Tag Archives: $17

Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon – Cabernet Franc 2021, Maipo Valley, Chile

06 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Deep purple colored with slight staining and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has  medium intensity aromas of candied black cherry, blackberry, coffee, violets, vanilla and eucalyptus- it’s quite perfumed.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are silky.  A full body on this wine brings flavors of toasty oak interlaced with blackberry, black cherry, violets, vanilla and coffee.  The finish is satiny and medium in length.  I picked this bottle to pair with Steak au Poivre- it’s the perfect choice.  I think this is a 91 point wine even thought the label clearly boasts a 93 point award.  For $17, it’s a 5 star bottle to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Gonzalez Byass Leonor Palo Cortado Sherry 12 Anos NV, Andalucia, Spain

22 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


Pale amber/gold colored with high viscosity (20% ABV).  The color is specatucualr btw, hard to describe.  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of warm nuts, yeasty dough, preserved lemon, dried plum, brine, Christmas cake and dried orange peel.  The palate is slightly off-dry but the acidity is high and the body is full.  Dried fruit, warm nuts, yeasty notes and a citrus twist are all present.  The high alcohol hits the back of my throat a touch but blows off rather quickly.  The finish is medium to long and concentrates on the desiccated fruit and salty yeast notes I got on the opening.  This aperitif begs for some olives, charcuterie and warmed almonds.  It’s delicious and gets 92 points from me.  At $17 for 375ml, it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Neethlingshof Estate Pinotage 2021, Stellenbosch, South Africa

02 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Deep ruby colored with some light staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, dark plums, dried coconut, violets and baking spice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins.  A medium to full-body ensues with some tartness that hits me right off the bat.  The dark fruit I got on the nose are present as is the violets and baking spice, not so much the coconut though.  The finish is tart with some charcoal notes along with the cherry and plum notes.  It’s a bit disjointed for me, the tartness plays agains the ripeness of the fruit.  I am pairing this 87 point wine with grilled Tri-tip and Greek potatoes.   Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Anton Bauer Rosenberg Gruner Veltliner 2021, Wagram, Austria

13 Wednesday Sep 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Pale lemon colored with a hint of petillance and medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose gives me lemon zest, peach, white pepper, orange blossom and pear drops.  The palate has high acidity and a medium to full body.  I’m getting lemon pith and zest now, there’s a slight bitterness.  The florals are there and the telltale white pepper is too.  The peach has mellowed and it’s more of a citrus affair now.  The finish is tangy, slightly salty and quite long in length.  I chose this wine as I am grilling Turkey breasts on the charcoal, I think the pairing will work as they are quite heavily spiced and need something sharp to oppose.  90 points for this $17 effort makes it a 5 star wine to drink till 2027.  Salut….

 

16 Thursday Mar 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale lemon-lime colored with a watery sheen in the glass (12% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of grated lemon rind, lime cordial, apricot and paperwhite flowers.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a light body.  Steely, cutting lime and lemon flavors are very precise along with some rounder apricot and floral notes- the citrus really honing in on the center of my tongue.  The acidity is very juicy and refreshing.  This wine needs some seafood to temper it a touch.  Perhaps a dozen clams on the shell with some plump oysters in all their saline beauty would do the trick.  It finishes lean with a medium length.  At $ 17 I like this 88 pointer that gets 4 stars from me.  I would drink it till 2027.  Salut….

 

Robert Oatley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia

30 Monday Jan 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Deep ruby with a touch of turbidity and some flecks of garnet in this 5 year old Cabernet from the western coast of Australia.  The nose has very precise, sharp aromas of black plum, blackberry, cassis, eucalyptus, coffee, mint, mocha and vanilla.  Very oak-driven aromas but it is hedonistic and I am looking forward to taste.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins, a full body and delicious flavors of ripe fruit and oak influence.  Blackberry, dark plums and coffee dominate.  Espresso to be more precise.  Eucalyptus is pretty evident as is the mint component.  The finish on this wine is medium in length and very fruity, making me realize that the tannins have really integrated already, ergo a very pleasant mouthfeel.  I like this wine a bunch and will be pairing it with Strip steaks off the charcoal.  One review went as high as 95….. I am more in the 93 camp, but 5 stars for sure as you can pick this up for $17, making it a terrific deal.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Sam Plunkett Forest Hut Vineyard Shiraz 2019, Pyrenees, Australia

06 Friday Jan 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Somewhat hazy (unfiltered?) but a very opaque shade of ruby in the glass with medium legs and slight staining on the walls.  The nose is intense with gorgeous aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, menthol, elderberry, coffee bean and chocolate powder.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (+) tannins.  Really ripe flavors of black cherry, blueberry, blackcurrant and elderberry meld beautifully with the menthol and coffee notes.  Rich and full bodied this is a delicious wine that only rings in at 13.6% ABV, surprising to me.  The tannic structure is excellent, giving a nice and silky dryness to the mouthfeel while fading gently as the fruit continues to roll on to a long finish.  This is an outstanding Shiraz if you like them big and bold, which suits me fine for the Lamb chops I am grilling to pair with.  I would say this one has some cellaring capacity but is drinking beautifully now and will last until 2028.  92 points from me for this $17 wine makes it a hard to beat 5 star effort.  Salut….

Gerd Anselmann Dornfelder 2020, Pfalz, Germany

21 Monday Nov 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Dornfelder is a new grape for me.  It grows mostly in Germany and was developed as a cross back in 1979.  Medium purple colored it has a watery sheen in the glass (12.5% ABV).  Medium intensity aromas of black cherry, spice box, blackcurrant that is a touch green, blackberry leaf and a hint of charcoal.  The palate is seemingly a touch off-dry with juicy acidity and very low tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of grape, blackberry leaf, black cherry and blackcurrant.  Medium bodied- it carries on to a medium length finish that has some really nice acidity.  It conjures up thoughts of Gamay meets Pinot Noir, a very easy-going wine with lithe tannins and a nice mouthfeel.  The acidity offsets the trace residual sugars that make it a touch off-dry. This wine screams out for smoked meats, even a semi-spicy bowl of chili.  I like it and am glad I tried this varietal.  You too can get a bottle for $17.  Not wildly complex or cellar worthy, it gets 87 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink soon.  Salut….

Sorby Adams Jellicoe Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Barossa, Australia

02 Wednesday Nov 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This 5 year old Cabernet Sauvignon is starting to turn visually- deep garnet colored with thick legs in the glass (14.0% ABV).  The nose has youthful fruit aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, vanilla, mint, blueberry coulis, spice box, cedar and chocolate nibs.   It’s a very rich nose and I’m looking forward to tasting it.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins that are well integrated.  I get pronounced flavors of blackcurrant jam along with blackberry, blueberry, mint, green pepper, vanilla and chocolate.  The fruit coats my mouth with the tannins and acidity there to balance it all out, full bodied to say the least.  The long finish leans on the oak with the black fruit fading.  I get persistent charred oak, vanilla and chocolate on the back end.  For a wine that looks like it has some age, this $17 beauty is certainly youthful and ready to rock till 2027.  I’m going with 91 points and 5 stars. Pairing it with Tenderloins on the cast iron.  Salut….

i-Latina La Armonia Vineyard Syrah 2019, Curico Valley, Chile

21 Friday Oct 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Medium ruby in the glass with thick legs (13.5% ABV).  On the nose I get eucalyptus, menthol, black plum, perfume, super-ripe black currants and vanilla.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, gorgeously smooth medium (+) tannins and a full body.  Flavors of blackcurrant, black plum, vanilla and a hint of menthol all intertwine around a lovely mouthfeel.  This is a very tasty Syrah folks, with good structure built for the medium term.  With a medium length finish I get loads of fruit and fading tannins.  It begs for Pepper Steak and a side of gratin potatoes.  I would drink this 92 point Syrah till 2027.  For $17 it gets 5 stars and possibly a cellar stock-up.  Salut….