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Tag Archives: $15

In Situ Reserva Pinot Noir 2020, Aconcagua Valley, Chile

31 Thursday Aug 2023

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$15, 4 stars, 88 points, Aconcagua valley, chile, pinot noir


Very pale ruby, medium viscosity (13% ABV). The nose has telltale Pinot aromas of cherry, strawberry, baking spices, pomegranate and straw.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a trace of tannic grip.  Light to medium bodied it’s a delicate affair that gives me red fruit, baking spices and some earthiness.  I like this wine.  It has a shortish finish but for $ 15 it’s not a bad drop.  I ordered it for dinner to pair with braised lamb shanks – plus a chicken liver starter.  It should work.  88 points.  Drink this 4 point wine now.  Salut….

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Castellani Sangiovese Toscana IGT 2019, Tuscany, Italy

09 Sunday Jul 2023

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$15, 4 stars, 89 points, chianti, inalai, sangiovese, tuscany


Medium ruby colored with a touch of staining and medium viscosity legs (13.5% ABV).  Aromas of lavender, violet, charred oak, dried plum, tar, black cherry and some bramble.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium tannins.  Medium bodied- it has flavors that echo the nose- cherry, oak, florals and tar.  The tannins are interesting, they grip on the underside of my tongue rather that on the palate.  The finish is surprisingly long with red fruit and oak nuance.  Not overly complex- this is a great party wine that will pair nicely with pasta, burgers and stews.  It’s drinking nicely now and will cellar till 2028.  89 points for this $15 quaffer makes it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

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Milani 1985 Sangiovese Primitivo 2022, Puglia IGT, Italy

02 Sunday Jul 2023

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$15, 3 stars, 89 points, Italy, primitivo, puglia, sangiovese, zinfandel


Deep ruby with hints of garnet- the depth of color coming from the Primitivo (Zinfandel) that is blended with the usually pale Sangiovese.  Medium viscosity legs (13.5% ABV) and very little staining on the walls.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red cherry, raspberry, dusty bramble, violets and orange peel.  The palate is  slightly off-dry with juicy acidity and lithe tannins that are well integrated.  Medium body which is supporting the red fruit and fresh florals.  There is a hint of oak usage, perhaps used French barrels with the focus on freshness and verve.  This 89 point wine is going to go really well with our sausage laden pasta and Endive salad.  For $15 this is not a bad drop that gets 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

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Clos St. Thomas Les Emirs Rouge 2016, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

12 Monday Jun 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, bekaa valley, cabernet sauvignon, grenache, lebanon, syrah


Deep ruby with garnet highlights and medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  On the nose I get medium intensity aromas of baking spice, ripe plum, vanilla bean, desiccated red raspberry, cedar plank, a touch of mint, lavender and yet more spice at the end.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and fine grained tannins that are well integrated.  The body of this wine is medium and somewhat more tart than the ripe fruit I got on the nose.  The baking spice, cedar and lavender are present as is the red plum, raspberry and mint.  There’s a unique flavor and aroma I cannot pinpoint but it reminds me of the old country- garrigue du Liban perhaps?  The flavors carry on for a while and the finish is medium-long in length with spice and earth notes resonating.  I love this winery and have enjoyed numerous vintages of their Chateau cuvee, this is an earlier drinking delight that is at peak now and will cellar until 2028.  I am pairing this blend of Cab Sav, Syrah and Grenache with grilled pork chops and roasted veggies.  90 points for this $15 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to stock up on.  Salut….

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Weingut Winzer Krems Gruner Veltliner 2021, Niederosterreich, Austria

06 Saturday May 2023

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$15, 3 stars, 87 points, austria, grüner veltliner, niederosterreich


Pale lemon colored with a watery sheen and some evidence of effervescence (12.5% ABV).  The nose has aromas of lemon and lime with white pepper, crunchy green apple, lanolin and wet slate.  The palate is dry with high acidity that hits on the jaw rather than the tongue.  This slightly effervescent wine has a spritz to the light body where I get flavors of citrus, white pepper, wet wool and green apple.  The finish is medium in length and leans towards slightly unripe green apple, lemon and pungent pepper.  I am tasting this wine only slightly chilled, I think it will perform better with some time in the ice bucket.  I’m going to try and pair it with pulled pork that has been slow smoked all day with a spicy dry rub.  87 points from me for this $15 effort makes it a 3 star wine to drink in the short term.  Salut….

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Hugel ‘Gentil’ 2019, Alsace, France

04 Tuesday Apr 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, alsace, france, gewurztraminer, muscat, pinot gris, riesling, Sylvaner


Pale lemon colored with medium viscosity legs (13.5% ABV).  The nose has peach, lemon, lime curd, papaya, pineapple, ginger, white flowers, orange blossom and grapefruit.  Quite a layered set of aromas!  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body.  The exotic and citrus aromas are confirmed on the palate with a touch of bitterness but no ginger.  The florals are feint but present.  I start to get lychee on the mid palate from the Gewürztraminer.  This wine also blends in Sylvaner, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Muscat- the Noble grapes of Alsace.  It is a refreshing yet multi-layered wine that has a crisp, medium length finish.  It will go beautifully with our garlic Scampi but I would also pair it with salads, grilled salmon or some charcoal chicken.  It’s well worth the $15 price point and gets 90 points and 5 stars from me.  Stock up for summer y’all.  Salut….

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Bodegas Atalaya ‘La Atalaya del Camino’ 2017, Almansa, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 93 points, Alicante Bouschet, almansa, spain, VWTC


Intense and brooding, this Alicante Bouschet (a teinturier grape) was spectacular.  Licorice hit me on the nose from a mile away, closer in I got aromas of smoke, vanilla, ripe blackberry, blueberry, leather, earth and baking spices.  The palate had gentle acidity, robust tannins and a full body.  The fruit flavors were very ripe and almost jammy- blackberry and blackcurrant with dark chocolate, licorice and baking spice.  A long finish made me give this wine 93 points- not far off from the pros.  For $15 you better believe I am stocking up on this 5 star stunner.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

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Bodegas Palacios Remondo ‘Finca La Montesa’ 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 91 points, grenache, rioja, spain, VWTC


When I think of Rioja I imagine dusty, leathery Tempranillo.  This bottle was different- Grenache based it was lighter colored in the glass and had aromas of blackcurrant, cherry and pepper with earthy notes.  Medium acid, body and tannins led into a slightly jammy palate of blackcurrant, dark raspberry, black cherry.  A medium finish to this semi-complex wine makes it a 91 pointer that gets 5 stars ’cause it only runs $15.  I would pair it with Filet Mignon or perhaps Veal on the charcoal.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

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Donnafugata Anthilia 2021, Sicily Italy

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 91 points, catarratto, Italy, sicily, VWTC


I’ve been rather busy lately, studying for exams, attending blind tastings and conducting classes- so when the opportunity came up to drink a few bottles with friends I did just that.  We started out with this Catarratto from Sicily, which we tasted chilled and then at room temperature.  Pale gold colored it had awesome aromas of apricot, peach, yellow apple and citrus.  Crisp acidity and a medium (-) body made for a refreshing mouthfeel that was laced with grapefruit, lemon pith, melon, honeysuckle and stone fruit.  A decent finish made me award it 91 points.

The room temperature version had less citrus on the nose and more stone fruit.  We still got the apple, honeysuckle and some waxy notes.  The palate felt a bit heavier with less acidity and it was less complex overall.  90 points from me on this one.  It’s interesting how a wine morphs with temperature.  For $15 this many be on my short-list for summer patio pounders.  It is delicious, refreshing and will pair well with many lighter dishes.  I would drink it on purchase.  5 stars.  Salut….

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Cosentino Winery Reserve Selection Pinot Noir 2011, Sonoma Coast, California

07 Tuesday Feb 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 92 points, california, pinot noir, sonoma coast


Pale garnet colored with a watery sheen in the glass, to be expected from an 11 year old wine.  The nose is surprisingly youthful with red cherry, strawberry and red currants that eventually blow off to reveal tertiary aromas of dank forest floor, mushroom, caramel, chocolate and wet wood.  The palate is dry with low tannins- barely perceptible in fact and medium acidity.  Super sleek mouthfeel with a medium body and flavors of chocolate covered strawberry with baked red cherry pie followed by some earthy forest with wild mushrooms and dank wood.  It’s very peculiar and exciting.  The soft finish runs for a while and I get flat cherry cola with earth on the back end.  I wrote about this wine nearly five years ago, it’s interesting to read that post.  

I will have to agree with my original assessment- the wine was at peak a few years ago, but here’s the rub.  It has matured beyond my wildest dreams and has really plateaud as a mature wine and has withstood time to allow tertiary development without losing balance.  It is super smooth, delicious and has rewarded my cellaring.  I paid $15 per bottle back in the day.  I am sticking with 92 points and 5 stars.  Excellent effort.  Salut….

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