Tag Archives: $14

Freres Couillaud Chateau de la Ragotiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie 2020, Loire, France

27 Saturday May 2023

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We kicked off the 31st virtual wine tasting with this Muscadet that has been aged Sur Lie.  It was served chilled and then at room temp- both of which failed to impress.  The nose lacked any evidence of the aging process, ie. brioche, yeast or any other clue.  The palate did reveal a slightly fuller body, but alas nada on the expected flavor profile.  Instead, we got a wine that had aromas of pear, crunchy yellow apple, lanolin, honeysuckle, Seaspray and tangerine peel.  The wine had medium acidity (another non-conformist point), was medium bodied and showed a medium lemon color with low viscosity (12% ABV).  I noted the wine had a short finish and was not complex at all.  Served at room temp it was more flabby and the fruit seemed bruised.  We finally got a hint of the aging process- King’s Hawaiian Roll plus some beeswax and lanolin in addition to the aforementioned flavors.  It also turned a touch bitter and pithy.  Really not my cup of tea- it got an average of 8 points on our scoring sheets and I would give this $14 effort 86 points making it a 2 star wine.  Drink now with seafood or a Cobb salad.  Salut….

Famille Bougrier Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine 2020, Loire, France

29 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Pale lemon with a golden accent and a watery sheen.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon, lime, grapefruit, white blossom and green apple.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium (-) body.  Citrus makes for a fresh and crisp mouthfeel alongside some floral notes.  The apple note is faint.  The wine finishes with a hint of phenolic bitterness and is medium in length.   I would enjoy this wine till 2024 with shellfish and charcuterie.  86 points for this $14 bottle makes it a 3 star wine for me.  Salut….

Saget Pere et Fils Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine 2020, Loire, France

24 Friday Mar 2023

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Pale lemon colored with light viscosity legs (12% ABV).  The nose has aromas of lemon and lime, grapefruit skin, sea air, white blossom, hard Anjou pear and citrus curd.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a light body- very crisp on the mouthfeel.  The flavors echo the citrus notes with salinity and fresh flowers.  The pear note is somewhat muted on the palate.  The finish is medium in length and refreshing- the tartness and light bodied nature of this varietal really showing through.  It begs for  some seafood or a salad with a rich dressing.  I would give this $14 wine a score of 87 and drink till 2024, making it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

G. Stepp Riesling 2020, Pfalz, Germany

21 Tuesday Mar 2023

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Medium lemon colored with a watery sheen in the glass (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon, lemon spritz, lanolin, slate, white peach that’s not quite ripe, green apple, some petrichor and perhaps- a touch of petrol.  The palate is dry with high acidity, I feel this wine is medium (-) bodied.  The palate confirms the citrus notes along with the minerality and I also get a bit of grapefruit pith on the mid palate.  The stone fruit are a little muted as is the petrol.  The finish is medium with a bit of leftover phenolics.  I like this no-nonsense Riesling for what it is- easy drinking, capable of taking on several styles of food and modestly priced at $14.  I’m pairing this 88 point wine with Thai shrimp noodles.  4 stars , to be drunk by 2026.  Salut….

Bodega Mauricio Lorca Reserve Malbec 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

09 Thursday Mar 2023

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Deep purple colored with a secondary tinge of dark brown showing a touch of turbidity.  Slow but thin legs show off the 13.6% ABV.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black currant, plum, vanilla, menthol, coffee, violets and black tea.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and tannins alongside a medium body with flavors of black plum blackberry, vanilla and coffee.  The nose is more intense and offers more complexity but the palate is very smooth and delicious.  The nose was confusing me- it has aromas that would point to Cab Sav or even Merlot but it’s the structural parts on the palate that confirm it to be a Malbec- soft and juicy with an easy to drink tannic structure coupled with lower acidity.  The finish is a touch short but there’s some charred oak notes alongside the dark fruit.  I like this $14 effort a lot and give it 89 points, making it a 4 star wine.  Tonight I am pairing it with baked Corned Beef and roasted potatoes.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Phebus Torrontes 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

09 Monday Jan 2023

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Pale straw colored this aromatic grape has an intense nose.  Aromas of grape, orange zest, lemon, lime, florals and wet slate.  The palate is dry with cutting medium level acidity and a medium body.  Citrus driven with a hint of pith layered in floral notes make for a very delicious flavor profile.  The finish is quite long, concentrating on orange pith and lemon zest, the acidity doesn’t stop.  I like this wine- 90 points worth and for $14 it’s a 5 star porch-pounder that rings in at 12.5% ABV.  Get some in preparation for summer.  I would pair this with spice laden dishes, seafood or a crisp salad with grilled chicken.  Salut….

Ondine Chattan Gewurztraminer 2021, Mendocino, California

07 Saturday Jan 2023

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Pale lemon colored this aromatic varietal has a pretty intense nose.  Aromas of pineapple, rose petals, white flowers, marshmallows and orange peel.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a boatload of flavors.  I get exotic pineapple, orange pith, white flowers, rose water and that marshmallow note, which I have never encountered in wine.  There is a touch of bitterness that I think contributed to the orange pith note that sits on the roof of my mouth.  The acidity is very balanced with the level of fruit ripeness and this 13% ABV wine is medium to full bodied.  It’s certainly delicious and the finish carries for a decent length.  I love this varietal, hence the purchase.  This one would pair beautifully with some Thai food of medium spice or even Indian fare.  It’s rare to think of a wine harmoniously working with spicy foods but this one has the ripeness and acidity to go the distance.  I would drink this sooner rather than later and chill it slightly for maximum enjoyment.  89 points for this $14 effort making it a 4 star wine in my books.  Salut….

Karen Birmingham Reserve Zinfandel 2020, Lodi, California

08 Tuesday Nov 2022

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A deep shade of purple bordering on ruby, this potent Zin (14.9% ABV) has super slow forming legs on the walls of the glass.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry, purple licorice, coffee, star anise, super ripe raspberry (almost candy-like) and baking spice.  The palate is dry yet there is evidence off very ripe fruit- blackberry, black raspberry alongside fennel, dill and coffee.  Medium acidity and smooth, medium tannins make for a lovely mouthfeel, albeit with some heat evident.  The finish is short  in length but everything ends at the same point, no lingering acidity/tannins.  After a re-taste I get some extra licorice that I was not initially tasting- lovely stuff.  I like this $14 bottle that gets 90 points from me and 5 stars.  I would pair it with stews and hearty meat dishes, including game.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Doolhof Dark Lady of the Labyrinth Pinotage 2020, Wellington, South Africa

12 Wednesday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby colored with fast moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose pops out at me with chocolate and coffee.  Dark plum, blackberry, açaí berry and a green herb note follow.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins and a medium body.   Pinotage is a bit of a chameleon grape- shifting flavors and aromas dependent on oak treatment.  This one has a lot of chocolate and some coffee that are straight out of the barrel.  Black fruit plays second fiddle- not that I’m complaining.  The green herb note hits on the back end.  The finish is a semi dry, tart affair that lasts medium length.  This is a unique wine that I am really going to enjoy with roasted duck and orange sauce.  It gets 89 points from me and for $14 it’s worthy of 5 stars- get a bottle or two.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

F. Stephen Millier Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel 2020, Lodi, California

07 Friday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby colored.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry cobbler, black pepper, blackberry and black currant plus some spice box and creamy vanilla.  The palate is dry but has ripe fruit that would make one think there is a bit of residual sugar.  Medium (-) acidity coupled with medium tannins make for a very smooth mouthfeel.  Black fruit flavors coupled with some spice and pepper along with a touch of oak treatment make for a very delicious wine that is medium to full-bodied and has a medium length finish.  The 14.5% ABV gets noticed right at the back end but it’s to be expected from this varietal, always picked ripe and yielding big sugar numbers to convert to alcohol.  I like this 90 point wine that can be had for $14.  It gets 5 stars.  I am pairing it with chili, but it would work well with spiced BBQ or chargrilled chicken.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….