Tag Archives: $20

Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Paso Robles, California

06 Wednesday Oct 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


When I saw this vintage I had to buy it- the 2018 Daou was amazing so I’m hoping for a repeat.  This one is opaque purple.  On the nose it is rich with pronounced intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, black cherry, tomato leaf, mint and charred oak.  The  palate is sweet from ripe fruit- blackberry jam, licorice, charred oak, black tea, good acidity and a hefty dose of back-end tannins.  Medium to full bodied it fills the mouth with great fruit notes and ripe tannins.  The California sunshine is evident in this fruit bomb.  I really like it for what it is- Cali Cab with great structure that will pair beautifully with steaks, pasta and game.  91 points for this $20 steal makes it a 5 star home-run.  Buy in bulk and drink till 2026.  Salut….

Chateau Marotte Blanc 2020, Bordeaux, France

02 Saturday Oct 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Dinner is Jamaican Jerk Pork.  A spicy dish that needs careful consideration for a pairing.  The first varietal that comes to mind is Riesling.  Number 2 choice- Gewurtztraminer.  I have both in the fridge but opted for this young and fresh Bordeaux blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc that weighs in at a decent 12% ABV. It is very pale in the glass with a lemon color.  The aromas pop out of the glass with lots of intensity.  Lemon zest, tangerine, passion fruit, mango and geranium.  The palate is dry and packed with juicy acidity.  Citrus and floral notes abound alongside exotic fruit flavors that I got on the nose.  Although it is a crisp wine, it has a certain body and mouthfeel to it that I am really enjoying.  It is fresh and lively and will certainly give the spices in the dish a good complement.  This wine is probably best drunk young and paired with fish, pork or a vegetable tart.  It is juicy right up till the medium length finish gives out.  Yummy stuff that gets 89 points from me and at $20 it is worthy of 4 stars.  Salut….

Spicewood Vineyards Winery

16 Thursday Sep 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Moxie and I took a trip to Austin and a nearby resort recently. On our drive out of town, headed to Hill Country we stopped at this quaint winery and enjoyed the wares. The drive off the main road was down a near-single lane country road with cattle fencing and massive Texas cows.  We ended up drinking most of the offerings which seem to have Tempranillo as the common varietal.  My favorite was the Cabernet/Merlot blend and we did not care for the sparkling wines- way too yeasty.  The winery offers a tasting of grapes grown on property or wines from sourced fruit.  Overall it was a very pleasant afternoon, lazing around with a full glass of red after working through the list.  I gave rough scores and tried some note taking but in the end these are 85-87 point wines that retail for between $20-$40+.  A fun place to go if you are in the area.  Salut….

Vega de Yuso ‘Virtus’ Riserva 2014, Ribera del Duero, Spain

08 Wednesday Sep 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I have a lineup of wines that are waiting to be tasted, I call them the ‘bench wines’.  Tonight’s dinner is a vegetable tart with tomato reduction so I could go anywhere as far as region or varietal.  I asked Moxie to choose one, she stated ‘Number 5″.  This Tempranillo might just hit the spot.  Rich, bold, earthy and probably a great choice for the puff pastry shrouded veggies that have been caramelizing in the oven.

In the glass it is very opaque- deep purple to be precise. The 15% ABV is evident by the thick legs on the glass walls.  On the nose I get spicy oak, earthy bramble, rich blackberry, blackcurrant and roasted coffee.  There is a whiff of heat, but not obnoxiously overpowering.  There is complexity to this nose that I can’t wait to taste.  On the palate it is all I hoped for, classic Spanish Tempranillo- rich black fruit, good acidity, full body and grippy tannins that make for a great mouthfeel and long finish.  The blackberry fruit is almost jammy and somewhat hides the coffee I got earlier but it re-appears on the back end.  Good oak integration here folks, not overdone yet present.  I believe it scored highly with a commensurate price north of fifty bones.  For me, it’s a 92 pointer that gets 5 stars cause I got it for $20.  Drink till 2030 with grilled meat.  Salut….

Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Stellenbosch, South Africa

06 Monday Sep 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


This South African Cabernet is a deep purple color with thin legs in the glass.  On the nose I get black plum, smoke, blackcurrants, Ribena, cassis and espresso.  The palate has an upfront astringency that gives me pause.  The fruit is trying to come out but the greenness is overwhelming.  I’m going to give it a rest and try later…..

Okay- after a two hour break this wine has opened up tremendously.  The dark fruit compote has finally come through with gentle acidity and firm, yet sidelined tannins holding the whole show together.  I am starting to see why the pros rated it upwards of 92 points.  Young, yet with structure and fruit to weather some cellaring- this wine will drink nicely from 2023-2028.  It went nicely with my Tri-tip roast.  At $20, It’s worth a look for sure, holding some for the drinking window.  5 stars for sure.  Salut….

Domaine Sangouard-Guyot Pouilly-Fuisse Authentique 2020, Maconnais, France

28 Saturday Aug 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Medium gold color. Pronounced aromas of lemon, lime, apricot, biscuit and bread.  The palate is dry with citrus and floral flavors plus more of that bakery hint and some nice toasty oak notes.  Medium acidity keeps the wine fresh and the finish is medium in length.  There’s a flavor that most Chardonnay’s have that I get on the back end, I’m not a huge fan but it is to be expected.  Overall a very nice tipple on a hot summer evening that gets 91 points from me.  I’m pairing it with grilled chicken, rice pilaf and Marsala sauce.  Drink till 2025.  I think you can find it for around $20, pretty reasonable and worthy of 5 stars. Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray La Coulee d’Argent Vieilles Vignes 2019, Loire, France

02 Monday Aug 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Bright yellow in the glass.  Nose of floral and tropical fruits with some elderflower.  It almost smells sweet….

On the palate it is dry, crisp and full flavored.  Stone fruit, flower blossoms and pineapple.  There’s a green almond hint on the mid palate and medium acidity on the jaw.  I picked this wine to pair with Sous Vide chicken confit- the crispy skin is going to go beautifully with this rich, full bodied Chenin Blanc that gets 89 points and for $ 20- 4 stars.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….

 

 

Matt Parish Trevino 2018, California

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Inky, with big legs in the glass showing off the 14.5% alcohol.  On the nose I get red plum, raspberry, strawberry and cedar- not at all what I was expecting.  The palate is super smooth and inviting- gentle tannins, red fruits galore and crispy acidity on the back end.  Coffee shows up on the mid palate and I sense a tar component on the finish.  Lovely mouthfeel on this one folks.  It’s built to drink now and might take to a few years of cellaring but why wait.  88 points from me.  Serve with strip steaks! For $20, it gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Chris Baker Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This Pinot is pretty opaque for the varietal.  A lovely shade of ruby with watery legs that give clue to the low 13% ABV.  On the nose I get spice box, red cherry, pomegranate and cranberry.  On the palate this wine is a touch tart and lacks any discernible tannins- not that I am complaining.  I like Pinot with a touch of sourness and no dryness, makes for a crisp mouthfeel.  The red fruit flavors are quite pronounced and balanced but I also get blueberry on the mid palate.  I like the weight but the finish is a touch short.  This bottle has what I really like in Pinot Noir- elegance and lightness with freshness and not too much oak influence.  It is seductive and lithe, maybe not very complex but it delivers lots of fruit flavors.  I would drink this one till 2025, perhaps pairing with Duck or Strip steak.  89 points from me and at $20 it’s a good deal that gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Chateau Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose 2019, France

11 Sunday Jul 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


We kicked off the 19th Virtual Wine Tasting with this French rosé, served at room temp and chilled for comparison. The wine is a lovely pale orange in the glass. The tasters found aromas and flavors of apricot, almond, tangerine, strawberry, citrus, marzipan and pink grapefruit. The chilled version was more intense with peach, quince, citrus, honeysuckle and green pear on the nose and peach, rhubarb (?), orange and crab apples on the palate. We felt the wine was a touch sour with a bitter aftertaste. The room temp version had medium acidity whilst the chilled one was more acidic. Overall I give the wine 88 points. Drink now with smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail or a salad Nicoise. At $20 per, it gets 3 stars from me. Salut….