Tag Archives: 3 stars

Yohan Lardy Fleurie Le Vivier 2023, Beaujolais, France

09 Monday Jun 2025

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I wanted our virtual tasting group to try a cru Beaujolais, unfortunately this one wasn’t it…. Medium ruby bordering on garnet with a low viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose had medium intensity aromas of purple grapes, pepper and plum.  It was quite boring.  The palate had medium (-) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  Flavors of green pepper, grape, fresh peppercorns, and some plum gave way to a decently long finish that lifted the low score of this one-dimensional wine.  I scored it a mere 12 points on our tasting scale and awarded it 89 points on technical merit.  I paid $23 for this 3 star effort.  Drink till 2028. Salut….

Yohan Lardy Fleurie Le Vivier

Vazisubani Estate 3 Qvevri 2023, Kakheti, Georgian Republic

16 Friday May 2025

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Pale to medium amber colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of apricot, spun honey, white blossom, green almond, grapefruit, tangerine, and melon.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins (yes, orange wine has tannins!).  Medium intensity flavors of bitter apricots, honey, white blossom, grapefruit pith, tangerine skin and astringent green almond.  This wine is quite bitter, by design.  The fragrance of the honey, apricot and white blossom transcends into a pith driven tannic wine that is now giving me over-steeped white tea notes.  The finish is medium in length with the acidity finally overstepping the tannic grip.  An interesting blend of Rkatsiteli, Mstvane, and Kisi that has been fermented on the skins to dryness.  It gets 88 points from me and at $20, 3 stars.  Drink till 2028.  I am going to pair it with Vietnamese rolls and spicy dipping sauces.  Salut….

Vazisubani Estate 3 Qvevri

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal

27 Sunday Apr 2025

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Pale strawberry colored with slight staining, and high viscosity (20% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of chocolate covered raisins, Brazil nuts, blueberry compote, stewed black cherry, old railroad ties, and crushed/dried flower petals.  The palate is semi-sweet with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (-) tannins that are fully integrated.  Medium (+) intensity flavors echo the nose but there is a definitive streak of alcohol that burns on the way down.  There’s also a mid palate bitterness and some old wood influence.  The finish is quite long, but unfortunately quite hot as well.  Alcohol does not normally bother me, but this one is incessant.  At $55, it’s not your everyday dessert wine.  It’s a decent drop but I can only go 90 points, making it a 3 star wine.  Pair it with something sweet or cheesy.  Salut…..

Quinta Das Carvalhas 20-Year-Old Tawny Port

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2019, Rhone, France

06 Sunday Apr 2025

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Deep purple colored with copper highlights, slight staining, and a high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red and black raspberry, black cherry, violets, game, blackberry, black licorice, and saline.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are youthful and frontal.  The intensity of the palate is slightly less than the nose but echoes the varied red and black fruit, spice nuance and gamy note.  It’s a touch astringent, the tannins feel a bit green and persistent.  The alcohol is noticeable, not only on the nose, but on the mid palate and finish.  It eventually blows off.  The finish is medium (+) in length and concentrates on the black raspberry and game notes. I picked this wine to pair with rack of lamb, I think it will work out nicely, the tannins should resolve with the fat of the dish.  89 points from me for this Southern Rhone blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%), and Mourvèdre (10%).  At $17, it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau

Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino 2019, Tuscany, Italy

24 Monday Mar 2025

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The third wine of our virtual wine-tasting was this Sangiovese Grosso that was a little one-dimensional.  It started off with the color- pale garnet, with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose gave us medium intensity aromas of anise, sage, musty leather, red cherry and orange peel.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins.  Green leaf, slightly unripe red cherry, leather, barnyard, and pencil lead all took us to a medium length finish.  I was a bit underwhelemed by this $40 offering, giving it 15 points on our scoring sheet and 90 technical points, thus making it a 3 star effort.  It may be in a dumb phase as it did open up on night 2.  We paired it with leftover pepper steak and mashed potatoes.  I would cellar a bottle or two for a few years and drink by 2030.  Salut….


Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino

Perroud ‘Amethyste’ Brouilly 2018, Beaujolais, France

21 Friday Mar 2025

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Medium ruby tending to garnet colored, with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of violets, spring flowers, grape, acai berry, boysenberry,  red raspberry, and some baking spice.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors start off a little tart but they build into decently ripe fruit- red raspberry, acai berry, boysenberry and grape.  The florals I got on the nose are feint, as is the spice.  The whole package melds into a rather short, watery finish that leaves a touch of bitterness and tartness on the back end.  It’s an interesting wine as it keeps drawing me in for another sip.  Not one to argue- I oblige and find myself liking this wine even more by the sip even though it doesn’t merit a high technical score.  88 would be fair and for $20 it gets 3 stars.  I’m baking a  half duck to pair with this Gamay based wine.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Les Freres Perroud Amethyste Brouilly

Signature des Princes Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2023, Rhone, France

14 Friday Mar 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red raspberry, rhubarb, cranberry, acai berry, violet, orange peel, dusty oak (reminiscent of sawdust), licorice, and some spice box.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors with a touch of bitterness lead to a red-fruit dominated finish that is medium in length with some obvious heat coming through.  It’s quite nicely balanced except for the alcohol hit at the end. A blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre- typical for the region.  89 points from me and for $35, it gets 3 stars.  It will cellar nicely till 2028 and pair with lighter game, filet mignon or a hearty stew.  Salut….

Signature des Princes Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Kakhuri Gvinis Marani KGM Saperavi Argo Ceramic Bottle 2023, Kakheti, Georgian Republic

28 Friday Feb 2025

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Medium ruby colored with garnet edges, and a medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of briar, red raspberry, black cherry, tomato stalk, cranberry, kiln dried oak, and a vegetal note (not obnoxious btw).  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium  intensity flavors of slightly tart red raspberry, black cherry, dusty briar, tomato stalk, cranberry and that dried wood smell.  The wine thins out a bit on the back end and finishes on a light bodied, somewhat watery note.  Saperavi is a teinturier grape- the flesh is plum colored as well as the skin.  I was hoping for a bit more extraction in this $25 bottle but alas it was not meant to be.  86 points from me makes this a 3 star effort to try over the short term.  Salut….

Kakhuri Gvinis Marani Saperavi Argo Dry

Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2022, Burgundy, France

10 Monday Feb 2025

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Pale ruby colored fading to a platinum rim, with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose of this Pinot Noir has medium intensity aromas of forest floor, cranberry, white strawberry, pomegranate, vanilla, baking spices, and a green stalk note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light body, and low tannins that make for a very gentle and caressing mouthfeel.  The flavors are of medium (-) intensity and echo the nose particularly with the red fruit notes.  It’s not as earthy on the palate and the green notes are very feint.  The finish is a slightly tart affair that is medium in length and refreshing.  It’s a crisp red that is pleasing without being overly complex, a good weekday drop.  For $23 it’s a pretty decent bottle that gets 89 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink till 2027 with lighter meats, salmon or poultry.  Salut….

Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines

David Akiyoshi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Clarksburg, California

15 Wednesday Jan 2025

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Medium ruby with garnet highlights, slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.4% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of candied raspberry, red plum, cranberry jam, cedar, tomato leaf, and pomegranate- decidedly red fruit driven.  The palate is ever-so slightly off-dry, with medium acidity, medium (+) body, and medium tannins.  The red fruit is sweet in nature and off-putting tbh.  It tastes a little manufactured and will likely appeal to many, just not me.  The structure is decent with some neat tannins, but nothing that screams ‘I’m a Cabernet Sauvignon’.  The finish is a little hot and medium (-) in length.  Whilst pleasant to drink, it will pair nicely with lighter meats or BBQ.  I would drink this 84 pointer till 2027.  For $12, it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

David Akiyoshi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon