.  A really delicious wine that has not had all the ‘treatments’ of MLF, new oak, battonage etc.  91 points from me for this $11 steal makes it a 5 star bottle to buy cases of.  This will pair nicely with grilled salmon, roast chicken, fresh salad, and calamari.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Oyster Bay Chardonnay

Ashley Herzberg Petite Sirah 2022, Russian River Valley, California

13 Monday Jan 2025

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Inky purple colored with moderate staining, and a high viscosity (14.7% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe blackberry, black plum, a medicinal note (from oak?), acai berry, grape bubble gum, slate, and faint espresso notes.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and high tannins that are somewhat chalky.  Ripe flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and acai berry coupled with that medicinal note, some black tea and an espresso note.  The finish leans heavily on the tannins, they are very grippy but allow the fruit to show off for a medium length ending.  I like this $22 bottle and give it 91 points which makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  I would pair it with hearty beef dishes and stews.  Salut….

Ashley Herzberg Russian River Petite Sirah

St Thomas le Merlot A 2005, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

10 Friday Jan 2025

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Deep garnet colored with amber highlights, moderate staining and medium viscosity (No back label and no ABV info posted).  The nose of this aged Merlot has medium (+) intensity aromas of mushroom, truffles, baked earth, dried blackberry, game, cocoa, coffee, blueberry ganache, prunes, and leather.  Simply stunning.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body and medium (+) tannins that are still a touch gritty with some bite.  The secondary notes of mushroom, truffles, earth, and leather dominate this complex and layered wine.  The fruit shows in a dried and mature way giving way to the evolution.  The finish is quite a dry affair, the tannins are still fearsome but the length is long and slightly tart.  This wine is a chameleon- the nose is so complex and mature yet the tannic structure is interfering, refusing to meld away.  Here are the disclaimers- this bottle can only be purchased ex-cellar.  My cousins own the winery.  This bottle is in magnum and I used my Coravin to taste it in anticipation of dinner at a steak house tonight.  There.  It’s a delightful wine that gets 94 points from me and what the heck- 5 stars as pricing is unknown.  This winery continues to show me the power of well made Lebanese wines and how they manage to age so beautifully.  Salut….

st Thomas merlot A