Tag Archives: 89 points

Paso A Paso Verdejo 2025, Tierra de la Castilla, Spain

01 Monday Jun 2026

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Very pale lemon colored with medium (-) viscosity (12% ABV). The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of saline, apricot, tangerine, and blossom.. The palate is dry with medium acidity and a light body. It’s a very charming wine that gives me apricots, tangerine, white blossom, little hints of sea salt spray- with a citrus undertone. The finish is a touch tart, which is very refreshing. It ends on a medium length. 89 points for this $16 bottle makes it a four star one. Drink in the near term.  Salut….

PASO A PASO ORGANIC VERDEJO

St. Giorgio Super Tuscan 2020, Toscana IGT, Italy

30 Thursday Apr 2026

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Medium purple colored, with high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of cherry, pomegranate, candied red licorice, oak, and a green vegetal hint.  The palate is dry, with medium (-) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are pretty grippy.  Medium intensity flavors of black cherry, ripe pomegranate, rhubarb, and a touch of oak.  The finish is medium (-) in length and the tannins hang on past the fruit- they are rather aggressive, indicating youth and possibly more cellaring capacity.  I picked this Tuscan blend (Sangiovese, perhaps Cabernet Sauvignon, and maybe Merlot) up for $16.  It gets 89 points from me making it a 4 star effort.  Think pasta with Ragu, or a hunk of beef to pair with.  Salut…..

St. Giorgio Toscana

Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023, Burgundy, France

28 Tuesday Apr 2026

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Pale garnet colored, with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of pomegranate, cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, bark, with a touch of some herbal/vegetal notes.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins that are surprising.  Medium intensity flavors of red fruit coupled with the lively mouthfeel make for a delightful, if somewhat one-dimensional experience.  The finish is medium (-) in length.  Overall, a very serviceable Pinot that runs $16 and gets 89 points from me making it a 4 star effort.  It’s a midweek pop-n-pour, no cellaring required or warranted.  Salut….

Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir

Forte Incanto Primitivo 2021, Salento IGT Puglia, Italy

27 Monday Apr 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of prunes, stewed blackberry, a medicinal note, brambleberry, purple licorice, and a slightly green vegetal note.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors offer up much the same as the nose, the plums, blackberry, cherry et al have a slightly cooked/stewed slant- indicating maturity of the wine.  It’s kinda young to be showing that level of age.  The mouthfeel however, is silky smooth.  I am actually enjoying this wine more than I thought when I first smelled it.  The finish is medium in length and adds a point or two for its redeeming qualities.  I would say this is a drink-now 89 pointer that gets 4 stars for its $17 price point.  Salut….

Forte Incanto Primitivo

Justice Pinot Noir 2024, Sonoma Coast, California

15 Wednesday Apr 2026

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13.4% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red cherry, strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate, red licorice, and orange blossom.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium tannins.  Medium intensity flavors of red fruit, with rhubarb interjecting its sour note, along with some crunchy tannins.  I doubt this wine has seen any oak, purity of fruit is what’s on offer here.  The finish is medium (+) in length, garnering some points.  It’s a decent drop overall, but it lacks much depth and complexity.  I paid $10, reduced from $15 at Costco.  I would say it gets 89 points and for that price- 4 stars.  I am planning to pair it with Cod, and soft shelled crabs- I know…. not typical.  Drink now.  Salut….

Justice Pinot Noir

Duorum Tinto 2020, Douro, Portugal

18 Wednesday Feb 2026

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The second wine of our virtual tasting was this Portugues blend.  Deep garnet in color with a medium (+) viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, ripe blueberry, black cherry, vanilla, and a medicinal note.  Medium (-) acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins were noted.  On he plate we also got licorice in addition to the aromas already mentioned.  A pleasant, medium length finish made this an 89 point wine for me.  At $18 this wine delivered nicely and gets 4 stars.  It’s already approaching six years of age, it will last another half dozen.  Salut….

Duorum Tinto

Teliani Vineyards Saperavi 2023, Kakheti, Georgia

30 Friday Jan 2026

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Deep ruby colored, with slight staining, and a high viscosity (12% ABV).   The nose has medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, pomegranate, black cherry, pine sap, a mineral note, acai berry, and fruitcake.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors zero in on the black cherry, pomegranate and black raspberry notes with a black tea hint appearing, its astringency due to the relatively young tannins.   They grip till the very end, past the medium length finish.  I really find this grape to be very interesting.  It’s a teinturier (the flesh is pink colored), which means it is quite deep in color, the tannins are plentiful and the flavors go the dark red fruit route.  This one is nice, getting 89 points from me.  I paid $15, making it a 4 star effort.  It has some aging capacity, so drink till 2033.  Salut….

Teliani Vineyards Saperavi

F Stephen Miller Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel, 2021, Lodi, California

29 Saturday Nov 2025

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Medium garnet colored, with high viscosity (15.9% ABV) !  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black plum, anise, blackberry, black raspberry, green herbs, and cracked pepper.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a full body, and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of blackberry, black cherry, black plum, iron, cracked pepper, and dark purple twizlers but no green herbs.  The wine turns a bit juicy and the finish is medium (+) in length.  The high alcohol is pretty well hidden but it finally sneaks up on the back end.  This is a pretty silky wine, once the chalky tannins dissolve.  The ripeness of the fruit is evident.  I like it, but buyer beware, this one has a kick!  I’m pairing it with smoked Duck breast.  89 points  for this $14 wine makes it a 5 star effort.  Drink till 2030.   Salut….

F. Stephen Millier old vine zinfandel

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Marlborough, New Zealand

19 Wednesday Nov 2025

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Pale stars colored, with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon/lime, grapefruit pith, peach, green almond, cut grass, and orange blossom.  The palate is dry, with high acidity, and a medium (-) body.  Medium intensity flavors of citrus with tropical notes and a green grass overlay.  The acidity is cutting and fresh.  The finish is medium (-) in length and I notice the wine taking on a bit of weight here.  It’s making my jaw water for sure, making me reach for another sip.  A delicious and typical Kiwi Sav Blanc that will provide much enjoyment, especially if paired with seafood.  It’s worthy of 89 point from me and at $13, it gets 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

Bodegas Caro ‘Aruma’ Malbec 2022, Mendoza, Argentina

14 Friday Nov 2025

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Deep purple colored, with moderate staining, and a medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of black plum, brambleberry, mint, eucalyptus, charred oak, coffee, iron, and grape licorice.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium (-) tannins that are pretty astringent.  Medium (+) intensity flavors mirror the nose with a silky mouthfeel.  The bitterness of the tannins hits on the finish, which is medium in length, somewhat detracting from an otherwise delicious and easygoing wine.  89 points from me for this $15 effort gets it 4 stars.  Drink till 2028 with game, duck or even roast chicken.  Salut….

Bodegas Caro Aruma Malbec