Tag Archives: $15

Glatzer Zweigelt Carnuntum Cuvée 2019, Austria

14 Saturday May 2022

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We went out to a fancy new restaurant (Lark) where the suggestion was to order several appetizers, some pasta dishes and finish with a main course.  We shared everything so there was a cornucopia of flavors ranging from grilled Octopus, salad, Gnocco with Ricotta and Parma, Raviolis and my Duck breast.  Such a varied range of food requires an open mind to wine choices.  Zweigelt, being a fairly light bodied wine with fresh red fruit and low tannins was the perfect match.  This Austrian varietal was developed as a crossing between Bläufrankish and St. Laurent.  This particular bottle was smooth with medium (-) tannins, medium acidity and light to medium body. Red fruit driven with tons of cherry, some red currant and a spice box note. As I drank this wine I also noted earth and leather notes. With a medium length finish this easy-drinking wine was delicious and complemented the meal to the T.  At retail it’s a $15 wine that gets 89 points from me.  I would probably not sit on it for long as it has a great freshness and lacks sufficient structure to cellar.  4 stars- pair with lighter dishes and white meats.  Salut….

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Marlborough, New Zealand

21 Thursday Apr 2022

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We drank this Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc at my WSET wine course and I recognized the name and bottle.  Looking it up I realize that Moxie and I had drunk some of the 2012 Spy Valley on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Bali back in 2013.

This one is medium lemon colored with pronounced aromas of cut grass, asparagus, passion fruit, lemon, blossom and grapefruit.  It is still youthful.  Dry with high acidity I got medium (+) flavors of this medium bodied wine.  Medium alcohol and a long finish with a juicy ending.  Rating it 92 points and 5 stars cause you can grab some for $15.  Drink with a crisp salad, a light pasta or even grilled trout. I would  enjoy this wine till 2025. Salut….

E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2018, France

23 Wednesday Mar 2022

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I was at a wine class last night and this GSM blend was one of the wines we tasted.  Having recently tried the 2016 vintage I wanted to re-visit this as a follow on.  It is deep ruby, bordering on purple.  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black raspberry, black plum, blackberry, mint? and white pepper.  The palate of this dry wine has medium tannins, medium (-) acidity, medium body, medium (+) intensity flavors of the black fruit already mentioned and a cassis-like sweetness on the mid palate.  There is very little oak influence that I can sense.  The finish is mid length and grippy.  I like this very serviceable wine that runs $15 and gets 91 points from me.  I would drink this with strip steak till 2026.  5 stars.  Salut….

 

Corbinelli ‘Fonte dei Borghi’ Chianti DOCG 2019, Tuscany, Italy

17 Thursday Mar 2022

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If you Google what wine goes with Shepherds pie the answer is Chianti.  Seeing as today is St. Patrick’s day, that is exactly what’s going down.  This particular bottle is pale to medium ruby in the glass with watery legs denoting a lower alcohol wine at 12.5% ABV.  The nose is classic Sangiovese.  Cherry, red raspberry, violets, a hint of leather and red licorice.  No sign of any oak at this point.  The palate is dry with racy acidity and medium (+) tannins.  The flavors are shrouded in the tannic grip but I get cherry, mushroom, raspberry, red licorice and a touch of the leather component.  Dried herbs and a floral note kick in on the medium length finish- which is very astringent btw.  I feel like I am stuffing pouches of black tea bags between my gums.  It needs a good aerating or decanting to soften this wine up a touch, it will pair nicely with my ground lamb based dish, cutting the fat nicely.  The intensity of this wine’s fruit is the only detractor, the balance is a little off for me.  I like it, don’t get me wrong, it’s just a little out of sorts.  89 points for this $15 effort makes it a 3 star wine to drink from 2024-2027.  Salut….

Skouras Moscofilero 2019, Peloponnese, Greece

06 Sunday Feb 2022

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We kicked off the next series in our Virtual Wine Tasting Company with a varietal I had never tried before- Moschofilero.  We first tasted it chilled and then at room temperature.  Keep in mind that the tasting notes you read are from a dozen voices!

The wine is pale gold (which was debated back and forth btw) and has pronounced aromas of melon, orange blossom, apricot, almond, peach and had a crispy effervescent hint to boot.  The palate was dry (also debated back and fro) with medium (+) acidity.  It was crisp and refreshing with flavors of honeydew, orange, lemon, pink grapefruit and nutty almonds.  Medium bodied it had a relatively short finish.

Tasted at room temperature the wine had much more floral aromas.  Honeysuckle, almonds, grapefruit and raw honey featured on the somewhat tart nose.  The palate had more pronounced flavors that consisted of grapefruit, almonds and more florality- there was a sense of sweetness to some…. yet tartness to others (me).  The wine felt creamier in the mouthfeel for some and crisper and lighter bodied for others- talk about a see-saw of opinions!

Overall this semi-aromatic grape was enjoyed by all I believe and will feature well at a pool or lake this summer- chilled and enjoyed with a cool, crisp salad with steamed prawns.  I would go 91 points for this $15 effort making it a 5 star wine that you need to try.  Drink now.  Salut….

Note- I discovered post-tasting that it does have some residual sugar, 4 gr/Ltr, which technically makes it Dry, yet there was a hint of sweetness as was noted!

Sandeman Fine Tawny NV, Porto, Portugal

03 Thursday Feb 2022

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I am preparing Lamb Shanks- which will braise in a new recipe that calls for Port wine.  I bought three different bottles but selected this $15 Tawny for the job.  I’m hoping it makes for a rich and silky gravy when I am finished.  In the glass this fortified wine is pale tawny (LOL) in color, the 19.5% ABV evident by the thick legs running down the inside of the glass.  The nose gives me dried nuts, stewed plum, prunes, cooked rhubarb, raisins and a dusty wood component.  The palate is off-dry with very rich cooked fruit as mentioned, dried nuts and very integrated tannins.  Medium acidity coupled with the richness of the fruit and structure from the tannins makes for a very nice mouthfeel that is medium to full bodied.  The finish is medium in length but the tannins grip for a long while.  I like this bottle, a lot.  I did not care as much for the Tawny style when I last tried it but this producer has crafted a very rich offering that gets 91 points from me.  Can’t wait to see how it transforms the sauce.  5 stars, worthy of keeping a few bottles laying around for an after-dinner tipple.  Salut….

Boutari Nemea 2017, Peloponnese, Greece

15 Saturday Jan 2022

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I’m cooking Lamb Chops with olive oil, lemon, garlic and other sundry Mediterranean spices so I figured a Greek wine would pair nicely.  I have never tried Agiorgitiko before and am looking forward to this pale ruby colored wine that carries a relatively light 13% ABV.  The nose has some interesting spices- nutmeg, crushed black pepper and cinnamon.  Red fruit notes from pomegranate, red plum and black cherry try to compete for space but the spices dominate.  Some oak is present but very faint.  On the palate this wine has sweet fruit and the obvious spices.  It’s a dry wine (ie. no residual sugar) that has really smooth, integrated tannins that balance nicely with juicy acidity.  Medium (-) body and a svelte finish that is medium in length makes for a delightful mouthfeel.  If this is what the varietal is like I am thinking of many possible pairings.  Not a blockbuster but well made and enjoyable in the near term.  Drink with grilled meat, rich pasta dishes or some charcuterie.  89 points and for $15- 4 stars.  Salut….

Ricitos de Oro Black Garnacha & White Garnacha 2013, Navarra, Spain

03 Monday Jan 2022

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Semi opaque ruby in the glass- this is a blend of black and white Grenache (Garnacha).  The nose is a bit tart with red currants, sour red cherry and raspberry.  Orange peel (oak influence) and pomegranate also come to mind.  There is a leathery component but it is faint.  The palate is very unique.  First off, it is dry ie. not sweet, and has some lithe tannins.  Medium acidity and medium weight body carry the red fruit flavors to a decent length finish.  I totally get the orange peel on the palate alongside what I could best describe as strawberry soda pop.  It tastes almost sweet but there is no residual sugar here.  It may be the ripeness of the fruit at play.  Very nice, easygoing mouthfeel makes this a pleasure to sip.  It doesn’t have terrific structure left but it is holding out pretty well at 8 years old.  Perhaps till 2025 and pair it with lighter steaks, maybe roast duck, or even vegetables tossed with pasta and Olio.  89 points from me makes this $15 wine a 4 star effort.  Salut….

 

Chateau Kefraya Les Breteches 2018, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

28 Tuesday Dec 2021

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I am cooking Middle Eastern fare so this blend of 40% Syrah, 25% Cab Sav, 20% Tempranillo and 15% Cinsault should go nicely.  It’s a deep ruby, almost opaque.  I get spices and brambly fruit on the nose.  Black currants, blackberry, plum and licorice.  There is also a smell that I can only describe as ‘purple fruit’.  It is mesmerizing.  The palate is dry with juicy acidity, nicely integrated tannins and lots of brooding dark fruit.  The purple factor is missing but I do get some meaty undertones along with some oak nuance by way of charred wood and the spices I caught on the nose.  Medium weight body and decently long finish.  The tannins are a little more grippy on the back end and balance out the acidity nicely, which is exactly what I need for the fatty lamb kofta skewers.  I like this wine, the varietals each contribute nicely to the package and it has good mouthfeel, even though it is still youthful.  I would drink till 2028 at the least.  This $15 wine gets 89 points from me and 4 stars.  Salut….

The Flying Winemaker Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Wairarapa, New Zealand

11 Saturday Dec 2021

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Pale gold in the glass.  Strong aromas of lemon zest, lime, cut grass, cat pee, passion fruit and green apple.  A very predictable nose and exactly what I was looking for.  The palate is dry, crisp and tangy.  Citrus, grass, green apple and passion fruit flavors- thank god there’s no pee on the palate.  I find this wine to be light bodied and refreshing.  The finish is quite long and mouthwatering.  Good stuff to go with our Chinese takeaway.  89 points for this $15 Kiwi makes it a 4 star effort.  Serve chilled and drink by 2023.  Salut….