Villa Sparina Gavi del Comune di Gavi DOCG 2021, Piedmont, Italy

08 Friday Jul 2022

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This is a new one for me- the Cortese grape from Italy.  This bottle is deceivingly tinted making me think I was going to pour a deep yellow wine.  Instead I found it to be pale gold with aromas of green pear, chamomile, lemon zest, lime and lanolin.  The palate is dry with a full body that coats my mouth with a waxy lemon/lime component, green pear, spice and floral notes.  The finish is medium length and the waxy mouthfeel hangs on for a while.  Having never had this varietal it is difficult to rate but I thoroughly enjoyed the textural aspect of this wine and the fruit flavors were delicious.  90 points for this really yummy wine that I paired with grilled Jerk chicken.  Bought for $14, it gets 5 stars.  Try it this summer with seafood or white meats.  Salut….

Chateau Figeac 2000, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

04 Monday Jul 2022

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I have owned and stored this Magnum for nearly 20 years.  I chose it for our dinner with friends Keef and Arty at our favorite restaurant, Chez Francois where we dined on Wagyu Beef Cheeks, Rack of Lamb and Chateaurbriand.  An amazing evening that lasted 3+ hours and culminated with their signature Soufflé.  This bottle was decanted and the sommelier and I agreed that it was youthful in color, showing no bricking- just a clear, deep ruby color.  With a touch of air in the large decanter the nose was stupendous.  No notes were taken but I can say that it was all there.  Cassis, leather, tobacco, cedar, blackberry, black cherry.  The tannins were so well integrated and the acidity was en Pointe.  The mouthfeel on this wine was exceptional- balanced to a tee with fruit, structure, secondary and tertiary flavors and aromas- the whole lot.  It is drinking at its prime now and will last another 5-8 years methinks.  If you have it in 750 ml, start consuming it sooner rather than later.  A stunning, smooth and delicious Right Bank Merlot that was worth the wait.  95 points from me.  If you can find a regular bottle it will run you $250, a Magnum would be roughly $600.  Drink this beauty with friends for a very special occasion.  5 stars.  Salut….

Pieropan Soave Classico 2021, Veneto, Italy

04 Monday Jul 2022

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Pale gold colored with medium intensity aromas of Meyer lemon, geranium, Mandarin orange, green herbs, Filberts and tangy blood orange.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, medium (+) body with flavors of ripe citrus, some floral notes and that nutty component.  The finish is a relatively short affair but delightful nonetheless.  After a hot day doing outside errands this is a great aperitif served chilled with some charcuterie and nuts.  89 points from me.  For $17, it is a 4 star Garganega varietal to drink in the short/medium term.  Salut…

Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva NV, Spain

04 Monday Jul 2022

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Moxie and I have just moved to Virginia, where the local Costco sells wine and beer.  I picked this bottle of Cava up for under $8, yes $7.99 to be precise.  That is a killer price for a traditional method sparkling wine.  Was it any good?  You betcha.

Pale golden yellow with a fine mousse.  Aromas of bread dough, lemon pith, green apple, biscuit.  Very refreshing on the palate with smooth bubbles, dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (-) bodied with excellent textural feel.  The flavors mirror the nose but more on the fruit side versus the autolytic components.  This blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo gets at least 89 points from me and 5 stars.  It’s my new go-to summer slurper.  We are serving up some charcuterie with it. (P.s.  I went back for case). Salut….

William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2016, Alexander Valley, California

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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Deep purple colored with very thick, slow moving legs.  Surprising considering it’s only showing 13.5% ABV on the label.  The nose is very perfumed and fruity with blackcurrant, violets, blackberry preserves, coffee bean, vanilla, coconut, purple licorice and cedar shake.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high tannins and a full body.  Pronounced flavors of dark fruit that is a touch preserved along with toasty oak nuance and some floral hints.  The body of this wine just coats my mouth and makes for a gorgeous mouthfeel.  The finish is medium in length and the tannins literally coat my upper gums with fine-grained tingles.  This is a younger, more fruit forward vintage that I am thoroughly enjoying.  I would pair this with very hearty dishes and drink it till 2030.  94 points from me make this $40 bottle a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Heritage Winery tasting, Outer Coastal Plain, New Jersey

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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My buddy Keef and I stopped in at this New Jersey winery to sample the wares.  We tasted the five Reserve offerings they had plus a bottle of their Norman’s Vineyard Cabernet Franc.  I was impressed by what I tasted.  The Chenin Blanc was spectacular- rich flavors, great mouthfeel and varietally correct.  The NJ twist on Sauvignon Blanc was another delicious wine that had telltale cut grass amongst other yummy flavors.  The rosé, a blend of 4 red grapes was very interesting and worth a re-taste.  I was not a huge fan of the two reds we were served until it came time for the Cabernet Franc.  Delicious- with dark/blue fruit, green pepper, medium (+) tannins, low acidity and good length.  Worthy of the $48 price point?  Not sure but it was a fun day out which makes the whole thing worthwhile.  If you are in South Jersey this is a definite detour to plan on.  Salut….

Chateau Kefraya 2016, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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If you read my previous post about the Basque white we enjoyed at dinner, this is the follow up wine we ordered to accompany the Crescent Duck Breast, Young Broccoli, Rhubarb and Black Barley dish.  Spectacular is what I remember as there were no notes taken.  At 6 years of age this bottle looked a bit beat up but tasted great.  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Cab Franc, Syrah and Cinsault thrown in for good measure it combines red fruit aromas/flavors with nicely integrated oak, supple tannins and spice box nuance alongside some tertiary notes of leather and tobacco. Really great mouthfeel and a decent length finish. If tasted properly I would score this 91 points and give it a drink till 2028 window to pair with red meat, Duck (obviously!) or even a hearty Ragout.  Yummy stuff to be had for under $20 that gets 5 stars from me. Salut….

Ulibarri Artzaiak Tzakoli 2018, Spain

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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We went out for an amazing dinner that encourages ordering small plates of various dishes.  Our choices included:

Gnocco Fritto, Ricotta, Prosciutto di Parma, Preserved Lemon
Grilled Octopus, Romesco, Red Watercress, Garbanzo and Almond
Chicory Salad, Sunflower, Poppyseed, Meyer Lemon, Finger Lakes Gold Cheese
Burrata, Roasted Carrot, Carrot Top Pesto, Mint
Escargot Braised in Vichyssoise Butter, Potato Confit, Preserved Lemon
Fried Point Blue Crab and Pink Peppercorn Strozzapreti, Chile, Lemon, Old Bay Breadcrumb
Roasted Beet Mezzalune, Toasted Pistachio, Ricotta Salata, Brown Butter

Choosing a red wine would be hard for the appetizer section so I went with this white from the Basque Country.  Hondarabi Zuri is new to me- this one is medium/deep lemon colored.  High acidity makes it very fresh and lively  Medium (-) bodied I got intense aromas and flavors of lemon, white flowers, sea salt and lime zest.  It was delicious.  The finish was a tart and juicy affair that was medium in length.  A really nice wine that I think paired very well with our myriad of culinary angles.  I think this bottle retails for $23 and gets 90 points from me.  Serve chilled all summer long!  5 stars.  Salut….

La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Ardanza Reserva 2015, Rioja DOCa, Spain

23 Thursday Jun 2022

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Moxie and I are moving house next week so we are raiding the freezer and drinking all the un-tried wines.  Tonight is grilled Hangar steak and this Tempranillo from Spain.  Deep garnet colored, it shows its age and it’s 14.5% ABV with some thick legs in the glass.  The nose is beautiful aged Rioja.  Leather, tobacco, dried blackberry, stewed black plum, dark chocolate, game and prune.  The palate is dry and tart with fine grained, well integrated tannins.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with flavors of dried and stewed black fruits, charred oak and dried, dusty bramble.  The leather and tobacco are still evident as is some red fruit; stewed strawberry?  The finish is medium in length and the fine tannins are tickling the roof of my mouth.  I like this wine but feel it is at peak if not slightly past, which is quite young for a Reserva.   92 points for this $30 bottle makes it a 5 star effort, drink till 2025.  Salut….

Amalthea Cellars Legends Edition Europa I 2019, Outer Coastal Plain, New Jersey

22 Wednesday Jun 2022

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We visited this winery a year ago and had a great time.  Part of the visit was spent on the patio sipping Sur Lie Chardonanny and talking to one of the wine makers, he was kind enough to give us a sampling of this Bordeaux blend (75% Cab Sav, 20% Merlot and 5% Cab Franc).  In the glass it is medium ruby and possibly unfiltered?  The nose gives me green pepper, blackberry, licorice, pencil shavings, blueberry pie, black plum  and some charred wood.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins.  Flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum dominate but the licorice and charred wood do come through.  The green pepper and pencil shavings are nowhere to be found.  The wine is medium bodied and has a slightly tart, medium length finish that I am enjoying.  This is a decent wine that gets 88 points from me.  Drink till 2026 with burgers, filet or roast duck.  At $35 per bottle it is a 3 star wine in my books.  Salut….