Tag Archives: 5 stars

Weingut Winzer Krems ‘Kremser Goldberg’ Kellermeister Privat Gruner Veltliner Trocken 2020, Kremstal DAC, Austria

15 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Medium lemon with a touch of petillance and medium legs (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon rind, pomelo, white flowers, crushed gravel and pith.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a touch of bitterness and medium body.  The flavors I get are citrus dominated per the nose but I also get a rounded, creamy textured note of lemon curd.  The finish is medium to long and the crispness of the acidity lingers but is not biting.  I like this $25 effort and give it 90 points and 5 stars.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Napa Valley, California

11 Saturday Mar 2023

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Inky purple in the glass, this opaque wine has thick, slow moving legs and leaves a stain on the glass (14.5% ABV).  The nose has ripe and concentrated aromas of cassis, blackberry pie, perfumed violet, vanilla and blueberry alongside baking spices.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and very fine grained tannins that grip nicely.  The rich, ripe black fruit and cassis syrup are evident as is the oak influence which is in check.  Full bodied, this wine leads me to a long finish that has some charred oak hints as well.  At 5 years old, it is drinking beautifully and will do so till 2030.  I’m pairing it with braised lamb and roasted sweet potato.  It would go nicely with a filet au poivre with gratin potatoes as well.  93 points from me for this $65 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to savor.  Salut….

 

Renieri Invetro Toscana IGT 2018, Tuscany, Italy

10 Friday Mar 2023

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Deep dark purple color with medium legs (14% ABV).  The nose of this Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab Sav blend has some exotic dark fruit aromas- mulberry, boysenberry, elderberry with vanilla, coffee bean, baking spices, eucalyptus and camphor (yup).  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and finely grained medium (+) tannins.  The body is full and the flavors echo the dark berry notes I got on the nose.  I’m missing the pungent camphor but I get oak influence by way of vanilla and baking spice.  The wine retails for $18 and got a big score.  I’m thinking 91 points and 5 stars.  Tonight- it’s pasta with meatballs, sausages and meat sauce- this will pair beautifully.  Drinking window till 2026.  Enclosed by a glass stopper btw.  Salut….

La Mascota Vineyards ‘Unanime’ Gran Tinto 2017, Maipu, Argentina

06 Monday Mar 2023

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Inky purple colored, this blend of 60% Cab Sav, 25% Malbec and 15% Cab Franc leaves a slight stain on the walls and has thick, slow moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose has wafting aromas of blackberry jam, black plum, violet, vanilla bean, chocolate,   some bell pepper and a medicinal note from the oak.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are fine grained but prominent.  Full bodied, this wine gives me flavors of black fruit, oak influence that is well masked/integrated (vanilla, medicinal, chocolate) and a touch of blueberry.  It hangs in there for a decent length finish and is silky smooth on the back end.  It’s delicious and will pair beautifully with our grilled lamb chops with roasted potatoes.  This is drinking beautifully now and will cellar till 2028.  I will give it 92 points which is a bit shy of the 95 it got from one pro.  At $25 it gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils Pommard ‘La Chaniere’ 2020, Cote de Beaune, France

06 Monday Mar 2023

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If you read my previous post on our Parisian dinner you will have read that we drank two Pinot Noirs from Burgundy.  This is the second bottle- notes taken were basic as it was dinner!

Deep ruby. Rich aromas of cherry pie, pomegranate , coffee, chocolate and raspberry.  Medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a medium (-) body with flavors of red fruit and silky oak spice carrying through to a medium finish.  92 points from me for this $41 stunner makes it a 5 star wine to seek out.  Salut….

Pacheco Pereda Estirpe Organic Cabernet Franc 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

03 Friday Mar 2023

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Not quite opaque, this deep ruby Cabernet Franc has medium viscosity legs (14% ABV).  The nose has bright aromas- violets, black raspberry, bell pepper, vanilla, baking spices, black plums and an interesting purple twizzler note.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and crunchy tannins that are medium (+) in intensity.  A touch astringent- the mouthfeel leads to a medium-to-full body with flavors of black plum and raspberry, vanilla bean and oak spices.  The tannins really grip on the back end where they get a little more fine-grained.  On the initial push they were very raw and coarse.  This wine could use aerating methinks.  I like the finish, it’s pretty long in length and the florals that I got on the nose reappear alongside the dark red fruit and softening tannins.  I have been simmering a Port reduction sauce to go over some grilled Strip steaks, this wine is going to pair beautifully.  92 points from me for this $30 offering makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Quinta do Crasto Roquette & Cazes 2019, Douro, Portugal

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Inky purple in the glass with virtually no legs- 14.5% ABV.  Vanilla, spice, ripe blackberry, (served in the wrong glass so it was difficult to draw off aromas).  Ripe black fruits, fresh oaky notes of vanilla, chocolate powder, black plum and cassis.  Delicious with medium tannins and acidity- a full body that covers my palate through to a medium length finish.  Great drinking right now with a few years left in cellar.  92 points from me and at $26, worthy of looking for as this 5 star beauty will impress.  Salut….

Chateau Lynch Bages winery tour

28 Tuesday Feb 2023

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If you know me at all you will know that Lynch Bages is on my top three wines of all time.  I have drunk several vintages and many bottles over the past 25 years of this stunning Bordeaux wine.  When we decided to visit the region, they were the first winery I contacted for a tour.  I must admit the grey overcast and rainy days of February might not be the most picturesque time of the year to visit but there were no crowds and we were greeted by our excellent host at the newly built, ultra modern gravity flow winery.  Lots of glass in the main building allows for ample light and the beautifully appointed offices included a whimsical set of bathrooms replete with some funny cartoons.

Our tour began with in the ‘fermentation room’.  Stainless steel fermenting tanks that are gravity fed by a system of elevators and controlled by computer, very impressive set up.

Next up was a museum of sorts- the old wooden vats and the railroad system they used to employ to fill the barrels with must and also to press the wine.  Some interesting artifacts indeed!

Barrels of wine resting up prior to bottling, smoothing out and picking up secondary notes over time.

Remnants of grape and olive presses are on display outside the vault that holds their library of vintages.

And finally- the moment we had waited for.   The tasting room greeted us with three offerings- the ’15 Ormes de Pez, ’16 Echo (their second wine) and the ’14 Grand Vin.  All drank beautifully and showed the power off this winery as well as its finesse.  Stunning wines to drink made ever more special by the surroundings.

Our tour ended with a visit to their local village where we shopped for wine, drank coffee and thoroughly enjoyed reveling in the moment.  What a special place.  Salut….

Raul Perez Ultreia Saint Jacques 2019, Bierzo, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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This Mencia was a medium magenta/ruby color in the glass.  An earthy nose of crushed gravel and licorice with blackberry and lilac aromas.  The palate had medium (+) acidity, medium (-) tannins and a hefty body.  Blackberry, gravel, licorice all featured and the finish was medium in length.  Pairings for this wine would include lamb chops, beef stew or even roast duck.  Drink this 90 point wine till 2026.  I paid $20 but it can found for a few bucks cheaper, not bad and worthy of 5 stars.  Salut….

Bodegas Atalaya ‘La Atalaya del Camino’ 2017, Almansa, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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Intense and brooding, this Alicante Bouschet (a teinturier grape) was spectacular.  Licorice hit me on the nose from a mile away, closer in I got aromas of smoke, vanilla, ripe blackberry, blueberry, leather, earth and baking spices.  The palate had gentle acidity, robust tannins and a full body.  The fruit flavors were very ripe and almost jammy- blackberry and blackcurrant with dark chocolate, licorice and baking spice.  A long finish made me give this wine 93 points- not far off from the pros.  For $15 you better believe I am stocking up on this 5 star stunner.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….