Tag Archives: 5 stars

Fattoria della Talosa Vin Santo di Montepulciano Occhio di Pernice 1996, Tuscany, Italy

07 Monday Jul 2025

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It’s called Occhio di Pernice, which means Eye of the Partridge- relating to the deep amber color.  This one has a slight haze due to non-filtration and a high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of walnuts, prunes, candied orange peel, salty caramel, Seaspray, and spun honey.  It’s quite complex. The palate is sweet, with a full body and medium (+) acidity.  The flavors are intense and mirror the nose.  It’s quite an unctuous drop packed full of flavors that layer on themselves.  The sweetness is balanced by the juicy acidity.  This wine begs for a stinky Blue Cheese or super ripe Brie.  The finish is long and silky.  What a treat.  We paid $45 ex-chateau for this 94 pointer that makes it worthy of 5 stars.  It’s just being released after 29 years- shockingly good stuff.  Made predominantly from Sangiovese grapes made in the Vin Santo method.  Drink till 2040.  Salut….

talosa occhio di pernice vin santo di Montepulciano

Cambria Estate Winery Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022, Santa Maria Valley, California

09 Monday Jun 2025

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We drank this stunning Pinot bargain at our 40th virtual wine tasting.  I noted a pale ruby color with medium (-) viscosity (13.2% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of strawberry, blackberry, black cherry, cherry cola, sweet licorice, red currants, tomato stalk and an evergreen hint. (these are combined descriptors from the group btw).  The palate was dry with a light body, medium (-) acidity, and low tannins- a very enjoyable mouthfeel.  Strawberry, mature black cherry, cola, smoky charcoal and sweet licorice flavors were noted.  The wine had a medium (+) finish and was enjoyed by all.  I scored it 18 points out of 20 on our tasting sheet and assigned it 91 points on a technical merit.  At $20 I am most definitely ordering a case of this to throw back at every opportunity.  A stunning 5 star effort to drink until 2030. Salut….

Cambria Estate Winery Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir

Val do Sosego Albarino 2023, Rias Baixas, Spain

03 Tuesday Jun 2025

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Pale lemon colored with a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon and grapefruit pith, peach, pear, some salty minerality, white blossom, and a hint of green apple.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, and a medium (-) body.  The flavor intensity is slightly more than the nose and echoes the aromas in taste.  The finish is long and slightly tart from the zippy acidity.  It’s refreshing, light and delicious.  Worthy of 91 points and for the $20 price point it gets 5 stars. Load up on this beauty for summer, serve with grilled fish all day long.  Salut….

Val do Sosego Albarino

Fram Cinsault 2021, Citrusdal Mountain, South Africa

14 Wednesday May 2025

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of cranberry, rhubarb, red cherry, vanilla, coffee, singed alder, and a slightly green herb note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of rhubarb, cranberry, red cherry, and charred wood.  The finish is medium in length, slightly tart and very delicious.  This wine started off with a muted nose, attacked with really enjoyable red fruit and has a delightful structure that is very appealing.  This varietal is normally blended or used in rosé production.  Seeing it as a stand alone was a no-brainer.   Really yummy and worthy of 90 points.  I would drink it till 2028 with lighter meat dishes, the delicacy of this wine does not need a big fatty Ribeye.  For $17 a bottle, you gotta grab a few.  5 stars.  Salut….

Fram Cinsault

Hess Collection Allomi Vineyard Chardonnay 2021, Napa Valley, California

04 Sunday May 2025

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Pale lemon colored with very narrow legs showing off a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of popcorn, lemon brioche, orange blossom, salted caramel, pineapple, vanilla, and melon.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and more intense flavors.  The buttery notes that dominated the nose take second fiddle to the lemon, brioche and vanilla notes.  It’s a heavy weighted wine with plenty of mouthfeel, lots going on.  The finish has a telltale Napa chardonnay note of butter and brioche- no doubt from judicious oak and lees stirring.  It goes on for quite a long while.  It’s perfect for the baked Red Snapper and wild rice I am pairing it with.  This is a lovely bottle that has some aging capacity and will drink nicely till 2034.  It gets 92 points from me, a tad higher if the nose was more forthcoming.  At $34, it’s a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Hess Collection Allomi Vineyard Chardonnay

Domaine Passot Les Rampaux Fleurie 2022, Beaujolais, France

28 Monday Apr 2025

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Medium purple colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, white blossom, orange peel, acai berry, blueberry, and black grape.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of acai berry, slightly underripe blueberry, red and black cherry, white blossom and crunchy red grapes.  Cru Beaujolais is not at all what Nouveau is.  The fruit is vinified differently and the resultant structure, especially tannins, are much more apparent.  This Gamay based wine is built to last a few years, and might just be starting its approachable stage.  The finish is medium (+) in length and drives home the slightly green nature of some of the fruit, tart is the key word here.  It’s a very interesting and slightly different wine that I am enjoying tremendously.  91 points worth for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine, to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Domaine Passot Fleurie

Gramercy Cellars Lower East ‘The Bowery’ 2018, Walla Walla, Washington

25 Friday Apr 2025

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of game, lavender, violet, black plum, black raspberry, a whiff of vanilla, some coffee, a licorice.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are silky.  Medium (+) flavor intensity of black plum, black raspberry, violets, a touch of game, and some licorice.  The vanilla and coffee disappeared.  The finish is medium in length and shows off the meaty side of the blend (46% Carignan, 29% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache and 10% Syrah).  A very Southern Rhone style wine, with the heat to go along with it.  Even though it registers 14%, I am aware of it on the mid palate and back end.  A lovely drop that runs $25 and gets 91 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Gramercy Cellars Lower East the bowery

Chateau Guiraud 2004, Sauternes, France

21 Monday Apr 2025

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Medium gold colored with high viscosity (13.5% ABV). Medium (+) intensity aromas of honey, apricot, orange marmalade, white flowers, and green almond. The palate is sweet, with medium (+) acidity, and a full body. Medium (+) intensity flavors of spun honey, apricot, orange marmalade, white tea, spicy chai, white blossom, and preserved lemons.  The finish is medium (+) in length,  unctuous, and delicious.  It is evolving nicely and will continue to do so for a few more years. It begs for blue cheese, or a cherry tart.   It’s not as intense as the 2003, scoring a point less as a result.  93 points for this $26 bottle makes it a 5 star effort.  Salut….

chateau girded sauternes

Benjamin Darnault Les Parcelles Grenache 2020, Languedoc, France

19 Saturday Apr 2025

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Medium ruby, hinting to garnet, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Grenache has medium (-) intensity aromas of red raspberry, baking spice, rhubarb, lavender, orange peel, and juniper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of raspberry, red currants, rhubarb, orange peel, and baking spice.  The finish is medium in length and charming- adding a point where the intensity of the nose lost one.  It’s had five years to meld and has done so nicely, a smooth mouthfeel and juicy red flavors without much intervention.  I am planning to pair with roasted suckling pork and sweet potatoes.  It gets 90 points from me and for $15- 5 stars.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Benjamin Darnault Les Parcelles Grenache

Karen Birmingham Reserve Zinfandel 2021, Lodi, California

15 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Deep ruby colored, with medium viscosity (15.2% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of licorice, black plum, black raspberry, coffee, and violets.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a full body, and medium (-) tannins.  Flavors of blackberry, black plum, black raspberry, toasty oak, coffee and licorice.  The finish is medium in length and silky, the mild tannins caressing.  I plan to pair with Pork Tomahawks and this lower tannin level is perfect for the white meat.  The high alcohol is noted both on the nose and the back end, but that’s to be expected of modern day Zins.   It’s a tasty drop for sure and bests the 2020 vintage of the same wine I previously tasted.  91 points from me and at $15, it’s a 5 star wine to drink till 2029.  Salut….

Karen Birmingham Reserve Lodi Zinfandel