Tag Archives: $19

Massaya Classic – Le Colombier Rouge 2021, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

16 Tuesday Sep 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with slight staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black raspberry, cedar, blackberry coulis, menthol,  coffee bean, dark chocolate, wild herb, and ripe fig.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are pretty grippy.  The flavors hone in on black fruit with iodine, menthol and oaky wood notes.  It’s a young bottle, which is typical for Lebanese wines- they have great longevity.  The finish is pretty dry and tannin driven for the first part.  The fruit notes end medium in length, leaving me with a slightly bitter after taste.  It’s yummy, but young.  It’s a blend of 35% Grenache Noir, 35% Consult, and 30% Tempranillo.  I would give it a potential 90 points, it cost me $19 and gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

Massaya Le Colombier Rouge

Blaauwklippen Red Blend 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of rooibos tea, black and red plums, black cherry, charcoal, bell pepper, mint, cola and currants.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins. The acidity really picks up on the mid palate but keeps the wine very light and fresh.  Flavors of currant, black plum, red plum, singed alder, mint and cola.  The herbaceous note I smelled is non-existent on the palate.  The tannins and acidity are nicely balanced and the wine is lip-smacking.  I paid $19 for this blend of 90% Cab Sav, 10% Cab Franc that get 89 points from me and 4 stars.  I’m pairing it with grilled Andouille and Chorizo sausages with some gratin potatoes.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Blaauwklippen Red Blend

Kobal ‘Roots’ Blaufrankisch 2022, Podravje, Slovenia

28 Sunday Jul 2024

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Pale to medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black cherry, pomegranate, acai berry, white pepper, chocolate licorice, orange peel and kirsch.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body and medium tannins.  Flavors of acai berry, red and black cherry, pomegranate along with white pepper and orange peel.  The fruit is somewhat tart, perhaps the acidity is driving the bus?  The finish is medium in length and tart, but refreshing.  This wine has a light structure but a piercing personality.  It’s a conundrum that I am enjoying.  I picked it to pair with Jerk Lamb, something with spice is a difficult pairing for reds but I feel the higher acidity of this grape with the lower tannins might work.  90 points for this $19 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Mary Taylor ‘Annamaria Sala’ Sicilia 2022, Sicily, Italy

06 Thursday Jun 2024

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Deep purple colored with some staining and medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose of this Nero d’Avola has medium intensity aromas of game, black plum, cracked pepper, purple licorice, violets, charred oak and blueberry compote.  It’s very uplifting and quite floral once past the initial waft of gaminess.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium body and medium tannins that tickle the front of my tongue.  Flavors of black cherry, black plum and ripe blueberry with somewhat muted florals and oak.  The bitterness I get on the mid palate is noticeable yet enjoyable.  The finish is medium (-) in length and trends toward earth and bitterness.  The game note I got on the nose never showed.  I like this $19 effort and think it gets 89 points which makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2028.  My pairing tonight is cast iron steaks with baked yams and roasted asparagus.  Salut….

Chateau Guiraud ‘Le G de Chateau Guiraud’ Blanc Sec 2022, Bordeaux, France

31 Friday May 2024

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Pale lemon colored with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose of this Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend is intense. Aromas of lemon, lime, cut grass, nectarine, cat pee, tangerine zest, lanolin and orange blossom.  It’s full on and stunning.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium body with some phenolic bitterness.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of lemon, tangerine, nectarine, cut grass, lanolin, orange blossom and green herbs.  The finish is long in length and mouthwatering from the acidity- lovely and cutting.  I loved this wine when tasted at the chateau prior to release and am ecstatic that I scored a case recently.  It should develop over the next few years but I may not have the patience.  93 points from me and for $19- 5 stars.  Salut….

 

Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli 2022, Getariako Txakolina, Spain

26 Sunday May 2024

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Pale lemon with gold highlights, some spritz and low viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose of this Hondarabbi Zuri has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon, lanolin, seaweed, saline, white grapefruit, lemon pith, brioche and peach.  The palate is off-dry with an ever-so-soft hint of effervescence to go along with a light body and high acidity.  Citrus, sea breeze, minerality and a touch of peach round out the very refreshing flavors that linger on a medium finish, making me want to sip more. The Brioche I smelled is very feint on the palate and is a result of some Sur-lie aging. It’s a delicious summer sipper and at a relatively low 12 % alcohol, it’s easy going.  I was planning to pair with Alfredo, good thing there’s shrimp going in as well plus the Caeser salad.  Anything heavier would not work, this wine needs lighter fare and perhaps something from the sea.  90 points from me for this $19 effort makes it a 5 star stunner to buy in bulk- summer is here.  Salut….

Bodegas Agro de Bazan Granbazan Etiqueta Verde 2022, Rias Baixas, Spain

20 Monday May 2024

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We kicked off the 36th virtual wine tasting with this delightful Albarino, tasted chilled first and then at room temperature for comparison.   I picked this bottle as we had tasted the 2018 Gran Bazan Ambar and loved it.  Pale lemon in color with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of cantaloupe, melon, yellow apple skin, peach and saline were noted by the members.  On the palate we got medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  Minerality was a key component of the taste with saline, cantaloupe, melon, honeydew, lemon pith and peach all present.  The finish was medium in length leading to a 17 point award on our tasting scale.

The room temperature version was very muted on the nose and palate but it had more minerality, less fruit and was waxy on the mouthfeel.  There was a pithy bitterness on the back end that we did not get with the chilled version.  It showed a shorter finish as well making it a 12 point effort.

Overall I love this wine and gave it 89 points which makes it a 4 star bottle considering its $19 price point.  I would pair it with grilled Swordfish or a Paella.  Drink now.  Salut….

Clos St. Thomas Les Emirs Rouge 2014, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

30 Saturday Dec 2023

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Medium garnet colored with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose of this nine year old wine has aromas of beautiful baked plums, black cherry reduction, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, coffee, toasty oak and a hint of menthol.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins that are well integrated and very polished.  Mostly tertiary in nature the flavors consist of baked dark red fruit with vanilla, baking spices, cocoa and coffee with a hint of cracked black pepper on the mid palate.  The tannins are sublime, making for a great mouthfeel.  The flavors carry on and on with a long finish promised and delivered.  Delicious and at peak, this wine is showing the power of its terroir and the skill in winemaking.  93 points from me for this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache.  I trekked all the way to the city to pick up every bottle they had which at $19 per was a great price.  5 stars, drink till 2028.  Salut….

Benjamin Darnault Domaine De Montahuc Vin Doux Naturel 2019, Saint Jean de Minervois, France

11 Monday Dec 2023

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Pale lemon colored with high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose of this dessert wine has intense aromas of honey, orange marmalade, bruised red apple, a hint of apricot and a touch of vanilla bean. The palate is sweet with medium (+) acidity and a full body.  The wine starts out bitter right off the bat, the astringency is akin to candied grapefruit pith.  The marmalade and honey notes come along with some vanilla and red apple.  The mid palate is where the wine settles down and the honey, marmalade and apricot come to the forefront.  The finish is long and sweet, syrupy and delicious.  I think it needs a bit of air TBH.  Right now, it gets 88 points from me but it could improve with some time.  Cellaring capacity is probably good- say till 2030.  I paid $19 for a 500 ml bottle, making it a 3 star effort.  Salut….

Weingut Josef Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett 2018, Rheingau, Germany

15 Wednesday Nov 2023

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Pale lemon colored with lime highlights and a low viscosity (8% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of petrol, lemon zest, lime pith, peach, nectarine, orange blossom, honeysuckle and lanolin.  The palate is off-dry with high acidity and a light body.  It has cutting flavors of citrus zest, pith and blossom along with the telltale petrol notes this varietal can show.  There’s a sensation of slight pettilance but no bubbles show in the glass.  The finish is medium in length and crisp.  It’s a very pleasing wine that invites drinking, which at a low alcohol level is very easily done!  I was going to pair it with Souvlaki but the sweetness would detract.  It makes a delicious aperitif though and can certainly be drunk poolside, chilled to within an inch of freezing.  Not bad….  I give it 91 points and for $19- 5 stars.  I think it has some aging capacity and will develop more tertiary notes in the next 10 years.  Salut….