Tag Archives: $16

Sorby Adams Jellicoe Shiraz 2017, Eden Valley, Australia

14 Friday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby turning garnet color from this 5 year old wine.  The nose has aromas of black raspberry, red plum, menthol, licorice, coffee and some ripe blackberry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannins and a full body.  It coats the mouth with richness and flavors of black raspberry, coffee, anise, plum and blackberry.  It ends with some charred oak notes alongside the dark red/black fruit.  The finish is medium length with some tingle from the alcohol (14% ABV) and tannins.  I like this style of wine, not over-top-top jammy.  It is a more restrained Shiraz that obviously has ripe fruit and good structure.  90 points from me for this $17 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  I’m pairing with stewed leg of lamb and roasted aubergine.  Drink till 2016.  Salut….

Franc Dusak Moon Mountain Viognier 2021, Sonoma County, California

04 Tuesday Oct 2022

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Pale straw colored with thick legs (13.5%ABV).  The nose has pronounced aromas of lemon curd, honeysuckle, white flower blossom, dill, fleur de sel and stone fruit.  The palate is barely dry with medium acidity and a medium (+) body.  Really nice flavors of citrus and florals with a wax and honey note alongside some briny minerality that makes this a delicious wine.  It ends with a mid length finish that is lush and waxy.  Yum.  This 91 pointer sells for $16 and gets 5 stars from me.  I’m pairing it with steamed mussels and garlic, you could try grilled mackerel or salmon.  Drink till 2023.  Salut….

Forte Incanto Primitivo 2020, Salento IGT Puglia, Italy

01 Saturday Oct 2022

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Primitivo is also known as Tribidrag and Crljenak Kasteljanski in Croatia, but more common to us- Zinfandel.  This Italian bottle has a deep ruby coloring and thick legs.  The nose is pronounced with aromas of black cherry, licorice, charcoal, black pepper, black plum and dark currants.  The palate is dry with bracing tannins and a good dose of acidity.  There is an astringent and green sensation that is immediate on the attack, downplaying the fruit.  When I finally get to the flavors- dark fruit with charred oak notes and licorice.  Medium to full bodied it has a medium length finish.  It’s a young wine that needs cellaring or decanting/aerating.  I am pairing it with spaghetti and meat sauce, probably the best choice for this very dry and tannic red.  88 points from me and for $16 it gets 3 stars.  Drink from 2024-2028.  Salut….

Antonio Díez Martín Tempranillo Crianza 2017, Ribera del Duero, Spain

26 Monday Sep 2022

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This wine is deep ruby colored with thin, piercing legs that move slowly indicating a high alcohol level (14.5% ABV).  The nose gives me vanilla and dust right off the bat. Pomegranate, black plum, açaí, clove and sarsaparilla come next.  The palate is dry with medium (+) tannins and medium (+) acidity.  This full-bodied wine has flavors of bramble, black plum, pomegranate and oak by way of vanilla, clove and a charcoal note.  Typical for the region I get dusty, earthy hints and the wine goes on to a medium length finish.  The fruit doesn’t taste fully ripe to me, it’s somewhat green unfortunately and this will cost it a point or two.  The structure is there but the finish is  quite astringent.  Perhaps a decant is in order?   I’m roasting a Rump Steak with all the trimmings, it should pair nicely.  For $17 this 88 point wine gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Quinta Das Carvalhas Tinto 2017, Douro, Portugal

18 Thursday Aug 2022

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A blend of 60% Touriga Nacional with the balance between Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) from the Douro, it is medium to deep purple colored.  The nose has a bit of heat initially but then I get aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, saddle leather, vanilla, a touch of raisin and star anise. The palate is dry with medium (+) tannins and medium acidity.  Think black tea meets charcoal with a melange of very sun-ripened black fruits.  It’s a full bodied wine that sports a hefty 14.5% ABV (which I noticed on the nose) and carries through to a medium length finish.  For $16 this is a delicious wine that will cellar well till 2028 and drink nicely now if you like a touch of dryness.  91 points and 5 stars.  Salut….

Oak Ridge Petite Sirah Estate Grown 2019, Lodi, California

17 Wednesday Aug 2022

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Just looking at this wine in the glass I have made some assumptions: 1) low acidity, 2) high tannins, 3) ripe fruit flavors/aromas, 4) full body, 5) high alcohol.  Let’s see.

Deep purple colored with a blue tinge on the edges and marked staining of the glass sides.  Slow moving legs on the wall.  The nose has aromas of ripe blackberry, baked blueberry pie, licorice, vanilla, yeasty baking spice notes and really ripe black plum.  The palate is dry and guess what?  Very tannic. Low acidity with a full body and lush flavors of very ripe black and blue fruit, oak influence by way of vanilla, baking spice and charred wood.  The finish has got a black tea component and is quite astringent but the flavors last a decent amount of time.  I love this varietal, and this is a decently made example that runs $16.  It gets 90 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2027 with hearty meat dishes.  BTW the alcohol was 13.5%, my only wrong guess. Salut….

Bodegas Marques del Atrio Reserva 2015, Rioja DOCa, Spain

30 Monday May 2022

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At 7 years of age this Tempranillo-Graciano blend is starting to show a hint of age.  Medium ruby colored with a touch of bricking in the glass.  The nose concurs- this bottle has medium intensity aromas of earth, leather, dust, prune, blackberry, vanilla, tobacco, cedar box, cinnamon and stewed red currants.  The palate is dry with gorgeous tannins that are very integrated.  The acidity is prominent with some sour red cherry notes to go alongside the numerous secondary and tertiary notes I got on the nose.  Medium bodied, this wine is silky and slips down ever-so-nicely to a somewhat tart yet long finish.  I really love Spanish Reservas- this is a great example that brings out that bramble and dust I get so often with Rioja wines.  I love it and will go with 93 points.  It will drink beautifully till 2028 at the least and pair well with lighter cuts of meat.  For  $16 this is a steal folks.  The pros dissed this one- more for me I say.  5 stars.  Salut….

Pewsey Vale Riesling 2021, Eden Valley, Australia

07 Saturday May 2022

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Our second wine of the 27th VWTC event was this dry Riesling that was served at room temperature first and then chilled.  The group thought this pale straw wine had aromas and flavors of citrus, white geranium florals, caramel, honeysuckle, tangerine, pear skin and almonds.  The tangerine was very prominent on the dry palate which had medium (+) acidity, a medium body and a slightly mineral edge to it.  The finish was medium length and this wine was enjoyed by most.

Served chilled it was far more focused with greater citrus thrust, higher perceived acidity, some white peach in there as well as some unique additions of cotton candy and bananas in addition to the citrus (tangerine) and floral components.  I was hoping for a crisp wine- this 89 pointer delivered.  (One pro went as high as 96 points!).  For $16- it’s a great value that gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2026 with fresh seafood or baked chicken with green beans Almandine.  Salut….

Fonseca Reserve Porto Bin 27 NV, Portugal

06 Wednesday Apr 2022

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Deep ruby color.  The nose has a unique greeness to it on first whiff.  With a bit of air I am able to coax dried blueberry, cola, mint(?) and sultanas.  It’s not what I was expecting tbh.  The palate is semi-sweet, warm (from the 20%ABV) and inviting.  The wine is tannic and has gobs of acidity.  Full bodied for sure it has more classical Port flavors than what I got on the nose.  Dried black and blue berries, nuts, cola, prunes, sultanas and a richness of stewed black fruit.  It leaves a tannic impression on my gums well after the medium length finish fades.  What started out as a questionable Port wine turned into a delicious effort that gets 90 points from me.  These are meant to be drunk on release, so don’t waste any time!  Widely available for $16 it’s worth stashing a bottle or two for a late night treat with some warm chocolate gateaux.  5 stars.  Salut….

Weingut Laurenz V. ‘Singing’ Gruner Veltliner 2018, Niederosterreich, Austria

06 Sunday Mar 2022

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Yesterday was Moxie’s birthday.  Two of our sons snuck in for the celebration- one from Montreal, the other from D.C.  In planning for #3 to return to Canada he needed a COVID test, so I booked one at 5:30 and then a table for the six of us shortly thereafter.  One glimpse at the menu told me I needed a crisp white to go with the grilled Trout mains I was about to order.  This one did not disappoint, albeit the first impression was a bit shocking.

It pours a medium lemon color with barely a shimmer in the glass due to the low 12% ABV.  The nose has interesting aromas of lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, ginger and orange blossom.  The palate is where I nearly regretted my choice- the wine is a touch sweet, as in off-dry.  I was hoping for a crisp, dry white.  Alas, I was not disappointed.  The citrus flavors were ever present, as was a spritz of lemon that I found interesting.  The (candied) ginger is probably what I sensed as a sweet component, though with such low alcohol, there could well be residual sugar present.  I found the wine to be quite refreshing thanks to the spritz and medium body.  The flavors are present but not cloying, the acidity is medium (+) and not cutting.  The finish might be short, but it is mouth puckering and makes me long for another taste.  This is a great white wine varietal to explore with fish, chicken, shellfish and vegetarian dishes laced with savory spices.  I like this $16 bottle that gets 89 points and 4 stars from me.  Drink soon.  Salut….