Tag Archives: 89 points

Château Lamothe Bordeaux Blanc 2019, Bordeaux, France

14 Thursday Jan 2021

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This blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc is a mid shade of gold in the glass. On the nose I get citrus, melon, lychee and ginger. On the palate it offers bright and juicy lemons, pineapple, lychee and some good minerality. The acidity is very well appointed, not too sharp but enough to keep it crisp. The flavors continue to a decent length finish. I am really impressed with the complexity of this wine’s nose. For $15 this is a great summer sipper that will also pair really well with grilled Salmon, Cobb salad or chicken on the charcoal. 89 points from me make it a 5 star effort to stock up on- really yummy stuff. Drink till 2024. Salut….

Tailored Republic Pinot Noir 2019, Arroyo Seco, California

08 Friday Jan 2021

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I do believe that Pinot Noir pairs nicely with Duck, so here we go! This one is quite a dark shade of red but completely see-through. The nose has a candied strawberry waft along with pomegranate and some mulling spices. The palate is very approachable and offers crisp red cranberry and cherry flavors. There is a juiciness to this wine that I am enjoying. The mid palate goes back to that initial strawberry note but I also sense a decent amount of acidity. There are tannins lurking in the background that hit me on the delightful finish that is a bouquet of red fruits and a touch of spice. Yummy and light with some good fruit, it will go great with my bird. Drink till 2025. 89 points for this $19 bottle make it a 4 star wine. Salut….

First Drop Mother’s Milk Shiraz 2018, Barossa, Australia

04 Monday Jan 2021

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It’s been four years since I had a drop of Mothers Milk, I was super excited to see it in my local wine shop. I’m cooking Venison Tenderloins in a mushroom sauce and think this might be the perfect match. It’s about 80% opaque and a medium shade of murky purple. On the nose it is spicy, peppery and has notes of licorice, blackberry and charred oak. On the palate it is really smooth and flavorful. Blackberry, anise and cola flavors shine through alongside some juicy acid. The mid palate is very fruity and has gobs of acidity to go along with lithe tannins. The fruit is working hard at this point to remain center stage. The finish is quite tart from the structural components but I do get more flavors right at the end. Black fruit melange, that licorice note and the acidity go on for ages. This is a very fresh wine that is drinking nicely and will do so till 2025. I’m going with 89 points and for $20 it gets 4 stars. (Ps. one of the pros went as high as 96!). Glad I re-discovered it! Salut….

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay 2018,California

24 Thursday Dec 2020

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I needed a white to go with tonight’s Christmas Eve dinner, this one was up next on the bench and seems appropriate considering the fare. It’s a dark yellow color in the glass. On the nose this wine offers butterscotch, yellow apple, lemon zest and popcorn. The palate is smooth, buttery and full bodied. The classic Cali Chard notes are evident. Oak influenced lemon, apples and melon make for a very tasty wine that will appeal to many. My mate Dusty would love this one, his sister-in-law Arty would hate it. I know many people truly dislike the flavor of Chardonnay that has undergone Malolactic fermentation with an abundance of butter flavor as a result. Others love it to the point of seeking it out. I digress. The mid palate is warm and a bit more cutting with a whiff of acidity starting to appear. The finish is long and silky with popcorn, butter, lemon and green melon flavors carrying through til the end. Not much acidity sticking around for the finale but I’m okay with that. This is for short term drinking and will pair well with Salmon, shrimp cocktail or even baked chicken. I like it for what it is and give it 89 points. For $11 I can see why it’s one of the most widely produced Chards out there. 5 stars for this daily drinker that needs to be bought by the case if you like the style. Drink till 2022. Salut….

Evangelos Bagias Rippey Family Vineyard Zinfandel 2019, Lodi, California

23 Wednesday Dec 2020

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Very dark purple and nearly opaque in the glass. The nose on this Zin gives me sweet plums, white pepper, licorice and dried cherry. On the palate is has a warm intro bursting with purple fruit ganache, sweet black cherry and a modicum of very fine grained tannins. The mid palate continues the black/purple fruit theme but it’s here where I sense the 15.1 % alcohol. It’s not bothersome, just be careful! The tannins are really well integrated so that I get just a touch of dryness on the backend to go along with some steeped plum and charcoal notes. I really am enjoying this wine, it will pair nicely with the braised Lamb shanks in the oven. It gets 89 points from me and for $11 it’s one to stock up on for casual meals and Friday Happy hours. 5 stars, drink till 2024. Salut….

Jacqueline Bahue Sauvignon Blanc 2019, California

15 Tuesday Dec 2020

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A pale shade of gold this Sav Blanc has a nose of fresh cut citrus. Mostly tangerine and lemon with some bergamot and honeysuckle. The palate has an instant sourness that I am digging. Crispy acidity melds with those citrus flavors nicely. I start to get stone fruits on the mid palate, which is very tasty. The acidity seems to have simmered down a bit- more fruit flavor and less grip. The finish is decent in length and what I consider ‘warm’. It has a nice rounded mouthfeel with the nectarine and peach flavors mixing with tangerine. Very interesting way to end IMHO. I think I paired this correctly with some BBQ baby back ribs and mashed taters. 89 points from me and 4 stars for this $16 charmer. Drink till 2023. Salut….

Small and Small Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand

08 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Very, very pale gold in the glass. Grapefruit and cat pee on the nose with some cut grass.  The palate gives me lime zest, green apple and vibrant acidity. It’s very refreshing and light.  The mid palate is very bright with citrus and more apple.  The finish gets back to the cut grass motif with really juicy acidity stemming from the lemon and lime notes.  I picked this wine to pair with Spanikopita- it’s a treat.  Drink till 2023.  89 points from me. 12.5% alcohol makes it a great quaffer, especially on a hot summers eve.  Delicious and decent value at $21. 4 stars. Salut….

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand

27 Friday Nov 2020

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Our second Sav Blanc of Thanksgiving was another Kiwi wine. Pale yellow in the glass with a somewhat muted nose of tangerine and pomelo.  On the palate it is refreshing with that orange citrus flavor along with grated ginger and capsicum.  There is a hint of wood accent on the mid palate and a touch of acidity.  It’s a fuller mouthfeel but is a bit shallower on the flavor profiles. 89 points and 4 stars for this $11 quaffer to drink till 2022. Salut….

Xavier Vins SM NV, Cotes du Rhone, France

22 Sunday Nov 2020

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The second wine of the 12th virtual wine tasting was this NV blend of Grenache and Syrah. Semi opaque in the glass it had a medium purple shade. The tasters noted chocolate, white pepper, Kirsch, marshmallow s’mores, dark cherry, cedar, charcoal with earth, funk, spice and a nutty component. On the palate the wine had black pepper, lots of it. Cedar, cola, Birch and black cherry. For me, the tannins came out of nowhere to a big crescendo on the finish. The pepper component was a hit with some, for others it was just a tad overpowering. This wine was ranked very highly with the pros and cost us $23. I am giving it 89 points and 3 stars. Drink till 2022 (this wine is a mixed vintage of 2015/16). Salut….

Domaine Paul Autard Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2011, Rhone, France

21 Saturday Nov 2020

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Dark purple and semi opaque.  The nose is rich, spicy with black pepper and gamy with bacon fat plus plum reduction. On the palate this wine is mature- rich plums, raspberry extract, gamy notes and earthiness.  Slightly stewed prunes hint at the age of this wine.  Bakers spice and super fine grained tannins highlight the midpalate but it’s the flavor of dried mushrooms being reconstituted with a salty umami component that really carry the moment.  The finish is rather short but l get sour cherry, raspberries and dark chocolate.  This wine will appeal to lovers of mature old world wines that are earthy, loaded with terroir and have tones of tertiary flavors.  For me- 89 points but drink sooner rather than later.  A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Muscardin and Counoise that runs $40 and gets 3 stars. Salut….