Tag Archives: 88 points

Jaume Serra Brut Cava NV, Catalonia, Spain

16 Tuesday Apr 2024

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Pale gold colored with medium intensity bubbles and low viscosity (11.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of white pear, brioche, grapefruit pith, white blossom and salted caramel.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light body and a medium (-) mousse.  Flavors of citrus pith, brioche, white blossom, ripe white pear and lanolin.  The mouthfeel is very smooth as the mousse has tamed itself with plenty of aging whilst the acidity is still bright and refreshing.  The finish is a tasty affair that is medium in length and very satisfying- some spritz, some zing and fresh fruit surrounding the bready, brioche notes.  This bottle has dubious provenance, it sat in my buddy Rewt’s basement for god-knows-how-long yet is shows decent quality and aging capacity.  As with most Non Vintage Cava, it is hard to tell the disgorgement date so I have no idea how long this bottle has slumbered.  A curious web search made my jaw drop- $9.  Yup, under 10 bones and you are drinking a very serviceable and delicious sparkler that is made in the traditional method out of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes. I would be looking to stock up for the summer, this is a porch-pounder for sure.  88 points, and 5 stars.  Salut….

Alexakis Winery Kotsifali – Syrah 2016, PGI Crete, Greece

11 Thursday Apr 2024

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Deep garnet with slight bricking and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of dried red plum, desiccated raspberry, bacon, game, dried lavender, baking spices, cocoa, espresso and purple licorice.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins with a medium body.  Flavors of drying red fruit, game and dried herbs combine with some cocoa, coffee and licorice nuance.  The finish is quite long and tends towards forest floor notes along with smoky oak.  I like this wine but feel it is at peak or just past.  The entry fee is $18 to try out this indigenous Cretian variety that has been blended with Syrah for some structure.  88 points from me and 4 stars.  Salut….

Buttonwood Grove Winery Blaufrankisch 2021, Finger Lakes, New York

15 Friday Mar 2024

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Pale garnet with a watery sheen (11% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of rhubarb, pomegranate, white pepper, red cherry, strawberry leaf and tomato leaf.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light body and very lithe tannins.  Flavors of rhubarb dominate with red cherry, white pepper and green leaf notes supporting.  The finish is a light yet zippy affair that lasts quite a while.  I picked this bottle to pair with grilled pork Tomahawks, it should do nicely as the low level of tannins will not impeded the lighter meat flavors.  I liked this wine when we toured the Finger Lakes wineries so I bought it- $25.  It gets 88 points from me and 3 stars.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Anthony Road Cabernet Franc – Lemberger 2020, Finger Lakes, New York

12 Tuesday Mar 2024

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Pale garnet with a copper tinge and medium viscosity (13.8% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red cherry, baking spice, pomegranate, cranberry, violets and crushed rock.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium (-) body and medium (-) tannins.  Red fruit coupled with some spice, minerality and a touch of violet makes for a refreshing and crisp wine with very little astringency and a nice mouthfeel.  The finish is surprisingly long on this aromatically challenged wine that I quite like.  I picked it as a lighter pairing for a traditional Lebanese dish of chicken and rice.  I think the crunchy red fruit will do nicely with the spiced rice (caraway seed) whilst the lithe tannins and zippy acidity will accentuate the chicken along with the toasted pine nuts and almond slivers.  This is an even blend of Pinot Noir and Lemberger (aka Blaufrankisch).  88 points from me for this $22 bottle makes it a 3 star wine to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Fabre Montmayou Reserva Cabernet Franc 2022, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

29 Thursday Feb 2024

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Deep purple colored with slight straining and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of blueberry, mint, green pepper, black raspberry, lavender, cedar and violet.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium tannins.  Flavors of blueberry, black raspberry, menthol, green tea and cedar along with a phenolic bitterness.  The finish is a bit astringent with medium persistence and a focus on the raspberry and menthol notes.  It’s got decent structure, I just worry about the astringency.  88 points from me for this $16 effort makes it a 3 star wine to drink till 2027.  I’m pairing with seared Sirloin steaks.  Salut….

Silk & Spice ‘Spice Road’ Intense Red Blend 2020, Portugal

26 Monday Feb 2024

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Deep ruby (inky) with slight staining and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, baking spices, camphor (?), ripe blueberry, vanilla thread, boysenberry and Rooibos tea. The palate is slightly off-dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins that are youthful. I get flavors of boysenberry, black cherry, a green vegetal note, dark chocolate, vanilla and baking spices. The finish is slightly tart and quite long.  The camphor note I previously smelled has returned on the back end. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Alicante Bouschet and 30% Baga that gets 88 points from me and for $12- 4 stars.  Drink now with hearty stews and grilled meats. Salut….

Osborne Cream Sherry NV, Jerez, Spain

19 Friday Jan 2024

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Cream sherry is made by adding a sweet sherry like Pedro Ximenez to the base Oloroso sherry- itself an oxidatively aged wine made from Palomino grapes.  As such the wine has a much darker hue than a pale or medium sherry.  This one is a gorgeous pale amber with orange highlights and high viscosity (17% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of caramel, burnt sugar, walnuts, Brazil nuts and figs.  The palate is off-dry to sweet with medium (+) acidity and a full body.   Layers of burnt sugar, caramel and nuts with some ripe fig nuances lead to a medium length finish.  It’s a nice drop to enjoy as an aperitif but it would certainly hold its own postprandial.  I paid $15 but it’s available for $11 online, which makes it a steal.  88 points from me- 5 stars.  Salut….

Benjamin Darnault Domaine De Montahuc Vin Doux Naturel 2019, Saint Jean de Minervois, France

11 Monday Dec 2023

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Pale lemon colored with high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose of this dessert wine has intense aromas of honey, orange marmalade, bruised red apple, a hint of apricot and a touch of vanilla bean. The palate is sweet with medium (+) acidity and a full body.  The wine starts out bitter right off the bat, the astringency is akin to candied grapefruit pith.  The marmalade and honey notes come along with some vanilla and red apple.  The mid palate is where the wine settles down and the honey, marmalade and apricot come to the forefront.  The finish is long and sweet, syrupy and delicious.  I think it needs a bit of air TBH.  Right now, it gets 88 points from me but it could improve with some time.  Cellaring capacity is probably good- say till 2030.  I paid $19 for a 500 ml bottle, making it a 3 star effort.  Salut….

Torres Coronas Tempranillo 2016, Catalunya, Spain

19 Sunday Nov 2023

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity legs in the glass (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, dusty bramble, oaky spice, vanilla, leather, dill and desiccated plum.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins that are fully melded into this medium bodied wine.   I get flavors of blackberry, bramble, a dusty component, leather and well integrated oak nuance.  This is a very smooth wine with a lovely mouthfeel that lasts for a short to medium finish.  It’s at peak now and will go nicely with lighter meat dishes as the flavors are not as pronounced as the nose.  I paid $12 as it was a bin-end, available for $15 online.  It gets 88 points from me and 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Carmenere 2021, Central Valley, Chile

23 Saturday Sep 2023

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has telltale pyrazines with some green veggie notes along with blackberry, black raspberry, menthol, vanilla, cocoa and charred oak. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and lithe tannins.  A medium body is layered with blackberry and black raspberry.  The green note has faded but the oak nuance is present.  The finish is a touch tart and goes on for a medium length.  Not overly complex- this is a weekday pleasure that will go great with Beef and Ale pie, lamb chops or grilled sausages.  88 points for this $8 effort makes it a 5 star wine to load up on and drink till 2025.  Salut….