Tag Archives: $23

Quinta Das Carvalhas Reserva Tawny Port NV, Porto, Portugal

12 Saturday Nov 2022

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I bought this Tawny Port to compare to the Ruby version I recently tasted.  It is a medium garnet color, less intense that the ruby port.  The nose is quite pronounced with raisins, prunes, jammy blackberry, walnuts, Brazil nuts and dusty mocha.  Semi sweet on the palate with medium acidity and medium tannins.  I get rich flavors of  stewed black fruit with prunes and raisins.  The nuttiness is not as pronounced on the palate as the nose but it is still present.  The heat on the back end is quite noticeable on this full bodied wine.  It’s delicious with a long finish that I’m savoring.  For the price of $23 this 91 pointer gets 5 stars from me.  I’m trying to decide if I prefer Ruby vs. Tawny port.  You?  Drink this with some rich cheese.  Salut….

Ulibarri Artzaiak Tzakoli 2018, Spain

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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We went out for an amazing dinner that encourages ordering small plates of various dishes.  Our choices included:

Gnocco Fritto, Ricotta, Prosciutto di Parma, Preserved Lemon
Grilled Octopus, Romesco, Red Watercress, Garbanzo and Almond
Chicory Salad, Sunflower, Poppyseed, Meyer Lemon, Finger Lakes Gold Cheese
Burrata, Roasted Carrot, Carrot Top Pesto, Mint
Escargot Braised in Vichyssoise Butter, Potato Confit, Preserved Lemon
Fried Point Blue Crab and Pink Peppercorn Strozzapreti, Chile, Lemon, Old Bay Breadcrumb
Roasted Beet Mezzalune, Toasted Pistachio, Ricotta Salata, Brown Butter

Choosing a red wine would be hard for the appetizer section so I went with this white from the Basque Country.  Hondarabi Zuri is new to me- this one is medium/deep lemon colored.  High acidity makes it very fresh and lively  Medium (-) bodied I got intense aromas and flavors of lemon, white flowers, sea salt and lime zest.  It was delicious.  The finish was a tart and juicy affair that was medium in length.  A really nice wine that I think paired very well with our myriad of culinary angles.  I think this bottle retails for $23 and gets 90 points from me.  Serve chilled all summer long!  5 stars.  Salut….

Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Paso Robles, California

26 Thursday May 2022

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I would consider this as a deep purple colored wine that has some slow moving, thick legs in the glass.  The nose reeks of ripe, sun-drenched California Cabernet.  Blackberry, blueberry, black plum, coconut, vanilla, baking spices, eucalyptus, cassis and purple licorice.  The palate is dry with grippy tannins that I would call medium (+) in intensity.  Juicy acidity makes my jaw water and the full body on this wine coats my mouth with rich black fruit, spices and oak that is deftly worked in there.  This is a delicious wine folks.  It has an astringent yet short finish that may cost a point but this wine is very balanced overall and will pair beautifully with hearty game dishes, rich stews or a fatty cut of Ribeye on the grill.  I’m going with 92 points and would drink this $23 wine till 2030.  5 stars for this level of quality at that price.  Loving it.  Salut….

Costers del Priorat Petit Pissares 2016, Priorat, Spain

25 Friday Mar 2022

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Deep garnet in the glass with thick legs (14.5% ABV), this Garnacha/Carinena blend from Priorat has medium intensity aromas of baked plums, blackberry, raisins, black raspberry, coconut and some spice.  The baked/cooked aromas disappeared almost immediately.  The palate is dry with high acidity, medium (+) tannins, medium (+) body and medium (-) finish.  The fruit flavors are quite intense and I get the black raspberry, blackberry, some plum and spice but no oak-derived coconut.  Black and smoky Lapsang Souchong teas present on the mid palate and add to the tannic grip that has enveloped my gums.  I find this wine a bit of a conundrum- it is very primal in fruit, yet shows advances in age beyond its 6 years, I wonder if it was mishandled along the way.  Let me have a look.

I did some research, this wine should have lots of tertiary and secondary notes, instead, I get the baked and stewed fruit which is either very aged wine or heat damaged wine.  The flavors I get do not match the descriptions of where I bought this $23 bottle from.  I would love to revisit it I could get a good bottle.  For now, I would imagine it to hold up to the 90 point score the pros awarded.  It could potentially be a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Morande Adventure ‘Vigno’ 2017, Maule Valley, Chile

10 Thursday Feb 2022

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Primarily Carignan this Chilean red also has 8% Syrah and a splash of Chardonnay- yes, you read that right.  Whilst not very common, adding a white grape with red has been practiced for centuries, especially in the Northern Rhone Valley.  This one is a medium shade of ruby with pretty thick legs.  On the nose I get waves of red cherry, black cherry, sweet oak, floral notes, vanilla, baking spice, blackberry and some bramble.  Quite complex I must say.  The palate is dry with nicely integrated tannins that are present but not overpowering.  Medium acidity, medium body and a decently long finish wrap up the rather pronounced flavors of red and sour cherries, violets, blackberry, vanilla and baking spice.  I don’t get as much oak nuance on the palate as I got on the nose.  The finish is quite tart and juicy with the tannins starting to grip a bit more.  This reminds me of a youngish Sangiovese- lots of sour cherry, good acidity and back-end tartness.  I like this wine and would serve it with pasta and steaks.  It’s a decent wine for $23, like 91 points worthy which makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2027.  Salut….

Alpha Estate Hedgehog Vineyard Xinomavro 2018, Amyndeo, Greece

06 Sunday Feb 2022

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Our third wine of the evening (virtual wine tasting) was this Xinomavro from Greece.  Having never tried this varietal everyone was on an even keel starting out with some loving it and others hating it.

Reminiscent of Pinot or Nebbiolo this wine is see-through and has a beautiful shade of ruby in the glass.  It’s a vegetal wine with earthy tones on the nose alongside syrupy anise, white pepper, rhubarb, tomato and BBQ sauce (I know…..just go with it).

The palate is dry with high levels of tannin, medium acidity, medium body and a medium length finish.  Tart cherries are the flavor of the day- this wine was loaded with sourness which was off-putting to some.  Rhubarb, another tart component, was present as was cranberry.  See where I’m going here?  A touch earthy there was perhaps a bit of licorice as well.  This wine was revered by the New Jersey peeps, and poo-pooed by the Maryland crowd.  Technically speaking I gave it 90 points and feel it is worthy of a re-taste tonight after it has had some air.  For $23 you too can explore this Greek varietal and let us know your thoughts.  4 stars, with a drinking window till 2027.  Salut….

Milani 1985 Nero d’Avola 2020, Sicilia DOC, Italy

22 Friday Oct 2021

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It’s not often I see a Sicilian Nero D’avola so I picked this up on spec.  It pours  a semi opaque ruby in the glass with very watery legs.  The nose has pretty florals and red currant, red plum, sage and believe it or not- red chili. There is a sweet candy note that strikes fear into me as I hate that smell/taste in a wine- let’s see if it shows up on the palate.  Yum, this is very smooth and gently tannic.  Juicy acidity and a medium body weight give it a balanced mouthfeel.  The finish is a touch short but the acidity goes on for a while making me want to drink another sip.  The flavors are all there plus black cherry.  Listed at $23 it gets 89 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink soon with pasta, sausages with peppers or spaghetti bolognese.  Salut….

Chateau Senejac 2015, Haut-Medoc, France

14 Thursday Oct 2021

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This Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot weighs in at 13.5% ABV, a welcome change from some of the bombs I have had recently.  It is medium ruby in the glass and has a medium intensity nose.  The aromas I get are black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, plum, black tea, red licorice, mint and very subtle oak.  Not at all what I was expecting- red fruits in a Cab?  On the palate it is dry with juicy acidity.  The tannins are grippy and a touch underripe.  The flavors are somewhat muted but I do get the raspberry, some sour cherry and plum.  Black tea shows up on the mid-palate and the deft oak is barely perceptible.  The acidity is quite high on the finish as is the tannic grip.  The fruit fades quickly and I am left feeling like I stuffed a tea pouch between my cheeks.  I must say- this is a bit young and the fruit is hiding.  Give it time.  The pros went 92+ points and for $23 it’s a theoretical steal worthy of 5 stars.  I am reserving judgement and will open the other two bottles in a few years.  Drink from 2023-2030.  Salut….

Viña Mayor Reserva 2013, Ribera del Duero, Spain

08 Tuesday Jun 2021

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I was in my local wine shop the other day and came across this aged Tempranillo in the clearance section- for $ 23. I couldn’t pass it up, a Reserva FFS. In the glass it is slightly hazy, but a deep shade of ruby that I can barely see through. The nose is classic Spain- brambly with ink, huckleberry, sweet blackberry, smoky oak and a dusty component. The palate is a touch dry right off the bat, the tannins never got the message to settle down after 8 years. It’s a full onslaught, drying the gums and overpowering the fruit initially. I finally work my way through the astringent quagmire and start to enjoy the black and blue fruits. The tertiary notes are starting to appear with some leather, charcoal and black tea developing on the mid palate. The finish is a really dry affair with the tannic grip almost too much. I pity the fool who doesn’t like ’em dry. There is a decent acidic component but it is overcome by the tannic structure, a little out of balance methinks. This medium weight wine will pair (begs for) a fatty cut of meat, think Ribeye or Lamb chops. I would consider cellaring some for a while to allow the wine to mature even more, say till 2028. Right now the balance concerns me a bit and it will detract from the scoring, I would hope it softens over time. 89 points and 3 stars. Salut….

Apeloko Pinotage 2018, South Africa

17 Wednesday Feb 2021

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Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. It was cultivated in 1925 in South Africa, where it is the signature grape. This one is bright purple in the glass and is 75% opaque. The nose has black cherry, red licorice and a hint of Hoisin. The palate is textbook- tar, black cherry, blackberry and a medicinal hint. The tannins are very prominent right off the bat, coating my gums with dry grit. The mid palate offers additional flavors of mocha, espresso and more black fruit. The finish is appealing with a shot of acidity that rights the ship, bringing the tannins back in line. The flavor profile changes somewhat to a more red-fruit driven one, think sour cherries but with a minerality. The finish is decent in length and the tannic structure of this wine asks for a fatty cut of meat. My pairing is going to be Braised Lamb Shanks with sautéed Swiss chard and boiled carrots. 88 points for this wine that will drink till 2026. At $23, it gets 3 stars from me. Salut….