Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2012, Margaux, France

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Rich purple hues in the glass with classic Bordeaux notes on the palate.  Cassis, lovely oak and dark cherry are dominant on the nose.  On the palate it is slightly thinner than expected but its litheness is appreciated.  Plums, blackberry reduction, black olives and charcoal dominate the initial palate.  Very lithe tannins peak on the mid palate with very slight acidity countering them.  The finish is where the astringency kicks in with black tea, black currants and spice box.  This wine is drinking very nicely now and will improve over the next 10 years.  92 points and 4 stars for this $55 Grand Cru.  Salut….

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Dark yet not very opaque.  Typical for the varietal.  Gorgeous nose of cherry reduction, dare I say mushrooms and old oak.  The palate is super smooth and full bodied, showing off cherries and cola.  The oak is dominant in this wine, but not obtrusive. The mid palate is round and slightly tannic. The cherries march on and the wine finishes with coconut notes, probably from the wood.  91 points and 4 stars for this $44 effort.  Drink this Pinot Noir till 2025 with pasta, roasted Chicken or a cheese and salami plate.  Salut….

R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Cubillo’ Crianza 2009, Rioja DOCa, Spain

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Medium color and opacity.  Nose of plum, earth and licorice.  The initial palate is quite sour, acidic but refreshing with blueberry, plums and creosote.  The mid palate is more sour cherry-like with that bracing acidity really taking over.  The finish has more cherry than blue fruits and is where the tannins finally appear.  Slightly unbalanced but tasty nonetheless.  88 points and 3 stars- $22.  Drink now.  Salut….

Bodegas Bioenos Pulchrum Crespiello 2012, Cariñena, Spain

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Dark purple and showing some legs in the glass.  The nose is vibrant with black currants, licorice and oak.  On the palate this is delicious folks.  Ribena, blackberry jam and toasty oak hit me all at once.  There is a cherry stream that appears on the midpalate alongside vanilla bean.  Tannins are in check, melded and balanced with the acidity.  The finish is warm, almost alcoholic but at 14% I must be imagining things.  There is a charred oak note in the finish that is perfect for the dark berry fruit notes.  This wine is drinking beautifully and will do so till 2025.  I wish I had some Osso Bucco laying around , or even shepherds pie.  Look for this rare varietal-  Crespiello, it is an interesting one for sure.  92 points and 5 stars for its $25 price tag.  Salut….

Vineyard at Hershey Gewurtztraminer NV, Pennsylvannia

23 Saturday Feb 2019

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Super light yellow in the glass, made me look twice.  The nose is floral with lemon and pineapple notes.  On the palate I get peach right off the bat.  Apricot and citrus hit me on the midpalate where the acidity starts to kick in.  The wine is really light and bouncy with nice crisp mouthfeel.  The tail end is more subdued on the flavors, mainly a pear component.  This wine is intriguing in its multitude of flavors, definitely worth looking out for.  I’m pairing it with salmon Alfredo.  It begs for a hot summers evening outside with some oysters and chorizo.  89 points and 3 stars for this $18 bottle. Salut….

Quinta do Covão 2014, Dao, Portugal

23 Saturday Feb 2019

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Bright purple in the glass.  Plums and black berry come off on the palate with some earthiness that I love in Portuguese wines.  There’s a dusty component reminiscent of desert air that pops up as well.  On the palate it has telltale Tinto Roriz and Touriga Nacional notes.  There’s a tar component alongside spice box and blackberry.  The tannins are very integrated, of medium intensity and not astringent.  I like the mouthfeel and the balance is great.  The mid palate and finish are both steeped in black fruits and that spiciness.  The dry, dusty notes I mentioned earlier slip back in right at the end.  This is a tasty wine that gets 91 points from me.  The $40 price point makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2016, Rhone, France

22 Friday Feb 2019

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Very dark in the glass.  The nose is plummy with sweet black currant syrup hints.  The palate has black currants, espresso and nutmeg notes.  Mouth drying tannins appear on the mid-palate where I  get big doses of coffee and charcoal.  The tannins really grip on the finish.  The wine begs for aeration or a juicy ribeye.  The acidity is there, somewhere.  I just can’t sense it.  Overall- quite tasty, young and in need of cellaring or aerating.  Drink till 2026 with hearty fare.  88 points from me which is in stark contrast with the monster 92+ points the pros gave it.  I think a re-taste is in order.  For now this $20 effort gets 3 stars.  Salut….

Casa Ferreirinha ‘Papa Figos’ Tinto 2017, Douro, Portugal

20 Wednesday Feb 2019

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This was the next bottle up at the Tapas restaurant.  We needed something light and easy yet flavorful.  I was thinking Portugal for it’s budget, tasty reds.  This one did not disappoint for the price.

Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca make up the blend in this medium bodied wine.  Floral, purple fruits, and some balsamic syrup come to mind.  Very mild acidity and meek tannins make out an easy quaffer.  A touch of leather, which I love, comes across on the mid palate.  The finish is rather short and fruity.  Nothing too flash here but for the $12 price point that is to be expected.  88 points and 3 stars from me.  Drink now, obviously with Tapas!  Salut….

Cellar Vall Llach Embruix 2015, Priorat DOCa, Spain

20 Wednesday Feb 2019

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Moxie and I met up with an old high-school friend at a Tapas bar in Massachusetts.  This wine was recommended by our waiter so we dove in.  I did not write too many notes so bear with me:

Nose of smoky plum.  Lithe and fruity with some complexity but not overpowering.  Dark fruits galore and lithe tannins make it an easy drinker with 5-10 years of cellaring potential.  We obviously ate it with Tapas, which was a great pairing.  Strangely enough, the pros vary between 88 and 92 points.  I would go with 89 personally.  $25 makes it a 3 star wine for me. Blend of 30% Garnatxa, 27% Merlot, 20% Samso, 18% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Salut….

Chateau de Camensac 2015, Haut-Medoc, France

26 Saturday Jan 2019

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This was the fourth wine of the tasting evening, which may have included a bit of palate fatigue but we all agreed it was the nicest.  The 2015 Bordeaux vintage shows its excellence here.

Medium to dark black in the glass.  Cassis, black berry coulis and some gaminess.  On the palate it reeks of Bordeaux- cassis, dark berries, oak and grippy tannins.  The mid palate is where the astringency kicks in with a black tea component and some decent blackberry jam notes.  The finish is totally dry.  Short length on the flavors but the tannins are in full force.  90 points and 4 stars for this $45 wine. Drink till 2027. Salut….