Tag Archives: 88 points

Department 66 ‘Others’ Red Blend 2017, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France

22 Thursday Sep 2022

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From the South of France comes this blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan that is deep ruby colored and seriously opaque.  The thick, blobby legs warn of the incoming 15.2% ABV, watch out.  The nose, once the alcohol blows off, gives me aromas of ripe blackberry, tons of vanilla, blackcurrant pastis, black licorice, clove and ripe blueberry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins, full body and heady flavors of black and blue fruit, lots of oak nuance and a somewhat astringent mid palate streak.  A short finish closes it out.  The impression I get is that this wine has some ripe fruit quality along with lashings of oak yet they allowed the green stems to unbalance the wine with that bitterness.  A shame, because it started out on a high note for me.  88 points for this $28 wine makes it a 3 star effort to drink with grilled Lamb chops.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Siglo Saco Tempranillo 2018, Rioja, Spain

15 Thursday Sep 2022

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A Tempranillo wrapped in a sack?  Yup, and for $14 you too can get this 88 point Rioja that is a medium ruby colored with slow moving legs.  The aromas and flavors include the classic blackberry bramble, dust, musky perfume, floral garden and light, toasty oak. Medium (+) acidity coupled with medium a body and medium tannins make for a nice mouthfeel.  Not a stunner, it will be very serviceable for everyday drinking and should pair really well with tapas, Moussaka and pasta dishes.  It runs 14.5% ABV, so be careful out there.  Not cellar-worthy so drink this 3 star wine soon.  Salut….

Bodegas Olarra Reciente Reserva 2017, Rioja DOCa, Spain

12 Monday Sep 2022

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Deep ruby colored this Tempranillo has medium (-) intensity aromas of baked plums, earth, blackberry pie, leather, baking spice and bramble.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  The body is full and I get the expected dry earth, bramble, blackberry and spice flavors- it’s nearly textbook Rioja minus a bit of intensity and a touch more acidity.  They back end has a charred cedar note and it finishes a bit astringent on the gums.  It’s a serviceable wine that runs $15 and gets 88 points from moi- 4 stars to drink by 2026.  Salut….

Arabella Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Robertson, South Africa

11 Thursday Aug 2022

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Medium lemon/lime colored- this South African Sauvignon Blanc has characteristic aromas of cut grass, gooseberry, lemon and grapefruit.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and distinct flavors of the aforementioned aromas.  The body is medium (-) and the wine finishes long with a tart crispness.  It’s delicious stuff that makes me want to keep sipping.  88 points from me make this $10 wine a surefire 5 star effort to drink in the short term with seafood, perhaps a poached chicken salad or even grilled salmon.  Very refreshing in the summer heat.  Salut….

Famille Bougrier Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine 2020, Loire, France

06 Saturday Aug 2022

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Following on from my last Muscadet, this one is not labelled as a Sur Lie.  It’s a medium intensity lemon/lime color in the glass.  The nose has an intense citrus aroma coupled with green apple, yellow apple on the back end and some salinity.  The palate is dry but weighty.  Medium to full bodied, it has medium acidity and medium intensity flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit, green apple and I can sense the sea air.  A short to medium length finish is crisp, refreshing and not too tart.  This is a nice summer wine that will quench the thirst and pair nicely with shellfish or lighter (non-oily) fish.  88 points from me makes this $14 effort a 3 star wine.  Drink now.  Salut….

M. Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche 2019, Rhone, France

10 Sunday Jul 2022

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Deep purple- gamy on the nose with licorice, garigue, raspberry and black fruit.  Charred wood notes and stewed blackberry finish it off.  On the palate this Grenache/Syrah blend is dry with somewhat coarse tannins, medium (-) acidity and a medium body.  I get definitive game and earthy notes with dark red fruit and oak influence from the charred wood.  Licorice is quite present.  The tannins smooth out towards the back end where the finish is medium in length and includes a Lapsang Souchong tea component.  A very serviceable wine that gets 88 points from me to drink till 2026.  At $13 it’s a relative bargain that gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Amalthea Cellars Legends Edition Europa I 2019, Outer Coastal Plain, New Jersey

22 Wednesday Jun 2022

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We visited this winery a year ago and had a great time.  Part of the visit was spent on the patio sipping Sur Lie Chardonanny and talking to one of the wine makers, he was kind enough to give us a sampling of this Bordeaux blend (75% Cab Sav, 20% Merlot and 5% Cab Franc).  In the glass it is medium ruby and possibly unfiltered?  The nose gives me green pepper, blackberry, licorice, pencil shavings, blueberry pie, black plum  and some charred wood.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins.  Flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum dominate but the licorice and charred wood do come through.  The green pepper and pencil shavings are nowhere to be found.  The wine is medium bodied and has a slightly tart, medium length finish that I am enjoying.  This is a decent wine that gets 88 points from me.  Drink till 2026 with burgers, filet or roast duck.  At $35 per bottle it is a 3 star wine in my books.  Salut….

La Crema Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon,

15 Friday Apr 2022

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This bottle was assigned to my WSET tasting group- an interesting one as this producer is big in Cali, not so well known for Oregon Pinot.  It shows a pale ruby in the glass and has medium intensity aromas of red cherry, red currant, red plum, cinnamon and coconut- it was considered youthful.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol and medium (-) body.  We matched the flavors with the aromas and thought they were slightly less intense, leading to a medium (-) finish.  At $32, this is what we considered an acceptable wine with a drink now window.  Overall I would rate it 88 points and 3 stars if that.  Think chilled Salmon on a bed of Boston bib or perhaps a thin sirloin flash grilled.  Salut….

Cactus Park Red Blend 2016, Paso Robles, California

07 Thursday Apr 2022

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This blend from Paso Robles is medium ruby colored.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black fruit, cedar, blueberry and vanilla.  The palate is enticing with flavors of blackberry, black plums, rich blueberry, oak nuance from cedar and vanilla with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins, medium body and a shortish finish.  It’s easy to drink and quite versatile- roast chicken, veal parmesan or shish kebabs would pair nicely.  I think it deserves 88 points and for the $24 price point- 3 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Achaia Cellars Muscat of Patras NV, Greece

03 Sunday Apr 2022

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Medium gold in the glass, this dessert style wine from Greece has pronounced aromas of honey, orange marmalade, blossom, a hint of lychee, some rose water and soursop. On the palate it is medium sweet with medium acidity, a full body and medium (-) intensity flavors.  The mouthfeel is really pleasant, not cloying- more like a refreshing sticky.  The finish is medium length and accentuates the honey component with orange  notes.  This wine retails for $13.  That’s a steal IMO.  88 points from me makes it a 4 star effort to have laying around in case you need something sweet after dinner.  Stock up.  Salut….