Tag Archives: $12

Nederburg The Winemasters Pinotage 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

04 Monday Mar 2019

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Opaque, murky and dark purple in the glass.  I always think of Pinotage as a very black grape, with medicinal notes, herbs, creosote and violets. Let’s see what this $12 offering gives

On the nose I get telltale tar, kerosene and purple fruits.  On the initial it is textbook- charcoal, violets, that earthy creosote and plums.  Loads of plums.  Spices add to the tannins in the mid-palate, namely cinnamon.  This is a tasty wine folks.  The finale is very restrained, tannins are present but not overpowering.  Acidity is lithe and the plummy notes are in force.  89 points and 5 stars.  Drink till 2022 with wild game, roasted chicken or moussaka.  Salut….

Casa Ferreirinha ‘Papa Figos’ Tinto 2017, Douro, Portugal

20 Wednesday Feb 2019

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This was the next bottle up at the Tapas restaurant.  We needed something light and easy yet flavorful.  I was thinking Portugal for it’s budget, tasty reds.  This one did not disappoint for the price.

Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca make up the blend in this medium bodied wine.  Floral, purple fruits, and some balsamic syrup come to mind.  Very mild acidity and meek tannins make out an easy quaffer.  A touch of leather, which I love, comes across on the mid palate.  The finish is rather short and fruity.  Nothing too flash here but for the $12 price point that is to be expected.  88 points and 3 stars from me.  Drink now, obviously with Tapas!  Salut….

Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2015, Maipo Valley, Chile

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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Nice purple in the glass.  The nose is blackberry, oak and cocoa dust.  The initial palate is of ripe plums, more blackberries and vanilla.  The wine has gentle tannins, lithe acidity and drinks easily.  It has a nice midpalate transition.  Coffee notes hit me as well as more berries.  89 points from me for this $12 effort.  It drinks well and should be held in the daily drinker cellar for a quick go-to wine.  4 stars, drink now.  Salut….

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Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

04 Sunday Nov 2018

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Light purple, medium opacity.  The nose is generous with pencil lead, blueberry and cherry, yet somewhat atypical.  On the palate it is a little restrained but there are notes of sassafras, bing cherry, rhubarb.  The mid palate gives me lots of juiciness, acidity and the beginnings of a tannic push.  The cherry component really hits on the back end.  89 points and 4 stars for this $12 effort.  I would sit on a few bottles to let the acidity reaper and the tannins to soften slightly.  2020- 2023 Salut….

Cantina Colomba Bianca ‘Vitese’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT 2016, Sicily, Italy

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Inky purple with medium opaque hues.  Nose is crushed blueberries with black berry jam.  The palate is lovely, blueberry with açaí berry and fig.  The tannins are so sleek, they sneak up on me at the end.  The mid palate has a nice body to it and shows off more blue fruits.  The finish is of medium length, slightly dry and more of a black fruit tint.  90 points and 5 stars for this $12 wine.  Paired with Truffled Ravioli, seared Petit Sirloin and tomato jam.  Drink till 2022.  Salut….

Pierre De Taille By L Hostellerie 2017, Coteaux D Aix Provence, Rose

25 Tuesday Sep 2018

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Really pretty peach color.  On the nose- fragrant and fruity with strawberry, apricot and orange peel.  The palate is refreshing, weightier than I imagined and true to the strawberry core with orange zest and quince being the primary flavors.  A very finely balanced acidity makes for a nice mouthfeel, not overly tart yet reminding me of its presence.  The mid palate has a glycerin feel to it .  The finish is orange peel and kumquat, decent in length.  89 points and 4 stars for this $12 Rose’.  We drank it with charcuterie.  Salut….

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, South Australia

17 Thursday May 2018

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Very dark purple.  Nose is fruit forward with plums, blueberries, chocolate.  The palate gives off boysenberry, mocha, a woodsy note and some gum drying tannins.  The mid palate is very astringent.  Plum torte features with some oak.  The finish is dry, rather short in length and has some blue fruit alongside the tannins.  87 points and 3 stars for this $12 effort.  Salut….

Spellbound Petite Sirah 2014, California, USA

06 Saturday Jan 2018

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I’ve tasted the 2010 Spellbound and liked it.  For dinner tonight I ordered it as I wasn’t in the mood for a big pricy bottle.  It was $33 on the menu, the cheapest offering at this Bay Area steak house.  Dark, inky purple in the glass as is to be expected for the varietal.  The nose offers black fruits, bramble and dusty tannins.  The palate gives me a nice, easy drinking black fruited wine with easy going acidity, smooth, lithe tannins and a nice dose of sunshine.  This basic wine offers much gratification, lots of primal flavor and a great mouthfeel.  88 points and 5 stars for this $12 effort that I enjoyed quite a bit.  Salut….

Prophecy Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, California

06 Saturday Jan 2018

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Very rich purple in the glass.  The nose has a candy note to it along with a strong smell of grape juice.  The palate is welcoming and round, with very soft tannins, hints of cola, nutmeg and black berry.  It’s a very drinkable wine, without adding complexity or depth.  It has a rather short finish and I feel it was made for the short term, easily served at a barbecue or large party.  It gets 86 points from me, and for $12- 3 stars.  Salut….

Charles Smith Wines ‘Eve’ Chardonnay 2015, Columbia Valley, USA

26 Sunday Nov 2017

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I am a fan of this winery.  They produce good quality wine that is fairly priced.  Always a go to in a pinch.  I just ordered a bunch for my folks in Florida, they loved the variety that I sent.

This Chardonnay is from Washington state.  It exhibits a bright yellow color and offers a nose of apples, pear, a hint of almond.  On the palate I get a really creamy mouthfeel with green apple, Bartlett pears and more nuttiness.  The flavor profile continues throughout the mid palate and ends up on the finish with some very faint acidity.  A very generous and inviting wine, it is really easy to drink and fits the bill when you don’t want something too steely, loaded with minerality or overly tart with acidity.  This wine will drink well with Lobster!  I think it also could pair nicely with white pizza, fettuccine Alfredo and stuffed Portabello.  Drink now as it doesn’t have the stuffing to go for cellaring.  90 points from me and for $12 this is a super amazing 5 star wine.  Buy it by the case.  Salut….