Tag Archives: $13

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Marlborough, New Zealand

19 Wednesday Nov 2025

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Pale stars colored, with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon/lime, grapefruit pith, peach, green almond, cut grass, and orange blossom.  The palate is dry, with high acidity, and a medium (-) body.  Medium intensity flavors of citrus with tropical notes and a green grass overlay.  The acidity is cutting and fresh.  The finish is medium (-) in length and I notice the wine taking on a bit of weight here.  It’s making my jaw water for sure, making me reach for another sip.  A delicious and typical Kiwi Sav Blanc that will provide much enjoyment, especially if paired with seafood.  It’s worthy of 89 point from me and at $13, it gets 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

Aresti ‘Trisquel’ Gran Reserva Carmenere 2021, Curico Valley, Chile

10 Monday Nov 2025

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining, and a high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of green pepper, black plum, blackberry, wet rock, charred oak, black coffee, dark chocolate, and black cherry.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of black plum, black cherry, charred oak, dark chocolate, well steeped tea, and coffee lead to an interesting finish.  I stated that this was a dry wine, yet there’s a sweetness as it rolls onto the mid palate and then the back end.  I doubt there is any RS, but perhaps some very ripe fruit contributing to the taste.  It’s a medium length ending that I am enjoying.  I paid $9, on sale from $13 at Costco.  It’s a solid 90 pointer and gets 5 stars for it’s really good QPR.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Aresti 'Trisquel' Gran Reserva Carmenere

Sin Fronteras Los Primos 2021, California

08 Thursday May 2025

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, black plum, vanilla thread, violets, anise, cardamom, and espresso.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Fruit intensity is medium and I get the darker red fruits I mentioned on the nose alongside a bit of spice by way of anise, vanilla and espresso.  The flowery component is missing now as is the highly aromatic cardamom.  There is a slight charred oak note as well as a hint of astringency on the mid-palate but overall this wine leads nicely into a medium length finish that is fruit driven.  I like it.  89 points for this $13 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink over the near term.  Salut….

Sin Fronteras Los Primos

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Western Cape, South Africa

02 Friday May 2025

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black plum, licorice, charred oak, mint, tomato stalk, and coffee.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins that are plush. Slightly more intense flavors of black cherry, black plum, licorice, coffee, and a hint of tomato leaf.  The finish is very smooth and lush, the tannins completely melded and the ripe fruit shining through.  It’s a tasty drop with a structure to age short term that will pair nicely with filet, veal or a hearty roast duck.  I enjoyed the 2019 vintage and think this one is on par at 89 points.  Still running $13, it’s a solid 4 star wine.  Salut….

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Substance Chardonnay 2021, Columbia Valley, Washington

01 Saturday Mar 2025

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Pale lemon colored with gold highlights, and medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon zest, butter, vanilla, melon, orange blossom, and a trace of peach.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium (+) body.  Medium intensity flavors of lemon curd, melon, butter, vanilla, orange blossom, and peach.  The mouthfeel is round and pleasing, not cutting or lithe.  It begs for some grilled shrimp, Mackerel filets or smoked salmon.  The finish is medium (+) in length and gives me a salted caramel note.  It’s always a pleasure to drink wines from the house of Smith, they offer tremendous quality to price ratios and are consistent.  This one gets 92 points from and for $13 it’s a screaming good 5 star deal.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Substance Chardonnay

Santa Carolina ‘Carolina’ Reserva Carmenere 2019, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

19 Wednesday Feb 2025

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Medium ruby colored with a purple meniscus, and medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of bell pepper, black raspberry, blackcurrant, licorice, violet, perfume, loam, and brambleberry.  It’s quite a green nose but intriguing and layered.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Flavor intensity is medium and mimics the fruit of the nose but with less green pepper, not as vegetal.  Violets and perfume with some earthy loam round out the flavors.  The finish is very interesting- almost sweet with ripe black fruit intertwined with some earthy and floral elements that run medium length.  I like this wine, it has complexity and balance and it’s interesting.  91 points at least and for $13, it’s a steal worthy of 5 stars.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Santa Carolina 'Carolina' Reserva Carmenere

Sam Plunkett The Butterfly Effect Cabernet Shiraz 2021, Victoria, Australia

11 Tuesday Feb 2025

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Deep purple colored turning slightly bluer on the edges with slight staining and medium viscosity (14.3% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe plum, eucalyptus, vanilla, blackberry, brambleberry, baking spices, purple licorice, tomato leaf, green and black peppercorns, and acai berry.  It’s jam packed with dark fruit aromas.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins that are plush.  The ripe black fruit weaves through eucalyptus, vanilla and spice notes.  The green note I caught on the nose repeats on the mid palate with a touch of unripe stem coupled with some charred oak notes.  The finish is juicy and medium (-) in length.  I am enjoying the melange of flavors in this $13 bottle and think it will benefit from some short term cellaring.  I give it 89 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

Sam Plunkett The Butterfly Effect Cabernet Shiraz

J. Navascues ‘Cutio’ Garnacha – Carinena 2019, Carinena, Spain

27 Saturday Jul 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Garnacha (Grenache)/Cariñena (Carignan) blend has medium (-) intensity aromas of black plum, black raspberry, mulled blackberry, licorice, coffee, dried green herbs and charred oak.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium tannins that are chalky.  Confirming dark berry and plum flavors with a dose of oak and some licorice.  It has a medium (-) finish with quite a bit of heat on the back end.  It’s quite tasty but the slight imbalance of high alcohol detracts a bit.  I am grilling beef and lamb kabobs to pair, should go nicely.  90 points and for $13 it won’t break the bank.  5 stars.  Salut….

Kourtaki Mavrodaphne of Patras NV, Peloponnese, Greece

24 Friday May 2024

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Medium garnet colored with high viscosity (15% ABV), which is expected.  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of prune, baked strawberry, walnut, raisins, soaked oak, (wafting alcohol, burning my nostrils!) and dried herbs.  The palate is sweet with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium tannins.  Flavors of stewed and baked plums, strawberry and blueberry with walnuts, raisins and old oak.  The finish is long, held that way by the potent alcohol yet nicely balanced with acidity and a a touch of tannic grip.  I love dessert wines so this one is a treat to savor after our grilled steaks with blue cheese sauce.  Drink this non-vintage wine on purchase. It gets 87 points from me and for $13, 3 stars. Salut….

McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand

09 Saturday Mar 2024

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Pale straw colored with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of cut grass, asparagus, gooseberry, Kaffir lime, peach and orange blossom.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium (-) body.  Tart yet refreshing I get medium (+) intensity flavors of lemon, Kaffir lime, gooseberry, cut grass and dare I say it- cat pee?  (I actually like this note in my Sav Blanc every so often).  The wine has a crispness to it and is laser focused.  The finish is medium to long in length and the fruit warms up a bit- not as zesty as the opening.  I like this $13 bottle- a lot.  91 points worth and 5 stars from me.  A fascinating story about the winemakers- look it up here https://www.mcbridesisters.com/pages/story.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….