Tag Archives: 2 stars

Liberty Road Zinfandel 2018, Lodi, California

26 Wednesday Aug 2020

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Semi opaque, medium shade of purple. The nose is somewhat subdued in the BAG (big assed glass). After a vigorous swirl session I get blueberries, violet and pepper.  On the palate it’s a touch spicy with blue fruits, fig and cedar.  The mid palate is a bit tart, backward and thin on the fruit.  The finish is bitter with more blue fruits and that woodsy note.  I enjoy Zins for their fruitiness.  This one lacks a bit on several points unfortunately.  86 points is all I can muster.  $10 makes this a 2 star wine.  Salut….

F E Trimbach Riesling 2017, Alsace, France

09 Sunday Aug 2020

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The second wine of our #7 virtual wine tasting was very disappointing.  I ordered this Trimbach having really enjoyed it before, the reviews were great and the brand is solid.  No one in the tasting group enjoyed either the room temp version nor the chilled.

Paint thinner, petrol, pine, grass and pineapple were descriptors that we heard.  Personally I found the wine disjointed, the nose muted and the flavors were just off.  I am going to re-taste tonight but don’t have much hope.  Interestingly, I tasted the 2013 Riesling twice in 2017 and had very different tasting notes, but they were both consistent 90 point wines.  This one is 86, and at $17 it’s a 2 point wine.  Salut….

Chateau Langoa-Barton 2008, Saint-Julien, France

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

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A stunning, deep purple in the glass that belies this wine’s age.  On the nose it’s somewhat muted but I do manage to coax some graphite,  plum reduction and anise.  On the palate it’s still young, acerbic yet relatively fruit forward.  Blueberry, sour cherry and that minerality all show up.  The mix of acid and tannins battle each other as the midpalate shows more blueberries and some rhubarb.  I have to say- it’s quite tart and lacking much wood influence.  The finish is pretty much the same with a decent 30 second tail.  I’m serving this with Sunday roast, and somewhat regret opening such a young wine.  Give it 3-5 more years.  For now, 89 points and 2 stars for this $70 offering.  Salut….

Molino di Sant’Antimo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

06 Monday Apr 2020

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I have become more and more enamored with Brunellos and more importantly the Sangiovese grape of late.  I find it a very close parallel to Pinot Noir, which has also risen in my interest.  This particular wine is see-through and a light shade of purple.  The nose is somewhat muted but I do get some stewed cherry and not much else.The palate is quite lithe with some delicate cherry notes, a touch of cinnamon and some fruit cake.  It is very shallow on the flavor depth which makes me wonder if I have an off bottle.  The acidity is of medium strength and there are some very light tannins that appear on the mid palate.  The finish is mainly Kirsch and some mushroom, bacon and forest floor.  It gets better but I am a little surprised at the high scores from some pros versus the lower scores of others.  I am going with 88 for this particular bottle but will try another one soon to check on provenance.  Drink till 2028.  For $60 it’s a 2 star effort.  Salut….

Bodegas Casa Primicia Vina Diezmo ‘GR’ Gran Reserva 2012, Rioja DOCa, Spain

01 Wednesday Apr 2020

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Moderate shade of purple and nearly opaque. I leaves long, thin legs on the glass.  The nose is raspberries, cherry and iodine.  On the palate is grips right away with acidity, masking the red fruit salad that I finally get. There’s also a rooibos tea component, calming amongst the flurry of tartness.  The mid palate is cutting, this acidity is actually bothering me.  It’s too much, without fruit to offset it or much tannic bite to balance it.  The finish is more of the same.  86 points.  A shame really as it got good reviews .  Bottle #2 is much better- less cut, more fruit. Still very tart but I will go with 88 points.  For the advertised price of $40, this is a 2 star Tempranillo.  Sorry folks, nothing to see here.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 660 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Red Mountain, Washington

02 Monday Mar 2020

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Semi opaque in the glass, bright purple.  On the nose I get graphite, blackcurrants, oak and twizzlers.  On the palate there are some gentle notes of black cherries, a dose of dry tannins and some black tea to go along with black currants.  The mid palate has a cherry cola component with black fruits and that slightly unbalanced tannic dryness.  The finish is dry but fresh and packed with black fruit flavors, some oak and a touch of minerality.  Decent wine for a weekday.  87 points, which contrasts with others opinions btw.  Drink till 2024, 2 stars, $25.  Salut….

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…