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Tag Archives: $15

Vina Requingua ‘Toro de Piedra’ Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Curico Valley, Chile

02 Monday Sep 2024

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$15, 5 stars, 91 points, cabernet sauvignon, chile, curico valley


Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of mint, graphite, black plum, black cherry, blackberry, bramble and vanilla.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  The herbal notes take center stage followed by black fruit and then some coffee, oak, vanilla, and dark chocolate.  The finish has a very nice mouthfeel with the chalky tannins interwoven with fruit.  It’s a very decent drop and will develop with some cellaring.  Drink this 91 point effort till 2028.  I paid $15 which makes it a 5 star wine.  Salut….

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Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2015, North Coast, California

25 Thursday Jul 2024

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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, california, North Coast, pinot noir


Medium garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of bruised strawberry, ripe yet desiccated cherry, dusty earth, cinnamon, vanilla, crushed pomegranate and musty leather.  The palate is a hint off-dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and low tannins.  The fruit is somewhat tart which defies the bruised and desiccated state I noticed on the nose.  Red fruit driven with a touch of oak nuance and some tertiary development.  It’s very smooth with very little structure left yet it is seductive and alluring.  A delicious yet delicate wine that pleads for time alone without a food pairing.  It’s not expensive and this bottle was a bin end that had sat on a supermarket shelf for years yet still delivers for me and gets 90 points.  I would drink it soon if you have any.  List price is under $15 making this a 5 star wine.  Salut….

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Muirwood Unoaked Chardonnay 2022, Arroyo Seco, California

02 Tuesday Jul 2024

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$15, 4 stars, 89 points, arroyo seco, california, chardonnay


Pale lemon with some green highlights and a watery sheen (13.5% ABV). The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon, peach, pineapple, white grapefruit and orange blossom. The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body. Flavors of white pear, pineapple, white grapefruit, orange blossom with a hint of lemon/lime. The finish has a touch of bitterness- perhaps a little bit of phenolics. It’s medium (+) in length and sits nicely on the palate. There are times when I feel like enjoying an un-oaked Chardonnay that hasn’t gone through any MLF or Sur Lie treatment, like today. We are pairing it with Chicken Divan after a hot day in the sun. 89 points.  This bottle ran me $15 and therefore it gets 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

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A to Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Noir 2021, Oregon

16 Thursday May 2024

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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, oregon, pinout noir


Pale to medium ruby colored with low viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium intensity aromas of funky strawberry, pomegranate, rooibos tea, cherry cola, rose and sassafras.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light to medium body and medium (-) tannins.  Flavors of red pomegranate, ripe strawberry and cherry cola pop right off the bat.  Funk, rooibos and rose come next.  It has an interesting finish- medicinal meets ginger.  Never had that before.  The acidity is marked yet the diminutive tannins seem to hold balance.  A medium length finish is enjoyed whilst savoring the red fruits.  90 points, and a steal at $15 which makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2029. Salut….

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Winzergenossenschaft Kallstadt Kobnert Dornfelder Rotwein Trocken 2019, Pfalz, Germany

08 Monday Apr 2024

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$15, 3 stars, 86 points, dornfelder, germany, pfalz


Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of game, infused blackberry, funk, macerated black cherry, baking spice, elderberry and over-ripe papaya (yes, I know, but there’s a definite funkiness).  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (-) tannins on a lithe medium (-) body.  It’s an interesting melange of ripe dark fruit with some funk, game and spice.  My first foray into this relatively new grape variety that happens to be a cross of two other varietals from Germany.  The spiciness really kicks in on the medium (+) finish- very interesting.   I picked this wine to pair with grilled Pork Tomahawks, I think it will work nicely.  The funky game note will pair up with the rosemary infused Dijon mustard that will glaze the meat.  Lower acidity and low tannins will allow the fruit to shine on the white meat.  For lack of experience I will give this wine a generous 86 points, and for $15, it gets 3 stars.  Try the varietal if you are in an adventurous mood or just want to expand your palate.  This one probably needs drinking sooner rather than later.  Salut….

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Botromagno Primitivo 2021, Puglia IGT, Italy

07 Sunday Apr 2024

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$15, 3 stars, 86 points, Italy, primitivo, puglia, zinfandel


Medium to deep red-ruby colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of bramble, mulberry, vanilla, cracked black pepper, mint, black plum and a medicinal note.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (-) tannins.  It’s quite bitter right off the bat but then I get muted black fruit, vanilla, mint, and black pepper.  There is a coffee note to go along with a touch of the medicinal hint I got on the nose- both from oak treatment.  The astringency is cloying and sticks with me to the bitter end, which is relatively short in nature.  This wine is a bit disjointed and the bitterness is out of balance with the fruit and structure.  86 points from me for this Zinfandel that I will be pairing alongside Bison steaks.  At $15 it gets 3 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

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Bodegas Juan Gil Plata – Silver Label Monastrell 2020, Jumilla, Spain

05 Friday Apr 2024

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$15, 5 stars, 91 points, Jumilla, monastrell, Mourvèdre, spain


Medium garnet colored with high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, vanilla, blackberry, game, bramble, dried herbs, baking spice, ripe black cherry and wildflowers.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium tannins.  This is a rich wine with layers of dark, ripe fruit interlaced with oak nuance, telltale game and some dried herbal notes.  It has a medium (-) length finish as far as the fruit goes, but the tannins are super fine and caress my gums for quite a while.  This is a $15 Monastrell, aka Mourvèdre that really brings value and gets 91 points from me making it a 5 star effort.  Drink till 2029 with steaks or even stews, like the Goulash I am whipping up tonight.  Salut….

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Botani Old Vines Moscatel 2022, Sierras de Malaga, Spain

02 Saturday Mar 2024

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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, malaga, moscatel, muscat of Alexandria, spain


Pale lemon colored with copper highlights and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of peach, jasmine, lemon curd, white blossom, honeysuckle, tangerine peel and a waxy lanolin. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and some bitterness (skin contact perhaps?). Flavors of Jasmine tea, honeysuckle, lemon and tangerine skin, hints of peach and a salty minerality.  The finish is medium in length and the bitterness has worn off at this juncture leaving the mouthfeel a touch waxy with some saline and honey.  I am really enjoying the tropical notes of this rather aromatic wine, albeit not overly complex.  It gets 90 points from me and 5 stars, I paid just under $15 for it.  I’m gonna pair it with roast duck leg and mashed sweet potato.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

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Osborne Cream Sherry NV, Jerez, Spain

19 Friday Jan 2024

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$15, 5 stars, 88 points, jerez, palomino, Pedro Ximenez, spain


Cream sherry is made by adding a sweet sherry like Pedro Ximenez to the base Oloroso sherry- itself an oxidatively aged wine made from Palomino grapes.  As such the wine has a much darker hue than a pale or medium sherry.  This one is a gorgeous pale amber with orange highlights and high viscosity (17% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of caramel, burnt sugar, walnuts, Brazil nuts and figs.  The palate is off-dry to sweet with medium (+) acidity and a full body.   Layers of burnt sugar, caramel and nuts with some ripe fig nuances lead to a medium length finish.  It’s a nice drop to enjoy as an aperitif but it would certainly hold its own postprandial.  I paid $15 but it’s available for $11 online, which makes it a steal.  88 points from me- 5 stars.  Salut….

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Sam Plunkett The Halo Effect Late Harvest Viognier 2020, Strathbogie Ranges, Australia

09 Saturday Dec 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 92 points, australia, dessert wine, Naked Wines, Strathbogie ranges, viognier


Pale gold with high viscosity (10.3% ABV) due to the residual sugar.  The nose of this dessert wine has medium (+) intensity aromas of oaky vanilla, apricot, blossom, peach, and more oak.  The palate is sweet with high acidity and a full body.  There is a touch of astringency from the lengthy oak contact which is interesting.  A heavy cloak of oak hangs over the more subtle apricot, honey, peach and orange blossom flavors.  If you are a fan of Cali chards that are oak dominated then this sweet wine is right up your alley.  I’m infatuated with this bottle, it’s very interesting and will go well with our pear tart and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.  At $15 for a 500 ml bottle this 92 pointer gets 5 stars.  I would love to have more to track the evolution, which may well last till 2035.  Salut….

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