Tag Archives: $18

Broadbent Rainwater Medium Dry NV, Madeira, Portugal

15 Saturday Apr 2023

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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….

Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere 2020, Apalta, Chile

02 Sunday Apr 2023

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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….

Weingut Winzer Krems Blauer Zweigelt ‘St Severin’ 2021, Niederosterreich, Austria

19 Sunday Mar 2023

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Medium cherry-red colored with a watery sheen in the glass (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red licorice, maraschino cherry, red raspberry, rhubarb and Dr Pepper.  The palate has a touch of residual sugar (RS) with medium acidity and lithe tannins.  Red fruit and red licorice for flavors that are very enticing and refreshing.  I like the simplicity of this wine- no oak, no big tannins, not acidic.  The finish is quite long.  It’s very easy to drink and will pair nicely with our roasted veggie bowls with Kielbasa and Andouille off the grill.  I like this $18 offering and will buy more for the summer.  It reminds me of Gamay with it’s juiciness and light body.  88 points and 4 stars from me- drink till 2025.  Salut….

Renieri Invetro Toscana IGT 2018, Tuscany, Italy

10 Friday Mar 2023

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Deep dark purple color with medium legs (14% ABV).  The nose of this Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab Sav blend has some exotic dark fruit aromas- mulberry, boysenberry, elderberry with vanilla, coffee bean, baking spices, eucalyptus and camphor (yup).  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and finely grained medium (+) tannins.  The body is full and the flavors echo the dark berry notes I got on the nose.  I’m missing the pungent camphor but I get oak influence by way of vanilla and baking spice.  The wine retails for $18 and got a big score.  I’m thinking 91 points and 5 stars.  Tonight- it’s pasta with meatballs, sausages and meat sauce- this will pair beautifully.  Drinking window till 2026.  Enclosed by a glass stopper btw.  Salut….

Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa Solera Reserva NV, Jerez, Spain

09 Thursday Feb 2023

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Pale yellow/gold in color with a watery sheen in the glass.  The nose of this Manzanilla is refreshing- like citrus meets sea breeze and biscuit.  There is a slight nuttiness that intermingles with a yeast component after a while in the glass.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  The citrus is neither lemon, nor lime or grapefruit, but it definitely has a citrus note alongside the nutty, yeasty, biscuit driven flavors that have evolved under the yeast blanket called Flor.  The wine finishes long with a salty note alongside the yeast.  This is not a flavor profile for everyone, it’s an acquired taste that begs for tapas, olives or some charcuterie.  I can see why it is so popular in Southwestern Spain by the coast.  I’m drinking it at room temperature, as I normally do when scoring, but it deserves a chilling to freshen it up a touch.  I like it and will go with 91 points.  This 5 star wine runs $18 and should be drunk on purchase.  For tonight, I am will attempt a pairing of shrimp scampi and sautéed zucchini strips with a shredded carrot salad. I think the buttery, garlicky seafood will meld nicely.  This Palomino varietal has been fortified to 15% ABV.  Salut….

Nova Cadamatre Reserve Riesling 2021, Finger Lakes, New York

11 Wednesday Jan 2023

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Medium lemon colored with a medium (+) intensity nose.  Right off the bat I get aromas of creamy tropical flowers- bizarre, I know.  Then…. Nougat mixed with tangerine, more bizarreness.  Followed by saline and some pithy citrus as well as a touch of petrol.  I am really perplexed by this wine.  The palate is dry and slightly bitter with medium body and high acidity, which I was expecting.  Flavors of subdued citrus and florals alongside the bitterness from pith carry through to the medium length finish.  I must say this is not what I was expecting, the flavors and aromas are off my normal path for this varietal.  I like the precision, minerality and cut of this wine- it’s like a laser, I just need to recalibrate to these new flavors and aromas.  I would give this $18 wine 90 points and drink with charcuterie or oysters on the half shell.  Be ready for some mouth puckering vibrancy- 5 stars.  Salut….

Ixsir Altitudes Blanc 2021, Batroun, Lebanon

20 Tuesday Dec 2022

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Having just visited this winery where I tasted the 2022 from the still unbottled vats I had to bring home a bottle to share with Moxie.  It shows a beautiful medium straw-lemon color in the glass.  The nose has pronounced aromas of lemon, grapefruit, lychee, pineapple, white flower, a hint of vanilla bean and perhaps some bread.  The palate is dry and a touch bitter with grapefruit pith, lemon, rose, lychee, pineapple and a floral note making it quite a complex array of delicious flavors.  Medium acidity and a medium to full body take me to a finish that lasts a good 20 seconds and delves into the citrus and pith world.  It’s very floral and fruity with just the right amount of cut to make it a pleasing aperitif wine that I would pair with chicken and dare I say- spicy foods.  So glad this bottle survived my extensive travels from Beirut to the UK and finally home, well worth the effort.  A blend of Obeideh, Muscat and Viognier it can be found for $18 and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Drinking from the vat

 

Kotrotsos Moschofilero 2021, Pelopennese, Greece

14 Monday Nov 2022

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Pale lemon colored with medium intensity aromas of lush tropical fruit- pineapple, papaya and kiwi fruit intermingled with pear, rose petals and bruised red apple.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity and medium body.  Flavors of papaya and pear dominate with kiwi and bruised red apple supporting. The papaya and apple both have a unique, overripe accent that makes this quite interesting and adds to the body of this lush wine.  It has a medium length finish with a touch of astringency from almond seed that I find intriguing.  This is an interesting varietal that I am thoroughly enjoying.  Tonight I am pairing it with Chinese inspired dishes including some spicy chili infused plates.  I believe the wine will stand up to the heat and complexity of the fare.  89 points for this $18 wine makes it a 4 star effort to try out.  Drink now.  Salut….

Quinta Das Carvalhas Reserva Ruby Port NV, Porto, Portugal

04 Friday Nov 2022

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I love Port, but I’ll be honest…. the packaging lured me on this one.  Who doesn’t need a small decanter to have around?  This Ruby Port is deep garnet colored and sports the traditional 20% ABV.  The nose is gorgeous- ripe black plum jam, golden raisins, caramel, toffee, figs and bakers spice box.  The palate is semi-sweet with lush stewed black fruit, toffee, caramel, figs and spices.  Medium (-) acidity and a full body with supple tannins make for a great mouthfeel.  The finish is long and laced with black fruit nuance.  The alcohol is noticeable but not a detractor, well integrated.  This is a delicious bottle of dessert wine that begs for blue cheese and some apricots with almonds.  I love it- 92 points from me.  Th upcharge for the decanter and packaging brings this beauty to $42.  Get one for the souvenir factor and then downgrade to the regular 750ml bottles to lay around, they run $19 and are well worth stocking up on for the cold winter ahead.  5 stars, drink now.  Salut….

Sandeman Fine Rich Madeira NV, Portugal

08 Saturday Oct 2022

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This is my first go at Madeira, which I bought after looking for some Port to add to my Beef Short-rib stock.  This bottling is pale to medium amber colored, it reminds me of the stone Tigers Eye.  As to be expected from a fortified wine (19%ABV), the legs are very slow moving and thick.  The nose has intense aromas of nuts, caramel, sea air and a touch of yeast.  The palate is dry tasting but very rich with nuts, treacle, stewed black fruit, brine and prune syrup.  It is mouth coating with medium tannins and medium (-) acidity.  The alcohol hits on the back end where it is tingling the sides of my tongue.  Finish-wise this wine has a long ending (30+ seconds).  Seeing as it’s my first go I can’t really pass judgement, but if you like Oloroso Sherry crossed with Tawny Port, this might be up your alley.  For $18 it’s not going to break the bank trying something new as a dessert wine or for enriching a beef stock.  I like it!  Salut….