Tag Archives: 4 stars

Dr. Konstantin Frank Muscat Ottonel 2020, Finger Lakes, New York

18 Tuesday Jan 2022

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Next up in my series on Finger Lakes wines is another aromatic varietal- Muscat Ottonel.  This one is a deep lemon color in the glass and rings in at 11.5% ABV.  The nose has pretty florals, lychee, sea salt and lemon/lime spritz.  On the palate it is off-dry with a hint of sweetness and plenty of body.  The tropical fruit coats my mouth and the aromatics are powerful.  This wine is weighty with medium (-) acidity and a long finish.  It is delicious and unique.  I decided to pair it with English Bangers and Mash with onion gravy.  I do believe it will work well- as would a Cobb salad, perhaps Lobster Thermidor or even roasted Cornish Hens.  It reminds me of last night’s Gewürztraminer but with less acidity, less minerality but more body and fruit.  89 points for this $20 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink now.  Salut….

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Fay Hillside’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa Valley, California

16 Sunday Jan 2022

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We went over to Keef and Arty’s for a Christmas Tree unravelling party the other night.  It’s a lot more fun taking it down when there are others to help and some alcohol to boot!  This bottle has been cellared nicely for many years and it was drinking en pointe.

Opaque dark ruby.  Cassis, chocolate powder, blackberry compote, earthy dust, charcoal, rich blueberry, vanilla.  Very smooth with fully resolved tannins, medium (+) acidity and a lovely mouthfeel.  Medium bodied with a good length finish that has a mineral streak alongside the rich fruit flavors.  This wine is at peak, and needs to be drunk sooner rather than later.  Lovely stuff that’s hard to put down.  92 points and 4 stars for this treat that runs $150 new.  Salut….

Boutari Nemea 2017, Peloponnese, Greece

15 Saturday Jan 2022

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I’m cooking Lamb Chops with olive oil, lemon, garlic and other sundry Mediterranean spices so I figured a Greek wine would pair nicely.  I have never tried Agiorgitiko before and am looking forward to this pale ruby colored wine that carries a relatively light 13% ABV.  The nose has some interesting spices- nutmeg, crushed black pepper and cinnamon.  Red fruit notes from pomegranate, red plum and black cherry try to compete for space but the spices dominate.  Some oak is present but very faint.  On the palate this wine has sweet fruit and the obvious spices.  It’s a dry wine (ie. no residual sugar) that has really smooth, integrated tannins that balance nicely with juicy acidity.  Medium (-) body and a svelte finish that is medium in length makes for a delightful mouthfeel.  If this is what the varietal is like I am thinking of many possible pairings.  Not a blockbuster but well made and enjoyable in the near term.  Drink with grilled meat, rich pasta dishes or some charcuterie.  89 points and for $15- 4 stars.  Salut….

Ricitos de Oro Black Garnacha & White Garnacha 2013, Navarra, Spain

03 Monday Jan 2022

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Semi opaque ruby in the glass- this is a blend of black and white Grenache (Garnacha).  The nose is a bit tart with red currants, sour red cherry and raspberry.  Orange peel (oak influence) and pomegranate also come to mind.  There is a leathery component but it is faint.  The palate is very unique.  First off, it is dry ie. not sweet, and has some lithe tannins.  Medium acidity and medium weight body carry the red fruit flavors to a decent length finish.  I totally get the orange peel on the palate alongside what I could best describe as strawberry soda pop.  It tastes almost sweet but there is no residual sugar here.  It may be the ripeness of the fruit at play.  Very nice, easygoing mouthfeel makes this a pleasure to sip.  It doesn’t have terrific structure left but it is holding out pretty well at 8 years old.  Perhaps till 2025 and pair it with lighter steaks, maybe roast duck, or even vegetables tossed with pasta and Olio.  89 points from me makes this $15 wine a 4 star effort.  Salut….

 

Clos De Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2016, Napa Valley, California

01 Saturday Jan 2022

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Happy New Year!  I missed a night of tasting- opting instead for beer, champagne and mulled wine for the festivities.  Back to work, this is the Reserve version of the last wine I tasted- The Clos de Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.  This upgraded one is opaque and brooding- a deep ruby in the glass with watery legs.  The nose is uplifting with pronounced aromas of black plum, cassis, black fruit compote, eucalyptus, charred wood, graphite and a mineral streak.  The palate is yummy.  Slightly dry with good tannic structure that is integrating, medium acidity and a generous body.  Black fruits, deft oak and minerality make for a lovely mouthfeel that has plenty of structure and fruit that continues on to a medium-to-long finish that turns quite dry- somewhat mouth puckering to be sure.  The graphite note really hits on the finish, it is quite an interesting twist.  This is a cellar worthy wine that is drinking nicely now if you like them dry and fruity.  I think it will evolve nicely over time and drink till 2028.  Steaks are on the grill with sautéed eggplant alongside sweet potato fries.  91 points and 4 stars for this $40 Napa Cab.  Salut….

Clos de Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Napa Valley, California

30 Thursday Dec 2021

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Opaque ruby-purple, this wine has thick legs in the glass (14.5% ABV).  The nose shows off primal blackberry, blueberry, black cherry licorice/candy and blackcurrant candy drops.  The candy component is a little strong for me.  The palate is quite tasty and the candy component is gone, thank god.  The fruit is very ripe- blackberry, blueberry, black cherry and currants with some very slight oak notes.  The wine has good acidity and medium tannins that coat the gums but are not astringent.  The finish turns juicy from the acidity and is medium in length.  This full bodied wine is delicious now and will drink well until 2027 with steaks, grilled sausage or chorizo on the charcoal.  89 points for this $20 effort ($14 at Costco) makes it a 4 star effort to buy a few bottles of.  Salut….

Lachini Vineyards ‘Family Estate’ Pinot Noir 2013, Willamette Valley, Oregon

29 Wednesday Dec 2021

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This Pinot Noir is see-through with a nice shade of ruby red and a watery shimmer on the glass sides (13.4% ABV).  The nose is stunning- pronounced aromas of red cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, cinnamon, cloves, cherry cola and vanilla.  The palate is smooth and lightly tart with very well integrated, lithe tannins.  Light bodied, this wine shows off the red fruit flavors beautifully.  The oak influence (cinnamon, cloves and vanilla) are slight, but delicious.  At 8 years of bottle age, it is still young and shows no tertian flavors yet.  The structure here will allow for further cellaring and should develop nicely.  The finish is long and tart from sour cherry notes and super fine grained tannins that caress my gums.  This is a delicious bottle that ran $60 in the day that gets 92 points from me and 4 stars.  Drink till 2028 with lighter fare.  Salut….

Chateau Kefraya Les Breteches 2018, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

28 Tuesday Dec 2021

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I am cooking Middle Eastern fare so this blend of 40% Syrah, 25% Cab Sav, 20% Tempranillo and 15% Cinsault should go nicely.  It’s a deep ruby, almost opaque.  I get spices and brambly fruit on the nose.  Black currants, blackberry, plum and licorice.  There is also a smell that I can only describe as ‘purple fruit’.  It is mesmerizing.  The palate is dry with juicy acidity, nicely integrated tannins and lots of brooding dark fruit.  The purple factor is missing but I do get some meaty undertones along with some oak nuance by way of charred wood and the spices I caught on the nose.  Medium weight body and decently long finish.  The tannins are a little more grippy on the back end and balance out the acidity nicely, which is exactly what I need for the fatty lamb kofta skewers.  I like this wine, the varietals each contribute nicely to the package and it has good mouthfeel, even though it is still youthful.  I would drink till 2028 at the least.  This $15 wine gets 89 points from me and 4 stars.  Salut….

Casalforno Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

22 Wednesday Dec 2021

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It’s getting close to Christmas so Moxie ordered Mama Carlino’s Lasagna for our first family dinner with my folks.  I needed something with some acidity, grippy tannins and  a sour cherry note to go with the pasta.  This one is a scant 6 years young and is a light shade of ruby in the glass with watery legs even though it sports a 14% ABV.  The nose is typical for Sangiovese- red cherry, leather, cranberry, tobacco, oak, tar, red licorice and something red I cannot quite put a finger on.  The palate is truly what I wanted- tart red cherry, great acidity, medium (+) tannins that caress and loads of intermingled red fruit.  The oak nuances are present and the wine is starting to develop tertiary notes.  Light to medium bodied it is complex and has a refreshing mouthfeel that finishes long.  I like this wine, it offers good fruit flavors, structure to age gracefully and is reasonably priced for a Brunello at $40.  Getting 90 points from me it is a 4 star effort to drink till 2030 with pasta dishes.  Salut….

La Maldita Revolution Garnacha 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

18 Saturday Dec 2021

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My local Costcos don’t sell wine so when I go over to the Delaware location, I always pick something up.  This one happened to be $17.  It is fairly opaque and a lighter shade of ruby.  I can smell the wine from a foot away, wow.  The nose of this Grenache is lively- red licorice, raspberry, red currant compote, leather and some earth.  The palate is full bodied with medium tannins, juicy acidity and robust flavors of red fruit, earth, leather and cedar.  The tannins work my gums for a while and the acidity is making my jaw water.  The red licorice note is quite dominant and the tannic grip is quite strong on the finish, which is medium length.  I like this wine to a degree, but the licorice is a little too candy for my preference.  It got a rather hefty 92 points from THE ‘pro’.  I am going with 89 and 4 stars.  Drink till 2025 with some sort of stew.  Salut….