Tag Archives: 86 points

Quinta do Crasto Superior 2016, Douro, Portugal

06 Wednesday Apr 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


I am a fan of Portuguese reds- I find them to offer high value for the money.  This Superior from the Douro is a blend of 50% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca, 20%  Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and 5% Sousao.  It is deep ruby with medium intensity aromas of stewed plums (prunes), green pepper, white pepper, dried blackberry, dried sage and a nuttiness.  I felt the wine is still developing.  On the palate it is dry with medium (+) tannins, medium acidity, medium alcohol and medium body.  The medium intensity flavors of prunes, dried sage and blackberry coupled with the nutty component led to a short finish.  I was underwhelmed by this ‘acceptable’ wine that should be drunk now, with no further aging.  It runs $24 locally and gets a mere 86 points from me making it a 2 star effort.

PS. tasting from a second bottle revealed the possibility that this wine was corked and the scores and reviews were deflated from the performance expected of this wine that scored highly with the pros.

Salut….

Beaulieu Vineyard Muscat de Beaulieu NV, California

10 Thursday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium gold in color this dessert wine has medium intensity aromas of honey, stewed apricot, cooked red apple and orange peel- not overly complex.  The palate is very slippery.  Medium (-) acidity, full body, medium intensity flavors of honey, orange pith, stewed apricot, and that orange peel.  I didn’t get the apple note btw.  It’s got weight  and a nice mouthfeel but the depth of fruit flavor is lacking.  I like it for a basic after-dinner treat on a weekday that runs $20 per half bottle that gets 86 points from me and 2 stars.  18% ABV btw.  Salut….

Parceleros Malbec 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

30 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Moxie and I went to a pre-theater dinner in downtown Philly.  The food was really good but the wine list was quite shabby, they offered 5 reds which retail in the stores for $12-18 per bottle and none got a rating over 86.  I was forced to choose one and settled on this Argentinian Malbec.  Here is my brief review:

Opaque, nose of crushed stone, plum, blackberry. Soft mouthfeel with lithe tannins, gentle acidity and medium intensity flavors.  Medium bodied with a medium length finish.  86 points.  Drink now.  $13 makes it a 3 star effort.  It was okay, just not great.  Salut….

Tamarack Cellars Chardonnay 2017, Columbia Valley, Washington

25 Thursday Mar 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


A medium shade of yellow in the glass with hints of lemon and pear on the nose. The palate is light, refreshing and pretty mild on the pH scale. Lemon drop and yellow pear dominate thew flavor profile but I get a hint of pineapple which is quite intriguing. The tartness starts to show up on the mid palate, where this light-bodied wine gives off more of the pineapple notes. The finish is relatively short and introduces a hint of lanolin, but the main components are the lemon and pineapple. It’s a nice, easygoing drop of un/barely oaked chardonnay that is not flabby or buttery. It reflects the grapes and minimalist intervention. For $15, it get 3 stars as I am going with 86 points. Drink till 2024 with shrimp scampi, salad nicoise, or even a chicken pie. Salut….

tempImage6BRys9

Domaine Laleure-Piot Les Tuvilains 2009, Beaune Premier Cru, France

17 Wednesday Mar 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,


At 12 years old this Pinot is still fresh looking in the glass, perhaps a touch of bricking.  The nose worries me though, stewed plums are a dead giveaway for over the hill wines.  I do get some orange peel and fig which is interesting.  The palate shows a dried out and withered wine that is past its due date.  There are some attractive qualities left but the astringency and overall mouthfeel overtake.  What is left, fruit-wise, is strawberry and cherry juice.  Decent acidic backbone and some grainy tannins are holding the structure up but the fruit has vanished, leaving no tertiary flavors behind.  A shame really.  I don’t believe I ever liked this wine very much, today’s bottle being my last.  86 points is a stretch, read my previous write-ups here. Salut….

Bodegas Ugalde Bianai Reserva 2013, Rioja DOCa, Spain

18 Monday Jan 2021

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


A dull shade of purple belying the age of this Tempranillo blend.  It’s about 75% opaque.  The nose is a bit subdued- I’m really having to swirl the glass.  I finally get steeped plum, bramble and a hint of oak.  The palate is a little thin but I get some blueberry and plum notes alongside anise and that dusty note I like in Riojas.  The mid palate is quite acidic and juicy, but I also sense a touch of heat.  The finish is rather plain with black and blue fruits, really tart acidity and a token dash of tannins.  I’m not overly impressed by this $20 wine, might be in a dumb phase.  For now it gets 86 points. 2 stars. Salut….

Diversi dal Solito Vino Rosso 2019, Sicily, Italy

24 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Here’s the scene- it’s Christmas Eve, Moxie is making her grandmother’s famous Holiday Crunch for dinner (a pasta casserole) and I am having to pick between four different bottles to try. Eenie meenie moe and voila- the Vino Rosso beats the Barolo, the Gigondas and the Cab Franc.

No idea what the blend is until I pour the wine, it’s gotta be a Sangiovese. Light purple, totally see through and obviously Italian. The nose gives me muted cherry, raspberry and cedar plank. On the palate it is very soft and easy drinking. Strawberry and cherry give it away. Very little tannin make this super light weight and easy without any astringency or acid. The mid palate is a red fruit melange plus some plum that takes me to the short lived finish. Right at the very end I sense some acidity taking hold, but it’s not jaw dropping. A tasty wine that will go well with our pasta dish which normally gets smothered in hot sauce. 86 points and 2 stars for this $19 charmer. Drink now. Salut….

Chateau Moncontour Vouvray Cuvee Predilection Methode Traditionnelle Brut 2016, Loire, France

03 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Light gold with small bubbles.  On the nose it is briny with tons of floral undertones and a hint of sweetness.  On the palate it is very fizzy with notes of baking spices, muted stone fruit flavors and a touch of summer flowers.  I’m not getting too much out of this wine unfortunately.  It gets 86 points from me with a drink till 2024 window. 2 stars for this $23 sparkler. Salut….

Rabbit and Spaghetti Tempranillo – Mataro – Grenache 2018, Clare Valley, Australia

18 Wednesday Nov 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


This is an interesting blend out of Oz, it’s more Spanish in composition but here goes! Semi opaque and light purple in the glass. The nose is red in nature… currants, raspberry and orange peel. On the palate it’s a racy wine, if not a touch thin. Sour cherry, red currants and judicious oak are all present. The mid palate continues the sour theme and some very fine grained tannins start to coat the gums. The acid component is really making my jaw water. The finish is short in length and pleasant with more red fruit and an intro to some rhubarb. It’s an interesting blend that unfortunately was a little too thin for my liking. Technically I would give it an 86 point score and 2 stars for its $30 retail price. Drink now. Salut….

Abremundos ‘Octava Alta’ 2014, Uco Valley, Argentina

28 Monday Sep 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


This wine was all over the shop with the group at the #9 virtual wine tasting.  Some loved it, others hated.  It’s an 80/20 Malbec/Cab Franc blend from Argentina.  It is a very dark shade of purple in the glass.  The nose is chock full of cigar box, smoke, Port wine, tar and oak.  The fruit finally appears after a big swirl- black cherry and Welch’s Grape juice.  There is a concerning acetone whiff, not a good sign.  On the palate it is very rich and upfront with pepper, bitter chocolate, black plum and violet.  That medicinal/tarry note that I am associating with the acetone is bothering me.  The wine finishes with a touch of tannin and some oak influence.  This is not my fave- I think it may have flaws and only gets 86 points from me.  For $35 it only gets 1 star.  Salut….