Giant Steps Pinot Noir 2021, Yarra Valley, Australia

12 Saturday Aug 2023

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Yesterday was my cousin’s birthday so we sailed the Potomac river and ended up in Old Town Alexandria for dinner.  I picked this Pinot Noir as I felt it would pair well with the myriad of main dishes that were ordered- Hangar steak, Swordfish etc.  It was stunning.  I took some very basic notes…

Cherry, baking spices, a touch of forest fooor, red raspberry, med (+) acidity med (-) tannins, medium bodied- 13.5% ABV …..delicious, silky smooth, long finish.  94 points, till 2032. Excellent development potential.

Looking this gem up I see one review as high as 96 points and a $43 price point.  RUN, don’t walk if you like a delicious Pinot of this caliber.  Salut….

Castelli del Grevepesa Panzano Gran Selezione 2017, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

10 Thursday Aug 2023

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of sour cherry, pomegranate, roses and perfumed lilac.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (+) tannins.  A medium body gives me red fruit that is tart in nature along with some pretty florals and a hint of oak.  This is not a very complex Sangiovese which surprises me considering that fact that it is Gran Selezione.  I purchased it after drinking the delightful 2016 Panzano.  This vintage is of  lesser intensity and lacks power, garnering 88 points from me.  At $24 it rates 3 stars in my books.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Hermann J. Wiemer HJW Vineyard Riesling 2019, Finger Lakes, New York

09 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Pale lemon/lime colored with a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon peel, crushed seashells, tangerine pith, peach and a slight hint of petroleum (I had to really look for that one).  The palate is dry with high acidity and a light body.  The citrus, minerality and hint of stone fruit are evident alongside some quince.  It is very refreshing and the acidic cut is very precise.  The finish is medium in length and makes me clamber for another sip, it’s really yummy on a hot summer day.  I would pair this 92 point wine with Alfredo, grilled shrimp or even roasted Pork belly.  For $38 this delicious Riesling gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

I Wines ‘I Latina’ Carmenere 2019, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

07 Monday Aug 2023

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Deep ruby with slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose has abundant aromas of menthol, blackberry, eucalyptus, ripe blueberry, rich oak, purple licorice and vanilla bean.  On the palate it is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with ripe black fruit, oak, coffee, eucalyptus and mint.  The finish is medium in length and shows off espresso flavors.  I like this wine and will be pairing it with grilled sirloins and roasted asparagus.  Drink till 2028.  92 points from me for this $18 wine makes it worthy of 5 stars.  Ps. This note corresponds to my previous tasting of this delicious Carmenere.  Salut….

Chateau Musar Blanc 1998, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

07 Monday Aug 2023

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I picked up this bottle at the winery late last year and was looking for the right time to open it.  My buddy invited us for dinner and I offered him a choice:  Riesling, Chardonnay or White Musar.

It showed a gorgeous medium amber in the glass with medium viscosity (12.5% ABV).  Intense aromas of honey, lanolin, sliced apricot, warm nuts, vanilla thread, bruised yellow apple and baking spices.  On the palate it had medium acidity and a medium body- silky smooth with a long finish.  The flavors were layered and complex, coating my mouth with waves of stunningly delicious wine.  It was a come-to-Jesus moment for me to taste such a unique wine that has slumbered for 25 years, waiting to unleash itself onto my palate.  We paired it with a tomato salad followed by miso glazed mushrooms.  Stunning.  It’s rare to find one, but at $100 per bottle- grab at least a bottle of this 98 point wine that gets 5 stars from me.  Its cellaring capacity is virtually unlimited, so drink it over the next 30 years.  Indigenous Lebanese grapes- Obeidah dominated with Merwah supporting.  Salut….

Chateau Larcis Ducasse 2009, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

07 Monday Aug 2023

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This stunning Bordeaux was the last wine of the 32nd virtual tasting- everyone loved it (except the lawyer, she’s funny).  Deep ruby/garnet with high viscosity legs and slight staining (14.5% ABV).  The nose blew me away- leather, tobacco, forest floor, stable yard, stewed tomato, dried blackberry and that tell-tale aroma I love…. Cassis.  The palate had medium acidity, medium tannins that were so finely integrated and a full body- it was super rich.  The flavors and aromas matched and this wine was seamless and balanced.  A real treat to drink a 14 year old wine that is at peak and delivers such ethereal sensations.  By far one of my most memorable bottles.  I gave it 20 points on our score sheet and would echo the pro’s- this is a 95-96 point wine for sure.  It will drink beautifully over the next decade.  I would pair this Merlot based blend with braised beef cheeks or another hearty dish worthy of its power.  At $130, it’s a bit pricy but hey…. you only live once.  5 stars. Salut….

Azienda Vitivinicola Tiberio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Italy

07 Monday Aug 2023

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This was the third wine in our lineup and the crowd was excited for this Montepulciano from Abruzzo on the eastern shores of Italy.  It was deep ruby with medium viscosity and slight staining on the walls (14.5% ABV).  On the nose the tasters got cherry, dust, must, cigar, damp cave- which blew away to reveal black olive tapenade, earth and a gamey hint- really red fruit driven with the earthy inflections.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) tannins and a medium (+) body.  Flavors of cherry, pepper, smoke, and a slight bitterness that led to a black tea mid-palate following through to a medium (-) finish.  Overall it was a decent drop that got 16 points and 91 technical points.  For $23 it gets 5 stars, pair with pasta (duh) and drink till 2028.  Salut….

Egervin Egri Bikaver Bulls Blood 2020, Eger, Hungary

07 Monday Aug 2023

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Next up at our tasting was this interesting red from Hungary.  I have read in numerous books about the Bull’s Blood, a blend of Blaufrankish, aka Kekfrankos, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Oporto. In the glass- medium ruby colored with low viscosity which belied the 12% ABV.  On the nose we got butterscotch, super ripe cherry, new leather, vanilla, caramel, licorice, cedar funk and a medicinal note (quite complex with lots of wood derived notes).  On the palate it had medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a light body, as was to be expected.  Sour cherry dominated the palate along with grape, licorice, funk, neutral white oak and burnt raisin. It finished medium and had several people scratching their heads.  It was way more complex than I was expecting and was a real treat- especially at $10.  I gave it a respectable 14 points and on a technical side- 90.  5 stars for sure and a must try if you’ve never had this blend.  Drink now.  Salut….

 

Cordero di Montezemolo Langhe Arneis 2021, Piedmont, Italy

07 Monday Aug 2023

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At the 32nd virtual wine tasting we started off with this Arneis, tasted chilled and at room temp.  The attendees found this wine to be pale lemon colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Aromas and flavors of almond, pineapple, apricot, marzipan, peach and pear we evident in the chilled version.  On the palate- medium acidity and a medium (-) body that led to a short finish.  I scored it 11 points on our scale and would assign an 89 point technical rating.  The room temperature version was much more floral, but fruit-wise only the peach and pear notes came across the nose along with some honey and hazelnut.  On the palate it tasted fuller bodied and had some citrus notes by way of lemon peel in addition to pear.  I did not care as much for it at room temp- 9 points and its technical rating dropped to an 88.  For $20 it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink now with grilled fish or a shrimp salad.  Salut….

Finca Bacara ‘Time Waits for No One’ 2017, Jumilla, Spain

07 Monday Aug 2023

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Deep purple with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  Aromas of candied black cherry, blackcurrant jam, salty licorice, vanilla thread, dark chocolate mocha and blueberry ganache.  The palate is dry with gritty, medium-grained tannins and medium acidity.  Full bodied- it shows off dark berry fruit, a candied note and some oak influence.  Blackened char hits on the back end alongside ripe blueberry. 89 points for this Mourvèdre (aka Monastrell), drink till 2026.  At $13, coupled with high scores from other reviews it gets 5 stars.  Salut….