Tag Archives: 5 stars

Pedra Cancela Selecao Enologo 2016, Portugal

09 Monday Nov 2020

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Number 2 wine at our 11th Virtual Wine tasting was this Portuguese steal that came in at $14. An equal blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo). The tasters had the following to say:

Semi opaque, dark red.  Nice legs but only 13%.  Cigar box, earthy, fig, dried fruit, jammy.  Black pepper?  Dusty bramble.  Sour cherry, earthy, fine grained tannins that hit on the finish.  Light to medium bodied.  Black tea, dry finish.

I enjoyed this wine but did not love it. One of the pros went huge with 96 points, I’m thinking 89. It was enjoyed by many at the tasting and bang for the buck- it was a hit. 5 stars. Drink till 2024. Salut….

Stonestreet Estate Vineyards Chardonnay 2016, Alexander Valley, USA

09 Monday Nov 2020

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The 11th Virtual Wine tasting opened up with this Chardonnay from California. Tasted at room temperature first it gave the tasters: Butter, vanilla, buttered popcorn.  Butterscotch.  Honeysuckle, floral.  Orange blossom.  On the palate- Waxy, caramel, pear, Medium length with a pleasant finish.

The chilled version got passion fruit, green apple, toast, ‘crisper’, buttery, star fruit.  On the palate: hazelnut, slightly bitter on the finish, like grapefruit.  Pith of lemon from our MD friend.  Lemon drop, not too sweet.  Butterscotch.  Full bodied with just a smidge of acidity.

For me this wine was delicious on day 1 and even better the following night. I preferred it at room temperature when we first tasted but the chilled bottle was even more impressive on night 2. 92 points from me which coincides with the pros. For $25 it’s a nice, rich Chardonnay that delivers complexity and gets 5 stars from me. Think grilled Salmon or Salad Nićoise with this one. Drink till 2027. Salut….

Ophidian Pinotage 2018, Western Cape, South Africa

05 Thursday Nov 2020

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Pinotage is an interesting grape to me. I’m excited for this South African wine that is bright purple in the glass and semi opaque. On the nose it has telltale tar and blackberry notes. The palate is rich with sweet blackberries, bramble, earthy dust and that tar component I get so often with this varietal. The mid palate has some cola, sassafras and more black fruit. It’s got lithe tannins that build but never overtake the fruit. There’s a nice acidity but it’s not overly done. The earthiness of this wine is something to behold, it’s got a gamey note to boot. I really like the way it finishes with a flurry of different flavors wrapped in an easy drinking package. The structure encourages short term drinking so get popping. I’m paring it with leftover Kebabs and fried potatoes. 90 points for this $20 gem make it a 5 star wine for me! Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 771 Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, Oregon

31 Saturday Oct 2020

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It’s a typical Pinot in the glass- see-through, pale purple. On the nose it gives me loads of strawberry, violets, cherry and cinnamon. The initial palate is rich with warm strawberry pie, baking spices, sweet rhubarb and very fine grained tannins. There’s juicy acidity right off the bat and the wine continues it’s red theme throughout the palate. The baking spice component is an interesting facet to this wine. The flavor profile is neither Old nor New World, somewhere in the middle as far as taste, extraction and weight. It’s nice to drink and has some good structure to endure extended cellaring. The red currant and rhubarb finish is mid length and the tannins are very much evident. There is a hint of Rooibos tea right at the end that I am enjoying. I’m grilling up some Pork tenderloins, tossing some pasta with black olives and calling this a nice pairing. 90 points from me and 5 stars for this $20 effort. Salut….

Scott Peterson Rumpus Syrah 2019, California

27 Tuesday Oct 2020

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This wine is nearly black in the glass but it’s murky which makes me a little concerned…. The nose gives candied plums, roast game, some charcoal and blueberry pie. The palate is quite fresh with a tart blueberry opening. I am also getting chocolate powder and more plums. On the mid palate the core of blue and black fruits is enveloped in a nice tannic frame, they are very fine grained and integrated. I am really enjoying the flavor profile of this wine. The finish is a mellow affair with silky blueberry creme, black berries, a touch of acidity and those beautiful tannins. There is a very round and enveloped mouthfeel to this wine, it’s really interesting and certainly delicious. Right at the very end the tannins get a touch astringent and green, but I’m willing to overlook that. Tasty and worthy of 91 points from me. This Syrah will drink well till 2027 with some steaks, grilled game meat or even a pasta dish. My initial concern over the murky appearance did not pan out. Great wine and for $23- it’s a 5 star effort. Salut….

Rod Easthope Level 185 Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

21 Wednesday Oct 2020

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This Kiwi treat is pale gold in the glass and has notes of lemons, watermelon, cut grass and blood orange on the nose. The palate is deelish. Yellow apple, lemon curd, melon and a nice thrust of acidity. The mid palate is very smooth and lean with nice citrus notes that pass on to the long finish. I like the acidity in this wine, it’s present but not too cutting. The mouthfeel is very refreshing and clean. Lemons and blood orange finish it up after 30 + seconds. Really enjoyable wine that I am pairing with Jerk Chicken and Jamaican veg curry. 91 points and 5 stars for this $15 wine. Salut….

KWV ‘The Mentors’ Orchestra Red Blend 2017, Paarl, South Africa

21 Wednesday Oct 2020

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Inky and opaque is this Bordeaux blend.  On the nose I am treated to a melange of cassis, plums, blackberry and delicious oak.  The palate is exactly what I was hoping for- rich, warm and layered with all those black fruits, very integrated tannins and a mound of acidity.  This wine is very powerful and thick with fruit flavors, balancing doses of tannin and acidity and just the right amount of wood to make it very pleasing.  The mid palate gets quite a bit more focused on the structure of the wine- the acidity really playing hell with my jaw and the tannins really starting to grip.  If you’re looking for an unabashed wine that will pair well with game, grilled Ribeyes or a heavy pasta dish- this is it.  The finish reminds me of young Claret, the fruit being masked by the power of the structural components.  It will cellar nicely till 2030.  92 points from me for this $22 stunner that gets 5 stars. Salut….

Chapelle Saint Theodoric Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Guigasse 2015, Rhone, France

18 Sunday Oct 2020

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The fourth wine of the #10 Virtual tasting was a home run for me. This $60 Grenache was silky smooth, layered with flavors, complex and had an amazing mouthfeel.

It was semi opaque and had a lighter purple shade in the glass. The nose was very fruity with notes of Cedar, prunes, black cherry, smoky meat, pepper and cinnamon. One taster also threw in ‘bug spray’. On the palate it was very smooth and tasted ‘cold’- in a sense that this wine was very focused and had a concentration of flavors. It was Moxie’s favorite wine of the night and she’s not a huge fan of the reds. The tannins are what I think she liked- very fine grained and well integrated leading to a not-so-dry mouthfeel that was complex, balanced and chock full of red fruits and spice. Prunes showed up on the medium length finish. This wine was astounding to me, my first truly remarkable CDP in forever. I think the 5 years of cellaring was the key to softening this wine and allowing the tertiary notes to begin their emergence. I rated this wine 19 points on my tasting scale, a monster effort that translates into 95 points in the real world. The pro’s went 94, not far off. I know sixty bones is a big step in the wallet but well worth it for an exceptional wine that I award 5 stars to. Drink till 2030. No pairing needed, delicious all by itself. Salut….

Conterno Fantino Vignota Barbera d’Alba 2016, Piedmont, Italy

18 Sunday Oct 2020

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I usually pick a lighter style wine to go early in the Virtual Wine Tasting Company’s lineup, it’s normally a Pinot but this time I selected a Barbera d’Alba. I thought the varietal closely mimicked the lightness and flavor profile of Pinot but I was off the mark with this particular bottle. It was very dark red in the glass with medium opacity and very fine legs that showed off it’s whopping 15% alcohol. On the nose the tasters got black licorice, blackberry, currants, cherry cola and ‘Shrinky Dink’. I could smell the alcohol a mile away and the flavors came forth out of the glass with no coaxing needed. I made a note of ‘intense black fruit flavors’ on my own.

The palate showed black cherry and licorice with light tannins but the flavors were jammy and deep. The finish was slightly dry with caressing tannins and juicy acidity. I really enjoyed this wine and gave it 16 points on my tasting sheet. Technically translated- that would be a 91 point effort for this $33 beauty that gets 5 stars from me. Drink till 2028 with lighter fare. Quote of the night – “Water running over moss covered rocks.” He obviously did not enjoy it as much as I! Salut….

Posted Accord Chenin Blanc 2019, Swartland, South Africa

12 Monday Oct 2020

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This South African Chenin is a bright gold color in the glass. On the nose I get flowers, melon, ripe plantain and a pink grapefruit note. The palate is very round and enticing. Flavors of melon, banana parfait, a touch of citrus and apple are all caressing my mouth. This wine really fills with flavor and body for a great mouthfeel. The mid palate is soft and continues the fruit melange theme. The long (30+seconds) finish reminds me of fruit salad with bananas. Fruity, flavorful and satisfying it’s easy to drink this 12.7% alcohol wine. I am really enjoying this it as I roast a Chicken with steamed green beans. It will drink well for a few years and gets 91 whopping points from me. For $18- 5 stars, wish I had more. Salut….