Tag Archives: 5 stars

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Petite Chapelle – La Maison Bleue 2019, Rhone, France

17 Sunday Jul 2022

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Closing out the 28th virtual tasting session was this stunning Syrah from the Northern Rhone.  Opaque- deep purple in color it revealed a rich nose of game, licorice, iodine, anise, blood/iron, boysenberry, very dark fruit compote with a medicinal note as well as an image of really black blackberries.  The palate was smooth.  Dry with low acidity and fine-grained medium (+) tannins that led to  flavors of meat, cinnamon, caramel, blackberry coulis, iodine, charred oak and iron.  This full bodied wine finished with a medium length burst of delicious, complex flavors.  It tied at 19 points on our scale as my WOTN and garners 94 points.  For $60 this stunner is a 5 star treat wine to be drunk till 2039.  I would pair it with grilled Hangar steak slathered in a Roquefort sauce.  Salut….

Marietta Cellars ‘Roman’ Estate Grown Zinfandel 2019, North Coast, California

17 Sunday Jul 2022

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Our second wine at the 28th virtual tasting was this Zinfandel that had a smidge of Petite Sirah and Barbera mixed in.  It tied as my wine of the night.

Medium ruby colored it’s not as opaque as I was expecting.  The nose had tobacco, ripe boysenberry, cherry cola, chocolate covered cherries, black pepper, dark plums and green peppercorns.  The palate was dry with low tannins, medium acidity and deliciously smooth flavors of pepper, freeze-dried strawberry, tobacco, dried cherry and raisin.  Medium bodied, this wine was lower in alcohol than I was assuming- 14.7% ABV.  It’s a lot, but I have seen Zins in the 16% range.  A long finish was this wine’s crowning achievement making it a 19 pointer on our grading scale.  I would rate it 93 points and for $21 I might have to load up on this 5 star effort.  Drink until 2025 with lean red meat dishes.  Salut….

Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estates Selection 2017, Napa Valley, California

15 Friday Jul 2022

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Very deep purple colored, like ink.  The nose has pronounced aromas of blackberry, cassis, vanilla, coconut, bilberry, cedar, sassafras, dust, baking spice, green peppers and a yeasty component.  The palate is dry with beautiful fine-grained tannins that caress the gums.  Acidity is medium (-) and the wine has a full body.  Flavors of black fruit, sassafras, baking spice and green pepper carry on to a long finish.  This is delicious-  pure Napa sunshine and ripe fruit with enough oak treatment without overdoing it.  Fantastic stuff to pair with steaks till 2032.  The structure is great and it’s open for business now.  94 points from me for this $70 stunner makes it a 5 star treat.  Salut….

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

14 Thursday Jul 2022

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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….