Tag Archives: 4 stars

Giant Steps Pinot Noir 2021, Yarra Valley, Australia

18 Saturday Nov 2023

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Next up at the 33rd virtual tasting was this lovely Pinot.  I drank this a few months ago at a birthday dinner and loved it, hence the re-taste for our group.  It’s a pale garnet color with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of strawberry kick things off followed by barnyard funk, cranberry, strawberry, strawberry shortcake and ‘cardboard box filled with cherries’ from one of the tasters.  On the palate it is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (-) tannins.  A Medium (-) body carries the delicious cherry, strawberry, baking spice and pomegranate flavors through to a medium length finish.  I enjoyed tasting this wine again, perhaps not as much as the first time but gave it 15 points on our sheet and a 92 rating.  For $43 it gets 4 stars from me.  Drink with lighter meat dishes till 2030.  Yummy stuff.  Salut….

Ixsir Grande Reserve White 2019, Batroun, Lebanon

18 Saturday Nov 2023

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We tasted this Viognier based blend last night at the 33rd Virtual Wine Tasting event.  As per usual it was scored at room temp as well as chilled.  We normally see a preference for room temp whites but this bottle was the opposite.

Pale lemon with high viscosity (14.6% ABV).  Medium (-) aromas of minerality, honeysuckle, peach, pear and nectarine.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity and a full body.  Stone fruit dominant there were also flavors of honeysuckle and that rocky minerality.  A medium (-) length finish detracted some points for an overall rating of 10 for me on our scoring sheet.

Served chilled- the wine really took on its own with more noticeable peach, a touch of lemon and that honeysuckle.  On the palate is was slightly less acidic but fuller bodied, opposite of what I was imagining would happen.  The palate mirrored the nose with the addition of a pithy bitterness towards the mid palate.  The finish seemed to linger longer and the wine scored higher, 12 on the sheet.  Overall this is a 91 point wine for me and at $24, it gets 4 stars.  Grilled salmon or a Cornish hen would pair nicely.  Drink till 2030. Salut….

Coopers Hawk Camille Audacious NV, South Australia, Australia

13 Monday Nov 2023

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Deep ruby with some staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, violets, acai berry, cassis, mint, crushed gravel, charred oak and some baking spice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are silky.  A full body awaits with ripe black currants, black plum, mint, charred oak, a pretty floral note and some mineral tones.  The finish is long and full of ripe black fruit and some oak influence, delicious.  It goes on for quite a while.  The structure is very balanced and the wine has a generous mouthfeel.   This Shiraz based wine is going to pair well with our Roast Rib dinner but I would also throw it at some grilled lamb chops, a venison roast or even beef brisket in the smoker.  At $60, it’s not a weekday pounder but it gets high marks from me with 93 points.  Drink this 4 star effort till 2030.  Salut….

Concha y Toro Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon NV, Central Valley, Chile

01 Wednesday Nov 2023

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Medium ruby with low viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red plum, ripe pomegranate, black raspberry, cocoa powder and bell pepper.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and low tannins.  A light body makes this a very pleasing and easy to quaff red that has flavors reminiscent of the nose that carry through to a slightly tart finish that is thin and short.  Folks- this is a sub $8 per Magnum bottle of wine.  It serves the purpose and I will be reducing it for gravy and stock to braise my lamb shanks in.  It would do the trick at a summer BBQ outdoors.   It gets 82 points from me with a drink now window.  4 stars believe it or not.  Salut….

Cooper’s Hawk Winery Lux Cabernet Sauvignon NV, California

30 Monday Oct 2023

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Medium ruby colored with high viscosity (13.9% ABV) and very slight staining.  The nose gives me aromas of dark red fruit- raspberry, black cherry, red plum, star anise, evergreen, toasty oak and baking spices.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins.  A relatively full body is rich with ripe dark red fruits long with blackberry and a definitive charcoal note.  I also get some baking spice and a herbal green note.  The finish is short to medium in length.  This is a nicely balanced wine that has acidity and tannins tipping each other whilst the fruit takes center stage.  It gets 90 points from me and for $36- 4 stars.  Since this is an NV wine I would drink within 5 years of purchase.  Salut….

Camillle Benitah Volute 2020, Napa Valley, California

19 Thursday Oct 2023

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Deep ruby colored with staining on the walls and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Bordeaux blend has medium intensity aromas of black plum, blackberry, black currants, a hint of eucalyptus, baking spices, vanilla, cedar and mint.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are polished.  The intensity on the palate is greater than the nose.  I get lots more black fruit which which is ripe along with mint, vanilla and baking spice.  The tannins turn a bit chalky on the back end of this full bodied wine and the finish is medium in length.  I love this style of wine  and when done with ripe fruit it can be very delicious, but this bottle seems to lack a certain depth for me.  It’s good, but not great (I’m a big fan of the winemaker btw).   90 points from me and for $25- it gets 4 stars.  I’m pairing with marinated grilled steaks and Lemon roasted potatoes.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Specially Selected Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Napa Valley, California

16 Monday Oct 2023

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Deep ruby colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Aromas of candied plum, black raspberry, violets, licorice and nutmeg.  The palate is dry (?) with medium acidity and medium tannins.  I’m not sure if there is any residual sugar here, perhaps a trace.  The candied aroma I got on the nose is showing off as really ripe black currants on the palate.  I still get the black raspberry and licorice as well.  The body is medium in weight and the wine finishes with a short ending.  I like the mouthfeel of this $15 Aldi wine, it’s not overly grippy or tart, easy to drink and generally very agreeable.  I would pair this Napa Cab with grilled burgers, perhaps pizza or even lamb shanks.  It gets 89 points from me and 4 stars.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Clarendelle Blanc 2021, Bordeaux, France

15 Sunday Oct 2023

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Pale lemon with titanium edges and a low viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon, waxy lemon peel, gooseberry, yellow apple and lanolin.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a media (-) body.  The fresh citrus combines with a waxiness that has both a tart and silky mouthfeel.  The apple and gooseberry add dimension.  It’s delicious and refreshing with a longish finish.  This Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon blend gets 90 points from me and at $24- 4 stars.  Pairing is baked Trout and Jolly rice with seafood.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Terra d’Uro ‘La Enfermera’ 2021, Toro, Spain

29 Friday Sep 2023

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose on this Tempranillo has medium intensity aromas of black plum, charred oak, licorice, candied black cherry, dusty earth and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are a touch astringent and grippy.  Flavors of sour black cherry, black plum, licorice and brambly earth coat my mouth in this full bodied wine. The finish is short to medium in length and a touch tart and bitter.  Overall this $ 12 bottle gets 87 points from me making it a 4 star effort to drink till 2026.  Salut….

Pakravan Papi Prunicce di Riparbella Super Tuscan 2020, Toscana, Italy

26 Tuesday Sep 2023

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Medium ruby with some staining and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose of this Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blend has aromas of leather, cherry, rose, vanilla extract, iron, plum and red licorice.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium (+) tannins that are a touch gritty.  The body is medium with flavors of rose, leather, red fruit, oak nuance and a graphite/iron streak.  The finish is medium in length and the tannins are more appealing on the back end, they caress rather than attack.  I like this $25 wine that will get better with a touch of cellaring.  Drink with pasta dishes from 2024-2030.  89 points makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….