Tag Archives: 3 stars

Cameron Hughes Lot 737 Meritage 2018, Sierra Foothills, California

24 Saturday Oct 2020

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Bright purple, semi opaque in the glass.  On the nose- blueberries, plum and sizzlers red licorice.  On the palate it is rich and inviting with dark blue fruits, some charcoal notes and a touch of effervescence.  It’s slightly off-putting but the flavors of the fruit are very vibrant.  Medium tannins and a nice acidity greet me on the mid palate.  The fruit turns a little darker as it moves to the back end.  On the finish it shows off black licorice and that dark blue fruit melange.  The tannins keep a grip for a decent amount of time and the fruit holds on alongside.  It’s a decent bottle of Cab Franc/Petit Verdot, but the effervescence on the opening detracts and the score reflects.  87 points.  ** UPDATE ** This bottle was flawed, the effervescence an indicator of secondary fermentation. A subsequent bottle was much better, bumping the score up to 89. Drink this $17 till 2025- 3 stars.  Salut…

Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Carmenere 2016, Central Valley, Chile

18 Sunday Oct 2020

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When I started the Virtual Wine Tasting Company I wanted to educate my friends as best I could about as many varietals that we could find. This was the 39th different bottle thus far, and it has taken over as the most controversial wine yet. Some loved, others hated, and I mean with a passion. It stunk, like ass. I will just copy and paste my notes:

Bright purple in glass, nearly opaque. Fine legs.

Smells like the farm, very herbal, hay and cow pies. Funky.  Burnt plastic, bell pepper.

On the palate it offers black cherry, more funk, and is smooth.  Rounded. Not overly tannic nor acidic.  Well with cheese. 

This was an over-the-top expression of Carmenere that I enjoyed to a certain degree. Moxie gave it 1 point on my tasting scale because it was visually pleasing! I tried it on night 2 and it’s as funky as ever, not everyone’s cup of tea. I would give it 88 points from a technical standpoint but I honestly cannot recommend this $21 wine, it’s too much. The pro’s went massive on it with scores ranging from 93-94! Wowsa. Salut….

Badissa Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, IGT, Italy

08 Thursday Oct 2020

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Pale yellow in the glass. The nose is fruity with grapefruit, tangerine and a honeysuckle component.  On the palate it is a touch sweet with warmth from the honey note.  The citrus components are ripe and fresh with just a hint of acidity.  The mid palate is really nice, the mouthfeel being very round and balanced.  The finish is curt, weighing on the tangerine side of things and adds a nutty note at the end.  It’s a tasty wine to pop as you prepare dinner or enjoy it with salad nicoise.  88 points, drink till 2023. 3 stars for this $14 effort. Salut….

EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir 2017, Russian River Valley, USA

28 Monday Sep 2020

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This wine was part of the #9 Virtual Wine tasting. I made some notes from others at the event.

It is very extruded and rich looking in the glass- a dark shade or red/purple and nearly opaque.  On the nose I sense a sweet cherry pie note with a touch of Vanilla, black licorice and coffee.  It’s very interesting, that’s for sure.  On the palate I first get black cherry concentrate, chocolate and dare I say- overripe Reb berries?  The mid palate continues the theme with more dark chocolate, Dr. Pepper, licorice.  There is a modicum of tannins and a nice dose of acidity.  The finish is dark and dry.  The wine seems to be a touch sweet and getting more so as it airs out.  It’s not my favorite style of Pinot but it did well at the tasting and for me it’s a 91 point wine.  The complexity and depth are worthy of high marks.  At $40+ it’s a pass for me, but others who enjoy the new world boldness will dig this wine.  It got higher marks from the pros BTW.  3 stars in my book.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Kestrel Vintners ‘Falcon Series’ Merlot 2015, Yakima Valley, USA

12 Saturday Sep 2020

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This semi opaque Merlot is a light shade of purple in the glass.  The nose gives me red berries, cherry and anise- it’s very enticing.  On the palate it has a juicy intro with currants, more of that licorice note and some really integrated oak.  There is a modicum of tannic bite, but it is very lithe.  The mid palate has cocoa powder to go around the currants and some strawberry.  Nicely balanced acidity leads to a smooth mouthfeel that is super easy to drink.  The finish has a touch of dryness, a hint of acidity and loads of red fruits.  This wine has matured nicely for what it is and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  It drinks well by itself but I would also put it up against Filet, roast Game Hen or even Lasagna.  89 points from me makes this $25 wine a 3 star effort.  Really yummy.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….

KWV The Legend of Big Bill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

08 Tuesday Sep 2020

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It’s a rich shade of purple with thick legs and an opaque hue.  The nose is fresh, briny and full of purple fruits.  On the palate I get primal black berries, dark cherry and iodine laced oak.  The mid palate is fruity, juicy and shows off a slight tannic bite.  The dark fruits are well at play and overshadow the structural components.  The finish has a nice crunchy set of tannins that interplay with the fruit and acidity.  This wine is a touch green but I am enjoying it’s youth and basic fruitiness.  It has some structure for the short to medium term cellaring but I feel it won’t evolve too much.  This is a very decent everyday drinker that will serve well against burgers, ribs, pasta and pizza.  It gets 87 points from me and for $9 it’s a 3 star wine.  Drink till 2022.  Salut…

Cameron Hughes Lot 726 Charbono 2018, Napa Valley, California

03 Thursday Sep 2020

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It’s a very dark shade of purple in the glass, very inviting.  On the nose I get sweet blackberries, plum extract and cherry cola.  The palate is interesting- ripe black fruit, capsicum greeness, some cherry and dried fruit.  The mid palate is very fruit forward and I get tons more of that dark cherry cola note alongside some slightly green tannins that are a touch bitter.  The back end is very dry from the structure and there is a modicum of acidity.  If you like ’em dry, this one’s for you.  The finish is decent in length and continues the theme.  I like this wine but think it may have some ripeness issues.  88 points from me and drink till 2024.  For $18 this Charbono, also known as Bonarda, is a 3 star wine.  If you have never had this varietal, give it a try!  Salut….

Vinos Sin-Ley Gra2 Graciano 2011, Rioja DOCa, Spain

31 Monday Aug 2020

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I don’t recall ever having a pure Graciano, it’s normally used as a blending grape.  In the glass it is a pale shade of purple and is fully opaque.  On the nose I get charred plums, black berries and a stewed fruit note.  The palate is interesting with brooding dark fruits, oak and a vanilla bean note. The tannic structure is very well ingrained in this 9 year old bottle.  They are present but not foreboding.  The black fruits show up on the mid palate with a touch of bitterness, there is a green note too.  On the finish is where I get some nice acidity to go with the oaky fruit compote.  There is a nice dryness on the back end from the tannins.  The wine is a pleasure to drink but that midpalate greeness has me concerned.  This will drink well till 2025 and pair nicely with pasta, roasted chicken and certainly grilled steak.  I’m going 89 points and 3 stars for the $12 price point.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Lodi, California

17 Monday Aug 2020

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A pretty shade of purple and nearly opaque.  On the nose it’s brimming with red fruit, some oak and a red licorice note.  The palate is easy going- red berries, chocolate nibs, some oak and a touch of acidity.  The mid palate is very smooth with a smidge of tannin and more red fruit melange.  The finish is simple, decent in length and features the addition of cranberries with their inherent tartness.  This is a very basic wine that will feature well at a burgers and brats barbecue.  The tannins are very slight and the structure is not intended for much cellaring.  It’s a pop’n pour weekday quaffer that gets 86 points from me and at $15- 3 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Gundlach-Bundschu Estate Vineyard Merlot 2016, Sonoma Valley, USA

29 Wednesday Jul 2020

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Pretty dark and broody in the glass.  The nose gives me leather, smoke and a touch of oak alongside dark plums.  The palate is a bit obscure, the fruit is battling with a volatility that’s throwing me off.  I do get Charcoal, blackberries, more plum and that smoky leathery component.  It’s a rather interesting combo that really takes off on the mid palate, where the wine finally comes together.  Medium grade tannins don’t punish the gums but give the wine a nice structure.  They caress over the decent length finish that has a long, dry presence to go with the black berry and charcoal notes I tasted.  Overall this wine was much better on night 2, after the Virtual tasting #6.  I’m going 89 points and for $29 it gets 3 stars.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….