Tag Archives: $35

Maldonado Proprietary Red Wine 2017, Napa Valley, California

25 Sunday Sep 2022

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Deep ruby colored with really thick, slow moving legs.  The nose has a whiff of alcohol that needs to dissipate- I now get pronounced aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice, smoke, coffee, vanilla and menthol.  The cassis is en pointe.  On the palate this wine is  dry with medium acidity and high tannins (I forgot to mention the it stained the walls of the glass when I swirled).  A full body was to be expected and I get rich flavors of ripe blackberry, black plum, cassis and the associated oak derived notes and menthol. The richness of this wine continues on to a medium (+) length finish.  It’s a delicious blend of Cab Saver, Syrah and Merlot that gets 93 points from me and for $35- 5 stars.  Drink with hearty meat (steak) till 2029.  Salut….

Schug Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir 2009, Carneros, California

31 Sunday Jul 2022

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This is the last of my 2009 Schug Pinot.  I first drank it 10 years ago and really enjoyed it. With cellaring this wine has turned to a pale garnet color.  I get pronounced aromas of stewed cherry and strawberry, bakers spice, cardamom, orange peel, cherry cola, vanilla, butterscotch/caramel and red plum compote.  Very complex and intriguing.  The palate is dry and delicious.  Low tannins coupled with medium acidity and medium (-) body lead me to quite pronounced flavors of cooked red fruit, spices, oak nuance and tertiary notes along with the cola and caramel.  The finish is medium in length and very smooth.  I have been amazed at how this wine has evolved- stunning, with years left.  Drink till 2026 with white meat or even strong fish dishes- think grilled Mackerel or Salmon on the plank.  92 points and for $35 it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Amalthea Cellars Legends Edition Europa I 2019, Outer Coastal Plain, New Jersey

22 Wednesday Jun 2022

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We visited this winery a year ago and had a great time.  Part of the visit was spent on the patio sipping Sur Lie Chardonanny and talking to one of the wine makers, he was kind enough to give us a sampling of this Bordeaux blend (75% Cab Sav, 20% Merlot and 5% Cab Franc).  In the glass it is medium ruby and possibly unfiltered?  The nose gives me green pepper, blackberry, licorice, pencil shavings, blueberry pie, black plum  and some charred wood.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins.  Flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum dominate but the licorice and charred wood do come through.  The green pepper and pencil shavings are nowhere to be found.  The wine is medium bodied and has a slightly tart, medium length finish that I am enjoying.  This is a decent wine that gets 88 points from me.  Drink till 2026 with burgers, filet or roast duck.  At $35 per bottle it is a 3 star wine in my books.  Salut….

Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas ‘Les Souteyrades Vieilles Vignes’ 2019, Rhone, France

18 Saturday Jun 2022

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I drank the 2017 Les Souteyrades back in October, served with Tri-tip roast, and loved it.  Tonight is a repeat with this newer vintage.  Medium ruby colored in the glass it offers up medium intensity aromas of red raspberry, black cherry, licorice, spicy oak, dried thyme and bacon fat.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins, a medium (+) body and delicious flavors of raspberry, black cherry, spice, toasted oak and licorice. The finish is long and a touch astringent from the tannins that are very smooth, of medium intensity yet persistent.  I like this $35 blend of Grenache and Mourvedre a lot , like 94 points worth.  I would drink/cellar this 5 star effort till 2032 at the least, it will develop nicely.  Salut….

Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards Griffon’s Key Reserve Grenache 2019, McLaren Vale, Australia

04 Saturday Jun 2022

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This Grenache is rather light, I would say pale ruby in the glass.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of raspberry, red cherry, violets, pomegranate and dried spices.  The palate is dry and lively with ripe red fruit, medium acidity, lithe tannins and a medium body.  The floral and spice components are not as pronounced on the palate but I now get some charred wood and rooibos tea instead.  The finish is medium in length and a touch tart, refreshing.  I like this $35 effort and give it 93 points and 5 stars.  It will drink well now and age gracefully till 2030.  Pair with lighter meat dishes or even poultry.  Salut….

Luminous Hills Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2015, Yamhill-Carlton District, Oregon

13 Wednesday Apr 2022

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This Pinot Noir is pale ruby, bordering on garnet which is commensurate with its 7 years of age.    The nose has quite pronounced aromas of red and black cherry, baking spice, cranberry, rooibos tea, orange peel, strawberry compote and a touch of heat.  The palate is dry with very rich flavors of cherry (red and black), stewed red fruit and the other notes I mentioned.  Medium bodied, it has lithe, integrated tannins and medium (+) acidity.  The mouthfeel is great with the richness of the fruit balancing the acidity whilst the tannins give a touch of dryness.  The alcohol is not an issue at this point.  The finish is relatively short but packed with fruit.  I really like this wine- it drinks so easily and delivers lots of red fruit with a bunch of secondary and tertiary notes.  For $35 it is a very good Oregonian Pinot that shows off some New World fruit-forward notes alongside some Old World elegance and tertiary notes from aging.  92 points and 5 stars.  Drink till 2028 with some grilled poultry or a slab of charred Mackerel.  Salut….

Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee 2016, Alexander Valley, California

01 Friday Apr 2022

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Deep garnet colored, this Zinfandel is showing a touch of age.  Besides a whiff of alcohol right off the bat- the nose has aromas of stewed blueberry, vanilla, black plum, clove and purple licorice.  The palate is dry and tannic with juicy acidity and a full body.  The flavors are quite complex- there’s a touch of stewed/cooked fruit showing the wine’s age, plus some oak influence as well as primal fruit still hanging in there.  The finish is grippy and the acid really hits the tongue and jaw on the medium length finish.  This is not the usual overly extracted and jammy Zin, it has some good fruit and structure and needs a spicy meat dish like middle eastern spiced lamb kofta.  90 points for this $35 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

 

Bodegas y Vinedos Valderiz ‘Valderiz’ 2017, Ribera del Duero, Spain

30 Wednesday Mar 2022

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I attended a wine tasting course last night and ended up scoring this bottle with my team- by request.  I knew I had a newer vintage of the same wine at home so I wanted to do a vertical.  I will report on both strictly by using the Systematic Approach to Tasting.

  • Deep Ruby
  • Medium (+) nose with aromas of earthy dust, bramble, dried cherry, orange peel, black cherry, dried tarragon- this wine is developing.
  • Dry, medium (-) acidity, medium (+) tannins, high alcohol, medium (+) body, medium intensity flavors of earthy dust, bramble, dried cherry, orange peel, black cherry, dried tarragon and vanilla with a medium finish.
  • Very Good quality
  • Drink now, suitable for aging or further aging

I thought this was a little thin on the palate compared to the nose, my partners agreed.  I would give it 91 points and for $35 it gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Carmelo Patti Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Mendoza, Argentina

27 Sunday Feb 2022

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The red wine portion of the 25th Virtual Wine Tasting was focussed on oak and it’s influence on wine.  I purchased this Cab Sav that the winemaker ages is used barrels as a baseline.  The single varietal coupled with old oak would give us a starting point to build from.  Here is what the group had to say:

Deep garnet with a touch of bricking on this 10 year old wine that was showing fine legs in the glass.  The nose had very obvious aromas of cherry Coke/Pepsi.  Black cherry, black raspberry, dark chocolate, leather, smoky, woodsy spice and bramble.  On the palate this wine was smooth with medium (-) acidity, medium body, very fine and well-integrated tannins with a decently long finish.  On the palate we got black cherry, dark chocolate, licorice, bramble, leather and what can only be described as ‘BandAid’ by one of the group.  I scored this wine 15 marks, and then later upped it to 17 once it had had a chance to breathe.  No further reports of that plastic component!  91 points for this very svelte $35 bottle gets it 4 stars in my book.  I would drink this wine all by itself- it’s at peak now.  Salut….

Dr. Konstantin Frank Hilda Chardonnay 2020, Finger Lakes, New York

09 Wednesday Feb 2022

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This Finger Lakes Chardonnay is a very pale shade of lemon in the glass.  The nose is an explosion of aromas- lemon, grapefruit, tangerine spritz, candle wax, honeysuckle and orange blossom.  It is very clean and precise.  The palate is dry with bracing acidity and tons of citrus and floral notes.  The focus is on lemon and tangerine but I also get a hint of green apple and quince.  The cutting acidity is very refreshing so is the lack of any Malolactic fermentation.  This Chardonnay is made in a much leaner style than some of the flabby, buttery ones from out West.  Medium to full bodied, it has great structure and balance that leads to a medium length finish.  I drank it at the winery and reviewed it very casually- giving it 91 points which is the same figure here.  $35 makes it a 4 star wine that I will be pairing Salmon with.  Drink over the next few years with seafood or white meat.  You can read my write-up at https://caspernick.com/2022/01/15/dr-konstantin-frank-winery-tasting/ Salut….