Tag Archives: 3 stars

Scott Peterson ROX All Blacks 2018, Sonoma, California

17 Tuesday Nov 2020

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This blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet is quite brooding in the glass. Dark purple and completely opaque. On the nose it has a sweet blackberry note alongside earthy herbs and violets. The palate is fruit forward with black cherry, blackberries and steeped plum notes. A dusty earthiness is ever present and some lithe tannins present at the mid palate. I sense the alcohol and just read the content- 14.9%…. careful out there. Black tea and iodine hit me on the back end as the tannic grip envelopes the mouth and melds with the fruit. It’s a tasty one for sure and I like the blend. It’s rich, rewarding and the structure is decent for medium term cellaring. Moxie is cooking up some stuffed Green Peppers, I think it will work nicely. Drink till 2023. 89 points and 3 stars for this $45 wine. Salut….

Rancho Campo Malbec 2019, Mendoza, Argentina

15 Sunday Nov 2020

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I’m cooking Lamb Shanks tonight so a Malbec made sense. This one is semi opaque and a medium shade of purple. Blueberry reduction, smoky wood and black licorice hit the nose. The palate has got a delightful sweet blackberry entrance with plums, anise and a very smooth mouthfeel. I sense raspberry on the mid palate, could that be? More licorice and that red fruit note are dominant with very svelte tannins and a touch of acidity. The finish is refreshing- it has an earthy minerality with some raspberry. The mouthfeel is great if you are looking for an easygoing wine that will not bite with tannins or acidity. Built for the present with tons of fruit, it will drink well till 2023 and gets 88 points from me. 3 stars for this $22 effort. Salut….

Quipster Merlot 2018, California

13 Friday Nov 2020

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I have been on a bit of a Merlot kick lately and this one had my name on it. It is semi opaque and a dark shade of purple in the glass. On the nose it gives off plum, cedar and spice box. Plums, baking spices and blueberry pie all hit the palate. Very fine grained tannins pop up on the middle palate along with more blue fruit flavors. There is a nice shot of acidity that keeps me on my toes, balancing out the tannins. There is a second wave of blueberry and plum flavors that really hit the back end, overriding the tannins and giving me a great fresh finish. Whilst not a big or complex wine, it drinks nicely and will do so till 2025. I’m pairing it up with some Steak and Cheese Hoagies. Should do the trick nicely. 88 points and 3 stars for this $15 wine. Salut….

Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2016, Veneto, Italy

09 Monday Nov 2020

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This wine was the third offering at the 11th Virtual Wine Tasting. I have drunk an absolute ton of this wine from earlier vintages and was really looking forward to introducing the Ripasso style of winemaking to my friends. Unfortunately, this wine has been a letdown of late. See my previous posts on the Zenato Ripasso.

Our tasters said the following: Semi opaque, dark purple.  On the nose- Blackberry jam, rich nose, floral, black licorice, peppery, leather, lilac.  On the palate, berry.  Sweeter that expected.  Sharp finish.  Spicy, green pepper, berry.  Velvety but slightly bitter on the back end.  Iodine and leather for the finish.

I was underwhelmed and am giving this wine 89 points yet again. For $25 it’s a solid 3 pointer but there are far better wines to spend that kind of loot on. Drink till 2025. Salut….

Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Napa Valley, USA

04 Wednesday Nov 2020

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It’s Election Day in the USA, so I had to pull this wine out- read the label again. In the glass it’s bright purple and semi opaque. On the nose- very interesting. Red berries, cedar and tobacco. Not exactly what I was expecting but fresh smelling. On the initial palate it is very different- rose-hip, strawberry extract and fruit cake all feature. The mid palate is fruit driven and delicious. A touch of acidity and some very lithe tannins are evident giving the wine a nice mouthfeel. The red fruit component continues and I also get violets and black cherry on the decent length finish. An enjoyable drop for short term drinking that gets 89 points from me. I last drank this wine in Napa with Moxie when we were on our way to Bali, with a stop in the Bay Area. At $30 it gets 3 stars. Drink till 2025. Salut….

Rabbit & Spaghetti Cabernet Shiraz Malbec 2018, Australia

30 Friday Oct 2020

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This blend of Cab Sav, Shiraz and Malbec is particularly dark and brooding in the glass. On the nose I get black currant, rose water and spice. The palate is much more focused on darker fruits, mainly blackberry with anise and coffee bean. The mid palate continues the theme with more black licorice poking through. There’s a gentle dose of tannins that give the wine structure but are not obtrusive. The finish is decent in length and tasty with more of the same. The balance in this wine is good and the fruit lingers along with the acidity and tannins. I am enjoying it for what it is- not overly complex but extremely drinkable with nice flavors, good backbone and medium term cellaring potential. Drink till 2025. 88 points and 3 stars for this $28 effort. Salut….

Idlewright Opulent Red 2017, Napa Valley, USA

29 Thursday Oct 2020

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Opaque and dark purple. The nose offers sweet blackberry, ripe black currants and mocha. It’s smells of Cali sunshine. The palate is very nice, but not as full as the nose. Black fruits galore with leather and chocolate powder. The mid palate is tasty with cassis and a bit of dusty bramble. Fine grained tannins ease into the mix and there is a touch of acidity that keeps this wine very balanced. It’s a delicious drop built for immediate pleasure. I would drink till 2024. My pairing tonight is pasta with olives and peppers plus a side of Italian sausage. 89 points and 3 stars for this $23 Grenache/Malbec blend. Salut….

Cellar Works Grenache Sangiovese 2019, South Australia

28 Wednesday Oct 2020

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I read the label, which tells me this wine is 44% Sangiovese, the balance- Grenache. Looking at the see thorough red hued glass I would have guessed it was a New World Pinot. It is so light and vibrant I can’t wait to taste.

The nose gives me red fruits and cedar. The initial palate is quite rich- a mouthful of raspberry pie with some Marashcino cherries. There is a juicy acidity right off the bat that makes this wine fresh. The red fruit theme continues with rhubarb in addition to rooibos tea and very fine grained tannins. The finish is quite tart, my teeth are a bit fuzzy. The raspberry flavors have given way to a sour cherry and rhubarb melange and the acidity is not to be trifled with. This is quite an interesting blend that is tasty yet slightly off balance with a ton of pH. It will drink well with rich sauced dishes or even a Mediterranean dinner. I would enjoy till 2025. 88 points and 3 stars for this $18 wine. Salut….

Fossil Point Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Paso Robles, California

26 Monday Oct 2020

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This Cab Sav is a beautiful dark purple in the glass and is nearly opaque. The nose is lush with black currants, flint and charred oak. On the palate it’s quite tart right off the bat. Black fruits, dark colas, sassafras and enamel searing tannins. The mid palate opens the wine up tremendously- still black fruits and now I get a nice minerality, some black tea, more cola and oak. The finish is surprisingly not as dry as I was fearing, it’s quite balanced with the tannic component really getting checked by the acidity and fruit. Anise, blackberry and vanilla are all present on the medium length finish. Drink till 2027, but if you fear the tannins- decant or aerate the heck out of this one. It’s tasty in the end and I give it 89 points. For $14, it’s a 3 star effort that will go well with my lamb tagine. Salut….

Richard Bruno Pinot Noir 2019, Clarksburg, California

26 Monday Oct 2020

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See through dark shade of red in the glass.  The nose has red currants and pomegranate.  The palate gives me mulling spices, currant reduction and dried red fruit.  There is a healthy dose of slightly green tannins that immediately dry out my gums.  The mid palate is quite astringent with notes of red fruit- mainly currants but a bit of rhubarb adding some acidity to the mix.  The finish is relatively short but I do get some really nice flavors and the tannins tend to mellow pretty quickly.  This one is a touch young and the greeness of the tannins worries me.  It’s not a subtle Pinot nor is it over-extracted, a nice balance of flavor, structure and freshness.  88 points and 3 stars for this $22 wine. Drink till 2027 with roast Chicken, perhaps eggplant parmigiana. Salut….