Tag Archives: 4 stars

Eguren Ugarte Cincuenta 2016, Rioja DOCa, Spain

29 Saturday Oct 2022

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Marked as unfiltered with no indication of aging (ie. Reserva, Crianza etc), this Joven level wine is 6 years old and showing dep ruby in the glass with pretty slow moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose is a bit tart smelling with nice red fruit aromas of raspberry, red plum, hints of vanilla, purple licorice and perhaps some menthol.  Surprisingly, no tertiary aromas yet.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins. The acid is making my jaw ache.  It is medium bodied with flavors of sour cherry, black raspberry, plum, feint vanilla and a bit of menthol.  The finish is medium in length and tart.  The tannins fade pretty fast on this one, leaving it a bit unbalanced by the acidity and thinning fruit.  It runs $15 nowadays and gets 90 points from me with a drink by 2024 window.  4 stars for this Tempranillo that I am pairing with grilled Chicken and plantains.  Salut….’

Benjamin Darnault Côtes du Rhône Plus 2020, Rhone Valley, France

25 Tuesday Oct 2022

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This Grenache/Syrah blend is deep ruby colored with thick, slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose has nice aromas of red plum, black raspberry, red licorice, herbs, candied cherry and rose.  It’s quite complex once you swirl it around.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins- the grip I got initially quickly faded.  Flavors of plum, black raspberry, charred oak, some red licorice and earthy florals/herbs.  It is medium (+) bodied with a medium finish of dark red fruit plus a healthy dose of heat.  Made from very ripe fruit, it is flavorful but at a price- the alcohol is quite noticeable on the back end.  We are pairing this bold wine with spiced burgers and potato wedges.  It would also go well with hearty BBQ, maybe smoked brisket with a rich sauce.  89 points from me for this $15 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2026.  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, California

23 Sunday Oct 2022

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Deep ruby colored with a touch of staining on the walls and slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose has pronounced aromas of cassis, menthol, blackberry, blueberry coulis, chocolate dust, açaí berry and some baking spice- very complex but primal in nature.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity and really grippy medium (+) tannins that are very fine-grained.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with cassis, blackberry, açaí, blueberry jam and some hints of oak.  The finish is long with a slightly bitter vein.  I like this wine- it screams Cali sunshine in it’s ripeness and fullness.  91 points for this $56 effort makes it a 4 star wine.  I’m pairing it with roasted Sirloin Cap and a mushroom gravy.  Drink this relatively cellar-worthy wine till 2028.  Salut….

Antonio Díez Martín Tempranillo Crianza 2017, Ribera del Duero, Spain

26 Monday Sep 2022

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This wine is deep ruby colored with thin, piercing legs that move slowly indicating a high alcohol level (14.5% ABV).  The nose gives me vanilla and dust right off the bat. Pomegranate, black plum, açaí, clove and sarsaparilla come next.  The palate is dry with medium (+) tannins and medium (+) acidity.  This full-bodied wine has flavors of bramble, black plum, pomegranate and oak by way of vanilla, clove and a charcoal note.  Typical for the region I get dusty, earthy hints and the wine goes on to a medium length finish.  The fruit doesn’t taste fully ripe to me, it’s somewhat green unfortunately and this will cost it a point or two.  The structure is there but the finish is  quite astringent.  Perhaps a decant is in order?   I’m roasting a Rump Steak with all the trimmings, it should pair nicely.  For $17 this 88 point wine gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Barista Pinotage 2020, Paarl, South Africa

16 Friday Sep 2022

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As the name implies- this is a very coffee-driven wine.  Pinotage takes to heavily toasted oak barrels like a fish to water- this is where the winemaker can add the definitive coffee notes if they so choose.  This particular bottle is a pale-to-medium ruby with a blue tinge (lower acid).  On the nose I got pronounced aromas of coffee, some dark chocolate, tar, blackberry compote, forest floor and mulberry.  My notes include a ‘fish?’ notation, might have been a passing moment.  On the palate the wine has medium (-) acidity (remember the blue tinge?), medium (+) body and medium tannins.  I noted it was quite earthy but the structural components made for a great mouthfeel and it ended with a decent length finish.  For $13, this 89 point wine earns a respectable 4 stars from me and could pair nicely with Venison, BBQ, Pulled Pork or any other highly flavored dish.  See my notes on the 2016 Barista.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Sokol Blosser ‘E – Evolution’ Pinot Noir 2020, Willamette Valley, Oregon

15 Thursday Sep 2022

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After the disastrous Pinot I just tasted at the wine bar I needed redemption- this 89 pointer helped.  Pale ruby colored it had a slight funk to the nose alongside spice box, cherry, earthy cinnamon and stewed raspberry which made me wonder if this was yesterdays unprotected bottle??  The palate had medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (-) tannins- all to be expected for this varietal.  For $14 this is not a bad drop of Oregonian Pinot that you could pop-n-pour any night of the week and pair with roast Chicken or even use in Boeuf Bourguignon.  Drink this 4 star effort till 2025.  Salut….

Marchese di Borgosole Appassimento 2020, Puglia IGT, Italy

14 Wednesday Sep 2022

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Medium ruby colored this IGT level wine comes in at 14.5% ABV which is contrary to the fast moving legs on the glass walls.  I get aromas (muted btw) of dark cherry, lavender, iron, crushed rock, blackberry and violets.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium tannins.  Ripe black cherry, blackberry coulis, purple florals and some stoney minerality mix with a blackened cedar slate component.  The body is full and the wine finishes medium (+) in length with a touch of heat which is unusual for me to sense.   I like this rather silky brute, it presents itself with structure and fruit alongside some oak influence and unabashedly does so for $13.  It gets 89 points from me and 4 stars.  Drink till 2028 with hearty dishes.  A blend of Malvasia and Negroamara that has been air-dried on mats and then pressed after the grapes have raisined.  Salut….

 

Bodegas Olarra Reciente Reserva 2017, Rioja DOCa, Spain

12 Monday Sep 2022

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Deep ruby colored this Tempranillo has medium (-) intensity aromas of baked plums, earth, blackberry pie, leather, baking spice and bramble.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  The body is full and I get the expected dry earth, bramble, blackberry and spice flavors- it’s nearly textbook Rioja minus a bit of intensity and a touch more acidity.  They back end has a charred cedar note and it finishes a bit astringent on the gums.  It’s a serviceable wine that runs $15 and gets 88 points from moi- 4 stars to drink by 2026.  Salut….

Chateau Montelena The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley, California

09 Friday Sep 2022

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Deep garnet colored with fast moving legs- 13.9% ABV.  The nose started off with a medicinal note followed by horse saddle leather, dust, barnyard, blackcurrant, black cherry, bandaid and briar.  It is earthy with loads of tertiary aromas.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, well integrated tannins, medium (+) body and rich flavors of black fruits, dusty earth, bramble, briar and açaí berry that lead to a long finish of black tea and leather. 93 points is what I imagined this wine garnering yet the pros went lower back in the day.  It’s amazing how some wines will age so gracefully and deliver those lovely tertiary flavors after 16 years yet still show some primary fruit and  structure to age a few more years.  I would drink this $140 offering till 2026 or so with lighter beef dishes.  4 stars from me.  Salut….

Raats Original Unwooded Chenin Blanc 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa

06 Tuesday Sep 2022

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Pale straw colored with medium intensity aromas of tangerine, pear, yellow apple and persimmon.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium (+) body.  The flavors I get are very interesting- mandarin oranges, soft pear, yellow apple and passion fruit.  There is a medium length finish that turns a bit bitter, like almond seed.  I like the fact that is is labelled as an unwooded wine, allowing the purity and character of the varietal to shine.  For $15 this 89 point wine gets 4 stars from me.  I’m at the beach so a seafood pairing is obvious.  Salut….