Tag Archives: 87 points

Arabella Reserve Pinotage 2020, Western Cape, South Africa

10 Tuesday Jan 2023

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Opaque, deep purple colored with slow moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose has aromas of dark plum, black cherry, purple licorice and a touch of smoke and coffee.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity and bold tannins that cover my cheeks.  Flavors of black cherry, blackberry and black plum with coffee and smoke on the back end.  There is a touch of bitterness on the finish showing perhaps some greeness in the tannins?   Full bodied with a medium finish, this is going to pair well with my grilled Tri-tip and Boerewors sausage.  Not overly complex or rich, it is tasty and easygoing wine with short term cellaring capacity.  I would drink this 87 pointer till 2025 and for $13 it’s a 4 star effort to stock up on for barbecues and parties.  Salut….

Cooper’s Hawk Winery Barbera NV, California

05 Thursday Jan 2023

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Pale ruby colored with some lightening on the edges and medium legs on the wall.  This Barbera is nicely aromatic with black raspberry, bilberry, perfume, mint and vanilla.  The palate is dry but I sense a tiny bit of residual sugar, but under the threshold of making it an off-dry wine.  Medium acidity and lithe tannins lead me to medium intensity flavors of black berries, mint, baking spice and vanilla.  There is a touch of bitterness (not from the tannins), on the mid-palate that sits on the roof of my mouth.  The body is medium (-) and the finish is medium in length.  I picked this $24 effort to go with Duck in Orange sauce, I think it will work well.  This is slightly atypical of the Italian Barberas I have tasted in that the tannins are very mild and the acidity is lower than expected, perhaps from a warmer climate than usual.  It gets 87 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink soon.  Salut….

Cooper’s Hawk Winery Petite Sirah NV, California

25 Friday Nov 2022

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Deep purple colored with some slight rim variation showing a bluish hue.  Fast moving legs show off the 13.5% ABV.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry, chocolate powder and charred oak.  Perfume and some floral notes add to the layers of flavor.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity and medium tannins.  It’s very smooth without too much structure to detract from the flavors of blueberry, blackberry, chocolate and charcoal.  Medium bodied it has a short finish that I am enjoying.  It’s rather simple but very easily quaffable- this $21 bottle gets 87 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink soon with rich stews and winter dishes.  Salut….

Gerd Anselmann Dornfelder 2020, Pfalz, Germany

21 Monday Nov 2022

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Dornfelder is a new grape for me.  It grows mostly in Germany and was developed as a cross back in 1979.  Medium purple colored it has a watery sheen in the glass (12.5% ABV).  Medium intensity aromas of black cherry, spice box, blackcurrant that is a touch green, blackberry leaf and a hint of charcoal.  The palate is seemingly a touch off-dry with juicy acidity and very low tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of grape, blackberry leaf, black cherry and blackcurrant.  Medium bodied- it carries on to a medium length finish that has some really nice acidity.  It conjures up thoughts of Gamay meets Pinot Noir, a very easy-going wine with lithe tannins and a nice mouthfeel.  The acidity offsets the trace residual sugars that make it a touch off-dry. This wine screams out for smoked meats, even a semi-spicy bowl of chili.  I like it and am glad I tried this varietal.  You too can get a bottle for $17.  Not wildly complex or cellar worthy, it gets 87 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink soon.  Salut….

Mauricio Lorca Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Mendoza, Argentina

31 Monday Oct 2022

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Deep ruby/purple colored with a tinge of blue on the edges.  The nose gives me aromas of blueberry, açaí berry, plum, mint, candied black cherry and smoke.  Th palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  I get flavors of açaí, blueberry, charcoal, candied black cherry and plums from this medium to full bodied wine.  I also get some heat on the back end even though it only sports a 13.6% ABV.  The finish is short in duration and I get some charred oak notes along with the fading tannins and blueberry.  It’s a decent weekday wine that gets 87 points from me and for $11 it’s a decent value that gets 3 stars. Drink now with burgers, pizza or other family favorites.  Salut….

David Marchesi Provare Chardonnay 2020, California

26 Friday Aug 2022

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Medium to deep lemon colored this Chardonnay has medium intensity aromas of citrus, pineapple, yellow apple, geranium and cherry leaf.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium (+) body.  Flavors of lemon, grapefruit, pomelo and pineapple prevail and luckily for me- no Diacetyl from MLF.  I was not in the mood for a big, buttery, over-oaked Chard.  This is going to go beautifully with our grilled Chermoula spiced Shrimp and Spanish rice.  87 points from me for this $13 wine makes it a 4 star effort. Drink now.  Salut….

Antonio Díez Martín Verdejo 2020, Spain

12 Friday Aug 2022

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Medium lemon colored this wine has energetic aromas of citrus, bruised papaya, peach and a green, herbaceous note.  The palate is dry but you can sense an aromatic quality to this fragrant wine.  The fruit tastes riper than the nose and that’s probably where I got the bruised papaya note from.  Citrus driven, there is also some herbal notes.  Medium acidity provides a bit of cut on the initial attack.  Body-wise this is a medium (-) affair that finishes medium length and a touch tart.  I like it for an aperitif and perhaps to pair with lighter fare.  It’s a good hot weather bottle that gets 87 points from me and for $12- 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Bulgariana Gamza 2016, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria

07 Sunday Aug 2022

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Gamza is a new grape to me- indigenous to Bulgaria.  In the glass the wine is deep ruby colored, not bad for a 6 year old bottle.  The nose is very interesting- violets, black plum, blackberry, purple licorice, vanilla, tomato leaf and blueberry pie.  The palate is dry with low tannins and medium acidity.  I get an initial stab of charred wood and blackberry on the palate which subsides to vanilla, plum, floral notes and some herbal touches.  Full bodied, it seems a touch astringent from slightly green tannins. The finish is short and a bit green but generally pleasant.  Not a bad drop for $12 that gets 87 points and 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2026 with wild game dishes or grilled lamb chops.  Salut….

Nihilist Wine Co. Malbec 2020, Lodi, California

04 Monday Apr 2022

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I had to look up the meaning of the name- Nihilist.  It’s off-putting tbh but I will disregard for this tasting.

Medium ruby in the glass with a pronounced nose of black raspberry, red plum, strawberry compote, currant, a whiff of chocolate dust and dark cherry akin to Luxardos.  A second swirl and I get a touch of smoke and florals.  The palate is dry and tart.  Medium tannins set the tone for a medium (+) body and medium intensity flavors of sour cherry, red plums, currants (black and red) and that floral note.  The smoke is gone and the wine really shows off some acidity.  In addition to the tartness, this bottle has a high level of structural acid.  It’s a bit out of balance for me.  The finish is a touch thin but lasts a decent length of time.  Drink this wine till 2026 with some charcuterie and olives, something to cut the acid (Brie or Blue cheese).  87 points from me for this $20 effort makes it a 3 star wine.  Salut….

Two Hands Wines Lily’s Garden Shiraz 2017, McLaren Vale, Australia

12 Saturday Feb 2022

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I’m grilling Picanha steaks tonight and needed a rich red wine, Aussie Shiraz fits the bill.  This one is deep ruby, nearly dark purple.  Very brooding and mysterious.  The nose has got gobs of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant cassis, oak, purple licorice, and black plum.  The aromas are so pronounced I have to take a breather- super concentrated.  The palate is dry with an immediate back palate astringency that I don’t think I like.  I’m going to walk away and let it breathe.

It’s still there unfortunately.  Anyways- I get black fruit compote, rich cassis and oak cloaked in medium level tannins and medium (+) acidity.  I find the wine a touch thin on the mid palate making it medium bodied- not what I was hoping for tonight.  The finish, once I get past the astringent portion is actually quite nice and makes up for the thin mid.  Juicy, a touch dry from the lingering tannins and laced with licorice and black fruit.  Overall this wine disappoints me as I have had stunning bottles from this producer, perhaps this one is off.  At $50 this wine is a 2 star effort as I am going with 87 points- far below the pros who tagged it with 91,92 and even 96 points.  Must be a bad bottle.  Shame.  Salut….