Tag Archives: 4 stars

Firefly Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Stephanie 2012, Coombsville, California

11 Monday May 2026

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Deep ruby, inky, opaque… with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.9% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe blackberry, cassis, black plum, mint, oak, smoke, licorice, acai berry, and alcohol.  It’s quite potent.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are melding into a powdery texture.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of dark berries, blackcurrant jam, mint, oak nuance and licorice.  The heat is noticeable on the back end.  The finish, whilst a bit hot, is medium in length and laced with dark fruit and silky tannins.  I like this wine’s flavor but the alcohol is out of balance, it takes over the nose and the palate and costs the score a point or two.  It retails for around $65.  I give it 91 points, which makes it a 4 star effort in my books.  Drink till 2035 with a hearty steak or braised beef dish.  Salut….

Firefly Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Stephanie

Havens Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Mendocino County, California

01 Friday May 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe blackberry, charred cedar plank, eucalyptus, mint, powdery dirt/dust, acai berry, blueberry, black plum, and baking spice.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins that are melding nicely.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit, with some charred wood notes, and a herbal twist.  No sign of eucalyptus or mint, but there is a green note.  The finish is medium (+) in length and very pleasing.  A nice Cabernet from Mendocino County that gets 91 points from me and for the $52 price point, 4 stars.  Drink till 2030 with Beef and Lamb dishes.  Salut….

Havens Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino

St. Giorgio Super Tuscan 2020, Toscana IGT, Italy

30 Thursday Apr 2026

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Medium purple colored, with high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of cherry, pomegranate, candied red licorice, oak, and a green vegetal hint.  The palate is dry, with medium (-) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are pretty grippy.  Medium intensity flavors of black cherry, ripe pomegranate, rhubarb, and a touch of oak.  The finish is medium (-) in length and the tannins hang on past the fruit- they are rather aggressive, indicating youth and possibly more cellaring capacity.  I picked this Tuscan blend (Sangiovese, perhaps Cabernet Sauvignon, and maybe Merlot) up for $16.  It gets 89 points from me making it a 4 star effort.  Think pasta with Ragu, or a hunk of beef to pair with.  Salut…..

St. Giorgio Toscana

Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023, Burgundy, France

28 Tuesday Apr 2026

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Pale garnet colored, with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of pomegranate, cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, bark, with a touch of some herbal/vegetal notes.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins that are surprising.  Medium intensity flavors of red fruit coupled with the lively mouthfeel make for a delightful, if somewhat one-dimensional experience.  The finish is medium (-) in length.  Overall, a very serviceable Pinot that runs $16 and gets 89 points from me making it a 4 star effort.  It’s a midweek pop-n-pour, no cellaring required or warranted.  Salut….

Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir

Forte Incanto Primitivo 2021, Salento IGT Puglia, Italy

27 Monday Apr 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of prunes, stewed blackberry, a medicinal note, brambleberry, purple licorice, and a slightly green vegetal note.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors offer up much the same as the nose, the plums, blackberry, cherry et al have a slightly cooked/stewed slant- indicating maturity of the wine.  It’s kinda young to be showing that level of age.  The mouthfeel however, is silky smooth.  I am actually enjoying this wine more than I thought when I first smelled it.  The finish is medium in length and adds a point or two for its redeeming qualities.  I would say this is a drink-now 89 pointer that gets 4 stars for its $17 price point.  Salut….

Forte Incanto Primitivo

Justice Pinot Noir 2024, Sonoma Coast, California

15 Wednesday Apr 2026

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13.4% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red cherry, strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate, red licorice, and orange blossom.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of red fruit, with rhubarb interjecting its sour note, along with some crunchy tannins.  I doubt this wine has seen any oak, purity of fruit is what’s on offer here.  The finish is medium (+) in length, garnering some points.  It’s a decent drop overall, but it lacks much depth and complexity.  I paid $10, reduced from $15 at Costco.  I would say it gets 89 points and for that price- 4 stars.  I am planning to pair it with Cod, and soft shelled crabs- I know…. not typical.  Drink now.  Salut….

Justice Pinot Noir

Weingut Markus Huber Terrassen Gruner Veltliner 2023, Traisental DAC, Austria

05 Sunday Apr 2026

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We tasted this wine chilled and then at room temperature at the 43rd virtual wine tasting, held over Zoom.  It was pale lemon colored, with low viscosity, (12.5% ABV).  The nose had medium intensity aromas of pear, lemon, green apple, nectarine, lanolin, lemon pith, and a hint of the telltale white pepper.  The palate was dry, with high acidity, and a medium (-) body.  Medium (-) intensity flavors included pineapple, semi-ripe pear, apricot, green apple and the pepper note.  A medium length finish was noted.  I enjoyed the chilled version, giving it 91 points and on our tasting sheet- 14 points.

The room temperature version was less intense on the nose, with slightly different aromas and flavors.  Honeydew melon, green apple, honeysuckle, white pepper, more pith than when chilled, persimmon, and apricot.  The wine felt less acidic, rounder and more full bodied- waxy.  The finish was slightly longer, yet I did not enjoy it as much.  It garnered 89 points and only 12 /20 on the sheet.  I would drink this $22 wine chilled over the next few years with fresh seafood, perhaps a chicken salad.  4 stars.  Salut….

Huber Terrassen Gruner Veltliner

Chateau Carbonnieux 2020, Pessac-Leognan, France

13 Friday Mar 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, blackberry, cassis, tobacco, bramble berry, ink, cedar plank, a touch of vanilla and chocolate.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are quite chalky.  Medium (+) intensity flavors are noted and the finish is medium (-) in length.  The tannins are really plush, the wine offering a great mouthfeel.  I like this Bordeaux blend of 60% Cab Sav, 30% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.  It gets 90 points, and at $55- 4 stars.  It would have scored higher if the finish had more to offer.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Chateau Carbonnieux

Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012, Tuscany, Italy

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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Pale to medium garnet colored with medium tanning and medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of tobacco, leather, tar, ripe cherries, prunes, a medicinal note, crushed/dried rose petals,  spice, and tamarind. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and medium tannins that are fully integrated. Medium (+) intensity flavors confirm the nose, especially that tamarind note that I got. It’s quite silky and quite high in acidity. A cherry note hits on the back end where the finish is medium in length. This is a decent Brunello. Nothing major. It gets 90 points for me. At $40 for newer vintages, it’s a 4 star effort.  Drink till 2032.

Bonacchi Podere Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino

Duorum Tinto 2020, Douro, Portugal

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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The second wine of our virtual tasting was this Portugues blend.  Deep garnet in color with a medium (+) viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, ripe blueberry, black cherry, vanilla, and a medicinal note.  Medium (-) acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins were noted.  On he plate we also got licorice in addition to the aromas already mentioned.  A pleasant, medium length finish made this an 89 point wine for me.  At $18 this wine delivered nicely and gets 4 stars.  It’s already approaching six years of age, it will last another half dozen.  Salut….

Duorum Tinto