Tag Archives: 88 points

Cameron Hughes Lot 726 Charbono 2018, Napa Valley, California

03 Thursday Sep 2020

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It’s a very dark shade of purple in the glass, very inviting.  On the nose I get sweet blackberries, plum extract and cherry cola.  The palate is interesting- ripe black fruit, capsicum greeness, some cherry and dried fruit.  The mid palate is very fruit forward and I get tons more of that dark cherry cola note alongside some slightly green tannins that are a touch bitter.  The back end is very dry from the structure and there is a modicum of acidity.  If you like ’em dry, this one’s for you.  The finish is decent in length and continues the theme.  I like this wine but think it may have some ripeness issues.  88 points from me and drink till 2024.  For $18 this Charbono, also known as Bonarda, is a 3 star wine.  If you have never had this varietal, give it a try!  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 722 Chenin Blanc 2018, Sonoma County, California

22 Saturday Aug 2020

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Pale yellow in the glass.  On the nose I get watermelon, lime spritz and melon.  On the palate it is fruity and flavorful- quince, pear and a buttery note.  The mid palate continues the full bodied mouthfeel and flavor profile.  The finish is decent in length and offers up some honey alongside yellow apple and more pear.  It’s an interesting and tasty wine for sure, refreshing yet it has some depth and viscosity.  The malolactic fermentation has given it a touch of butter and flab, enough to notice but not overdone.  This wine will pair well with grilled Salmon, Cobb salad or baked Aubergine in tomatoes.  Drink till 2024.  For $13, this is a no-brainer to keep on hand.  88 points make it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

 

 

Cameron Hughes Lot 639 Rosé 2017, Monterey County, California

20 Thursday Aug 2020

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This wine is a gorgeous shade of orange/pink.  On the nose I get strawberry and lemon zest, pink grapefruit and almonds.  On the palate it is a touch sweet, apricots come to mind.  The strawberry component reappears on the mid palate with notes of lanolin and lemon.  The finish is refreshing, a touch acidic and decent in length.  Light red fruit notes carry through to the end.  This is a nice, if somewhat sweet, summer sundowner.  I would serve it with charcuterie, hard cheeses and some fresh figs.  Drink till 2022.  88 points and 4 stars for this $13 Valdiguié, a varietal I have never tried before.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 720 Rosé, Haut Alpes, France

14 Friday Aug 2020

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Darker shade of straw/pink.  On the nose it’s very fruity with hints of cranberry, strawberry and pink grapefruit.  On the palate it is bright, fresh and medium bodied with the light red fruit theme continuing.  There is a trace of acidity to keep it fresh and it drinks very light and bouncy.  A perfect summer sipper.  I like the whole package for what it is.  Drink till 2023 with appetizers, perhaps a charcuterie tray or light, white meats.  88 points and 5 stars for this $13 quaffer.  Salut….

Domäne Wachau – Freie Weingartner Terrassen Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2018, Wachau, Austria

29 Wednesday Jul 2020

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Pale shade of yellow, this Austrian native kicked off the Virtual Wine Tasting Company’s 6th event.  We drank it at room temp as well as chilled.  I did not think it performed well at the tasting and am now re-tasting the following night indoors.  The nose exhibits tons of citrus, some lanolin and green apple.  The palate has minerality and a nice acidic cut.  Lemon/lime like a 7-Up alongside an austere green streak that make this a very sharp wine.  It cuts in the right places and refreshes as it goes.  I did not care for it initially, but I now think it fits the billing for a decent, inexpensive Gruner.  The finish is very refreshing and would pair well with seafood, perhaps a spicy Arrabiata but it will shine poolside on a hot day.  88 points and 3 stars for this $15 white.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 625 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Napa Valley, California

12 Sunday Jul 2020

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I tasted this wine previously and liked it enough to order some for the virtual tasting #5.  I think I preferred it the first time around, this bottle seemed a little tired and over the plateau.  The wine showed secondary flavors of tobacco, leather, horse whip but lacked much core fruit and tannic structure.  Overall it scored 88 points from me with a drink now recommendation.  $24 is not over the top, but I would not order more.  We decanted 6 hours prior, that may have made the difference.  3 stars.  Salut….

Tenuta di Burchino ‘Il Burchino’ Toscana IGT 2010, Tuscany, Italy

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

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Pale purple in the glass.  The nose gives off violets, black currants, sweet oak and vanilla bean.  On the palate it’s just what I expected- dark fruits, woody, fresh and tart.  The acidity is delicious in this one, keeps me on my toes.  The black fruit core really pushes through the mid palate.  There are some barely discernible tannins that finally appear on the finish alongside some wintergreen.  Refreshing is the phrase that comes to mind.  The tannic bite coupled with the acidity on the finish is really a treat.  88 points, drink now till 2021 with pasta, pizza or charcuterie.  3 stars for this $14 Sangiovese/Cab/Merlot blend.  Salut….

Molino di Sant’Antimo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

06 Monday Apr 2020

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I have become more and more enamored with Brunellos and more importantly the Sangiovese grape of late.  I find it a very close parallel to Pinot Noir, which has also risen in my interest.  This particular wine is see-through and a light shade of purple.  The nose is somewhat muted but I do get some stewed cherry and not much else.The palate is quite lithe with some delicate cherry notes, a touch of cinnamon and some fruit cake.  It is very shallow on the flavor depth which makes me wonder if I have an off bottle.  The acidity is of medium strength and there are some very light tannins that appear on the mid palate.  The finish is mainly Kirsch and some mushroom, bacon and forest floor.  It gets better but I am a little surprised at the high scores from some pros versus the lower scores of others.  I am going with 88 for this particular bottle but will try another one soon to check on provenance.  Drink till 2028.  For $60 it’s a 2 star effort.  Salut….

Bodegas Casa Primicia Vina Diezmo ‘GR’ Gran Reserva 2012, Rioja DOCa, Spain

01 Wednesday Apr 2020

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Moderate shade of purple and nearly opaque. I leaves long, thin legs on the glass.  The nose is raspberries, cherry and iodine.  On the palate is grips right away with acidity, masking the red fruit salad that I finally get. There’s also a rooibos tea component, calming amongst the flurry of tartness.  The mid palate is cutting, this acidity is actually bothering me.  It’s too much, without fruit to offset it or much tannic bite to balance it.  The finish is more of the same.  86 points.  A shame really as it got good reviews .  Bottle #2 is much better- less cut, more fruit. Still very tart but I will go with 88 points.  For the advertised price of $40, this is a 2 star Tempranillo.  Sorry folks, nothing to see here.  Salut….

Ruta 22 Malbec 2019, Patagonia, Argentina

26 Thursday Mar 2020

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Semi opaque, medium purple in the glass.  On the nose I get dark plum jam, espresso bean and blackberries.  On the palate it is vibrant with blackberries and orange peel.  The mid palate is juicy, with more black fruits and licorice.  There is just a smidge of tannins which is fine with me, I’m happy to enjoy primal fruits without a cloying astringency.  This fact does however shorten the cellaring capacity to just 5 years in my opinion.  88 points and 3 stars for this $10 quaffer that you can drink til 2025.  Salut….