Tag Archives: 5 stars

Castello di Bibbione Gran Selezione 2016, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

14 Thursday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium garnet colored, this 6 year old Sangiovese is showing a bit of age already.  The nose has aromas of warm cherry, leather, rose, cinnamon, pomegranate, cranberry and fresh cut pine.  The palate is dry with high acidity and mouth coating tannins.  It is a young wine in texture, but the fruit is already mingling with tertiary flavors.  Red fruit (tart) with leather, rose, cigar box and that fresh wood note.  The acidity and tannins are very powerful and opposing in this medium (+) bodied wine.  The finish is a short, sour affair with the tannins really coating my gums.  I like this rather youthful wine and think it will develop and soften with time.  If you want something zippy for a pasta dinner or grilled steaks, this is open for business.  Drink till 2030.   92 points for this $25 wine makes it a solid 5 star effort.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills ‘Kangarilla’ Grenache 2011, McLaren Vale, Australia

09 Saturday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Deep ruby colored with pronounced aromas of black plum, coconut, blackberry, sassafras, loam, cedar and baking spices. The palate is dry with well integrated, powerful tannins. Medium to full bodied I get rich fruit cake flavors, black cherry, black plum, vanilla and spice. The acidity is medium and very balanced with the tannic structure. The finish falls off rather rapidly but it’s okay- the fruit intensity up till then was really great.  It finishes with a touch of charcoal, some tannic grip and black fruit. Very little tertiary notes at this time even though the wine is 11 years old. It should last another five or six years and drink really well with some grilled meats. 93 points, possibly higher if the finish were a little bit longer.  For $50 it is a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Villa Sparina Gavi del Comune di Gavi DOCG 2021, Piedmont, Italy

08 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This is a new one for me- the Cortese grape from Italy.  This bottle is deceivingly tinted making me think I was going to pour a deep yellow wine.  Instead I found it to be pale gold with aromas of green pear, chamomile, lemon zest, lime and lanolin.  The palate is dry with a full body that coats my mouth with a waxy lemon/lime component, green pear, spice and floral notes.  The finish is medium length and the waxy mouthfeel hangs on for a while.  Having never had this varietal it is difficult to rate but I thoroughly enjoyed the textural aspect of this wine and the fruit flavors were delicious.  90 points for this really yummy wine that I paired with grilled Jerk chicken.  Bought for $14, it gets 5 stars.  Try it this summer with seafood or white meats.  Salut….

Chateau Figeac 2000, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

04 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I have owned and stored this Magnum for nearly 20 years.  I chose it for our dinner with friends Keef and Arty at our favorite restaurant, Chez Francois where we dined on Wagyu Beef Cheeks, Rack of Lamb and Chateaurbriand.  An amazing evening that lasted 3+ hours and culminated with their signature Soufflé.  This bottle was decanted and the sommelier and I agreed that it was youthful in color, showing no bricking- just a clear, deep ruby color.  With a touch of air in the large decanter the nose was stupendous.  No notes were taken but I can say that it was all there.  Cassis, leather, tobacco, cedar, blackberry, black cherry.  The tannins were so well integrated and the acidity was en Pointe.  The mouthfeel on this wine was exceptional- balanced to a tee with fruit, structure, secondary and tertiary flavors and aromas- the whole lot.  It is drinking at its prime now and will last another 5-8 years methinks.  If you have it in 750 ml, start consuming it sooner rather than later.  A stunning, smooth and delicious Right Bank Merlot that was worth the wait.  95 points from me.  If you can find a regular bottle it will run you $250, a Magnum would be roughly $600.  Drink this beauty with friends for a very special occasion.  5 stars.  Salut….

Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva NV, Spain

04 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Moxie and I have just moved to Virginia, where the local Costco sells wine and beer.  I picked this bottle of Cava up for under $8, yes $7.99 to be precise.  That is a killer price for a traditional method sparkling wine.  Was it any good?  You betcha.

Pale golden yellow with a fine mousse.  Aromas of bread dough, lemon pith, green apple, biscuit.  Very refreshing on the palate with smooth bubbles, dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (-) bodied with excellent textural feel.  The flavors mirror the nose but more on the fruit side versus the autolytic components.  This blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo gets at least 89 points from me and 5 stars.  It’s my new go-to summer slurper.  We are serving up some charcuterie with it. (P.s.  I went back for case). Salut….

William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2016, Alexander Valley, California

26 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Deep purple colored with very thick, slow moving legs.  Surprising considering it’s only showing 13.5% ABV on the label.  The nose is very perfumed and fruity with blackcurrant, violets, blackberry preserves, coffee bean, vanilla, coconut, purple licorice and cedar shake.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, high tannins and a full body.  Pronounced flavors of dark fruit that is a touch preserved along with toasty oak nuance and some floral hints.  The body of this wine just coats my mouth and makes for a gorgeous mouthfeel.  The finish is medium in length and the tannins literally coat my upper gums with fine-grained tingles.  This is a younger, more fruit forward vintage that I am thoroughly enjoying.  I would pair this with very hearty dishes and drink it till 2030.  94 points from me make this $40 bottle a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Chateau Kefraya 2016, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

26 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


If you read my previous post about the Basque white we enjoyed at dinner, this is the follow up wine we ordered to accompany the Crescent Duck Breast, Young Broccoli, Rhubarb and Black Barley dish.  Spectacular is what I remember as there were no notes taken.  At 6 years of age this bottle looked a bit beat up but tasted great.  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Cab Franc, Syrah and Cinsault thrown in for good measure it combines red fruit aromas/flavors with nicely integrated oak, supple tannins and spice box nuance alongside some tertiary notes of leather and tobacco. Really great mouthfeel and a decent length finish. If tasted properly I would score this 91 points and give it a drink till 2028 window to pair with red meat, Duck (obviously!) or even a hearty Ragout.  Yummy stuff to be had for under $20 that gets 5 stars from me. Salut….

Ulibarri Artzaiak Tzakoli 2018, Spain

26 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


We went out for an amazing dinner that encourages ordering small plates of various dishes.  Our choices included:

Gnocco Fritto, Ricotta, Prosciutto di Parma, Preserved Lemon
Grilled Octopus, Romesco, Red Watercress, Garbanzo and Almond
Chicory Salad, Sunflower, Poppyseed, Meyer Lemon, Finger Lakes Gold Cheese
Burrata, Roasted Carrot, Carrot Top Pesto, Mint
Escargot Braised in Vichyssoise Butter, Potato Confit, Preserved Lemon
Fried Point Blue Crab and Pink Peppercorn Strozzapreti, Chile, Lemon, Old Bay Breadcrumb
Roasted Beet Mezzalune, Toasted Pistachio, Ricotta Salata, Brown Butter

Choosing a red wine would be hard for the appetizer section so I went with this white from the Basque Country.  Hondarabi Zuri is new to me- this one is medium/deep lemon colored.  High acidity makes it very fresh and lively  Medium (-) bodied I got intense aromas and flavors of lemon, white flowers, sea salt and lime zest.  It was delicious.  The finish was a tart and juicy affair that was medium in length.  A really nice wine that I think paired very well with our myriad of culinary angles.  I think this bottle retails for $23 and gets 90 points from me.  Serve chilled all summer long!  5 stars.  Salut….

La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Ardanza Reserva 2015, Rioja DOCa, Spain

23 Thursday Jun 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Moxie and I are moving house next week so we are raiding the freezer and drinking all the un-tried wines.  Tonight is grilled Hangar steak and this Tempranillo from Spain.  Deep garnet colored, it shows its age and it’s 14.5% ABV with some thick legs in the glass.  The nose is beautiful aged Rioja.  Leather, tobacco, dried blackberry, stewed black plum, dark chocolate, game and prune.  The palate is dry and tart with fine grained, well integrated tannins.  Full bodied, this wine coats my mouth with flavors of dried and stewed black fruits, charred oak and dried, dusty bramble.  The leather and tobacco are still evident as is some red fruit; stewed strawberry?  The finish is medium in length and the fine tannins are tickling the roof of my mouth.  I like this wine but feel it is at peak if not slightly past, which is quite young for a Reserva.   92 points for this $30 bottle makes it a 5 star effort, drink till 2025.  Salut….

Dolce Late Harvest Wine 2012, Napa Valley, California

21 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


I was a bit apprehensive when the cork snapped in two, hoping I could get the rest out without further ado.  I was lucky, just one floating bit.  You can never trust the provenance of a State liquor store bottle btw.  Having said that, this dessert wine is medium gold in color with very viscous legs in the glass.  The nose has pronounced aromas of apricot marmalade, honey, vanilla nib, candied lemon peel, creme caramel, peach pie and dried hazelnuts.  The longer it sits there the more tantalizing the nose gets.  The palate is sweet, as expected from this late-harvest and botrytized blend of Semillon and Sauvignon. Blanc.  There is some great acidity here that balances out the sugar perfectly leaving me with a very slippery wine with amazing mouthfeel that just transcends the palate from front to back with such ease.  The weight of this wine is sublime, full-bodied yet light and airy.  The finish is long and just a tad juicy from the acidity.  The whole package is amazing- worthy of 98 points that the pros at W.E. gave it.  For 375ml expect to pay $75.  A stunning 5 star wine that I will be serving with Blue Cheese and crackers after dinner.  Salut….