Tag Archives: $20

Purcari ‘Freedom’ Blend 2022, IGP Stefan Voda, Moldova

20 Monday Oct 2025

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Deep purple colored, with moderate staining, and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of blueberries, acai berry, a medicinal note, coffee, blackberry, black plum, dried leather, and pine wood.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are starting to meld.  Flavor intensity is medium and mirrors the nose.  The finish is medium in length and the tannins turn powdery fine and lithe.  It’s a delicious blend of 65% Saperavi (a teinturier grape), 20% Rara Neagra and 15% Bastardo.  I chose it to pair with grilled Ribeye Cap steaks, it’s gonna be perfect.  At $20, this 91 pointer gets 5 stars.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Purcari 'Freedom' Blend

Cambria Estate Winery Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022, Santa Maria Valley, California

09 Monday Jun 2025

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We drank this stunning Pinot bargain at our 40th virtual wine tasting.  I noted a pale ruby color with medium (-) viscosity (13.2% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of strawberry, blackberry, black cherry, cherry cola, sweet licorice, red currants, tomato stalk and an evergreen hint. (these are combined descriptors from the group btw).  The palate was dry with a light body, medium (-) acidity, and low tannins- a very enjoyable mouthfeel.  Strawberry, mature black cherry, cola, smoky charcoal and sweet licorice flavors were noted.  The wine had a medium (+) finish and was enjoyed by all.  I scored it 18 points out of 20 on our tasting sheet and assigned it 91 points on a technical merit.  At $20 I am most definitely ordering a case of this to throw back at every opportunity.  A stunning 5 star effort to drink until 2030. Salut….

Cambria Estate Winery Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir

Val do Sosego Albarino 2023, Rias Baixas, Spain

03 Tuesday Jun 2025

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Pale lemon colored with a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon and grapefruit pith, peach, pear, some salty minerality, white blossom, and a hint of green apple.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, and a medium (-) body.  The flavor intensity is slightly more than the nose and echoes the aromas in taste.  The finish is long and slightly tart from the zippy acidity.  It’s refreshing, light and delicious.  Worthy of 91 points and for the $20 price point it gets 5 stars. Load up on this beauty for summer, serve with grilled fish all day long.  Salut….

Val do Sosego Albarino

Vazisubani Estate 3 Qvevri 2023, Kakheti, Georgian Republic

16 Friday May 2025

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Pale to medium amber colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of apricot, spun honey, white blossom, green almond, grapefruit, tangerine, and melon.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins (yes, orange wine has tannins!).  Medium intensity flavors of bitter apricots, honey, white blossom, grapefruit pith, tangerine skin and astringent green almond.  This wine is quite bitter, by design.  The fragrance of the honey, apricot and white blossom transcends into a pith driven tannic wine that is now giving me over-steeped white tea notes.  The finish is medium in length with the acidity finally overstepping the tannic grip.  An interesting blend of Rkatsiteli, Mstvane, and Kisi that has been fermented on the skins to dryness.  It gets 88 points from me and at $20, 3 stars.  Drink till 2028.  I am going to pair it with Vietnamese rolls and spicy dipping sauces.  Salut….

Vazisubani Estate 3 Qvevri

Domaine Passot Les Rampaux Fleurie 2022, Beaujolais, France

28 Monday Apr 2025

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Medium purple colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, white blossom, orange peel, acai berry, blueberry, and black grape.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of acai berry, slightly underripe blueberry, red and black cherry, white blossom and crunchy red grapes.  Cru Beaujolais is not at all what Nouveau is.  The fruit is vinified differently and the resultant structure, especially tannins, are much more apparent.  This Gamay based wine is built to last a few years, and might just be starting its approachable stage.  The finish is medium (+) in length and drives home the slightly green nature of some of the fruit, tart is the key word here.  It’s a very interesting and slightly different wine that I am enjoying tremendously.  91 points worth for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine, to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Domaine Passot Fleurie

Devocion Cabernet Franc 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

23 Wednesday Apr 2025

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Deep garnet colored, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of green pepper, charcoal, black plum, blackberry, cassis, tomato leaf, funky mushroom, and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are a touch gritty even after a few years of age.  Medium intensity flavors of blackberry, black currant, black plum, green pepper, tomato stalk, and a smoky oak note but no sign of the funk.  The finish is nice and dry with the tannins still gripping whilst black fruit notes linger mid length.  It’s a nice drop and only runs $20.  I am more upbeat than others and will go with 90 points for this organically made wine, making it a 4 star effort to drink till 2029.  Salut….

Devocion Cabernet Franc

Perroud ‘Amethyste’ Brouilly 2018, Beaujolais, France

21 Friday Mar 2025

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Medium ruby tending to garnet colored, with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of violets, spring flowers, grape, acai berry, boysenberry,  red raspberry, and some baking spice.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors start off a little tart but they build into decently ripe fruit- red raspberry, acai berry, boysenberry and grape.  The florals I got on the nose are feint, as is the spice.  The whole package melds into a rather short, watery finish that leaves a touch of bitterness and tartness on the back end.  It’s an interesting wine as it keeps drawing me in for another sip.  Not one to argue- I oblige and find myself liking this wine even more by the sip even though it doesn’t merit a high technical score.  88 would be fair and for $20 it gets 3 stars.  I’m baking a  half duck to pair with this Gamay based wine.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Les Freres Perroud Amethyste Brouilly

Martinez Gassiot Late Bottled Vintage Port 2018, Porto Portugal

23 Thursday Jan 2025

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Deep, inky-ruby colored, with moderate staining, and high viscosity (19.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum ganache, fresh prune, blueberry jam,  cocoa powder, baking spice, leather, old oak, and a touch of juniper leaf.  The palate is sweet, with high acidity, a full body, and high levels of silky tannins that coat my gums.  The intensity of the fruit is medium (+) and mimics the nose.  It’s ripe, rich, opulent and delicious.  There’s a charcoal note on the mid palate that adds intrigue.  The finish is long and a touch astringent, which is kinda nice.  I’m thoroughly enjoying this $20 bottle that gets 91 points from me and 5 stars.  Drink till 2030 with a nice cheese tray.  Salut….

Martinez Late Bottled Vintage Port

Ruca Malen Capitulo Dos Petit Verdot 2020, Los Chacayes, Argentina

05 Sunday Jan 2025

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Tasted at the 38th virtual wine tasting, this single varietal Petit Verdot performed as I had hoped, introducing the group to this grape that is normally blended.  This bottling was deep ruby colored with moderate staining, and a high viscosity (14.9% ABV).  Medium intensity aromas of Maduro, with smoke, black licorice, red Twizzler, blackberry, and tobacco.  On the palate we got medium (-) acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins.  Blackberry led the charge with pencil lead, red beet, tobacco, pomegranate and sour cherry supporting.  A tart finish that lasted medium length led me to award 13 points on our scoring sheet.  Technically speaking, this $20 effort gets 89 points and 3 stars.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Ruca Malen Capitulo Dos Petit Verdot

Artazu Pasos de San Martin Garnacha 2016, Navarra, Spain

05 Sunday Jan 2025

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Tasted at our 38th virtual wine tasting- this Garnacha performed decently for many in the group.  It had a a medium garnet complexion with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  On the nose we smelled lavender, smoke, peat, barnyard funk, cranberry, blackberry, raspberry, black olives, and some funky blue cheese.  The palate had medium (-) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are nicely integrated.  Green peppercorn flavors with black olives, red raspberry, black cherry, black pepper, and that funky blue cheese led to a medium length finish.  This wine was just okay for me and got 11 points on our tasting sheet but scored 89 points for technical merit.  At $20, I would like to revisit this 3 star effort and give it a chance to open up and release the funk.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Artazu Pasos de San Martin Garnacha