Tag Archives: 88 points

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2016, Rhone, France

22 Friday Feb 2019

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Very dark in the glass.  The nose is plummy with sweet black currant syrup hints.  The palate has black currants, espresso and nutmeg notes.  Mouth drying tannins appear on the mid-palate where I  get big doses of coffee and charcoal.  The tannins really grip on the finish.  The wine begs for aeration or a juicy ribeye.  The acidity is there, somewhere.  I just can’t sense it.  Overall- quite tasty, young and in need of cellaring or aerating.  Drink till 2026 with hearty fare.  88 points from me which is in stark contrast with the monster 92+ points the pros gave it.  I think a re-taste is in order.  For now this $20 effort gets 3 stars.  Salut….

Casa Ferreirinha ‘Papa Figos’ Tinto 2017, Douro, Portugal

20 Wednesday Feb 2019

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This was the next bottle up at the Tapas restaurant.  We needed something light and easy yet flavorful.  I was thinking Portugal for it’s budget, tasty reds.  This one did not disappoint for the price.

Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca make up the blend in this medium bodied wine.  Floral, purple fruits, and some balsamic syrup come to mind.  Very mild acidity and meek tannins make out an easy quaffer.  A touch of leather, which I love, comes across on the mid palate.  The finish is rather short and fruity.  Nothing too flash here but for the $12 price point that is to be expected.  88 points and 3 stars from me.  Drink now, obviously with Tapas!  Salut….

Dona Paula Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

27 Thursday Dec 2018

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Very pale gold.  The nose gives off lemon zest, honeydew, yellow apple. On the palate it defies my expectations with tart citrus, pineapple and ginger.  The wine has a nice acidity and a light mouthfeel, refreshing.  The finish is short and to the point.  That lemony hint comes back and the tang is pronounced.  A very delightful quaffer.  I am going to use some in my cheese fondue recipe.  88 points and 4 stars for this $11 value- drink now.  Salut….

Rawson’s Retreat Collection Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, South Australia

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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Medium opacity with good color and nice legs.  On the nose I get blueberry jam, cedar, juniper.  On the palate there are notes of blue fruit, cinnamon stick and that woody, cedar note I got on the nose.  The mid palate introduces some acidity along with- dare I say- wintergreen?  Tannins are mild and unobtrusive, giving the wine a bit of astringency on the finish.  The wine drinks nicely, what it lacks in depth it makes up for in mouthfeel.  88 points and 3 stars for this $20 wine.  Drink till 2022 with meat, tapas or stew.  Salut….

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Castellani Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2012, Tuscany, Italy

25 Thursday Oct 2018

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After a cork failure, I had to sift through the debris to find a light purple wine that is nearly see-through. The nose has pencil lead, plums, sour cherries.  The palate is somewhat lighter than I imagined, cherry being the prime player here.  There is a certain amount of garigue I sense in addition to mushroom and leather.  The acidity is slightly overpowering the mild tannins, but I don’t mind.  It has a nice cut to it.  The astringency hits on the finish, where the tannic dryness grips the gums.  I would say the fruit has really taken a back seat here.  Drink till 2021 with pasta, pizza or charcuterie.  88 points and 3 stars from me for this $15 wine.  Salut….

The Vineyards at Hershey Merlot NV, Hershey PA

22 Monday Oct 2018

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My old college buddy Japes took me to this winery for a tasting.  I enjoyed the Merlot the most out of their offerings in red and brought home this $25 non-vintage bottle.  It is slightly cloudy in the glass, with nice shades of lighter purple.  On the nose- damson, sea salt, iodine and blueberry pie.  The palate is very smooth with flavors of blueberry, plum ganache and cedar shake.  The tannins grip slightly more than I remember and are a welcome addition to the mid palate.  The wine transitions to the back end in a seamless manner, the flavors are consistent throughout.  The acidity is very nicely balanced with the structure and gives this wine a 3-5 year drinking window.  Since there are no vintages, it’s anyones guess when this bottle was made.  The label quotes Cherry as the initial flavor, I somewhat disagree, could be bottle or vintage variation.  Anyway, it is tasty and the vineyard is a neat place to visit, especially if they have an event going on.  It gets 88 points and 3 stars from me.   Salut….

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Central Valley, Chile

04 Thursday Oct 2018

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Medium opacity, good color.  Nose is full of espresso, black berry and lush plums.  The palate is very smooth, slightly acidic and starts off with black currants, charred oak and olives.  The mid palate has more black fruit with the tannins starting to grip.  I like the deft use of oak here and it smooths the wine nicely.  The finish is medium in length, brimming with black cherry with the tannins receding nicely.  88 points and 5 stars for this $11 wine.  Great value from Chile.  Salut….

Quinta de Roriz Prazo de Roriz 2016, Douro, Portugal

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Medium intensity in the glass.  The nose is a bit funky, heavy on the oak and reeking of red fruits.  Not particularly my favorite profile btw.  The palate is very woody- raspberry and black cherry are the predominant flavors with a tart note to boot.  There is a greeness to the midpalate to go along with the medium tannins.  Acidity is decent and the wine balances on the finish.  It’s a bit disjointed initially but comes together on a decent length ending.  88 points and 3 stars for this $11 effort.  I may not purchase again as I don’t like the profile, some others may enjoy it though.  Touriga Naconal 38%, Tinta Barroca 26%, Tinta Roriz 20%, Touriga Franca 14%, Tinto Cao 2%.  Salut….

Kirkland Signature Reserva 2013, Rioja DOCa, Spain

11 Monday Jun 2018

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I have only tasted two other Kirkland branded wines.  They were both just okay.  This is a shot at redemption.  I have purchased this bottle and a Cabernet that I will get to next week.  Here’s hoping for the best!

In the glass it is of medium opacity, with a lighter shade of purple.  The nose offers up plums, star anise and vanilla bean.  On the palate, I am surprised and happy.  Smooth, balanced and very tasty.  The plums give way to blue fruits, juicy acidity and tannins that are present but not impeding.  The anise flavor really hits me on the mid palate.  Earthy Tempranillo hints peek out every so often and the tar component that I like in Rioja finally emerges.  Decent length finish of black cherry and oak.  The wine has backbone and good balance.  It offers immediate pleasure with some cellaring potential.  Drink with hard cheeses, a lamb stew or even some kebabs and rice.  88 points and 5 stars for this relative bargain at $7, yup, $7.  Salut….

Spier Signature Pinotage 2015, Western Cape, South Africa

09 Saturday Jun 2018

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Picked this one up for $10 in Delaware, cause I was bored and wandered into a wine shop.  I also happen to really like Pinotage.  This one shows pretty light in the glass.  It’s a pretty purple though.  On the nose- textbook.  Creosote, black fruit, earth and charred wood.  On the palate, it is very fruity- plums, black berry and unique Kumquat note that I find very intriguing.  An orange like testiness with some acidity to it.  Very interesting.  The mid palate has tons of that creosote flavor I associate with Pinotage.  The tannins get a grip on the back end, but not overly so.  The finish has an oak tinge to it along with black berry cobbler.  A touch of vanilla rounds it all out.  I must say, I really like this wine.  It’s not very complex but it is really drinkable, is unique and is priced right.  88 points from me and 5 stars.  It will pair well with the marinated Flap Steaks I have on the grill.  Salut….