Tag Archives: 1 star

Pour Haus Pinot Grigio NV, California

23 Tuesday May 2023

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I’ll cut to the chase- I needed some serviceable (read cheap) Pinot Grigio for a wine experiment so I ended up with two 3 Liter boxes in my garage fridge.  It’s nearly summer y’all and I am cooking Shrimp Scampi so here we go!  Pale platinum colored with a watery sheen (12% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of pear, yellow apple and white blossom.  Pretty straightforward so far.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  The aromas I got are duplicated on the palate but with a twist.  The fruit is showing a touch of bruising with some phenolic bitterness.  The apple and pear notes dissipate quickly on the finish leaving me with a sense of higher than 12% alcohol, it seems to be a touch hot and out of balance.  I paid $14, the equivalent of $3.50 pear bottle, what was I expecting?  It’s a hot-summers day wine that needs to be chilled to mask the imbalances and crisp up the flavors and aromas.  82 points from me and 1 star.  Drink immediately.  Salut….

Ramian Estate 3 Clone Selection Pinot Noir 2013, Sonoma Coast, California

15 Thursday Sep 2022

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The second wine I tasted at the wine bar was this unfortunate Pinot Noir.  So over-the-hill it was shocking for such a relatively young wine.  Pale garnet colored, the pigments ended a mm from the edge of the rim when studied at an angle.  Aromas of stewed fruit, dried figs, bruised cherry and clove.  The tertiary notes dominated the nose and palate which was tough to swallow, everything has fallen apart here.  The tertiary flavors are what I love about cellaring wine, but there comes a point of diminishing returns and this bottle passed that a while back.  No score given, a major pass.  Salut….

Albert Morot Beaune Bressandes 2019, Beaune Premier Cru, France

13 Friday May 2022

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Every so often I get thrown a curveball.  This Burgundian Pinot Noir was tasted blind at my WSET class.  I barely passed the assessment.  This 92 point wine was not at all what I tasted- bottle variation?  Storage issues?  Did the invigilator know this was a $60 Premiere Cru and made his mind up with that knowledge?  Who knows.  My notes are pretty consistent with the majority of the class.  This wine is medium ruby colored with medium (-) intensity aromas of red currant, raspberry, red cherry, pomegranate and red plum.  I called it simple.  On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, medium (-) tannins, medium body and high alcohol.  I got medium (-) intensity flavors of the above descriptors and found the wine to have a short finish.  I marked it as being of acceptable quality with a drink now recommendation.  In my world this is barely an 85 pointer and for the cash- 1 star.  It was a real disappointment to find out it had such pedigree yet did not deliver.  I almost want to buy a bottle and have another industry pro blind taste it to confirm my suspicions- but why waste $60?  Major pass.  Salut…

Vignobles Andre Lurton Chateau Bonnet Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot 2018, Bordeaux, France

06 Wednesday Apr 2022

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Tasted blind, this Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cab Sav was a deep ruby color with thin legs.  Medium (-) intensity nose with aromas of red cherry, red raspberry, wet wool and purple grape- I found it to be very youthful and simple. (Plus disgusting).  The palate was dry with medium acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol and light bodied.  Medium (-) intensity flavors of the above led to a medium (-) finish.  I called this wine poor but was corrected to- acceptable; a point for balance was deserved(?).  This wine is to be drunk now, not suitable for aging.  I did not care for it and was surprised that I couldn’t even get the varietal right.  For me this $14 wine gets 84 points with a 1 star rating.  Salut….

Vinium Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa Valley, California

19 Saturday Feb 2022

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Deep ruby/purple in the glass it has a unique nose.  Medium intensity aromas of açaí berry are the first thing I smell.  After a good swirl I get boysenberry, red plum, eucalyptus, coconut and a dusty, brambly component.  Very interesting and quite complex.  The palate is reminiscent of black charcoal and blue fruit compote.  It’s quite tannic with good acidity and medium to full body.  The flavors are out of whack though- I get unripe fruit mixed with oak influence and slightly green tannins.  Not what I was expecting to be honest.  The back end is quite astringent, not in a good way.  I’m taking a step back, doing some research and letting this wine breathe.

I’m back and traced the roots of this wine- it retails for $125 and is still not very righteous.  I’m sorry but the write-ups and reviews just don’t gibe with me.  This is an 83 point wine that may improve with age as it has some structure, but unless that fruit thing on the palate resolves itself this is not a pleasant wine to sip.  1 star and a major pass IMHO.  Salut….

Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin Red 2017, Paso Robles, California

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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Almost opaque, this dark ruby colored ‘Red Wine’ is a blend of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah that rings in at 13.9% ABV.  The nose has rich black plum, blackberry coulis, licorice and vanilla.  The palate is meh…  Tart, dry and lacking depth of fruit.  I do get some blackberry and plum but I’m missing the oak nuance, the licorice and am distracted by the sourness.  The tannins are medium (+) and the wine is mid weight.  The finish is short, TG.  Not impressed by this $18 wine (I paid $10) that gets 84 points from me.  1 star and a major pass. I’m pairing it with leftover Lasagna.  Salut….

Vina Tarapaca Gran Reserva Carmenere 2019, Maipo Valley, Chile

24 Monday May 2021

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I did not care for the last Carmenère I had, realizing that the varietal as a whole was too gamy and earthy for me with some exceptions. When I saw this bottle at the shop I figured I would give it another go, recognizing the winery name and hoping for a better result. It starts off quite inky in the glass. I can smell the earthiness from a few feet away. On the nose it is quite interesting, if not a touch green and herbal. Capsicum, violets, black currants and blueberry all hit me. The palate is quite sharp right off the bat, piquant acidity and a touch of tannic bite are the first tastes/sensations I get. Once past that part I get some black currants, licorice, coffee and a hint of game to go along with the bell peppers. It’s not my favorite flavor profile, but at least it’s not unpleasant. Th wine has a decent structure but it tends to lean towards the tart side of the scale and the green flavors are really prominent on the mid palate. The finish is sour, yet it lacks acidity per se. The tannins are medium in intensity and slightly underripe. Overall this wine is drinkable and forgettable. At least I am not gagging on it. 82 points from me and at $20, it’s a 1 star effort. This varietal is quickly losing my interest. Salut….

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT 2015, Veneto, Italy

28 Monday Sep 2020

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This was the last wine in tasting #9 of the Virtual Wine Tasting Company.  It’s a blend of Corvina and Rondinella with 30% of the fruit undergoing a drying process prior to vinification.  This style of winemaking is very prevalent in Amarone wines so I was intrigued to try this vino.  It’s quite dark and thick in the glass, which is what I was expecting.  On the nose it is quite horrendous IMHO.  Asphalt, baby diaper, cat box, cat pee and tea were all notes from the group. On day 2, it’s pretty much the same for me.  The palate is plummy, surprisingly light, spicy and has notes of blackberry, pepper and is a touch spicy.  On the mid palate it gets a black tea note and some dusty tannins.  The wine finishes a touch dry and has some plums eking out the funky notes for a last minute stand.  The finish lasts a good 30 seconds but is not very pleasant.  85 points from me, perhaps this bottle is not right either?  At $17, it gets 1 star.  Salut….

Abremundos ‘Octava Alta’ 2014, Uco Valley, Argentina

28 Monday Sep 2020

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This wine was all over the shop with the group at the #9 virtual wine tasting.  Some loved it, others hated.  It’s an 80/20 Malbec/Cab Franc blend from Argentina.  It is a very dark shade of purple in the glass.  The nose is chock full of cigar box, smoke, Port wine, tar and oak.  The fruit finally appears after a big swirl- black cherry and Welch’s Grape juice.  There is a concerning acetone whiff, not a good sign.  On the palate it is very rich and upfront with pepper, bitter chocolate, black plum and violet.  That medicinal/tarry note that I am associating with the acetone is bothering me.  The wine finishes with a touch of tannin and some oak influence.  This is not my fave- I think it may have flaws and only gets 86 points from me.  For $35 it only gets 1 star.  Salut….

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou ‘La Croix de Beaucaillou’ 2010, Saint-Julien, France

05 Friday Jun 2020

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It’s inky, brooding, opaque and shows fine legs in the glass.  On the nose I get graphite, plums, oaky vanilla and cedar.  On the palate there are black currants, green plums, black tea and dry tannins.  The mid palate is very astringent with more tea, strange tannins, some black fruit and not much acidity.  I’m not enjoying this wine very much, too off-balance and way too dry without fruit to back it up.  The finish is very dark and austere- over-steeped tea, some plums and a woodsy note.  The grip of the tannins hold on for a while but the fruit fades quickly.  Overall a disappointing wine from a great Bordeaux vintage.  86 points from me, the pros went much higher but I don’t see it.  It may mellow out in the near future.  Drink till 2025.  For $75 it gets  1 star and a pass from yours truly.  Salut….