Tag Archives: 89 points

Chateau de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2018, Rhone, France

29 Thursday Apr 2021

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This Cotes-Du-Rhone comes from a highly regarded vintner and is a blend of Grenache and Mourvedre at 30% each with the balance being Syrah and Cinsault. I chose it off my tasting bench because I am cooking Duck l’orange tonight. I am hoping the pairing will work.

The wine is very dark purple in the glass and 75% opaque. The nose is heavenly with raspberry, black pepper, black cherry and oak influence, offset right at the end with some alcohol. I checked, it’s 14.1%. On the palate it is very smooth and supple. The reddish/black fruit notes are evident and the tannins are very lithe. Good acidity makes for a nice mouthfeel that is fresh. The red fruit them continues but I get a hint of capsicum, some herbaceous notes and a tad of astringency on the mid palate. The finish is medium in length and the fruit flavors linger nicely, not being overtaken by massive tannins. The acidity is obvious at this stage though and I get a touch of that alcohol right at the end. It’s a delightful wine that gets knocked down a point or two for the green notes, I am not sure if they had ripening issues. 89 points and for $26, it gets 3 stars with a drink by 2028 window. Salut….

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Bodegas Borsao Berola 2015, Campo de Borja, Spain

28 Wednesday Apr 2021

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This Spanish wine as a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Sirah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s quite murky in the glass, almost fully opaque and a dark shade of purple. On the nose I get rich raspberry, black cherry and some blackberries. On the palate it is a little bit tart from some pomegranate and red fruits- lithe tannins and juicy acidity help keep it fresh. There is a hint of oak but it is not obtrusive. I sense a tiny bit of coconut from the wood and can feel the 14.5% alcohol not only from the weight of the wine but there is a little bit of heat on the mid palate. On the finish the fruit profile turns a little darker with blackberries and black cherry, the tannins not getting in the way of the fruit flavors.  At six years of age I was hoping for some tertiary flavors but alas this wine is somewhat basic in nature but serves it’s purpose. It’s tasty, at peak and looking for a nice juicy steak. I’m giving it 89 points. For $15, it’s an easy buy that gets 4 stars. Salut….

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Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewurztraminer 2017, Finger Lakes, New York

14 Wednesday Apr 2021

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Pale lemon in the glass this Gewurztraminer has a pronounced nose with flavors of rose petals, melon and lychee.  On the palate it is a touch sweet and rounded with lychee flavors and a slight astringency. The mid palate gives me some honey to go along with the strong lychee flavors. The wine is full-bodied and the finish carries on the floral and tropical fruit notes for a short to medium length finish. 89 points for me and for $14 this is a really good introduction to this varietal that gets 4 stars. At 13% alcohol it’s an easy quaffer for an afternoon by the pool. I would pair it with spicy dishes all day long.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

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Angeline Pinot Noir 2018, California

14 Wednesday Apr 2021

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I have just signed up for some formalized wine training. In the package that I received from them is a systematic approach to tasting wine guide that I’m supposed to use when I drink wines. This will be my first attempt at using such a guide, but I will revert back to my old ways every once in a while. I tasted the 2017 version of this Pinot Noir previously and thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope I get as much bang for the buck out of this newer offering.

Intensity is pale, the color is ruby and the nose is of medium intensity with primary flavors of cherry, strawberry and cinnamon stick. The pallet is off-dry in terms of sweetness with medium acidity, low tannins, low alcohol, light body. Light flavor intensity with primary notes of more cherry, strawberry, rooibos tea and spice box. The finish is medium in length and I find this wine to have acceptable if not good quality. On my own scale it gets 89 points with a drinking window till 2026. Serve with lighter fare such as chicken on the grill or a linguine dish.The use of oak is very deft here but it’s evident by some cloves and a bit of smoke on the tail end. At $ 12, it’s a steal worthy of 5 stars. Easy to drink, easy on the wallet- by the case for immediate drinking! Salut….

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Cosentino Winery Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Columbia Valley, Washington

05 Monday Apr 2021

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I’m an old fan of this winery, having been a tasting room member at one point. This Cabernet hails from Columbia Valley. It is a touch murky with medium shades of purple in the glass. The nose has steeped plums, charcoal and blackberry pie. The palate is really yummy- if not at peak, it’s close. Ripe plums, cedar, black berry and espresso. The mid palate is very refined with very well integrated tannins and good acidity. The dark, mature fruit theme continues but what impresses me the most is the mouthfeel. It is really full, rounded and balanced. The finish is very juicy, the acidity really gripping at this point. The prune and blackberry flavors fade after a decent amount of time but the tannins hang on to my gums for an eternity. Lovely stuff that gets 89 points from me. It should be drunk sooner rather than later and for $17, it gets 4 stars. Salut….

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Bougetz Cellars “Bliss” Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Rutherford, California

30 Tuesday Mar 2021

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This Sauvignon Blanc is very pale yellow in the glass. On the nose I get lemons, D’anjou pear, green apple and honeysuckle. The palate is lively and fresh with citrus notes, that green apple hint and some floral interjection. Not overly tart, there is a core of acidity that keeps the wine fresh. The finish moves away from the focused lemon and pear notes- getting a little more body and a hint of minerality. Tasty stuff that will serve well with my baked Salmon and Ahi tuna steaks. I am going with 89 points for this $26 effort which makes it a 3 star effort. Drink chilled till 2025. Salut….

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Posted Accord “Coffee” Pinotage 2018, Western Cape, South Africa

10 Wednesday Mar 2021

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I enjoy Pinotage quite a bit. It’s a grape that was created by cloning Pinot Noir and Cinsault. This one is semi opaque and a lovely shade of purple in the glass. The nose gives me chocolate, espresso bean and blackberry. On the palate it is very fruity with black currants, black cherry and dare I say- coffee. There is a richness to this wine that I am really enjoying, full bodied with rounded tannins and good acidity. The mid palate goes old school with some smoke, dust, jerky and brooding dark fruit. I am missing the acetone flavors I normally associate with this varietal, it’s kind of unique. The back end is dry, dusty and has nice tannins to finish. I like this wine and would pair it with almost any meat dish, perhaps even pasta. 89 points from me with a drink till 2025 window. At $21 it gets 3 stars. Salut….

G.D. Vajra Albe 2016, Barolo DOCG, Italy

21 Sunday Feb 2021

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I asked the group to decant this Nebbiolo for several hours before we met for tasting #15. I did not want to fight with a tannic beast and felt it best to go against my norm and give it a chance to soften. As expected from this varietal it was see-through with nice legs and showing a touch of bricking already. On the nose we got truffle, pepper, chocolate, dried cherry, tobacco, earth and it smelled ‘dry’. On the palate it was kinda blah. Tart cherry, tobacco and not much else going on. It was very disappointing from the hype generated by the reviews. I was hoping for a rich, beefy wine that would show off the grape but was let down. Overall I will go with 89 points and 2 stars for this $34 wine. Drink till 2028. Salut….

Inkscape Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Mendocino County, California

06 Saturday Feb 2021

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In the glass this Cabernet is bright purple and 50% opaque. The nose gives me blackcurrant and coffee bean. On the palate it is quite rich with blackberry coulis, spice box and cedar. The mid palate has nice rich fruit, a touch of acidity and some lithe tannins. The black fruit theme continues as does the coffee. The finish is really tasty, a touch dry with a hint of acidity. Th mouthfeel is really wonderful, not cloying, dry or tart. Rich, warm fruit with some underlying structure make for a decent medium term drinking window. I like it and am going with 89 points. For $15, it’s a good deal and gets 4 stars from me. Drink till 2025 with grilled meats. Salut….

Domaine Saint Prefert Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2015, Rhone, France

31 Sunday Jan 2021

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Third up at our virtual tasting event was this Grenache blend. I had high hopes for another stunner from CdP but alas, you cannot hit home run after home run. This wine was semi opaque and had notes of toasted marshmallow, candied raspberry, plum, black pepper and stone fruit on the nose. Someone in the group decried “A beautiful, pretty smell”. Someone else said it was flowery. The palate gave us spice, rich black raspberry, cigar smoke, licorice and a streak of minerality. I scored it a paltry 8.5 of 20 but for some it was a huge hit. I’m not a fan of sweetness in red wine, the candy theme is not to my taste, hence the low number. Technically speaking I gave this $45 wine 89 points, the pros went much higher at 92. It gets 2 stars from me. Drink till 2026. Salut….