Tag Archives: 2 stars

Chateau Lieujean 2014, Haut-Medoc, France

18 Thursday Jul 2019

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Very dark purple in the glass with medium opacity.  On the nose I get a definitive old oak meets rustic plums and evergreen.  On the palate there is not much fruit, but lots of tertiary flavors including mushrooms, leather, cedar and black olive.  Tannins are plentiful right off the bat and there’s a hint of acidity.  The mid palate and finish continue with the earthy, dry profile and add a touch of blue fruit.  The tannic finish runs for a while. This wine has matured very quickly, losing fruit yet the tannins are still fresh and young.  87 points and 2 stars for this $15 Cru Bourgeois.  Drink till 2022.  Salut….

Murrieta’s Well Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Very light gold in the glass. A sweet nectar nose with honeysuckle, peach stone and cut grass.  On the palate it is a touch biting with some nice acidity to go along with the grapefruit.  89 points and 2 stars for this $38 white.  Salut….

Murrieta’s Well The Whip White 2017, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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This is the first of several notes I made when I visited Murietta’s Well Winery in Livermore, California.  I was greeted at the entrance by the hostess who offered me a glass of this. Medium yellow in the glass with a great, fresh nose of melon, lemon curd and pineapple.  On the palate it’s a little thinner than expected but still very fresh.  Lithe acidity.  88 points and 2 stars for this $26 blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Orange Muscat, Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat Canelli.  Salut….

Bodegas y Vinedos Pujanza ‘Finca Valdepoleo’ 2014, Rioja DOCa, Spain

06 Monday May 2019

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Dark purple in the glass with decent legs showing.  On the nose I get cherry and rhubarb alongside  birch bark.  On the palate it has an interesting taste- sour cherry meets cherry cola and bramble.  It is quite sour too, not from acidity unfortunately.  The mid palate is tart, with more sour cherry notes as well as some earthiness and unripe plums.  The finish is where I sense the tannic impact, with an astringency that hits my jowls.  This wine is one dimensional, lacking in ripe fruits and certainly not worth $20 in my opinion.  2 stars for this 85 point wine.  I am at complete odds with the pros here- 94 JS, 91 RP.  I must either have a strange bottle or I really need to calibrate my buds.  Salut…

Tinazzi No 3 Vinum Italicum Opera Rosso NV, Italy

30 Tuesday Apr 2019

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Medium purple, somewhat opaque int the glass.  On the nose I get bramble, black cherry and bacon.  On the palate it has a unique flavor profile.  Very meaty with that black cherry note along with licorice.  Smoke and tar really hit me on the mid palate alongside black berry and mid level tannins.  The finish is black, dark- brooding and tannic.  Black fruits dominate with some Lapsang Souchong tea notes.  Earthy, smoky and strong.  This is a unique wine which is composed of the following grapes: Corvina, Primitivo, Nero d’Avola.  The pros went with red fruits, I am sticking with black.  This is a non-vintage wine, so there is room for wiggle on style and tastes.  It gets 89 points from me- forget the 98 rating it splashes on the bottle, that guy uses a strange rating system.  Pair it with steaks, pasta (of course) or a heavy duty stew.  It’s tasty, unique and worth a try, but at $30, it’s a bit pricey.  2 Stars.  Salut….

Familia Blanco Mairena Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Mendoza, Argentina

14 Thursday Mar 2019

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Pretty purple in the glass, quite opaque.  On the nose it is all blackberry.  The initial palate is black cherry, an awkward greenness and tar.  The mid palate offers much the same, with more vegetal notes than I care for.  This wine rates well with the pros at 90+ but I don’t get it.  The finish is sour, green, the tannins are astringent.  Not my cup of tea at all.  There might be some of you who enjoy austere wines, this one might be up your alley.  I’m going 86 points.  For $18, it is a pass from me but you may want to give it a try- 2 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Colchagua Valley, Chile

25 Tuesday Sep 2018

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Medium purple with a bluish hue.  Dammit, that sugary, oaky nose that I really dislike just hit me.  Red sweets, twizzlers and cotton candy.  On the palate- pretty much the same but with some decent acidity to brighten things up.  Very lithe tannins are barely perceptible. This wine is the quintessential bbq drop.  Easy to quaff, bright fruit, pleasant enough and capable of pairing with smoked or charred meats and sweet/tangy sauces.  It’s not my cup of tea but should appeal to many.  Drink this 86 point wine in the near term.  $8 all day long make this a 2 star wine.  Salut….

Koyle Royale Carmenere 2014, Colchagua Valley, Chile

01 Sunday Jul 2018

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Recently added to the local shop- I’m excited to try this Carmenere from Koyle.  I love their Syrah and Cabernet.  It’s nearly black in the glass and very opaque.  The nose gives off nice warm blueberry pie, oregano and violet notes.  It has a very extracted quality.  On the palate it is a touch austere with plums, blueberry and acidity that has a nice bite.  The midpalate is more juicy, the blue fruits turning red.  The acidity is countered on the back end with some greenish tannins.  As you might tell this wine is a bit disjointed, slightly green and probably needing some food.  I’m going 87 points and 2 stars for this $25 effort.  Drink now if you have any.  Salut….

Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

26 Tuesday Jun 2018

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The last of my Kirkland test wines….  Cherry nose with some fresh cut pine thrown in.  The palate continues the light cherry profile but adds mushroom and a crushed violet note.  Rose water comes to mind as we transition to the finish.  Overall, this is not a great wine point wise.  It lacks depth, the flavors are somewhat out there and the extraction is pretty thin.  I’m not sure I would buy again.  85 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering.  Salut….

Chateau Giscours 2013, Margaux, France

30 Monday Apr 2018

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Purple, nice.  Mint, plums, wintergreen on the palate.  Very interesting.  The palate is fresh, young and tannic.  Blue fruits, sasparilla and cedar dominate.  Fine-grained tannins are evident but not overwhelming.  On the mid palate I get a strong blueberry component along with cedar.  The finish is short to medium in length and offers blue fruits, gentle tannins and some mild acidity.  This wine is rather basic, bland and thin.  It offers short term pleasure but is not age worthy.  Drink now.  88 points and 2 stars for this $50 Third-growth Margaux.  Salut….