Tag Archives: 88 points

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….

Cameron Hughes Lot 672 Chardonnay 2017, Rogue Valley, Oregon

02 Monday Mar 2020

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Very pale yellow in the glass, but interesting to look at. The nose has lemon zest, walnuts, .  The palate is fresh, not cutting.  I get a citrus component and pineapple.  It’s very tasty and easy to drink.  The mouthfeel is light and bright, not much acidity and no cloying oak.  It’s a wine made for easy foods, appetizers or a poolside quaff.  88 points but a real treat at $14.  3 stars.  Salut..

San Felice Chianti Classico DOCG 2017, Tuscany, Italy

04 Tuesday Feb 2020

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See through and light purple in color.  On the nose I get funky cherry, burnt firewood and snuffed matchsticks.  Yup- probably the most bizarre set of notes I have smelled in a long time.  The palate is quite refreshing with a burst of acidity, fresh flowers and cherries.  I don’t know where that burnt match or firewood was going, the palate is very tasty.  The midpalate is much the same with nice acidity and a trace of delightful tannins.  The finish is a sunset of cherries, rhubarb and some bright acidity.  Tasty, young and fresh.  Drink now with chicken parm or Osso Bucco.  88 points and 3 stars for this $13 Sangiovese.  Salut….

Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2017, Grampians, Australia

24 Friday Jan 2020

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Bright purple.  On the nose I get blueberry, vanilla, wafers and sweet oak.  On the palate it is fresh, with gobs of sour cherry, rhubarb and blueberry.  There is a nice tannic bite that starts off gently and reaches a decent level of dryness without being overly astringent.  The sour cherry component really takes charge on the midpalate and the acidity peaks.  The finish is quite sour yet refreshing.  The oak has long disappeared, the ending being red fruits galore with rooibos tea and crunchy tannins.  It’s a decent wine that is a touch out of balance with the heavy handed acidity.  It may smooth out after a while.  88 points and 3 stars- $18.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 631 Pinot Gris 2017, Willamette Valley, Oregon

24 Friday Jan 2020

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Very light yellow in the glass.  The nose is lemony, bright and green apple.  The palate is not as I expected- it’s got some citrus, but not overly tart.  I get pineapple instead of the expected apple and lemon.  There’s a hint of green melon and gooseberry.  The midpalate has a waxy mouthfeel that makes the chilled wine seem warm.  The finish is rather short but flavorful.  That gooseberry note picks up and the acidity kicks in a touch.  This is a really tasty Pinot Gris that has a bit of weight to it.  I’m digging it. 88 points and 4 stars for this $12 effort.  Drink with chilled shrimp or some fresh shucked oysters.  Salut….

Tommasi Le Prunee Merlot Venezie IGT 2017, Italy

24 Friday Jan 2020

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A lighter shade of purple and semi opaque in the glass with thick legs showing.  The nose is a bit off-putting.  I fear it may be corked as I’m getting stewed plums meet bacon fat.  The palate does not confirm any fault- maybe the nose needs to waft a bit.  On the initial I get raspberry and toffee.  It’s strange but intriguing.  There’s a warmth to it that I like.  Cinnamon and cloves mingle with those red berries on the mid palate and some fine grained tannins appear.  The finish is a little thin but offers more red fruits and some fruit cake.  There’s a lot of spices involved here, they seem to clash a bit with the primal fruits.  Acidity is decent and the finish is of medium length.  I kinda like this wine even though it’s atypical and heavily into the spice.  I don’t know offhand what to pair it with but drink till 2023.  88 points and for $14 it’s a 3 star wine.  Salut….

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton Cadet 2016, Bordeaux, France

22 Friday Nov 2019

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It’s been a while since I drank some of this old perennial favorite.  This vintage shows dark purple in the glass.  On the nose- charcoal, blackberry and fig.  The palate is very pleasant and easy drinking.  There are blackberry notes, tar, wintergreen and crunchy tannins.  They dry the gums immediately but not excessively.  The mid palate is much the same, black fruits abound.  The tannins really go the distance and lead me to the finish of blackberry pie meets a slate.  There is quite a bit of minerality alongside the tannic thrust.  The wine is well balanced and well made.  There’s a reason I drank a crapload of it in the early days, it offers good value for money.  Drink till 2025 with a nice NY Strip and creamed spinach.  I’m going 88 points and 5 stars for $9. Salut….

Nederburg The Winemasters Chenin Blanc 2016, Coastal Region, South Africa

12 Thursday Sep 2019

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Pale gold in the glass, it is crystal clear.  On the nose there’s lemon, melon, pear and lychee.  The palate echoes those flavors from front to the finish.  There is a unique mouthfeel, effervescence, without the bubbles.  The acidity is in check but not shy.  It adds depth and cut.  The Chenin Blanc varietal is widely found in France and South Africa.  Differing climates produce variations on the flavor profile but this grape is very enticing, versatile and delicious.  I am going with 88 points and 4 stars for this $9 offering that you should drink till 2022 with grilled chicken, sausage and mash or even smoked salmon.  Salut….