Tag Archives: $20

Cockburn’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2015, Portugal

08 Tuesday Mar 2022

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A deep shade of purple in the glass this opaque Port has got a pretty intense nose.  Aromas of cooked plum, stewed blackberry, raisins, mixed nuts and a fresh grape note- interesting.  The palate is lush with stewed black fruit, currant extract, a nutty component and that zingy fresh grape note I got on the nose.  The wine packs some heat- I can. feel the burn just ever so much.  Very smooth and integrated tannins balance out the medium (-) acidity.  The wine is obviously considered full-bodied- it simply coats the mouth with dark fruit lashings with a dryness from the structural tannins.  The finish is quite long and puckering.  Delicious stuff to sip with some stinky cheese or a chocolate dessert.  Reasonably priced at $20, this 91 point fortified wine needs to be in every bar.  It gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Anselmo Mendes Contacto Alvarinho 2020, Vinho Verde, Portugal

27 Sunday Feb 2022

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We kicked off the 25th Virtual Wine Tasting event with this Alvarinho.  The winemaker has allowed some skin contact during fermentation so I was hoping for a rounder, fuller bodied wine.  We tasted it at room temperature and then chilled.  Here is what the group thought of this wine.

Pale straw colored with citrus, pineapple, yellow apple and saline on the nose.  Someone caught a whiff of petrol and we decided that the smell of Vaseline was an appropriate moniker.  Medium acidity and light bodied this wine has medium intensity flavors of honey, tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, yellow apple and I sensed brioche.  I gave this version 11 marks on the VWTC score sheet.

The chilled version was crisper and had more prominent aromas and flavors.  Saline, honeysuckle and brioche with far less apple/citrus notes on the nose.  The palate had melon, grapefruit, pineapple and we felt the acidity was more prominent.  The wine had more body and scored 13 marks with me.  Overall this $20 gets 89 points from me, which is a far cry from the monster scores the pros gave.  I will re-taste tonight and report back if there is any significant change to my assessment of this 3 star effort.  Drink now with seafood or a chicken salad.  Salut….

Beaulieu Vineyard Muscat de Beaulieu NV, California

10 Thursday Feb 2022

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Medium gold in color this dessert wine has medium intensity aromas of honey, stewed apricot, cooked red apple and orange peel- not overly complex.  The palate is very slippery.  Medium (-) acidity, full body, medium intensity flavors of honey, orange pith, stewed apricot, and that orange peel.  I didn’t get the apple note btw.  It’s got weight  and a nice mouthfeel but the depth of fruit flavor is lacking.  I like it for a basic after-dinner treat on a weekday that runs $20 per half bottle that gets 86 points from me and 2 stars.  18% ABV btw.  Salut….

KWV ‘The Mentors’ Orchestra Red Blend 2018, Paarl, South Africa

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

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A classic Bordeaux blend of 33% Cab Sav, 30% Petit Verdot, 11% Cab Franc, 10% Malbec and 6% Carménère from the Western Cape of South Africa.  Deep ruby in color the wine has thin legs in the glass.  On the nose I get lush, ripe aromas of blackberry, black currant and plum.  Oak influence is evident with notes of cedar box and coconut,  it is slightly herbaceous with some bell pepper but not overly so.  The palate is dry with medium tannins and juicy acidity.  The wine is medium bodied and not as jammy as the nose.  Nice flavors of blackcurrant, plum, coconut, cedar and not so much pepper.  The finish is medium length and certainly tart from the lingering acidity.  The whole package is pretty balanced and drinks nicely now with another 4-5 years of cellaring possible.  I would say the palate is a bit of a letdown from the nose- I was hoping for full throttle, getting only 75%.  Overall it’s a decent drop that gets 90 points from me and for $20 it’s a no-brainer to stock up on.  5 stars, similar to the 2017 KWV Mentors I drank recently.  Salut….

Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi Superieur 2017, Georgia

31 Monday Jan 2022

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I’m very new to this ancient varietal that has roots in the country of Georgia.  If you are bored you can read my original post on the varietal here: https://caspernick.com/2021/06/22/guardians-saperavi-2018-kakheti-georgian-republic/

This one is opaque ruby and a touch murky.  The nose has loads of black and blue fruit, some charred wood notes, spice box and a sweet smelling component, like jam.  The palate is dry with really nice tannins and bracing acidity.  Blackberry jam, black plum, blueberry compote, charcoal and spice wrap neatly around the structural components.  Very balanced wine that has loads of cellaring potential.  Medium to full bodied it finishes with medium length fruit and lots of astringency.  91 points for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  Drink with hearty meat dishes till 2025.  Ps. I love the fact that it runs 12.5% ABV!  Salut….

Nugan Estate Parish Vineyard Shiraz 2018, McLaren Vale, Australia

25 Tuesday Jan 2022

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A deep purple color with thick legs in the glass.  On the nose I get pronounced aromas of blackcurrant, ripe black plum, jammy blueberry, anise, chocolate and a dusting of white pepper.  The palate is technically dry but the ripeness of the fruit makes it seem sweet- like jam.  Spicy yet it really shows off the sun-drenched fruit.  Black and blue berries with licorice, pepper, and a slight oak influence with mocha/chocolate.  This wine is max throttle.  Full bodied, silky smooth tannins, medium (-) acidity and a long finish.  Amazing stuff if you like a brash Shiraz.  For $20 I’m glad I loaded up on this 93 pointer that will drink beautifully till 2028 and pair with most grilled meats or hearty stews.  5 stars.  Salut….

Dr. Konstantin Frank Muscat Ottonel 2020, Finger Lakes, New York

18 Tuesday Jan 2022

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Next up in my series on Finger Lakes wines is another aromatic varietal- Muscat Ottonel.  This one is a deep lemon color in the glass and rings in at 11.5% ABV.  The nose has pretty florals, lychee, sea salt and lemon/lime spritz.  On the palate it is off-dry with a hint of sweetness and plenty of body.  The tropical fruit coats my mouth and the aromatics are powerful.  This wine is weighty with medium (-) acidity and a long finish.  It is delicious and unique.  I decided to pair it with English Bangers and Mash with onion gravy.  I do believe it will work well- as would a Cobb salad, perhaps Lobster Thermidor or even roasted Cornish Hens.  It reminds me of last night’s Gewürztraminer but with less acidity, less minerality but more body and fruit.  89 points for this $20 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink now.  Salut….

Chateau de Belcier 2010, Cotes de Castillon, France

11 Tuesday Jan 2022

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Number two wine at our 23rd virtual tasting was this mature Merlot-based Bordeaux blend from the great 2010 vintage. Deep garnet with evidence of bricking in the glass.  Nose of black cherry, tobacco, graphite, musty and earthy with leather, pencil shavings, cassis and stewed strawberry.  The palate is very smooth with integrated tannins that are fully resolved.  The tertiary notes are all present alongside smoke, blackberry, blackcurrant and cedar.  The wine has a milder taste and is quite dry.  Medium bodied it has a medium length finish.  I’m going with 91 points and a drinking window up till 2025.  At $20- it’s a great intro to an aged Right Bank wine that gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Clos de Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Napa Valley, California

30 Thursday Dec 2021

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Opaque ruby-purple, this wine has thick legs in the glass (14.5% ABV).  The nose shows off primal blackberry, blueberry, black cherry licorice/candy and blackcurrant candy drops.  The candy component is a little strong for me.  The palate is quite tasty and the candy component is gone, thank god.  The fruit is very ripe- blackberry, blueberry, black cherry and currants with some very slight oak notes.  The wine has good acidity and medium tannins that coat the gums but are not astringent.  The finish turns juicy from the acidity and is medium in length.  This full bodied wine is delicious now and will drink well until 2027 with steaks, grilled sausage or chorizo on the charcoal.  89 points for this $20 effort ($14 at Costco) makes it a 4 star effort to buy a few bottles of.  Salut….

Xavier Vignon Lirac 2016, Rhone, France

26 Sunday Dec 2021

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This blend of Grenache and Syrah is semi opaque and shows off a bright ruby color in the glass.  The legs are-a-watering- with 15% ABV that is to be expected.  The nose is quite exuberant- plums, raspberry, red licorice, blueberry pie, bacon fat, violets and charcoal.  The palate is dry with caressing tannins and medium acidity that keeps the fruit fresh.  Medium bodied- the red and blue fruits are quite pronounced and the meaty component alongside oak nuance is present as well.  The finish is medium in length and has a tannic grip for a while.  There is a slight imbalance that I cannot point a finger at that will detract a point or two.  Drinking nicely now this wine will pair with rich meaty stews, venison roasts or pasta till 2026.  90 points from me for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  Salut….