Raventos I Blanc Can Sumoi Sumoll – Garnatxa 2020, Catalonia, Spain

21 Sunday Apr 2024

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Deep purple colored with low viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of game, black plum, black raspberry, violets and some garigue.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (-) body and medium tannins.  Flavors of game, black cherry, black raspberry and black plum with some floral highlights.  The finish is light and medium in length, not overly complex or tantalizing.  This wine is a bit one dimensional and I can feel some alcohol yet it only rings in at a modest 12.5%.  It runs $23 and gets 86 points from me making it a 2 star effort to drink by 2025.  I am pairing mine with a smoked Beef shank.  Salud….

Jaume Serra Brut Cava NV, Catalonia, Spain

16 Tuesday Apr 2024

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Pale gold colored with medium intensity bubbles and low viscosity (11.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of white pear, brioche, grapefruit pith, white blossom and salted caramel.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light body and a medium (-) mousse.  Flavors of citrus pith, brioche, white blossom, ripe white pear and lanolin.  The mouthfeel is very smooth as the mousse has tamed itself with plenty of aging whilst the acidity is still bright and refreshing.  The finish is a tasty affair that is medium in length and very satisfying- some spritz, some zing and fresh fruit surrounding the bready, brioche notes.  This bottle has dubious provenance, it sat in my buddy Rewt’s basement for god-knows-how-long yet is shows decent quality and aging capacity.  As with most Non Vintage Cava, it is hard to tell the disgorgement date so I have no idea how long this bottle has slumbered.  A curious web search made my jaw drop- $9.  Yup, under 10 bones and you are drinking a very serviceable and delicious sparkler that is made in the traditional method out of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes. I would be looking to stock up for the summer, this is a porch-pounder for sure.  88 points, and 5 stars.  Salut….

Torrevento ‘Barbuto’ Primitivo 2020, Puglia IGT, Italy

15 Monday Apr 2024

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Deep ruby colored with light staining and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of black plum, baking spice, rose, licorice, coffee, vanilla and dried green herbs.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium body and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of black plum, black cherry, vanilla, baking spice, purple licorice and black pepper.  The finish is slightly tart with the tannins starting to show more prominence.  It lasts for a good 20 seconds.  My pairing for this $18 bottle is a meat lovers pie from our local wood oven pizzeria.  It gets 87 points from me making it a 3 star effort to drink till 2025.  Salut….

Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa

13 Saturday Apr 2024

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Deep garnet colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  On the nose I get medium intensity aromas of cassis, leather, mint, pencil shavings, blackberry, black plum, coffee, vanilla, toasty oak and stewed mulderberry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are integrating nicely.  Rich flavors of cassis, stewed mulderberry, black plum jam with tertiary development by way of leather as well as oak influence- vanilla, coffee and toasty oak.  The pencil shavings and mint are present and add a nice angle.  The finish turns a little tart, surprising for a New World wine but then again this is a classic Bordeaux blend- Cab Sav 70%, Merlot and Cab Franc at 15% each.  The length of said finish is quite long and lingering, inviting me to take another sip.  This bottle is at peak and en pointe.  I nearly pulled it 5 years ago, thank goodness I waited.  93 points for this $70 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink by 2028.  I’m pairing it with Tenderloin tails and Peppercorn sauce.  Salut….

Alexakis Winery Kotsifali – Syrah 2016, PGI Crete, Greece

11 Thursday Apr 2024

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Deep garnet with slight bricking and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of dried red plum, desiccated raspberry, bacon, game, dried lavender, baking spices, cocoa, espresso and purple licorice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins with a medium body.  Flavors of drying red fruit, game and dried herbs combine with some cocoa, coffee and licorice nuance.  The finish is quite long and tends towards forest floor notes along with smoky oak.  I like this wine but feel it is at peak or just past.  The entry fee is $18 to try out this indigenous Cretian variety that has been blended with Syrah for some structure.  88 points from me and 4 stars.  Salut….

Izadi Seleccion Blanco 2021, Rioja DOCa, Spain

10 Wednesday Apr 2024

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A vibrant hue of lemon with a watery sheen (13.5% AVB).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon zest and pith, grapefruit, beeswax, white blossom, crunchy green apple, slate, vanilla thread and petrichor.  The palate is dry with a medium to full body and medium (+) acidity.  Flavors of lemon zest, grapefruit zest, white flower, tart green apple and that mineral note like licking a piece of granite.  There is a slight waxy feel to it that I am intrigued by, it’s delicious.  There is obviously some oak attention here, which explains some of the heaviness and also the slight vanilla character I am picking up.  The finish is moderate in length and sits nicely on my palate- an interesting dichotomy of freshness from the acidity yet weight from the treatment.  I like it.  92 points worth, and at $22, it gets 5 stars.  Drink till 2029.  I am pairing it with Yuzu marinated grilled chicken.  It’s a blend of Viura (60%) with support from Malvasia, Torrontes, Garnacha Blanc and others.  Salut….

Opolo Vineyards Petite Sirah 2019, Paso Robles, California

09 Tuesday Apr 2024

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Deep purple colored with medium staining and a high viscosity (14.4% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of vanilla, black cherry, spices, black plum, ripe mulberry, black licorice, toasty oak and hint of alcohol.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are silky.  Powerful, mouth coating black fruit- mulberry, black plum, black cherry and blackberry kick things off followed by a hefty dose of vanilla, some spices and black licorice finishing long with some toasty oak notes.  This is a powerful and thick wine- perfect for my Lamb dish.  It is youthful yet shows structure for the long haul, it is heady yet graceful.  I love it.  93 points from me for this $25 bottle makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Winzergenossenschaft Kallstadt Kobnert Dornfelder Rotwein Trocken 2019, Pfalz, Germany

08 Monday Apr 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of game, infused blackberry, funk, macerated black cherry, baking spice, elderberry and over-ripe papaya (yes, I know, but there’s a definite funkiness).  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (-) tannins on a lithe medium (-) body.  It’s an interesting melange of ripe dark fruit with some funk, game and spice.  My first foray into this relatively new grape variety that happens to be a cross of two other varietals from Germany.  The spiciness really kicks in on the medium (+) finish- very interesting.   I picked this wine to pair with grilled Pork Tomahawks, I think it will work nicely.  The funky game note will pair up with the rosemary infused Dijon mustard that will glaze the meat.  Lower acidity and low tannins will allow the fruit to shine on the white meat.  For lack of experience I will give this wine a generous 86 points, and for $15, it gets 3 stars.  Try the varietal if you are in an adventurous mood or just want to expand your palate.  This one probably needs drinking sooner rather than later.  Salut….

Botromagno Primitivo 2021, Puglia IGT, Italy

07 Sunday Apr 2024

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Medium to deep red-ruby colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of bramble, mulberry, vanilla, cracked black pepper, mint, black plum and a medicinal note.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (-) tannins.  It’s quite bitter right off the bat but then I get muted black fruit, vanilla, mint, and black pepper.  There is a coffee note to go along with a touch of the medicinal hint I got on the nose- both from oak treatment.  The astringency is cloying and sticks with me to the bitter end, which is relatively short in nature.  This wine is a bit disjointed and the bitterness is out of balance with the fruit and structure.  86 points from me for this Zinfandel that I will be pairing alongside Bison steaks.  At $15 it gets 3 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Bodegas Juan Gil Plata – Silver Label Monastrell 2020, Jumilla, Spain

05 Friday Apr 2024

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Medium garnet colored with high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, vanilla, blackberry, game, bramble, dried herbs, baking spice, ripe black cherry and wildflowers.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium tannins.  This is a rich wine with layers of dark, ripe fruit interlaced with oak nuance, telltale game and some dried herbal notes.  It has a medium (-) length finish as far as the fruit goes, but the tannins are super fine and caress my gums for quite a while.  This is a $15 Monastrell, aka Mourvèdre that really brings value and gets 91 points from me making it a 5 star effort.  Drink till 2029 with steaks or even stews, like the Goulash I am whipping up tonight.  Salut….