Botani Old Vines Moscatel 2022, Sierras de Malaga, Spain

02 Saturday Mar 2024

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Pale lemon colored with copper highlights and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of peach, jasmine, lemon curd, white blossom, honeysuckle, tangerine peel and a waxy lanolin. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and some bitterness (skin contact perhaps?). Flavors of Jasmine tea, honeysuckle, lemon and tangerine skin, hints of peach and a salty minerality.  The finish is medium in length and the bitterness has worn off at this juncture leaving the mouthfeel a touch waxy with some saline and honey.  I am really enjoying the tropical notes of this rather aromatic wine, albeit not overly complex.  It gets 90 points from me and 5 stars, I paid just under $15 for it.  I’m gonna pair it with roast duck leg and mashed sweet potato.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Senorio de Villarrica Reserva 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

01 Friday Mar 2024

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Deep garnet colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose of this Tempranillo has medium (+) intensity aromas of vanilla, coconut, back plum, black cherry, tobacco, dust, cassis, Maduro wrapper, mint, dried green herbs, dried orange peel and blueberry compote.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  Flavors of black plum, black cherry, cassis, coconut, vanilla, baking spice, dusty earth, mint and tobacco persist to a long finish.  I’m impressed with this wine’s complexity and balance- 92 points from me and 5 stars since it runs $23.  I believe it has great cellaring potential, till 2033 but is drinking beautifully now.  Pairing tonight with Shish Kebabs.  Salut….

Fabre Montmayou Reserva Cabernet Franc 2022, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

29 Thursday Feb 2024

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Deep purple colored with slight straining and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of blueberry, mint, green pepper, black raspberry, lavender, cedar and violet.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium tannins.  Flavors of blueberry, black raspberry, menthol, green tea and cedar along with a phenolic bitterness.  The finish is a bit astringent with medium persistence and a focus on the raspberry and menthol notes.  It’s got decent structure, I just worry about the astringency.  88 points from me for this $16 effort makes it a 3 star wine to drink till 2027.  I’m pairing with seared Sirloin steaks.  Salut….

Massaya Classic – Le Colombier Rouge 2020, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

27 Tuesday Feb 2024

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Medium ruby with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV) and it looks unfined/unfiltered.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black raspberries, licorice, charred oak, coffee, cardamom, red plum and white pepper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins.  Flavors of black raspberry and licorice dominate with plum, pepper, coffee, cardamom and violet supporting.  The alcohol is quite noticeable btw.  The tannins are very fine grained and quite prominent throughout.  The finish is long with red fruit and some spice.  It says to serve this blend of 35% Grenache Noir, 35% Cinsault, 30% Tempranillo slightly chilled….  I like it just fine at room temp and think it gets 89 points.  For  $22 it gets 4 stars from me.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Silk & Spice ‘Spice Road’ Intense Red Blend 2020, Portugal

26 Monday Feb 2024

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Deep ruby (inky) with slight staining and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, baking spices, camphor (?), ripe blueberry, vanilla thread, boysenberry and Rooibos tea. The palate is slightly off-dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins that are youthful. I get flavors of boysenberry, black cherry, a green vegetal note, dark chocolate, vanilla and baking spices. The finish is slightly tart and quite long.  The camphor note I previously smelled has returned on the back end. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Alicante Bouschet and 30% Baga that gets 88 points from me and for $12- 4 stars.  Drink now with hearty stews and grilled meats. Salut….

Bodega Aleanna ‘El Enemigo’ Cabernet Franc 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

25 Sunday Feb 2024

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Deep purple with moderate staining and a high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of capsicum, black cherry, black plum, licorice, coffee, burnt sugar, clove, violets and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins and a medium body.  Flavors of acai berry, black plum, black cherry, coffee, violets and smoky clove lead to a medium (+) length finish that has a nice tannic dryness and some caressing black and blue fruit.  Retasting- the body is medium (-) in weight and the density of the fruit is a little diluted. I can’t say I agree with the trio of 93 points from others, more like 90 to me. I am pairing it with Pot Roast and Yorkshire puddings, I think the tannic grip will do nicely with the fatty nature of the dish. At $22 it’s a 4 star wine to drink till 2027. Salut….

Diseno Old Vine Malbec 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

25 Sunday Feb 2024

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From a recent dinner I took very basic notes of this Argentinian Malbec that runs a mere $11.

Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV). On the nose I get aromas of plum, acai, blueberry and coffee. The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a medium body. Flavors of blueberry, coffee, mocha, plum and a mineral note lead to a medium length finish.  I like the balance of this wine and its mouthfeel- not overly done with pleasing acidity and tannins that are smooth and unobtrusive.  87 points makes this a 3 star wine to drink soon.  Salut….

 

Brezza Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2018, Piedmont, Italy

24 Saturday Feb 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of cranberry, raspberry, black cherry and pomegranate. The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a medium body.  Flavors of red fruit with cedar, red licorice and dusty earth to a medium length finish.  89 points for this $24 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2028 with pasta, Cornish hen or grilled/plank salmon. Salut….

Clai ‘Baracija’ Refosk 2002, Istria, Croatia

23 Friday Feb 2024

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Deep ruby colored with medium intensity viscosity (13.0% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of garigue and funk, Cinnamon, bramble berry, blackcurrant pie, açaí berry, gamy meat and damp forest wood. The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins and a medium body.  Flavors of charred oak, açaí, blackcurrants, earth and some baking spice lead to a medium (-) finish.  The game note reverberates at the end.  Well balanced with taut grip, this wine gets 91 points from me. $26, 5 stars.  First time for me with the Refosk grape btw.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Xavier Vignon ‘Arcane Le Fou’ NV, Rhone, France

21 Wednesday Feb 2024

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, black olives, licorice, blackberry ganache, black cherry, granite and petrichor.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, full body and medium tannins.  The flavors are quite pronounced- black raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, licorice, charred cedar, olives and that mineral granite note.  The finish is long and silky with the tannins slinking away to reveal loads of dark raspberry and cherry notes.  The slight oak nuance is nice, as is the earthy minerality.  I like this $26 wine- 93 points worth, making it a 5 star effort.  I would pair it with hearty stews, game meat or meatloaf.  It’s drinking beautifully now and will do so for quite a few years.  Mostly Grenache, there’s other Rhone varietals from different vintages thrown in for good measure.  Look out for this wine.  It’s yummy.  Salut….