09 Saturday Sep 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium lemon colored with high viscosity (14% ABV). The nose has aromas of yuzu, lanolin, melon, wool and spring flowers. The palate is dry with a touch of bitterness, medium (+) acidity and a full body. It’s a rich mouthfeel that delivers tropical citrus, melon some minerality and that telltale wool note. It carries to a long finish and will pair beautifully with Shrimp Scampi. Drink till 2027. 91 points and for $18 it’s a 5 star effort. Salut….
07 Monday Aug 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
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$18, 5 stars, 92 points, cachapoal valley, carmenere, chile, Naked Wines
Deep ruby with slow moving legs (14.5% ABV). The nose has abundant aromas of menthol, blackberry, eucalyptus, ripe blueberry, rich oak, purple licorice and vanilla bean. On the palate it is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins. Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with ripe black fruit, oak, coffee, eucalyptus and mint. The finish is medium in length and shows off espresso flavors. I like this wine and will be pairing it with grilled sirloins and roasted asparagus. Drink till 2028. 92 points from me for this $18 wine makes it worthy of 5 stars. Ps. This note corresponds to my previous tasting of this delicious Carmenere. Salut….
01 Tuesday Aug 2023
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$18, 3 stars, 88 points, california, central coast, chardonnay
We are in Lake Placid for an ice skating competition so when I saw this branded wine I had to pick it up. Made from Californian Central Coast Chardonnay -I was expecting what I tasted. Medium lemon colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV). The nose shows some butter, a little cream, a touch of pear and green apple- obviously MLF derived. The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and that buttery diacetyl taste associated with malolactic fermentation. The pear and apple fruit is round and warm with some baking spices and carries through to a medium length finish. The label says that this line is exclusively available in New York. At $18 this 88 point wine gets three stars. Drink till 2025. Salut….
25 Tuesday Jul 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Deep purple colored with medium viscosity legs (13.5% ABV) and slight staining. The nose is gamy, peppery and loaded with black fruit- dark plums, blackberry. Cinnamon, charred oak and more game by way of smoked bacon. The palate is dry with tingly tannins that are medium intensity to go along with medium acidity. This wine has a medium body and the black fruit coupled with smoke and game makes for a delicious if not unique flavor profile. I really like it and think it’s a good expression of the Carignan varietal coupled with a Chilean twist of terroir and winemaking. 91 points from me and at $18- well worth the effort to try this 5 star wine. Drink till 2028. Salut….
16 Friday Jun 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Pale amber colored with high viscosity (18.5% ABV). The nose has intense aromas of yeast, lemon peel, hazelnuts, saline and dried orange. The palate is dry with medium acidity and a full body. A combination of Biological and Oxidative aging gives this wine a unique flavor profile- nutty, it features desiccated fruit with saltiness and a citrus twist. It’s a real treat to drink this aperitif wine that finishes long with a yeasty note on the back end. 90 points for this $18 effort makes it a 5 star wine to sip with charcuterie. Salut….
11 Thursday May 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
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$18, 5 stars, 90points, austria, grüner veltliner, Weinviertel
A beautiful shade of medium lemon with some petillance evident and a watery sheen (12.5% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of pear, melon, white peach and a streak of minerality. The palate is dry with high acidity and a tingle from the fizz. The flavors correspond to the nose but I also get touch of bitterness and some herbal notes including white pepper. The slight spritz in this wine makes it very refreshing along with the cutting acidity. The finish is quite a tart affair with a touch of lime showing up along with the pear and pepper notes. The finish is medium in length. I’m pairing it with Cajun Shrimp and Andouille sausage- I think the bracing structure will offset some of the heat and will work well with the tomato base. This is a very decent summer wine that gets 90 points from me and at $18- 5 stars. Drink till 2025. Salut….
25 Tuesday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
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$18, 5 stars, 92 points, cachapoal valley, carmenere, chile, Naked Wines
This bottle was opened for a blind tasting last night and the nose just blew me away- intense. It is opaque ruby, bordering on purple with high viscosity (14% ABV). The nose, as mentioned, has pronounced aromas of eucalyptus, menthol, espresso bean, ripe black plum, blackberry, blackcurrant and dark chocolate nibs. The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins that are silky smooth and well integrated. Full bodied with rich flavors of ripe black fruits, eucalyptus, menthol and oaky coffee and chocolate. It has a beautiful mouthfeel and lingers for a long time on the finish. This is a stunning (for me) Carmenere that gets 92 points and for $18- 5 stars. I like it a lot. Drink till 2027 with rich meats and sauces. Lovely stuff. Salut….
21 Friday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium lemon colored with a watery sheen (12.5% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon zest, lime peel, white geraniums pear, yellow apple and an interesting peanut scent on the top rim of the glass. The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (-) body. It’s a refreshing wine with crisp citrus notes coupled with some florals and a touch of pithy bitterness. The finish is short and clean- making me yearn for the next sip. This is going to be categorized as a summer pool-pounder to be drunk chilled and paired with steamed shellfish on ice with sides of lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. A tasty and uncomplicated bottle that runs $18. I’m going with 88 points and 4 stars. Drink now. Salut….
15 Saturday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium amber with high viscosity legs (19% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of dried prune, nuts, raisins, saline and an almost Flor-like note. The palate is off-dry with high acidity and a full body. The alcohol is noticeable right off the bat, but then I start to get flavors of warm nuts, dried raisins and prunes, an oxidized character with some dried lemon peel and pith. The wine has weight yet is very sprite- the lightness is refreshing in a strange way. The finish is medium in length and a touch hot, which is to be expected from a fortified wine of this level. At $18 it is a great aperitif alternative that gets 88 points from me and 4 stars. Drink this non-vintage Tinta Negra wine on purchase. Salut….
02 Sunday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium purple colored with viscous legs (14% ABV) and a touch of turbidity. The nose gives me candied red plum and raspberry with licorice and a hint of green pepper. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (-) tannins. Medium to full bodied, this wine has delicious flavors of red plum, raspberry, coffee, mocha and green pepper. I usually find Carmenere to either be lush and fruity or overly herbaceous. This one is delicious and the flavors carry on to a long finish. It’s very smooth and the candied aromas on the nose (which do not appeal to me btw) blow away and the mouthfeel and flavors are in unison- delicious and worthy of 92 points. I am pairing this $18 wine with roast Sirloin Cap, aka Picanha roast. It gets 5 stars for sure with a drinking window till 2027. Salut….
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