Tag Archives: 4 stars

Pecchenino Botti Langhe Nebbiolo 2021, Piedmont, Italy

20 Monday May 2024

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I wanted to introduce our tasting group to young Nebbiolo without the price tag of a Barolo, nor the monster structure of one that is not yet ready to drink.  The answer lay in Langhe where this grape is made in a more approachable and affordable style.  Pale garnet colored with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of forest, messy floor (!), stinky feet (not my descriptors!), chocolate covered cherry, strawberry, flint, anise, tobacco, smoke, green and floral.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins that are starting to soften.  Cherry tart, tobacco, black tea, forest floor and mushrooms with a long finish.  At $27, it’s an excellent value bottle to showcase the wonderful tastes and structure of this alluring grape.  I gave it 18/20 points on our grading scale making it my #2 wine of the night.  Technically speaking I scored it 92 points and 4 stars.  Drink till 2030 with pasta.  Salut….

Inama Carmenere Piu 2021, Veneto Rosso IGT, Italy

20 Monday May 2024

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A Carmenere from Italy was next up at the 36th virtual wine tasting.  This one had a dab of Merlot added but still showed plenty of greeness, especially on days 2/3.  Our tasters found this wine to be medium garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  On the nose we got toasted marshmallows (!), vanilla, white pepper, toasted nuts, black cherry, plum, black raspberry, tobacco, the telltale capsicum, cedar and tomato leaf.  The pallet was dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins.  Leather, tobacco, green pepper, black cherry, prune and some toasty notes were tasted.  The finish was medium in length.  I scored it 14 points on our tasting scale.  Technically speaking I think this is a 90 pointer with good potential.  For $22, it gets 4 stars from me with a drink by 2028 window.  Salut….

Bodegas Agro de Bazan Granbazan Etiqueta Verde 2022, Rias Baixas, Spain

20 Monday May 2024

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We kicked off the 36th virtual wine tasting with this delightful Albarino, tasted chilled first and then at room temperature for comparison.   I picked this bottle as we had tasted the 2018 Gran Bazan Ambar and loved it.  Pale lemon in color with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of cantaloupe, melon, yellow apple skin, peach and saline were noted by the members.  On the palate we got medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  Minerality was a key component of the taste with saline, cantaloupe, melon, honeydew, lemon pith and peach all present.  The finish was medium in length leading to a 17 point award on our tasting scale.

The room temperature version was very muted on the nose and palate but it had more minerality, less fruit and was waxy on the mouthfeel.  There was a pithy bitterness on the back end that we did not get with the chilled version.  It showed a shorter finish as well making it a 12 point effort.

Overall I love this wine and gave it 89 points which makes it a 4 star bottle considering its $19 price point.  I would pair it with grilled Swordfish or a Paella.  Drink now.  Salut….

Vinarija Skegro Krs Crni Suho Blatina 2020, Ljubuski, Bosnia-Herzegovina

19 Sunday May 2024

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Deep garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, charcoal, licorice, coffee, bramble berry, dill and cocoa.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins.  Flavors of blackberry, black plum, cocoa, dill, licorice and coffee wrap around the firm structure.  The finish is medium in length and nicely balanced between fruit, acidity and tannin.  I like this $ 22 bottle of Blatina- something new for me.  I will go with 89 points and 4 stars.  Drink till 2027 with steaks and grilled asparagus.  Salut….

J. Hofstatter Steinraffler Lagrein 2020, Alto Adige Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

16 Thursday May 2024

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Deep garnet colored with low viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of açaí berry, blueberry, fennel stalk, violets, charred wood and perfumed bramble.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, light to medium body and medium (-) tannins- a very easygoing mouthfeel.  Flavors of blueberry, açaí berry, bramble with some green but not vegetal notes alongside bright florals.  It’s a nice, light wine with good aromatics and flavors that finishes with a medium (+) length.  If you are a red fan but don’t like tannic monsters, this one’s for you.  89 points and 4 starts for this $20 bottle to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa

13 Saturday Apr 2024

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Deep garnet colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  On the nose I get medium intensity aromas of cassis, leather, mint, pencil shavings, blackberry, black plum, coffee, vanilla, toasty oak and stewed mulderberry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are integrating nicely.  Rich flavors of cassis, stewed mulderberry, black plum jam with tertiary development by way of leather as well as oak influence- vanilla, coffee and toasty oak.  The pencil shavings and mint are present and add a nice angle.  The finish turns a little tart, surprising for a New World wine but then again this is a classic Bordeaux blend- Cab Sav 70%, Merlot and Cab Franc at 15% each.  The length of said finish is quite long and lingering, inviting me to take another sip.  This bottle is at peak and en pointe.  I nearly pulled it 5 years ago, thank goodness I waited.  93 points for this $70 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink by 2028.  I’m pairing it with Tenderloin tails and Peppercorn sauce.  Salut….

Alexakis Winery Kotsifali – Syrah 2016, PGI Crete, Greece

11 Thursday Apr 2024

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Deep garnet with slight bricking and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of dried red plum, desiccated raspberry, bacon, game, dried lavender, baking spices, cocoa, espresso and purple licorice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins with a medium body.  Flavors of drying red fruit, game and dried herbs combine with some cocoa, coffee and licorice nuance.  The finish is quite long and tends towards forest floor notes along with smoky oak.  I like this wine but feel it is at peak or just past.  The entry fee is $18 to try out this indigenous Cretian variety that has been blended with Syrah for some structure.  88 points from me and 4 stars.  Salut….

Dingac Skaramuca Plavac Kvalitetno 2022, Peljesac Peninsula, Croatia

28 Thursday Mar 2024

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Medium garnet with copper highlights and a medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of coffee, bramble, blueberry pie, vanilla, baking spice, smoke, acai berry and clove.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins that are fine grained.  Flavors of blueberry, acai berry, bramble berry, vanilla, baking spice and coffee abound.  It finishes with a hint of tartness on the blue fruit but with decent length.  The tannins are intriguing- very present yet unobtrusive.  Very fine indeed.  I really like this bottle that I’m pairing with charcoal grilled Sirloin chunks.  91 points, drink till 2028.  For $29, this Plavac wine gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Rippon Mature Vines Pinot Noir 2019, Wanaka, New Zealand

23 Saturday Mar 2024

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The second wine at our 35th tasting was this Kiwi Pinot.  It is pale-to-medium garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of black cherry, cherry Coke, barnyard, cranberry, white pepper, licorice and leather.  On the palate it was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and low tannins.  Flavors of cherry cola, Rooibos tea, white and black pepper, clove, cedar, cough medicine and yet more cherry led to a medium length finish.  I loved this wine for its beautiful mouthfeel and great balance and gave it 15 points on our scoring sheet.  We paid $55, which is quite pricy but the quality and purity of this wine was worth it- 92 points from me which makes it a 4 star effort to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Riserva 2019, Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

20 Wednesday Mar 2024

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Medium ruby colored with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of cherry, pomegranate, red licorice, rose, dusty earth and dried green herbs.  It’s kinda muted and one-dimensional.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium body with medium (+) tannins.  Flavors of red cherry, rhubarb, pomegranate and dusty earth dominate with some chalky tannins bringing grip to the tart, medium length finish.  To me this is an 89 point Sangiovese that runs $20 making it a 4 star effort.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….