Inky, with big legs in the glass showing off the 14.5% alcohol.On the nose I get red plum, raspberry, strawberry and cedar- not at all what I was expecting.The palate is super smooth and inviting- gentle tannins, red fruits galore and crispy acidity on the back end.Coffee shows up on the mid palate and I sense a tar component on the finish.Lovely mouthfeel on this one folks.It’s built to drink now and might take to a few years of cellaring but why wait.88 points from me.Serve with strip steaks! For $20, it gets 4 stars. Salut….
This Pinot is pretty opaque for the varietal. A lovely shade of ruby with watery legs that give clue to the low 13% ABV. On the nose I get spice box, red cherry, pomegranate and cranberry. On the palate this wine is a touch tart and lacks any discernible tannins- not that I am complaining. I like Pinot with a touch of sourness and no dryness, makes for a crisp mouthfeel. The red fruit flavors are quite pronounced and balanced but I also get blueberry on the mid palate. I like the weight but the finish is a touch short. This bottle has what I really like in Pinot Noir- elegance and lightness with freshness and not too much oak influence. It is seductive and lithe, maybe not very complex but it delivers lots of fruit flavors. I would drink this one till 2025, perhaps pairing with Duck or Strip steak. 89 points from me and at $20 it’s a good deal that gets 4 stars. Salut….
Here is my class note on a wine I have tasted before that is divine and should feature in any cellar worth its salt. For $55, it’s not a cheap intro to these two unique grapes that make the blend, but this winery has done something very special here and it needs to be tried. I am going with 91 points and 4 stars. Salut….
Chateau Musar White 2010, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 12.5% ABV
Appearance- deep gold.
Nose- pronounced aromas of lemon, grapefruit, quince, wet stones, passion fruit, blossom, acacia and nuts. Developing.
Palate- dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) intensity flavors of lemon, grapefruit, quince, wet stones, passion fruit, blossom, acacia and nuts with a long finish.
Conclusion- very good quality wine that can be drunk now, but has potential for aging.
An amazing blend of Merwah and Obaideh from my native Lebanon. These two grapes are thought to be closely related to Semillon and Chardonnay. This is a young wine at 10 years of age from this iconic winery who make whites that will outlast their reds. A cellar tour in 2008 showed thousands of bottles that were vinted in the 1930’s and ‘40s. Their wines are long lived even though the acidity is not high, a strange phenomenon. The body is quite weighty even though the alcohol is relatively low. Delicious now, this will no doubt start to gain more tertiary flavors and aromas and continue to evolve for many years to come. Unique stuff.
A medium lemon-green in the glass with watery legs. The nose of this indigenous Georgian wine is very crisp and refreshing with lemon, lime, apricot and a floral component. On the palate it is dry and tart, with crisp flavors of citrus, sour green apple and elderflower. The acidity is medium but the palate is definitely tart. I get a medium finish that is very refreshing, perfect for a hot evening. I am pairing mine with grilled shrimp on a bed of salad. It will go well with a charcuterie board, tapas or just by itself poolside. Delicious and reasonable at $13 it gets 88 points from me making it a 4 star wine. Drink soon. Salut….
The third wine at tasting #19 was this 100% Sangiovese. Medium purple, it was more opaque than I was expecting from this varietal. The tasters got aromas of raspberry, flowers, iodine, chocolate, black cherry and a medicinal note (Oak influence?). On the palate it was very smooth with grippy tannins and medium plus acidity. Flavors of black cherry, coffee, iodine, licorice and black tea were accompanied by that medicinal note which someone stated was akin to cherry cough syrup. It is a tasty, bold wine with lots of aging capacity. It will drink well now if you like them tannic, or mellow out in a cellar and be more approachable in 2025 till 2030. 91 points from me for this $33 effort makes it a 4 star wine. Salut….
This Malbec was the second wine in the 19th Virtual Wine tasting. Deep purple with nice legs it had aromas of tobacco, smoke, pepper, black cherry, plum, chocolate and black licorice. The tasters got rich plum, medium tannins, medium acidity, pepper, raspberry, cocoa powder, black cherry and licorice on a medium finish . No apparent oak notes btw. I liked it and for $26 this 90 point effort is getting 4 stars. Drink til 2028 with grilled meat. Salut….
I picked up a few bottles of this summer stunner from Costco for $15 each. Served well chilled on a hot afternoon it was delicious, light and fruity. It is medium salmon colored and has a delightful nose of orange peel, nectarine, lemon and peach. On the palate I also sensed acacia. Medium acidity and a medium body lead to a refreshing mouthfeel. The finish of this dry blend of Grenache and Cinsault was relatively short and crisp. I really enjoyed it and for the price, this 89 point wine gets 4 stars. Drink this summer! Salut….
As I practice writing notes for my wine class I am trying to get the format correct and use only the approved words from the lexicon they gave us. I know it’s not my style, nor do I like the restricted descriptors, but hey- it’s only temporary till I pass the tests. So, bare with me as we taste this $18 smooth sipper from out west that gets 89 points from me and 4 stars. Salut….
Appearance- hazy deep garnet.
Nose- medium (+) intensity, aromas of plum, blackberry, white pepper, cinnamon, coconut. Developing.
Palate- dry, medium (-) acidity, medium body, medium (-) tannins, medium (+) flavor intensity of plum, blackberry, white pepper, coconut. Finish medium (-).
Conclusions- quality level is good, can drink now but has potential for aging.
A very smooth Syrah with some bottle age that is at peak now.
I was visiting friends this past weekend and he popped this Napa gem for us to enjoy. Opaque purple- extracted to be sure. Rich nose of plums, blackberry, iodine, coffee and blueberry. Super smooth with fully integrated tannins, rich fruit, full body and medium acidity. Bright Cali sunshine is evident- the depth of flavor is deep. Structurally this is not built for long term, it’s delicious now. 91 points for this velvety elixir that runs $70 and gets 4 stars. Salut….
I have never tried this grape variety (Saperavi) and in my research found out that it is a red skinned grape that also has red juice. This is not typical as most red grapes have clear juice. This bottle hails from Georgia, the birthplace of wine so they tell me. It is paler than I thought it would be but a lovely shade of ruby in the glass. At 12.5% ABV I was not expecting much in the legs department either. The nose is bright and airy with cherry, raspberry, rhubarb and believe it or not- a touch of alcohol. The palate is off-dry, with just a hint of sweetness. I like it- goes with the light and fruity nose. It is very lithe yet has a nice acidic crunch. Cherry, cedar and sour strawberry all lead me to think this could be a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. It’s unique and delightful. The tannins are very gentle and caressing, with a decent length finish. I am really enjoying this wine which I picked to pair with Pork Tenderloin. I think it’s delicacy will go well with the mild white meat. 88 points from me for this $13 find that gets 4 stars. Try it if you can find it, it’s gonna be a great summer sundowner. Salut….
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