Tag Archives: 5 stars

Watchful Maker Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington

12 Tuesday Jan 2021

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This Washington State Cab Sav is a murky, dark shade of purple and totally opaque. On the nose I get a whiff of alcohol followed by plums, black currants and cedar shake. The palate starts off with a healthy dose of tannins and black fruit salad. When I say healthy, I mean teeth coating astringency- wow. The fruit flavors are having a hella time trying to get center stage here. The mid palate has black currants and tea notes that are vying for space with the grip of tannins. On the finish it is a very dry affair that is short lived from the fruit. I need to get the Vinturi out and re-try. I picked the right wine for tonight’s pairing- Picanha steaks, which have a thick edge of fat in need of some hefty tannins. This wine has tremendous structure and will cellar nicely for a few years but if you need it now, aerate it or you will be lost in a sea of mouth searing tannins. Overall I think this wine will end up really nice and considering the aging capacity I am going with 90 points. It retails for $23 and gets 5 stars from me. Drink from 2023 till 2027. Salut….

Chateau Cantemerle ’01, Haut-Medoc, France

11 Monday Jan 2021

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The cork failed on this 20 year old Classed Bordeaux but it’s a dark purple and almost opaque with a touch of bricking.  The nose is classic Claret that is well aged.  Tobacco, raisins, steeped plum and a healthy dose of leather.  On the palate it is a touch sour initially with cherry that gives way to tertiary flavors of cedar cigar box, Maduro and leather.  It’s very mature and certainly delicious.  The tannins are fully integrated at this point so the wine is at peak if not just past.  The finish has a modicum of acidity, the structure that has let this wine last this long. It is the final bottle of a case I purchased in 2003.  It’s sad to see it go but I’m glad I have been able to track its evolution.  92 points from me has been consistent in all my tastings of this wine. The pros went sub 90 back in the early days, I guess they did not think it would hang in there for two decades and evolve so beautifully. If you want to try one, they are available online for about $80. We drank it all by itself , something I would recommend. 5 stars. Salut….

Pine and Brown Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa, California

07 Thursday Jan 2021

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Dinner is Lamb Shanks with black eyed peas and Rattatouile. I needed a stout, dry wine so I turned to this young Cab Sav. It’s dark purple, and totally opaque. The nose gives me ripe blackberry, rich plum compote and I can smell the 14.8% heat. On the palate the taste echoes the nose- rich purple fruit flavors intertwining with beautiful tannins and a touch of acidity. The fruit is very rich with Cali sunshine evident. I get a hint of Iodine on the mid palate alongside the layered plums, blackcurrant and berries. The acidity kicks it up a notch on the finish and the dryness on my gums remains for a long period. The flavors linger for nearly 15 seconds. Delicious stuff that gives off some Oak influence right at the end. 92 points for this $90 monster makes it a 5 star effort. Drink till 2029. Pricy but yummy! Salut….

Camille Benitah Pomme Roll Cabernet Franc 2018, Napa Valley, California

06 Wednesday Jan 2021

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I often plan my dinner around what I want to drink. Sometimes I pair the wine to the meal and sometimes I just drink whatever. Tonight is Strip steaks on the charcoal. A mid-fatty cut of beef that doesn’t need huge tannins, but good fruity notes are more appropriate. I had a glance at the lineup of Cab Savs on my tasting bench and stumbled on this Cab Franc, the name which has an awesome twist- Pomme Roll. Google it, a right bank commune that relies on this varietal for some huge name Chateaus.

This one is bright purple and nearly opaque. The nose is perfumed with violets, black currants, sweet blackberry and a hint of the 14.8% punch. On the palate it is delicious and smooth. Black fruit salad with juicy acidity and a good dose of fine grained tannins. The structure is perfect for what I am pairing, not overly dry but with nice cut from the acidity. The dark fruit theme continues on the mid palate where I also get some black Twizzler and tea notes. The finish is quite dry but still very fruity and fragrant. The violets adding yet another layer to the complexity of this wine. It’s rather a big red that could use a touch of aerating or cellar time for a year or two. It should drink nicely till 2026. I am really enjoying it and did not get any alcohol apart from the initial whiff. 91 points for this $26 wine makes it a 5 star effort. Salut….

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Napa Valley, California

04 Monday Jan 2021

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I love my neighbors Arty and Keef…. you see, they have a nice collection of Napa Cabs in their cellar and I get the chance to taste alongside quite often. When this text arrived, I made sure to head over tout suite.

Wow- black beauty.  Opaque AF and showing long legs in the glass.  The nose is magnificent.  A dusty take on blackberry jam, cassis, toasty oak and a hint of eucalyptus.  On the palate this wine is super focused with very defined blueberries, blackberries alongside some Lapsang Souchong tea notes.  Very integrated tannins and really lithe acidity help bring out the California sunshine in this wine- it’s definitely fruit forward and open for business.  Delicious- 93 points and 5 stars for this $100 stunner. Drink till 2025 with Filet or other less fatty meals. Salut….

Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas La Louisiane 2018, Rhone, France

03 Sunday Jan 2021

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Tonight is the first Sunday of the New Year, which means we are celebrating 2021 with a standing Rib Roast plus all the trimmings. A juicy, fatty cut like this needs a tannic wine, so I searched for something young that would help temper the Beef.

This Grenache is semi opaque in the glass and a pretty shade of purple. The nose is very inviting- black raspberry, bacon, blueberry jam and a hint of blackberry. Very intricate and complex. The palate is beautiful, with a perfect set of tannins for my meal. The flavor profile is more black fruit with some very well integrated oak nuances. Violets and lavender also come to mind. The mid palate has lush dollops of more black fruit and a tea component. The tannins are really fine grained but ever present for a really delicious mouthfeel. The finish has a definitive blueberry note that I got from the nose. Very complex and swirling, this wine is a treat. I paid $35 for this stunner that scored upwards of 97 points with the pros. I have to say, it is really delicious but a touch young… worthy of at least 95 points which makes it a 5 star effort that I will be stocking up on. I plan to drink until 2028 at the very least. Salut….

Domaine du Grand Montmirail Le Côteau de Mon Rêve Gigondas 2017, Rhone, France

29 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Very dark red/purple in the glass. On the nose this Grenache blend gives me some raspberry, game, violets and pomegranate. The palate is exceedingly smooth with layers of dark red fruits. Raspberries, rhubarb, pomegranate, blueberry and Ceylon tea notes are abundant. There is a very lithe tannic component with really mellow, balancing acidity to give this wine a nice mouthfeel. The mid palate goes a touch drier but the fruit components remain the same. The finish has more black tea and is quite dry, the tannins kicking it up a notch. Very smooth still and tasty to boot. Moxie is fixing up some Filets and this was the perfect pairing for the lean meat. I really am enjoying the melange of red and blue fruits as well as the structure of this wine. I’m going with 92 points. The pros went way higher (96 and 95). Lovely stuff that can be had for $30 and gets 5 stars from me. Blended with Syrah and Mourvedre as is typical for Rhone wines. Drink till 2029. Salut….

Jen Pfeiffer The Rebel Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Australia

26 Saturday Dec 2020

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It’s Boxing Day, aka the day after Christmas. We have started a new tradition of eating Fondue on the 25th, it’s easy requires very little effort. As usual, we had tons of leftovers, so I am grilling the remaining Filet. I put the chicken in the crock pot and let it slow cook in Buffalo sauce which I’ll be shredding in a few minutes as a precursor to the main dish. I needed something light, lively and hopefully a touch acidic to pair with the spicy heat I am anticipating with the chicken. Out came this Aussie Sav Blanc.

It’s a very pale shade of yellow with a hint of green in the glass. On the nose it bursts with citrus notes, pineapple and green apple. The palate is delicious with great floral hints, juicy lemon/lime/tangerine notes and some lithe acidity. I was hoping for more for this particular pairing but it’s fine as is. The mid palate has a touch of lanolin and yet more lemon. The acidity kicks in on the mid length finish- it’s not overly juicy but I like the cut. It is refreshing and keeps the wine lean. Enjoyable, quaffable and versatile. I really enjoy this varietal and feel it has so much to offer as far as pairing ability. 88 points from me for this yummy bottle that runs $10. 5 stars, stock up for the summer. Salut….

Chateau Cos D’Estournel 2001, Bordeaux, France

26 Saturday Dec 2020

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It would not be Christmas without an aged Claret. This 19 year old took the honors and I am sure glad I picked it. Wow, what a stunner. I did not take notes but recall the wine looked a dark shade in the glass with no signs of bricking. The nose was astounding- tobacco, leather, earth, steeped plums and cassis. On the palate this wine is at plateau. I cannot even describe the beauty of liquid elixir. It was layered with the tertiary flavors I had smelled plus a surprising dose of dark currants, cassis and cedar. The tannins are fully resolved at this stage of the maturity, sublime being a good descriptor of the mouthfeel. The finish was super long and gratifying. This wine was a home run and has rewarded my patience. I think it still has a few years of life, but like I said- it’s at peak now. I have 6 more bottles in the cellar, lucky me! You could pair this wine with an array of foods, but simply enjoying it on its own would be amazing. I have written about the ’01 Cos before, once in 2012 and then in 2013. I am upping my score to 95 for this $150 beauty and sticking with 5 stars. Salut….

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay 2018,California

24 Thursday Dec 2020

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I needed a white to go with tonight’s Christmas Eve dinner, this one was up next on the bench and seems appropriate considering the fare. It’s a dark yellow color in the glass. On the nose this wine offers butterscotch, yellow apple, lemon zest and popcorn. The palate is smooth, buttery and full bodied. The classic Cali Chard notes are evident. Oak influenced lemon, apples and melon make for a very tasty wine that will appeal to many. My mate Dusty would love this one, his sister-in-law Arty would hate it. I know many people truly dislike the flavor of Chardonnay that has undergone Malolactic fermentation with an abundance of butter flavor as a result. Others love it to the point of seeking it out. I digress. The mid palate is warm and a bit more cutting with a whiff of acidity starting to appear. The finish is long and silky with popcorn, butter, lemon and green melon flavors carrying through til the end. Not much acidity sticking around for the finale but I’m okay with that. This is for short term drinking and will pair well with Salmon, shrimp cocktail or even baked chicken. I like it for what it is and give it 89 points. For $11 I can see why it’s one of the most widely produced Chards out there. 5 stars for this daily drinker that needs to be bought by the case if you like the style. Drink till 2022. Salut….