Tag Archives: 4 stars

Wagner Vineyards Caywood East Vineyard Dry Riesling 2021, Finger Lakes, New York

04 Tuesday Feb 2025

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Pale straw colored with a watery sheen (11.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of petrol, lanolin, lemon zest, pomelo, white blossom, green almond, wet rock, strawberry leaf (I know…), nectarine, and green apple.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium (-) body.  Medium intensity flavors of lemon zest, white grapefruit, white blossom, wet rock, and lanolin with a slight astringency on the mid palate.  The finish is quite tart, the acidity still very much in play.  Lemon, grapefruit and petrol carry through to a rather long finish.  It’s a young Riesling, with plenty of cellaring capacity and the ability to develop tertiary notes.  I paid $25 at the cellar door for this 90 point wine that gets 4 stars.  My pairing is a baked Halibut with beurre blanc.  Salut….

Wagner Vineyards Caywood East Vineyard Dry Riesling

Scott Peterson Rumpus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, California

19 Sunday Jan 2025

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Medium ruby to garnet colored with slight copper highlights, light staining, and high viscosity (14.8% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, blackberry, ripe black raspberry, a hint of twizzlers, some smoke, coffee, black tea, and violet. The palate seems dry, but I suspect a touch of residual sugar. Medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (-) tannins. Flavors of very ripe black raspberry- almost candied, black plum, pomegranate, black tea, coffee, smoke, and that floral violet note I got on the nose. There’s a strange astringency that hits me on the mid palate, not sure where that comes from. The finish is medium in length and pleasant, with a nice mouth feel. 87 points for this $14 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2026.  (It opened up nicely after 30 or so minutes).  Salut….

Scott Peterson Rumpus California Cabernet Sauvignon

Precision Wine Company Circumference Chardonnay 2023, Russian River Valley, California

01 Wednesday Jan 2025

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Pale lemon colored with gold highlights, and a watery sheen that gives way to some thick, slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe tropical fruit.  Pink guava, apricot, papaya, nectarine, green almond, a touch of butter, and a hit of baking spice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body and ripe fruit flavors that echo the nose.  The finish is silky and medium (+) in length, showing off the fruit rather nicely.  There are subtle secondary notes, the focus being the fruit profile.  It’s a heavy wine with a rather substantial alcohol content that would probably need to be served well chilled as I can see it ballooning out of control once it gets warmed up.  I am pairing it with Chinese food and it’s working rather nicely.  89 points for this $25 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2030.  Salut….

precision wine company Circumference Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Miriam Syrah 2021, California

02 Monday Dec 2024

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe red raspberry, black plum, game, vanilla, cocoa, and blackberry. The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins that melt away.  Flavors of ripe raspberry, plum, and blackberry with telltale meaty notes.  There is a hint of cocoa and maybe some vanilla.  The finish is medium (-) in length but pleasing.  Not an overly complex wine, it drinks easily and will go well with a variety of dishes ranging from steaks and pasta to roasted chicken.  Overall it gets 86 points from me and at $12, 4 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Miriam California Syrah

Dow’s Trademark Finest Reserve Port NV, Porto, Portugal

17 Sunday Nov 2024

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Completely opaque, deep purple colored with heavy staining and a high viscosity (19.5% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry compote, fresh cut wood, purple licorice, a faint hint of tomato stalk and steeped bramble berry. The palate is sweet with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium  tannins that lose grip pretty quickly.  Ripe and rich flavors of black fruit with a green note and a woody hint.  The alcohol hits on the back end with some heat but it’s to be expected.  The finish itself is delicious and long.  It’s a decent drop that gets 90 points from me and can be found for around $25 making it a 4 star effort.  It begs for some Brie and Blue cheese.  Salut….

Dow's Trademark Finest Reserve Port

Quinta Das Carvalhas Red Blend 2021, Douro, Portugal

14 Thursday Nov 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has muted aromas of black raspberry, licorice, coffee, dark chocolate, acai berry, red plum and dried coconut husk.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors are slightly more intense than the nose and offer up black raspberry, red plum, acai berry, mint, coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of anise.  The dried husk disappeared.  The finish is medium in length and refreshing, the tannins completely resolve by now.  The acidity keeps it fresh and lifts the fruit.  It’s not a very complex wine and the muted nose detracts from the points but I like this weekday bottle.  It garners 88 points from me and for $12 it gets 4 stars.  Blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 40% Tinta Roriz and 20% Touriga Franca .   Drink till 2027.  Salut….

quinta das carvalhas red blend

 

Bodegas de la Marquesa Valserrano Crianza 2019, Rioja DOCa, Spain

08 Friday Nov 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red plum, blueberry, toasted coconut, vanilla, nutmeg, dust, bramble berry, cedar plank and dried green herbs.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors have medium intensity and I get the red plum, bramble berry, and blue berry along with the oak derived notes of coconut, vanilla, nutmeg, cedar and herbs.  The finish is a touch tart and fresh but goes on to a decent length.  Aged for 16 months in both American and French oak (which explains the coconut and vanilla notes) it is mainly Tempranillo with 5% Mazuelo.  A really nice bottle for $18 that gets 89 points from me making it a 4 star effort to drink till 2028.   I am pairing it with oxtail stew.  Salut….

Bodegas de la Marquesa Valserrano Crianza

Blaauwklippen Red Blend 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of rooibos tea, black and red plums, black cherry, charcoal, bell pepper, mint, cola and currants.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins. The acidity really picks up on the mid palate but keeps the wine very light and fresh.  Flavors of currant, black plum, red plum, singed alder, mint and cola.  The herbaceous note I smelled is non-existent on the palate.  The tannins and acidity are nicely balanced and the wine is lip-smacking.  I paid $19 for this blend of 90% Cab Sav, 10% Cab Franc that get 89 points from me and 4 stars.  I’m pairing it with grilled Andouille and Chorizo sausages with some gratin potatoes.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Blaauwklippen Red Blend

Osborne Manzanilla Sherry NV, Andalucia, Spain

24 Thursday Oct 2024

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Pale gold in color with high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose of this fortified wine has medium (+) intensity aromas of green almond, sea spray, bread dough, cottage cheese, unripe Meyer lemon zest, and green apple.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body.  The layers of flavor start with that cheesy, dough note and transition to nuts and citrus with the ever present saline twist.  It’s very unique and tasty, finishing medium in length.  I paid $16 for it but there are lower prices.  It’s worthy of 88 points and will get 4 stars from me.  A delicious aperitif to serve with tapas or nuts/charcuterie.  Drink on release.  Salut….

Osborne Manzanilla Sherry

 

Bodegas Santa Ana Homage Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Maipu, Argentina

22 Tuesday Oct 2024

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Medium ruby colored with light viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of candied plum, black cherry, menthol, blackberry and purple licorice.  It’s rather one-dimensional.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body and medium (-) tannins.  Slightly tart black cherry and blackberry greet me with some interesting menthol and licorice notes.  Once again, not overly complex, but for $8 a pop I was not expecting much more.  The finish is rather short and succinct.  For an everyday drinker this is quite quaffable and gets 86 points from me- which makes it a 4 star effort in my book that needs to be popped and poured rather than cellared.  I’m gonna use some in a red wine reduction, let’s see how that works out.  Salut….

Bodegas Santa Ana Homage Cabernet Sauvignon