Tag Archives: $15

Greek Wine Cellars – GWC Flowers Agiorgitiko 2019, Nemea, Greece

07 Friday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby colored in the glass with medium intensity aromas of cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, dill and sea air.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  I get tart flavors of red fruit with some zippiness alongside some green dill notes and the saline component.  This wine is medium bodied and carries through to a dry, medium length finish.  It’s crisp and refreshing and I like it.  90 points from me for this $15 bottle makes it a 5 star effort.  Pasta, kebabs, kofta or cheesy casseroles would pair nicely.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Marc Dupas Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie ‘Les Parcelles’ 2019, Loire, France

29 Thursday Sep 2022

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Medium lemon colored, it takes on a touch of gold in the glass.  On the nose- aromas of lemon curd, grapefruit, yellow pear, blossom, brioche and almond.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium (+) body.  This Melon de Bourgogne varietal shows a fullness that is a result of the Sur Lie aging that I am enjoying.  In addition to the citrus, pear and floral notes I also get flavors of baking spice and yeast.  At 12% ABV, it is a nice aperitif to serve with olives and charcuterie. The acidity would also lend itself to soft cheese and seafood for sure. It has a medium length finish emphasizing the baking spice, brioche and cream notes.  I like this $15 wine that gets 89 points and 5 stars from me.  Drink soon.  Salut….

Chateau Lamothe Blanc 2021, Bordeaux, France

16 Friday Sep 2022

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Bright lemon colored this is the third vintage of Lamothe that I have tasted.  A blend of 87% Sauvignon Blanc with 13% Semillon it has intense aromas of cut grass, gooseberry, flint, bell pepper, lemon zest, stone fruit and underripe strawberry.  The palate is dry, crisp and tart with medium (+) acidity.  Texturally speaking there is an oily component that gives this wine a medium (+) body.  The citrus takes center stage on the palate with the stone fruit backing it up.  The telltale cut grass and gooseberry are not as pronounced.  The finish is medium in length, perhaps the aromatics of this varietal linger longer.  Delicious and refreshing to say the least.  I’m impressed by this $15 wine that gets 90 points and 5 stars.  Drink with lighter fare including chicken and seafood.  It begs for oysters and clams on the half shell.  Salut….

Lapis Luna Wines Zinfandel 2020, Lodi California,

16 Friday Sep 2022

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Medium ruby colored this Zinfandel was amazing.  Rich, smooth aromas and flavors of ripe plum, blackberry, blueberry pie and baking spice with a hint of vanilla.  Low acidity, medium (-) tannins and a full body lead to a long finish.  Amazing value at $15 for this 91 pointer that gets 5 stars.   I would drink this in the shorter term with stews, game and hearty pasta dishes with rich red sauces.  Salut….

ZINFANDEL 2020 - LAPIS LUNA

Bodegas Olarra Reciente Reserva 2017, Rioja DOCa, Spain

12 Monday Sep 2022

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Deep ruby colored this Tempranillo has medium (-) intensity aromas of baked plums, earth, blackberry pie, leather, baking spice and bramble.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  The body is full and I get the expected dry earth, bramble, blackberry and spice flavors- it’s nearly textbook Rioja minus a bit of intensity and a touch more acidity.  They back end has a charred cedar note and it finishes a bit astringent on the gums.  It’s a serviceable wine that runs $15 and gets 88 points from moi- 4 stars to drink by 2026.  Salut….

Raats Original Unwooded Chenin Blanc 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa

06 Tuesday Sep 2022

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Pale straw colored with medium intensity aromas of tangerine, pear, yellow apple and persimmon.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium (+) body.  The flavors I get are very interesting- mandarin oranges, soft pear, yellow apple and passion fruit.  There is a medium length finish that turns a bit bitter, like almond seed.  I like the fact that is is labelled as an unwooded wine, allowing the purity and character of the varietal to shine.  For $15 this 89 point wine gets 4 stars from me.  I’m at the beach so a seafood pairing is obvious.  Salut….

Marques de la Concordia Lagunilla Crianza 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

01 Thursday Sep 2022

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity legs in the glass.  The nose has aromas of red plum, leather, earth, dill, coconut and blackberry bramble.  The palate is dry with medium tannins and medium (+) acidity.  I get crisp flavors of plum and blackberry with oak via the dill and coconut.  The dusty, earthy component is trademark Rioja and I love it.  This wine is medium to full bodied and finishes with a decent length coating of blueberry and blackberry with some smoky oak.  89 points from me for this $15 Tempranillo (80%)/Garnacha (20%) blend that makes it a 4 star wine to enjoy over the shorter term with grilled meat, in my case- a Tomahawk of Pork rib.  Salut….

Precision Wine Co. Technique Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Alexander Valley, California

15 Monday Aug 2022

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The color of this Cabernet is a medium purple, but it is hazy, a touch cloudy which concerns me.  The nose smells fresh and young with candied cherry, coconut, red plum, iron, bakers spice, dust and bramble.  The palate is dry with grippy tannins and medium acidity.  The fruit profile is darker on the palate- black plum and blackberry, gone is that candied cherry note (which I dislike immensely).  The coconut, spice, iron and dust are evident in this full bodied wine.  The finish is a tannic affair that is short to medium in length and highlights the iron and dust of the wine.  I like it but would cellar it for a year or two unless I was cooking rack of lamb or another fatty cut of meat.  I’m going with 90 points for this $15 bottle that gets 5 stars.  Drink from 2023-2027.   Salut….

Chateau du Jaunay Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie 2020, Loire, France

05 Friday Aug 2022

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Medium lemon colored, this Sur Lie style wine has pronounced aromas of citrus (mainly lime), geranium, melon and ginger snap.  The palate is dry but full bodied with medium (+) acidity.  Minerality and softness come to mind alongside flavors of lime, grapefruit, melon, geranium and a hint of yeast/bread dough from the aging process.  Sur Lie allows the dead yeast cells to remain in contact with the must for an extended period of time which softens the wine, adds body and imparts the bread/yeast notes I tasted.  Delicious stuff that finishes with a mid length ending of citrus and yeast driven flavors.  90 points from me for this Muscat de Bourgogne varietal that runs $15 and gets 5 stars from me.  I’m going to pair with Chinese food, other options include seafood all day long and perhaps a chicken dish.  Drink now, Salut….

Chilano Reserva Carménère 2018, Colchagua, Chile

12 Tuesday Jul 2022

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Medium intensity purple colored, this 13% ABV wine has a watery sheen on the glass sides.  The nose has got an interesting aroma of boysenberry, purple licorice, charcoal, cloves and black pepper.  The palate is dry yet there is sweet, ripe fruit there.  Tart acidity and lithe tannins get the show started.  Fruit forward with boysenberry, red plum, raspberry and very little oak influence here.  The acidity is making my teeth buzz.  Body-wise this wine is medium with a medium length finish that has a touch of herbaceousness to it.  It’s a fruity affair with lots of tartness that will pair well with lighter meats, fatty cheese (think aged, gooey Brie) or stuffed portobellos.  I would drink this till 2025.  It gets 89 points from me.  No pricing info but I would guess sub $15.  4 stars.  Salut….