Tag Archives: 89 points

Castelli del Grevepesa Coltifredi Riserva 2020, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

04 Tuesday Nov 2025

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Medium ruby fading to a watery meniscus, with slight staining, and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of red cherry, leather, dried herbs, pomegranate, black currant, and an iron note.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that seem to dominate the mouthful.  Flavors are medium in intensity and I get dried red cherry, leather, iron, blood, dried herbs and overly dry tobacco leaf.  The finish is medium (-) in length and a touch tart.  The tannins go on for ages, drying up the gums in the process.  It’s a serviceable Sangiovese, nothing special.  A bit youthful, it will reward cellared for a few years to tame the tannic imbalance.  89 points from me for this $25 effort making it a 4 star wine.  The obvious pairing for me is pasta tonight.  Salut…..

Castelli del Grevepesa Coltifredi Riserva Chianti Classico

Castello di Gabbiano Cavaliere d’Oro Chianti DOCG 2021, Tuscany, Italy

27 Monday Oct 2025

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Pale ruby colored with copper highlights, and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red raspberry, red cherry, baking spices, red currant jam, lingonberry, and wild flowers.  It’s got a bit of tertiary development starting, which excites me.  The palate is dry, with medium (+) acidity, a medium body, and medium (+) tannins that are a touch coarse.  The flavors are red fruit driven with some evolution already happening. The jammy/stewed note I got on the nose is evident and there is some old oak notes coming through.  There is a flowery hint alongside some spiciness.  The tannins are certainly present and keep gripping throughout the medium (-) length finish.  I’ll be honest, this is a Magnum that was on sale for $18.74, marked down from $25 at my local grocery store.  I bought it to use in a beef shin braise and obviously had to taste it.  I think it’s a nice wine, slightly unbalanced by the roughness of the tannins, but I am willing to overlook that.  I think it’s very serviceable and it gets 89 points from me.  I will be back to buy the rest before anyone else realizes that there’s some aged Chianti going cheap.  I would drink within the next three years, hopeful that the tannins meld and pair it with pasta.  5 stars believe it or not!  Salut….

Castello di Gabbiano Cavaliere d'Oro Chianti

Domaine du Grand Montmirail Vacqueyras Mas Carré 2022, Rhone Valley, France

29 Monday Sep 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with slight staining, and a medium (+) viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of smoke, bacon, black cherry, black raspberry, garigue, and wet stone.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a full body, and medium (+) tannins.  The flavors are more pronounced than the nose but the dark, brooding fruit is there as are the smoldering notes.  Licorice appears and there’s a slightly gamy profile thanks to the Syrah (45%) that is tempered by Grenache at 55%.  The finish is a bit astringent, which is actually enticing.  The length is medium (-).  It’s a fun, food centric wine that might be a touch ascerbic if drunk alone.  89 points from me, with a drink by window till 2030.  At $25, it gets 3 stars.  I am pairing it with roasted Shoulder Filet and Harissa potatoes.  Salut….

Domaine du Grand Montmirail Vacqueyras Mas Carré

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2000, Clare Valley, Australia

13 Sunday Jul 2025

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Medium garnet colored with very evident bricking, and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of mulled plum, blackberry compote, raisins, prunes, walnuts, desiccated flower petals, dried coconut flakes, dried dill/herbs, a touch of eucalyptus and a hint of green almond.  That last line is interesting.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body and medium (-) tannins that are truly melded.  Medium (+) intensity flavors that mimic the nose and are interlaced with vibrant acidity that is tempered by the silky, if almost imperceptible tannins.  The wine has a gorgeous mouthfeel- akin to velvet.  The finish is medium (+) in length and very smooth.  This is a a very mature wine that is fading gracefully.  I remember drinking gallons of it in its youth and loving every drop.  It’s not cheap, but well worth the $47 entry fee for the current vintage.  It gets 89 points from me as it has very little aging capacity left.  Drink this 4 star wine sooner rather than later.  Salut….

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz

Yohan Lardy Fleurie Le Vivier 2023, Beaujolais, France

09 Monday Jun 2025

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I wanted our virtual tasting group to try a cru Beaujolais, unfortunately this one wasn’t it…. Medium ruby bordering on garnet with a low viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose had medium intensity aromas of purple grapes, pepper and plum.  It was quite boring.  The palate had medium (-) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  Flavors of green pepper, grape, fresh peppercorns, and some plum gave way to a decently long finish that lifted the low score of this one-dimensional wine.  I scored it a mere 12 points on our tasting scale and awarded it 89 points on technical merit.  I paid $23 for this 3 star effort.  Drink till 2028. Salut….

Yohan Lardy Fleurie Le Vivier

Sin Fronteras Los Primos 2021, California

08 Thursday May 2025

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, black plum, vanilla thread, violets, anise, cardamom, and espresso.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins.  Fruit intensity is medium and I get the darker red fruits I mentioned on the nose alongside a bit of spice by way of anise, vanilla and espresso.  The flowery component is missing now as is the highly aromatic cardamom.  There is a slight charred oak note as well as a hint of astringency on the mid-palate but overall this wine leads nicely into a medium length finish that is fruit driven.  I like it.  89 points for this $13 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink over the near term.  Salut….

Sin Fronteras Los Primos

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Western Cape, South Africa

02 Friday May 2025

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black plum, licorice, charred oak, mint, tomato stalk, and coffee.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins that are plush. Slightly more intense flavors of black cherry, black plum, licorice, coffee, and a hint of tomato leaf.  The finish is very smooth and lush, the tannins completely melded and the ripe fruit shining through.  It’s a tasty drop with a structure to age short term that will pair nicely with filet, veal or a hearty roast duck.  I enjoyed the 2019 vintage and think this one is on par at 89 points.  Still running $13, it’s a solid 4 star wine.  Salut….

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Franck Massard Garnacha 2021, Spain

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14.2% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red raspberry, garrigue, strawberry, funky mushroom, violet, and rhubarb.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium tannins.  There’s a noticeable astringency on the mid palate.  Medium intensity flavors of red raspberry, rhubarb, pomegranate, strawberry, earthy dried herbs and some barnyard funk.  The finish is a lively, tart affair that goes on medium length.  An interesting wine that I am enjoying, as I did the 2019 vintage.  It will pair well with lighter meat dishes, tapas, or even a roast hen.  Drink till 2028.  89 points for this $15 bottling makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Franck Massard Garnacha

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2019, Rhone, France

06 Sunday Apr 2025

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Deep purple colored with copper highlights, slight staining, and a high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red and black raspberry, black cherry, violets, game, blackberry, black licorice, and saline.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are youthful and frontal.  The intensity of the palate is slightly less than the nose but echoes the varied red and black fruit, spice nuance and gamy note.  It’s a touch astringent, the tannins feel a bit green and persistent.  The alcohol is noticeable, not only on the nose, but on the mid palate and finish.  It eventually blows off.  The finish is medium (+) in length and concentrates on the black raspberry and game notes. I picked this wine to pair with rack of lamb, I think it will work out nicely, the tannins should resolve with the fat of the dish.  89 points from me for this Southern Rhone blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%), and Mourvèdre (10%).  At $17, it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau

Brothers Miller Thankfulness Red 2022, Central Coast, California

05 Saturday Apr 2025

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Medium ruby colored, with medium viscosity (14.1% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, acai berry, a touch of game, and red licorice.  The palate is dry (perhaps a touch of RS? ), with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that are crunchy.  Medium intensity flavors of black cherry, acai berry, charred oak, baking spice, black raspberry, and a medicinal hint.  The finish has quite a bit of tannic grip but the fruit flavors go on mid length.  My initial reaction to the nose was not overly favorable, but after a few sips I find myself enjoying it quite a lot.  It has an interesting bitterness to it yet the fruit is quite ripe.  Somewhat one-dimensional it lacks much complexity yet it delivers on what it has.  I like it, 89 points worth.  It came as part of a mixed case from a club and runs $15. This blend of Pinot Noir, Barbera, Grenache, and Valdigué gets 4 stars from me.  I would drink it till 2028 and pair it with corned beef, filet or even a roast chicken.  Salut….

Brothers Miller Central Coast Thankfulness Red