Tag Archives: 5 stars

Chateau Pierre de Montignac 2020, Medoc, France

11 Monday Sep 2023

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Inky purple colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose gives me aromas of blackberry, black plum, black pepper, charred oak, menthol, star anise and a touch of garigue.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins- it’s quite a soft mouthfeel with medium body.  Black fruit, charred oak and some earthiness frame out the flavors of this wine that delivers a medium length finish.  It’s open for business now and will drink nicely till 2028.  For $23 this 91 point Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cab Sav gets 5 stars from me.  Pair with Filet au Poivre.  Salut….

Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc 2021, Swartland, South Africa

09 Saturday Sep 2023

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Medium lemon colored with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has aromas of yuzu, lanolin, melon, wool and spring flowers.  The palate is dry with a touch of bitterness, medium (+) acidity and a full body.  It’s a rich mouthfeel that delivers tropical citrus, melon some minerality and that telltale wool note.  It carries to a long finish and will pair beautifully with Shrimp Scampi.  Drink till 2027.  91 points and for $18 it’s a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Clos Pegase Mitsuko’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2021, Carneros, California

07 Thursday Sep 2023

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Pale gold colored with a watery sheen showing medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose is clean with pinpoint aromas of lemon zest, white blossom, pineapple, nutmeg, honeysuckle and grapefruit.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a waxy, full-bodied mouthfeel.  Citrus and tropical fruit with white blossom and honeysuckle- but there’s something else.  I don’t get the traditional over-the-top MLF notes, nor is the wine over-oaked but I get hints on both Malo and oak along with some lees stirring, but it’s deftly done.  A very subtle chardonnay from Carneros that gets 92 points from me.  At $20 a pop it gets 5 stars.  I’m pairing with grilled pork chops and Jollof rice.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Spier Seaward Pinotage 2020, Coastal Region, South Africa

02 Saturday Sep 2023

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Bright ruby that is nearly deep in opacity and has high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose reminds me of Pinotage wines I drank early on in my wine career, they had a bit of a medicinal aroma along with tar-meets-the-road.  Additionally I get dark berries, black plum, brambleberry, mocha, spice box and vanilla.  The palate is a dry affair with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  The full body shows off flavors of dark fruit, black cherry and nicely integrated oak.   The fruit is quite ripe and passes itself off as a touch sweet on the initial attack but I doubt there’s any RS.  The finish is where it turns a touch tart, but I am loving the interesting wave of flavors that have come across.  Medium length- it leaves me wanting to sip again.  90 points for this $20 bottling makes it a 5 star wine to drink till 2028.  I’m pairing with chargrilled chuk, fries and a side salad.  Salut….

Mission Estate Winery Reserve Syrah 2020, Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand

31 Thursday Aug 2023

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Deep purple with medium viscosity and slight staining (14% ABV).  The nose gives me medium intensity aromas of blueberry, açaí berries, black plum, pepper, vanilla and cardamom. The aromas are very pinpoint.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannins that are very smooth like powder, and a full body. Dark fruit with florals and sweet oak make for a very smooth and delicious palate.  The finish is quite long and reveals a core of rich, ripe blueberry wrapped with those powdery tannins- a delicious drop that gets 92 points from me.  Drink this $20 wine till 2030.  Purchased in the UK, wishing we had it over here in ‘murica cause it’s a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Tenuta di Renieri Chianti Classico DOCG 2020, Tuscany, Italy

18 Friday Aug 2023

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Medium ruby colored with some slight staining and medium viscosity (14% ABV).  Aromas of cherry, tar, damp leaf and charred oak with loganberry and anise supporting.  The palate is dry with high viscosity and med (+) tannins that are a touch hard.  The enamel on my teeth is begging for mercy.  A rather full body will certainly fool the uninitiated- just because it’s not a dark and opaque red doesn’t mean it can’t have a kick.  The slightly tart red fruit is evident as is the oak and some searing tannins on the mid palate.  Young, this one needs a few years to mellow out and start tertiary development as well softening of the tannins.  It should age particularly well considering its towering structure with a drinking window of 2026-2033.  I will be generous and see into my crystal ball- 92 points for $20 this Sangiovese gets it 5 stars, just give it time.  Pasta is an obvious choice, as is grilled red meat with good marbling.  Salut….

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas Late Bottle Vintage Port 2018, Portugal

14 Monday Aug 2023

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Deep ruby colored with high viscosity (20% ABV) and heavy staining on the walls.  The nose has aromas of macerated blackberry, caramel, raisins and dried fig.  The palate is  sweet with high tannins that are well integrated, and a full body.  Flavors of raisin, fig, desiccated blackberry, caramel and butterscotch.  Medium length finish on this $24 bottle that gets 91 points from me makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Giant Steps Pinot Noir 2021, Yarra Valley, Australia

12 Saturday Aug 2023

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Yesterday was my cousin’s birthday so we sailed the Potomac river and ended up in Old Town Alexandria for dinner.  I picked this Pinot Noir as I felt it would pair well with the myriad of main dishes that were ordered- Hangar steak, Swordfish etc.  It was stunning.  I took some very basic notes…

Cherry, baking spices, a touch of forest fooor, red raspberry, med (+) acidity med (-) tannins, medium bodied- 13.5% ABV …..delicious, silky smooth, long finish.  94 points, till 2032. Excellent development potential.

Looking this gem up I see one review as high as 96 points and a $43 price point.  RUN, don’t walk if you like a delicious Pinot of this caliber.  Salut….

Hermann J. Wiemer HJW Vineyard Riesling 2019, Finger Lakes, New York

09 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Pale lemon/lime colored with a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon peel, crushed seashells, tangerine pith, peach and a slight hint of petroleum (I had to really look for that one).  The palate is dry with high acidity and a light body.  The citrus, minerality and hint of stone fruit are evident alongside some quince.  It is very refreshing and the acidic cut is very precise.  The finish is medium in length and makes me clamber for another sip, it’s really yummy on a hot summer day.  I would pair this 92 point wine with Alfredo, grilled shrimp or even roasted Pork belly.  For $38 this delicious Riesling gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

I Wines ‘I Latina’ Carmenere 2019, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

07 Monday Aug 2023

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Deep ruby with slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose has abundant aromas of menthol, blackberry, eucalyptus, ripe blueberry, rich oak, purple licorice and vanilla bean.  On the palate it is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with ripe black fruit, oak, coffee, eucalyptus and mint.  The finish is medium in length and shows off espresso flavors.  I like this wine and will be pairing it with grilled sirloins and roasted asparagus.  Drink till 2028.  92 points from me for this $18 wine makes it worthy of 5 stars.  Ps. This note corresponds to my previous tasting of this delicious Carmenere.  Salut….