Bodegas Escudero Vidau 2004, Rioja DOCa, Spain

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Deep ruby colored with chocolate highlights and medium viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of tobacco, black cherry, blackberry compote, coconut, vanilla, bramble berry, dusty earth, menthol, a medicinal note, orange peel and coffee.  The palate is dry with a full body and medium (+) tannins that are fine-grained and integrating nicely.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of ripe black cherry, blackberry cobbler, tobacco, dust, vanilla, menthol and coffee.  It’s quite layered and delicious, ripe and smooth.  The finish is medium (+) in length and silky, everything is in balance.  This is a 93 point wine imho that I paid $25 making it a 5 star effort that is still youthful after 20 years and will provide pleasure for many more years to come.  Salut….

Tara Bella Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Russian River Valley, California

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and medium viscosity (13.4% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe blueberry, blackberry compote, cassis, eucalyptus, chocolate powder, oak, violets, coffee, caramel and sweet plum.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  I am a bit unnerved by the tannins tbh, they detract from the whole package and force me to consider them before I can delve into the fruit flavors.  Once over the hurdle- it’s ripe, rich dark fruit with some interesting florals and nicely exercised oak treatment.  The finish is medium in length but quite astringent, the tannic grip is a little much methinks.  I loved the 2020 Estate Cabernet  and gave it 92 points- this one only gets 89.  For the same price point of $80, it only gets 2 stars unfortunately.  I have another bottle and will re-evaluate in the near future.  Meanwhile, this one looks to last till 2030 or so, but give it time or an aeration to try and soften the tannins.  Salut….

Cosmologist Red Wine Knights Valley 2020, Sonoma County, California

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining and medium viscosity (15.2% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, bramble berry, black plum, mint, eucalyptus, vanilla, licorice, fresh linen and cocoa powder.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body and medium tannins that are a touch astringent and green.  Flavors of black plum, bramble berry, black cherry, licorice, oversteeped black tea, eucalyptus, and a hint of vanilla.  The finish is hot right off the bat, detracting from the flavors I seek.  The length is medium (-) and a bit astringent, akin to black tea that has been made too strong. To me this is a bit disjointed, albeit the fruit is nice and ripe, the tannins are a bit underripe and the high alcohol is a detractor.  I would give this wine 87 points and for the $28 price point it gets 3 stars.  Drink this blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon till 2028 with steak or stew.  Salut….

Ketcham Estate Five Clone Pinot Noir 2021, Russian River Valley, California

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Pale garnet colored with a watery sheen (14.9% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity  aromas of rhubarb, pomegranate, cherry cobbler, baking spices, steeped strawberry, earth, forest floor and anise.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium body and medium (-) tannins.  My first impression is funk with some bitterness.  A cardboard note hits on the second taste and now I’m a bit worried.  After several minutes I gave it another go- it’s pretty one-dimensional unfortunately.  Undefined red fruit, bitterness and a fair amount of heat make this quite unpleasant.  I will give this wine another try as I bought two bottles.  The reviews, even the color don’t jibe with my experience.  For now this $65 bottle gets 84 points and 1 star.  Drink ??  Salut….

Beaulieu Vineyard BV Reserve Tapestry 2016, Napa Valley, California

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14.9% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, cassis, black plum, vanilla, toasty oak,  coffee, caramel, acai berry, eucalyptus, wet stone, graphite and baking spices.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins.  Silky layers of dark, ripe fruit interlaced with loads of secondary notes of oak which has been deftly applied alongside some interesting eucalyptus and caramel hints.  The wet stone is not present but there is a dried tobacco note coming on.  The tannins are polished and are integrating nicely.  The finish is long, centered on blackberry and cassis with a woodsy note.  It’s delicious , still young and worthy of 94 points.  A classic Bordeaux blend of Cab Sav, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  It runs $65 for the latest vintage, unsure of pricing for this one.  5 stars IMHO to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Precision Wine Co. Gait Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Napa Valley, California

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Deep purple with light staining and medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of black plum, black raspberry, eucalyptus, chocolate powder, coffee, violets and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium (-) tannins that are gritty. Flavor intensity is higher than the nose and I get the dark blue fruit again with coffee and chocolate notes.  The florality is more pronounced with violets alongside anise.  The finish is a mixed bag for me- the fruit fades as the tannins finally smooth out and get interesting.  A bit disjointed methinks.  I paid $25 for this bottle that scored very highly, for me it’s an 89 pointer that gets 3 stars.  Drink till 2028.  My pairing is grilled Lamb kabobs and lemon potatoes.  Salut….

Albert Bichot Bourgogne Aligote 2022, Burgundy, France

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Medium lemon colored with medium viscosity (12% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon, lemon zest, white blossom, yoghurt, baked apple, toasty oak and sea spray.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of yellow apple, lemon zest, lemon, yoghurt and toasty oak.  It has a mineral core that is surrounded by zesty citrus, warm apple notes and a touch of oak.  The finish is medium (-) in length.  I like this wine- 90 points and for $15 it gets 5 stars.  I would roast a chicken any day to pair with this little gem.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Carmenere 2021, Central Valley, Chile

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of funky green pepper, smoke, licorice, black cherry, mint, espresso, dark chocolate, blackberry and black raspberry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium body and medium (-) tannins.  The flavor profile is more fruit driven versus the nose, which was funky and oak derived.  Black plum, black raspberry and coffee dominate with the greeness finally appearing on the mid palate.  There is less complexity here but the easy drinking structure makes it pleasant.  The finish is of decent length and I am actually enjoying the pyrazine sourced green notes, which I used to dislike immensely.  This is a $23 bottle that scored big, I am going with 89 points and therefore 4 stars.  We are pairing it with Lamb chops- I was hoping for more acidity and tannins but it will do.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Tara Bella Cabernet Sauvignon Al Di La 2018, Sonoma County, California

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and high viscosity (13.4% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry compote, cassis, eucalyptus, mint, tobacco, cigar box, coffee, vanilla, black raspberry and licorice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body and medium (+) tannins that are nicely integrated.  Ripe berries with vanilla, mint, oak, eucalyptus and tobacco highlight the flavors with a medium intensity.  The finish is decently long in length and turns a touch tart whilst thinning out a bit.  The richnesss and intensity of this wine is a touch shy of where I was expecting it to be considering the other bottles I have tried from this winery.  It’s a good drop mind you and gets 91 points from me.  Listing at $80 it becomes a 3 star effort in IMHO.  I think it has some cellaring capacity and should drink nicely till 2028.  Salut….

Winzer Krems Kellermeister Privat Blauer Zweigelt 2022, Niederosterreich, Austria

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Medium garnet colored with high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of sour cherry, cranberry, tomato stalk, white pepper, red licorice and a hint of strawberry right at the end.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and medium (-) tannins that are a touch astringent.  Flavors of red fruit with that crispy greenness and some spice make for a very interesting and refreshing taste profile.  The finish is tart and carries on for a decent length.  A delicious wine that is counter to heavy, oaked, tannic wines- this one will pair beautifully with my leftover BBQ Ribs and smoked chicken wings.  The acidity will sort out the sweet and tangy sauces and temper the smoke.  90 points from me for this $24 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2028.  Salut….