Tag Archives: $55

Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay 2014, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

05 Thursday Dec 2019

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Bright yellow/gold in the glass, a stunning color.  On the nose- creme brûlée, yellow apple, almond shavings… super complex.  The palate brings me back to reality.  Apple, pineapple and a nice acidic bite transition me to a midpalate of waxy apple, nutmeg and pineapple.  The finish has me wondering what is making my gums feel dry.  Acidity is on pointe and the creme brûlée reappears.  Fantastic wine.  93 points and for $55 I have to go with 5 stars.  It’s not for everyday, cellar a bottle or two and open on a special occasion- mine was Thanksgiving.  Salut….

Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2012, Margaux, France

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Rich purple hues in the glass with classic Bordeaux notes on the palate.  Cassis, lovely oak and dark cherry are dominant on the nose.  On the palate it is slightly thinner than expected but its litheness is appreciated.  Plums, blackberry reduction, black olives and charcoal dominate the initial palate.  Very lithe tannins peak on the mid palate with very slight acidity countering them.  The finish is where the astringency kicks in with black tea, black currants and spice box.  This wine is drinking very nicely now and will improve over the next 10 years.  92 points and 4 stars for this $55 Grand Cru.  Salut….

Turley Napa Valley Petite Syrah 2016, Napa Valley, California

26 Saturday Jan 2019

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Nearly black in the glass.  Blackcurrant and smoky wood on the nose.   On the palate it offers black cherry, dark currants, superb tannins and olives.  The midpalate gets a dose of dryness from the tannins to go with more dark berries.  The finish is blackberry coulis, tea and a touch of wood.  Overall a very good but young wine that needs two to three years in the cellar.  After that- drink till 2028 with heavy duty meat dishes.  91 points for now.  I would love to revisit in 3 years.  $55 makes this a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Eagles Trace Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley, USA

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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I have previously had the Eagle’s Trace Cabernet, in Magnum.  Dark purple with a touch of brick.  On the nose it has a bit of funk- hoping it blows off. Black cherry, cola, eucalyptus hit me after a hard swirl.  On the palate it shows red fruits- a rich acidity and fine grained tannins.  Raspberry, cherries jubilee and an oak influence all hit.  The mid palate gets me back to cola.  Sassafras appears on the tail end where the tannins start to grip and the mouthfeel turns astringent.  Enjoyable if you like a dry finish.  89 points and not a bad choice for Thanksgiving that included a smoked turkey as well as a deep fried one.  It did not hold up as well as I had hoped.  For $55 it gets 2 stars from me.  Salut….

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Chateau Leoville-Las Cases ‘Clos du Marquis’2006, Saint-Julien, France

17 Friday Aug 2018

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I have had the 2005 Close Du Marquis, twice.  This vintage is not as solid and lacks depth.  My Danish buddy brought it to our tasting and we saved it for the finale.  Unfortunately, the best was not saved for last- the best was the Pioneer Pinot that we tasted first.

Very dark and opaque in the glass.  The nose resonates with plums, Kirsch and Pepsi cola.  The palate has a definitive edge- plums, gripping tannins, acidity and pencil lead.  Cassis appears on the mid with a blue fruit and cedar component.  The finish is somewhat short, but pleasant with kirsch and cassis dominating while the  tannins recede.  89 points and for $55, 3 stars.  Salut….

Chateau Cantemerle 2001, Haut-Medoc, France

16 Friday Jun 2017

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Last night I had an old College friend over for dinner.  We ate Brisket, as can be seen in my previous post.  While it was still cooking we have heavy hors d’ouerves and I opened up a stunning set of wines.  The 2001 vintage from Bordeaux has been quietly sitting in my cellar and I really should get to drinking them, time flies and most wines fade.  So, we started out with the amazing 2001 Chateau Cantermerle, which has been drinking well for a decade now.  The first tasting note I wrote was in 2011, the wine has only gotten better and more defined.  The secondary flavors are in place, the fruit is still present and the tannins are fully melded.  A great 91 point wine that I really enjoyed.  I purposely did not write notes, I just wanted to enjoy the moment and relish the wines.  A quick check online shows this one available for $55, making it a 5 star effort even at 16 years of age!  Well done.  Salut….

Peters Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain 2006

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

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I tasted the 2006 Peters Family Cabernet exactly three years ago and am impressed that it has evolved more and gotten a higher score from me.

A nose of black currant preserves, pine needles and tar.  On the palate a beautiful intro of plum, black berries and dried mint.  The mid palate shows off some great tannins that are persistent yet subdued.  The acidity is somewhat muted, overshadowed by the fruit and tannins.  The finish is short to medium in length but ends with the tannic dryness.  This wine has a great mouthfeel that I really like and the fruit is still vibrant.  A mostly Cabernet Sauvignon wine that has 23% Merlot mixed in.  Secondary flavors are evident and I’m excited about this wine’s development.  Drink till 2022 with pasta, steaks and roasted game.  92 points and 4 stars for this $55 effort.  Salut….

peters family cabernet sauvignon

Domaine Sebastien Magnien Pommard Les Perrieres, Cote de Beane, France 2010

08 Monday Aug 2016

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A Burgundy bottling that comes with great acclaim and which I have waited long enough to try.  See through light purple, hinting at refinement and class.  The nose has strawberry, pomegranate and twizzlers.  All typical of good Pinot Noir!  The initial taste is very elegant, light and juicy. Strawberry, rhubarb and juicy acidity merge into a mid palate of cherry kirsch. The finish is long and laced with tannins as well as that bracing acidity. This wine is exuberant and young. The earthiness and funk that I crave in Burgundy wines has not yet evolved. I would imagine another 4 years in the cellar might extract the results I’m looking for. 91 points for now and I am excited for the next bottle in a few years!  4 stars for this $55 offering.  Salut….

les perrieres

Eagles Trace Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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I bought a magnum of this wine a while back and had it sitting on my ‘everyday drinker’ shelf for the past two months, waiting to pop it at a moments notice.  This past week I had that opportunity.  Black cherries and eucalyptus on the nose were telltale signs of this wine’s Napa roots.  Kir, plum and blueberry initially hit my palate along with some beautiful ingrained tannins.  Blueberry jam on a creamy finish with nice acidity lead to a great mouthfeel and long ending.  This is Napa Cab at it’s finest, showing off fresh fruit yet with great structure and complexity.  This particular bottle was relatively young, especially since it was in Magnum.  I would venture a 2014-2024 drinking window in large format.  92 points and 4 stars from me for this $55 effort.  Salut….

eagles trace cabernet sauvignon

Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversay 2012

08 Tuesday Jul 2014

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I went in to a wine store this past weekend looking for a special bottle for a friend’s 50th party.  This was one of the ‘gifts’ we took and managed to drink.  It is a special anniversary bottling and my first experience with this winery.  I must say I enjoyed the wine, it is very much a Napa style, but very approachable young.  It started with blackberry pie and blue berries on the nose.  Very smooth tannins and balanced acidity were my first impression of the structure with delicious berries and dark fruits opening the show.  On the mid palate is where I got plums and nutmeg with some chocolate and cassis.  A strange yet compelling combination.  The 14.6% alcohol barely showed itself and the whole package was very balanced and certainly drinkable.  The wine is ready now and will go for another 10 years easily.  I would guess this wine to be a 91 pointer in my opinion and for the $55 price tag, it’s worthy of 3 stars.  We drank it before dinner as an aperitif but it would also pair well with grilled meats and some gratin potatoes.  I’m still learning about Napa cabs and this is certainly a nice way to enter the foray.  Salut….

caymus napa valley cabernet sauvignon anniversary edition