Tag Archives: 87 points

Trivento Amado Sur Malbec – Bonarda – Syrah 2017, Mendoza, Argentina

11 Monday Jan 2021

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I harvested a Deer a few weeks ago and had the butcher make some Spicy Sausages. Having never tried them I was at a loss for a wine pairing until I came across this blend of Malbec, Bonarda and Syrah. I have had the Amado Sur before and this seemed the most likely candidate. Dark purple and totally opaque. On the nose I get candied strawberry and red licorice. The palate is a touch darker in the fruit department with black berries, dark cherry coulis and bitter plums. There is a whack of acidity to this wine but a medium serving of tannins. Perfect for my pairing, as Venison is very lean and we are pairing this with pasta and Vodka sauce, which is somewhat creamy. The mid palate is really juicy and I have quickly forgotten/forgiven that stlightly sweet nose profile which I really don’t care for. The finish ends abruptly but not before I get that bitter jab again. It’s an issue IMHO. Overall this is a decent weekday pop-n-pour and it serves my needs tonight. 87 points make this $14 wine a 3 star effort. Previous vintages that lacked the bitterness were better BTW. Drink till 2022. Salut….

Don Ercilla Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Valle Central, Chile

05 Tuesday Jan 2021

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This Chilean Cab is bright purple and nearly opaque in the glass. The nose is very black raspberry driven, almost over the top. Red licorice and candy notes come into play as well. On the palate it is a dark fruit melange with oak influence and a hint of sweetness. It sounds funny but whilst a touch sweet it also has a good dose of tangy acidity. Greenish tannins go straight for the gums with astringency galore. The mid palate tastes of sour black cherry and blackberry, an interesting take. The juicy finish lets up some on the dry factor, letting the fruit shine through. I am cooking up some Lamb Merguez sausages to pair, I think that will work nicely. Drink this 87 point wine till 2024. At $20 it’s a three pointer. Salut….

Domaine Ste. Michelle ‘Michelle’ Brut, Columbia Valley, USA

27 Friday Nov 2020

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Pale yellow with a combo of medium and large bubbles.  On the nose l get biscuits, some green apple and grapefruit.  The palate is medium dry with good fizz.  Yellow apples, a touch of citrus and more of that biscuit flavor all meld nicely with the bubbles on the palate.  The wine lacks any serious acidity but it drinks nicely at our Thanksgiving brunch.  87 points and 4 stars for this $13 quaffer. Makes a great Mimosa btw. Salut….

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2020, France

27 Friday Nov 2020

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Once a year (the third Thursday in November to be precise) the French release the Beaujolais Nouveau. Super bright shade of purple, totally opaque.  The nose is very fruity- black cherries, blackcurrants, cherry cola and sassafras.  The palate is lively with lots of purple fruit, gobs of acidity and some licorice notes. Primal, this wine is meant to be drunk right away, yet it seems to have a bit of stuffing in there that may allow it to cellar for a year or two.  There’s a sour cherry note that carries this wine through to the medium length finish.  I’m thoroughly enjoying it.  The Nouveau movement started as a marketing ploy, got very popular in the 80’s and waned a bit of late.  It’s a fun, basic wine that is nearly perfect for Thanksgiving and is easy to drink.  Gamay based wines are served by the bucketload in the bistros of Paris, normally chilled ever so slightly they make a great red for a hot summers lunch.  This one will fill that role nicely in the coming 12 months.  87 points. $13 and 3 stars. This brand changes the label every year, cool stuff. Salut….

Alazules Garanacha 2019, Spain

21 Wednesday Oct 2020

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Pale purple and semi opaque.  The nose offers up raspberries, cedar and capsicum.  On the palate it starts a touch tart with pomegranate, raspberry and sour cherry.  The mid palate is juicy with a dollop of acidity and a touch of tannic grip.  The red fruit theme continues and the somewhat short finish is dominated by the sour cherry and its corresponding cut.  It’s an interesting yet basic wine that I am pairing with pork tenderloin and fried potatoes with curried cauliflower. Drink this 87 point wine by 2023.  2 stars as it’s touted as a $25 wine. Salut….

KWV The Legend of Big Bill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

08 Tuesday Sep 2020

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It’s a rich shade of purple with thick legs and an opaque hue.  The nose is fresh, briny and full of purple fruits.  On the palate I get primal black berries, dark cherry and iodine laced oak.  The mid palate is fruity, juicy and shows off a slight tannic bite.  The dark fruits are well at play and overshadow the structural components.  The finish has a nice crunchy set of tannins that interplay with the fruit and acidity.  This wine is a touch green but I am enjoying it’s youth and basic fruitiness.  It has some structure for the short to medium term cellaring but I feel it won’t evolve too much.  This is a very decent everyday drinker that will serve well against burgers, ribs, pasta and pizza.  It gets 87 points from me and for $9 it’s a 3 star wine.  Drink till 2022.  Salut…

Cameron Hughes Lot 633 Riesling 2017, Napa Valley, California re-visited

12 Sunday Jul 2020

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This was our opening wine at virtual tasting #5.  As before, I had everyone reserve half at room temperature and chill the other half.  Mixed results as usual with some enjoying the rounder, fuller nose and palate of the unchilled version whilst others preferred the slight cut and edge of the chilled.  I got quince, pineapple and honey.  It was not very acidic, nor was it sweet, a trait commonly found in Riesling.  Overall a very serviceable white that I will be ordering more of.  87 points this time around, which contrasts with the last time I drank it.  My previous notes showed it to be sweeter but I preferred it in this iteration whilst scoring it lower….  hmmm.  $13 is a good price btw, 4 stars.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 719 Rosé 2018, Mediteranée

14 Sunday Jun 2020

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This Rosé started our third virtual wine tasting with friends.  I had everyone reserve half the bottle in another container at room temperature and the remainder in the fridge to be served chilled.  It was a gorgeous evening and all parties were on their respective patios with cheese and crackers at the ready.  We started off with the chilled version which I found to have a nice pinkish hue, good nose of strawberry, rhubarb and a touch of citrus.  The palate was very refreshing, lithe with some nice acidity exhibiting strawberry and red berry notes.  The room temperature version had a much fuller nose but was very flabby on the palate.  I enjoyed the chilled one more and would forgo some of the nose in return for that crisper body and more succinct flavor profile.  It’s an interesting experiment to try with whites and Rosès.  Overall I thought it was a nice drop which gets 87 points from me.  For $13 it’s a nice summer wine to have on hand, 3 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Atrevida Malbec 2018, Medoza, Argentina

16 Monday Mar 2020

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Semi opaque, lighter shade of purple in the glass with no legs evident.  The nose is very fruity and dare I say somewhat candied?  Raspberries and red twizzlers come to mind.  On the palate it’s a touch sour right off the bat.  Rhubarb, raspberries and other red fruits get melded into a somewhat acidic opening.  The mid palate is a touch thin for me, more red fruits and a hint of tannins.  The finish is where the acidity grips my tooth enamel alongside the very lithe tannins.  There’s a tug of war here between the structural pieces and the red primal fruits.  I hope the fruit puts on a better effort because the wine is a little light on flavor and heavy on acid.  It gets better with a bit of air and I hope it pairs well with leftover beef and wild rice.  87 points.  For $11, its a 3 star wine to drink till 2023.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 660 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Red Mountain, Washington

02 Monday Mar 2020

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Semi opaque in the glass, bright purple.  On the nose I get graphite, blackcurrants, oak and twizzlers.  On the palate there are some gentle notes of black cherries, a dose of dry tannins and some black tea to go along with black currants.  The mid palate has a cherry cola component with black fruits and that slightly unbalanced tannic dryness.  The finish is dry but fresh and packed with black fruit flavors, some oak and a touch of minerality.  Decent wine for a weekday.  87 points, which contrasts with others opinions btw.  Drink till 2024, 2 stars, $25.  Salut….