Chateau du Jaunay Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie 2020, Loire, France

05 Friday Aug 2022

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Medium lemon colored, this Sur Lie style wine has pronounced aromas of citrus (mainly lime), geranium, melon and ginger snap.  The palate is dry but full bodied with medium (+) acidity.  Minerality and softness come to mind alongside flavors of lime, grapefruit, melon, geranium and a hint of yeast/bread dough from the aging process.  Sur Lie allows the dead yeast cells to remain in contact with the must for an extended period of time which softens the wine, adds body and imparts the bread/yeast notes I tasted.  Delicious stuff that finishes with a mid length ending of citrus and yeast driven flavors.  90 points from me for this Muscat de Bourgogne varietal that runs $15 and gets 5 stars from me.  I’m going to pair with Chinese food, other options include seafood all day long and perhaps a chicken dish.  Drink now, Salut….

William Gordon Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Alexander Valley, California

02 Tuesday Aug 2022

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Opaque- deep, deep ruby which is surprising for a 10 year old wine.  Slow moving legs in the glass hint at the 14.5% ABV.  The nose has freshness- dark plum, vanilla, blackberry, cassis, menthol, tomato leaf and a green herbaceous note.  The palate is dry, tart from medium (+) acidity and balanced with medium (+) tannins which are still quite grippy.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with rich flavors of blackberry, cassis, black plum.  The oak shines with vanilla whilst the menthol, tomato leaf and green notes all support.  It’s a precise wine with delineation between all the flavors and aromas.  It finishes rather short but it is balanced.  I like it, as I like most of this winery’s offering (especially their Petite Sirah).  92 points from me for this $50 bottle makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  We are firing up the charcoal for some Cowboy steaks and potato wedges which is funny because the last time I drank this wine we also had beef and potatoes.  Read about my 2020 tasting here.  Salut….

Barons Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington

01 Monday Aug 2022

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A Washington state Cabernet that is nearly opaque with a deep ruby color and thick legs (14.8% ABV).  The nose has rich aromas of vanilla bean, ripe black plum, blackberry, black cherry, green pepper and boysenberry.  The palate is dry with medium (+) tannins and medium acidity.  Medium to full bodied, I get flavors of dark fruit, lots of oak influence and that green pepper note.  I lose the vanilla somewhat but gain charred wood instead.  The finish is a dry affair and medium in length.  This wine drinks nicely now- if you like them a bit dry and tannic.  Cellaring potential till 2028, I would serve this with hearty red meat dishes, rich pasta and stews.  90 points and for $40 it gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Schug Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir 2009, Carneros, California

31 Sunday Jul 2022

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This is the last of my 2009 Schug Pinot.  I first drank it 10 years ago and really enjoyed it. With cellaring this wine has turned to a pale garnet color.  I get pronounced aromas of stewed cherry and strawberry, bakers spice, cardamom, orange peel, cherry cola, vanilla, butterscotch/caramel and red plum compote.  Very complex and intriguing.  The palate is dry and delicious.  Low tannins coupled with medium acidity and medium (-) body lead me to quite pronounced flavors of cooked red fruit, spices, oak nuance and tertiary notes along with the cola and caramel.  The finish is medium in length and very smooth.  I have been amazed at how this wine has evolved- stunning, with years left.  Drink till 2026 with white meat or even strong fish dishes- think grilled Mackerel or Salmon on the plank.  92 points and for $35 it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

F. Stephen Millier Angels Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Lodi, California

29 Friday Jul 2022

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Deep purple/ruby colored with a watery sheen in the glass (13.5% ABV).  The nose has black cherry, dark plums, eucalyptus, purple licorice, green pepper and a medicinal note (from oak?).  The palate is ‘dry’ yet I sense a touch of RS.  Medium acidity and medium (+) tannins with flavors of black fruit, that medicinal note, bell pepper and eucalyptus come through the medium body.  The tannins soften but linger through the medium length finish.  This is night two for this bottle, it’s really opened up and is drinking nicely.  I would go with 89 points on this $10 bottle that gets 5 stars from me.    Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Scott Peterson Rumpus Sauvignon Blanc 2020, California

26 Tuesday Jul 2022

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Pale lemon/lime colored in the glass.  Aromas of lemon, asparagus, cut grass, melon and cape gooseberry.  On the palate this is a dry wine with high acidity.  The fruit is very rounded and I get the melange of citrus meets classic Sav Blanc fingerprints and some interesting twists with the gooseberry and melon.  The wine is medium (-) bodied and has a refreshing, if not short finish.  Serve chilled it will pair nicely with raw oysters/clams, steamed shrimp or chicken salad.  I like this $11 wine and give it 90 points and 5 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Arabella Chenin Blanc 2021, Western Cape, South Africa

24 Sunday Jul 2022

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Medium lemon/lime color.  Pronounced aromas of papaya, pineapple, ripe pear, honeysuckle, stone and guava.  Dry palate with medium (+) acidity and medium body.  The tropical fruit and crispness/minerality of this wine are delicious.  The finish is medium in length and I’m really enjoying the mouthfeel.  Really yummy, especially chilled on this hot summer’s day.  We are grilling jumbo prawns on a bed of crisp salad.  Drink now.  90 points for this $18 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  Ps. this varietal is also known as Steen in South Africa.  Salut….

Castelli del Grevepesa Panzano Gran Selezione 2016, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

18 Monday Jul 2022

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Medium ruby colored with a bit of cloudiness in the glass.  The nose of this Sangiovese is medium intensity with aromas of crushed rose petals, tomato stem, red cherry, dusty earth, dried leather, vanilla and baking spice.  The palate is dry and tart with high acidity and medium tannins.  Fruit-wise I get tart cherry, roses and that green tomato stem note followed by secondary flavors of earth, leather, vanilla and spice box.  The wine runs 14% ABV giving it a medium (+) body.  The finish is long and sour with the cherry component that lingers.  I would pair this with a fatty cut of meat, think lamb or ribeye steaks.  It needs something to offset the acidity and tame the tannins.  It has good structure to cellar till 2030.  91 points from me for this $28 effort makes it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Petite Chapelle – La Maison Bleue 2019, Rhone, France

17 Sunday Jul 2022

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Closing out the 28th virtual tasting session was this stunning Syrah from the Northern Rhone.  Opaque- deep purple in color it revealed a rich nose of game, licorice, iodine, anise, blood/iron, boysenberry, very dark fruit compote with a medicinal note as well as an image of really black blackberries.  The palate was smooth.  Dry with low acidity and fine-grained medium (+) tannins that led to  flavors of meat, cinnamon, caramel, blackberry coulis, iodine, charred oak and iron.  This full bodied wine finished with a medium length burst of delicious, complex flavors.  It tied at 19 points on our scale as my WOTN and garners 94 points.  For $60 this stunner is a 5 star treat wine to be drunk till 2039.  I would pair it with grilled Hangar steak slathered in a Roquefort sauce.  Salut….

Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reserve Lucile Avril 2016, Rhone, France

17 Sunday Jul 2022

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I love a CDP, as does our virtual tasting group but this one was not a crowd pleaser.  Medium ruby colored it had pronounced aromas of game (road kill), tomato, sawdust, violets, herbs de Provence and baked/stewed blueberry.  The palate was dry with well integrated medium (+) tannins, low acidity and a medium body.  Flavors of game, stewed blueberry, charcoal, smoke, and a waxy component were noted.  The finish was decently long for this 91 point wine.  I scored it 15 points on our grading scale and for $50 it only gets 3 stars from me.  The pro’s went as high as 96 points for this old vine Grenache blended with Syrah and Mourvedre.  I would drink this angular wine with stews or perhaps a venison roast.  Cellar wise- it should go till 2030.  Salut…..