Tag Archives: 4 stars

Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2012, Pauillac, France

18 Thursday Jul 2019

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Nearly black and opaque in the glass.  On the nose I get gorgeous blackberries and fruitcake with a touch of mint.  On the palate it is fresh, young, fruity and chock full of black fruits, cedar, scrumptious tannins and a slight hint of cassis.  Tobacco and leather are evident on the mid palate which totally excites me and hints at long term evolution in line with traditional Bordeaux.  The tannic structure is amazing, very lithe at the beginning with a steady rise to a crescendo of black tea dryness.  92 points and 4 stars for this $50 Fifth Growth.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Murrieta’s Well The Spur Red 2016, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Dark purple, opaque.  On the nose I get red fruits, mainly raspberries and dark cherry. On the palate I sense a definitive Cali sunshine component that differentiates this blend from a more traditional Medoc. It’s more fruit forward and fresher.  There’s more concentration and the wine is rich.  I start to get plums, black currants and quinine on the mid palate.  This is multidimensional and very tasty with a nice tannic structure and good acidic balance.  I would suggest a few years in cellar and then let ‘er rip till 2028.  Steaks, rich stew in the fall or osso bucco beg for this 91 point blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 22% Petite Sirah, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec.  $35 and 4 stars.  Salut….

 

Murrieta’s Well Petit Verdot 2017, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Dark purple in the glass.  On the nose there’s sweet lingonberry, French oak notes and charcoal.  On the palate this wine is delicious- black fruits galore. Lilac, delicious oak without the flab and gorgeous tannins all caress my palate.  The finish is super duper….long, a touch dry with that dark fruit jam that is delicious.  92 points $56 makes this a 4 star effort that was the wine of the day for me.  Drink till 2028 with all sorts of meats and stews.  Salut….

Murrieta’s Well Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Dark purple in the glass with long legs.  93% cab, 5% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.  On the nose I get rich plum, blackberry, cocoa and cedar.  On the palate I am surprised yet delighted by the rich cherry flavor that hits initially.  The wine offers up the more traditional plums and black fruit later, alongside very lithe tannins that sneak up.   Balance is great in this wine, just a touch of acidity to keep the dryness in check and allow the fruit to shine.  There’s a certain warmth that closes out the midlength finish that I’m enjoying.  This wine is drinking nicely now and will improve with age.  Drink till 2026 with steaks!  92 points and 4 stars for this $62 wine.  Salut….

Murrieta’s Well Tempranillo 2017, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Very dark purple.  On the nose it is showing off sweet blackberries with a spicy component.  Plum reduction also comes to mind.  On the palate sour plum combines beautifully with blackberry and coffee bean.  The midpalate introduces the tannins which ramp up nicely to caress the gums on the finish without being too dry and obtrusive.  Drink now till 2024 with game dishes, charcuterie or all by itself.  91 points makes this $50 charmer a 4 star wine.  I was impressed BTW.  Salut….

 

Murrieta’s Well Dry Orange Muscat 2018, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Very pale yellow.  Blood oranges, gardenia, rose water all hit my nose- from a foot away.  This is very aromatic.  On the palate it tastes just it smells- plus lychee.  Delicious and tight. 90 points and 4 stars even though it’s a bit pricey at $38, it’s a treat.  Salut….

Nativ ‘Eremo San Quirico’ Aglianico Irpinia Campi Taurasini 2015, Campania, Italy

09 Sunday Jun 2019

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Wow- 99 points form one critic, I just had to try it!  Then I realized the pro in question rates on a different scale. It looks pretty dark in the glass, but there’s an effervescence appearing on the top that concerns me- either a tainted glass or something in the wine.  On the nose I’m getting currants, cherry and bramble.  The palate is quite sweet, with layered blackberry jam/blackcurrant reduction.  This wine is very thick and juicy, loaded with fruit extract.  There’s a nice dose of tannins that gently appear on the midpalate, melding with the dark fruits and carrying the wine to a nice, balanced finish of black berries, black currants and black tea leaf.  There’s a Ribena note right at the end that I’m enjoying.  This is a solid 91 pointer that will drink nicely till 2024.  I’m going 4 stars at $30 for this Aglianico.  Salut….

If you look close- effervescence in the glass

World’s End ‘If 6 were 9’ Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, USA

09 Sunday Jun 2019

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Bright purple with nice legs in the glass.  Sweet blackberries on the nose with a vanilla bean twist.  On the palate it is crisp, dry and delicious. Black cherry jam with blackberries topped with some espresso beans.  The mid is more blueberries and plum, the tannins smoothing out.  The finish has black fruits, tea, olive and a good whack of tannic grip.  There’s a lot going on here folks, very intricate.  92 points and 4 stars for this $48 Napa beauty.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Matt Parish Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Napa Valley, USA

09 Sunday Jun 2019

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Dark shades of purple in the glass.  The nose is overflowing with blackberries.  There’s a slight oak tint as well as blueberry torte once the blackberry subsided.  On the palate it is a touch astringent right up front but good fruit structure rolls in as well as some gripping tannins.  Black stone fruits are the main focus, with violets and cranberries- for their tartness- seem to coexist.  The tannins are relentless. Aerating would be key here unless you have a fatty, juicy steak.  Nice finish with blackberry and dry tea.  Astringent as heck but mouth watering and tasty.  90 points and 4 stars for this $40 effort.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Glenelly ‘Glass Collection’ Syrah 2013, Stellenbosch, South Africa

21 Sunday Apr 2019

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Wow- inky, dark, thick and brooding in appearance.  The nose is focused, plum torte and blackberry extract are my first impressions.  On the palate it’s full of dark fruits, tar, mint and a meaty component.  The tannins are so mild, melded and unobtrusive- making this a great sipping wine.  It’s flavorful, easygoing, adaptable yet complex.  The finish is really smooth with nice blackberry jam and bacon notes.  Medium length.  This is not a dry nor sweet wine- just nicely balanced between the extremes.  Drink till 2022.  90 points and 4 stars for this $20 effort.  The pros went higher, perhaps I need to re-calibrate!  Salut….