Tag Archives: 3 stars

Millbrook Pinot Noir, New York

14 Sunday Nov 2021

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Pale ruby with watery legs (13%ABV).  The nose offers up nice aromas of red cherry, strawberry, earth, some funk and a medicinal note.  The palate is dry, medium bodied and slightly tart with lithe tannins.  The red fruit I expect from Pinot is dominant here with very little secondary flavors.  It is primal and fruity, if somewhat one-dimensional.  The finish is mid length and juicy.  I like it.  It’s not a Cru Burgundy but it is very serviceable.  At $26 it’s a bit pricy for an 89 point wine.  3 stars, drink till 2026.  Salut….

Domaine Paul Pernot Bourgogne Cote d’Or Chardonnay 2018, Burgundy, France

12 Friday Nov 2021

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This Burgundian Chardonnay has an interesting color, it’s almost peach-like and quite deep.  The nose is quite fruity and floral with lemon, lime, geranium, pineapple and persimmon.  A nutty component akin to hazelnuts hits as well.  On the palate it is crisp and refreshing.  The fruit flavors are more tropical than citrus driven with pineapple and melon dominating.  The nuttiness remains albeit nuanced.  The acidity is en pointe with this wine, you barely notice it unless you start to wonder about it.  The wine is mid-weight and has a long finish with layers of tropical fruit interwoven with some minerality and citrus notes.  It begs for a Cobb salad or some steamed shellfish.  I am enjoying it chilled and think it will drink well for another few years.  89 points from me for this $30 wine make it a 3 star effort.  Salut….

Millbrook Vineyards and Winery Hunt Country Red 2018, New York

11 Thursday Nov 2021

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This bottle was a gift, for delivering a rescue dog to her new home in upstate New York.  We had fostered Victoria for a month and when it was time for her to meet new friends- it was off to the horse farm with her.  The new family were super happy to meet her and gave me two bottles of the local reds.  This one is a blend of 49% Merlot, 40% Cab Franc and 11% Syrah.

Semi opaque, bright ruby.  The nose is medium intense and gives me red cherry, red currants, raspberry, red plum and spice box- like baking spices.  The palate is dry, medium bodied and has juicy acidity and mid grade tannins.  The fruit flavors are of medium intensity and I get the red notes as well as the spice.  There is very little oak showing but I do get a strange sensation, almost like effervescence yet there are no bubbles.  It’s unique, something new to me.  As I drink more of it there is a definitive red cherry candy component and the glass wafts a touch of straw if swirled a lot.  The tannins I mentioned are very lithe yet hang on for a long time, far longer than the fruit which is pretty decent in length.  Overall, it’s a decent drop that gets 87 points from me.  It runs $13 and gets 3 stars from me.  Drink now with lighter fare, perhaps a pasta dish with veggies.  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….

NV Les Caves du Sieur d’Arques Crémant de Limoux Aimery 1531 Cremant Brut, France

18 Monday Oct 2021

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I take my WSET Level 3 exam tomorrow night so I thought I would get a sparkler in before the deadline.  This one is pale lemon in color and has medium bubbles/mousse.  The nose is of medium intensity with aromas of green apple, lemon, bread, biscuit and herbs.  The palate is dry (A Brut can have 0-12 g/l of residual sugar).  Medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, medium body, delicate mousse and medium intensity flavors of biscuit, lemon, green apple and those herbs, it’s actually quite simple.  The finish is medium in length and certainly tangy from the acid.  If you like dry (ie. not a touch of sweetness) sparkling wine made in the Method Trtaditionelle which imparts the bread/yeast/brioche/dough flavors then this charming $20 wine is right up your alley.  88 points from me make it a 3 star effort.  I’m thinking oysters.  Drink now.  Salut….

Famille Perrin Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2015, Rhone, France

17 Sunday Oct 2021

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In the final throes of studying for my WSET Level 3 exam comes the single page of text devoted to Fortified Muscats- well I had to try one.  This particular bottle came in 375ml and costs $25.  The wine is medium gold and has watery legs even though it sports a 15% ABV since it’s has been fortified.  It has a pronounced nose, ie I get a whiff when approaching the glass.  The aromas are perfume, rose water, lychee and flowers.  Delicious notes, but rather simple.  The palate is medium (-) sweet and viscous.  Medium (-) acidity and low alcohol gives me a medium weight body.  The palate reveals medium (+) intensity flavors of rose, lychee, orange peel and apricots.  The finish is medium in length and very satisfying.  I really like this style- it’s a touch fresher than a Botrytised wine and the aromatics of the Muscat grape are heavenly.  Overall this wine would be classed as good in the Lexicon and I am awarding it 89 points and 3 stars.  I will probably buy more as Moxie and I really enjoyed it.  Drink with desserts till 2025 as it will age a bit and hopefully pick up some tertiary notes.  Salut….

Louis Max ‘Haut Vallee’ Pinot Noir 2019, Vin de France

10 Sunday Oct 2021

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I’m cooking Beef Bourguignon which calls for a Pinot Noir, preferably from Burgundy.  As luck would have it I happen to have two bottles of this $10 South of France wine ready to go.  The skeptics will question whether you can get decent Pinot for that price- I’m here to report.  It looks about right: pale, see-through ruby.  Medium density aromas of primal red cherry, pomegranate, stewed strawberry and a spice note.  Not overly complex, but interesting nonetheless.  The palate is very pleasant with red fruits including cherry, light tannins, medium acidity and a decent length finish.  Very little if any oak was used here, freshness and price were probably the prime considerations.  I like it for what it is and considering most of it will end up in the stew- I think it works great!  87 points from me makes this a 3 star wine to be drunk asap.  Salut….

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte ‘Le Petit Haut Lafitte’ 2015, Pessac-Leognan, France

28 Saturday Aug 2021

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The second wine of Chateau Smith Haut Lafite, this vintage is highly rated so I had to pick up this bottle.  It’s a deep garnet, showing a bit of bottle age.  The nose is quintessential Bordeaux- graphite, plum, cassis, blackberry, smoky oak and black tea. The palate is a little awkward at first, the somewhat green tannins are fighting me with a hint of astringency.  Once I get past the onslaught of black tea on my gums I get the classic fruit flavors along with medium acidity.  The finish is mid length but the grip of those tannins is ferocious, lingering for a good minute.  This wine is a bit young and disjointed right now but it holds promise for cellaring.  Overall I think it warrants 89 points and for $45, it is a good introduction to the Graves appellation.  3 stars, drink from 2024-2030.  Salut….

Mac Forbes Pinot Noir 2016, Yarra Valley, Australia

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

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When I drank this wine at my mates place, I was thinking of my wine course so I used the standard lexicon to describe it.  Having said that, I will add a few personal notes.  I’ve never had a wine from Yarra Valley.  A cooler climate area that allows Pinot to grow, I found this wine to be well developed, almost over the hill at a mere 6 years of age.  Perhaps my mate Johny stored it incorrectly?  It was tasty to be sure, but was very much ripe and stewed.  It may have a few years left but drink now to enjoy it the most.  I give it 90 points even though it got upwards of 93 from the pros.  At $30 plus, it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut…

  • Pale tawny
  • Nose- medium intensity strawberry, cranberry, red cherry, earth and game.  Developing
  • Palate-dry, medium – acidity, medium – body, medium – tannins, medium intensity flavors of strawberry, red cherry, earth, cooked strawberry and sour?.  Medium finish.
  • Conclusion- acceptable quality to be drunk now, but has potential for ageing.

The Messenger Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa Valley, California

20 Tuesday Jul 2021

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I’m looking forward to this wine, to be paired with grilled Tri-Tip. For a Napa Cab, it shows a little lighter in the glass, with medium ruby color and thin legs. On the nose I have to battle the alcohol first, swirling like mad and blowing the fumes away. Once there I get blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, cloves, smoke and yet more alcohol. On the palate this wine is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins which are softened by the addition of Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. It has a good body and the flavors are really juicy- more of the black fruits, the oak influence and I also get a black tea component. The alcohol is making it fuller on the mouthfeel but I can feel it on the back end, definitely present in this one. The finish is pretty decent in length with the tea outlasting the fruit. I think this is a decent wine, but not something to rave about. It will drink well till 2026 and pair great with steaks. 88 points from me and for $ 22 it gets 3 stars. Salut….