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Tag Archives: $9

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

27 Monday Oct 2025

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$9, 5 stars, 89 points, chianti, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


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

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Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Reserva Malbec 2021, Rapel Valley, Chile

01 Friday Nov 2024

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$9, 3 stars, 86 points, chile, Malbec, rapel valley


Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, bramble berry, a medicinal note, baked pie, vanilla, a touch of green herb, and cracked pepper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and medium tannins.  The fruit takes a turn towards tart, which is accentuated by the acidity making for some mouth puckering.  The tannins grip a bit more on the mid palate.  Flavors include dark fruit, charred oak, vanilla, baking spice, and green herbs.  The finish is a bit tart and medium in length, the acidity really grabbing hold- it’s almost to the point of imbalance.  Under $9, this bottle gets 86 points from me and 3 stars.  It’s getting paired with burgers, I’m guessing it will all work out just fine.  Drink now, Salut….

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Malbec

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Kysela Pere et Fils Picpoul de Pinet H.B. 2023, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

07 Sunday Jul 2024

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$9, 5 stars, 89 points, france, languedoc, picpoul de pinet


Pale lemon/lime colored with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of peach, white pear, sea salt, green apple, lemon zest, grapefruit and waxy lanolin.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium (-) body.  Tart flavors of lemon zest, green apple, peach, sea spray and white pear.  The finish is tangy, zesty and medium in length.  This $9 stunner is a dead ringer for Albarino imo- cutting acidity, sea spray, peach and lemon zest remind me of that grape.  I am pairing it with steamed King Crab, seems like the natural thing to do.  89 points from me makes this a 5 star effort that I will pound this summer- after all it runs under a tenner.  Salut….

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Jaume Serra Brut Cava NV, Catalonia, Spain

16 Tuesday Apr 2024

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$9, 5 stars, 88 points, catalonia, macabeo, Parellada, spain, Xarel-lo


Pale gold colored with medium intensity bubbles and low viscosity (11.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of white pear, brioche, grapefruit pith, white blossom and salted caramel.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light body and a medium (-) mousse.  Flavors of citrus pith, brioche, white blossom, ripe white pear and lanolin.  The mouthfeel is very smooth as the mousse has tamed itself with plenty of aging whilst the acidity is still bright and refreshing.  The finish is a tasty affair that is medium in length and very satisfying- some spritz, some zing and fresh fruit surrounding the bready, brioche notes.  This bottle has dubious provenance, it sat in my buddy Rewt’s basement for god-knows-how-long yet is shows decent quality and aging capacity.  As with most Non Vintage Cava, it is hard to tell the disgorgement date so I have no idea how long this bottle has slumbered.  A curious web search made my jaw drop- $9.  Yup, under 10 bones and you are drinking a very serviceable and delicious sparkler that is made in the traditional method out of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes. I would be looking to stock up for the summer, this is a porch-pounder for sure.  88 points, and 5 stars.  Salut….

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Aldi Specially Selected Reserve 2018, Rioja, Spain

09 Monday Oct 2023

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$9, 5 stars, 90 points, Aldi, rioja, spain, tempranillo


Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose is earthy with dried plum, black berry, vanilla, dust, graphite and aloe.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are pretty smooth.  The medium weight body carries the oak laced dark fruit along to a medium length finish that is fresh with a touch of red fruit.  The earthy nature of a classic Rioja shows itself in this $9 wine that has been aged for 30 months in oak.  I like it- 90 points worth which makes this Aldi branded Tempranillo a 5 star effort to stock up on.  It’s a great value.  Drink till 2026 with hearty meat dishes.  Salut….

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KWV The Legend of Big Bill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

08 Tuesday Sep 2020

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$9, 3 stars, 87 points, cabernet sauvignon, South Africa, western cape


It’s a rich shade of purple with thick legs and an opaque hue.  The nose is fresh, briny and full of purple fruits.  On the palate I get primal black berries, dark cherry and iodine laced oak.  The mid palate is fruity, juicy and shows off a slight tannic bite.  The dark fruits are well at play and overshadow the structural components.  The finish has a nice crunchy set of tannins that interplay with the fruit and acidity.  This wine is a touch green but I am enjoying it’s youth and basic fruitiness.  It has some structure for the short to medium term cellaring but I feel it won’t evolve too much.  This is a very decent everyday drinker that will serve well against burgers, ribs, pasta and pizza.  It gets 87 points from me and for $9 it’s a 3 star wine.  Drink till 2022.  Salut…

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Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton Cadet 2016, Bordeaux, France

22 Friday Nov 2019

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$9, 5 stars, 88 points, bordeaux, Cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, france, merlot


It’s been a while since I drank some of this old perennial favorite.  This vintage shows dark purple in the glass.  On the nose- charcoal, blackberry and fig.  The palate is very pleasant and easy drinking.  There are blackberry notes, tar, wintergreen and crunchy tannins.  They dry the gums immediately but not excessively.  The mid palate is much the same, black fruits abound.  The tannins really go the distance and lead me to the finish of blackberry pie meets a slate.  There is quite a bit of minerality alongside the tannic thrust.  The wine is well balanced and well made.  There’s a reason I drank a crapload of it in the early days, it offers good value for money.  Drink till 2025 with a nice NY Strip and creamed spinach.  I’m going 88 points and 5 stars for $9. Salut….

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Nederburg The Winemasters Chenin Blanc 2016, Coastal Region, South Africa

12 Thursday Sep 2019

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$9, 4 stars, 88 points, chenin blanc, South Africa, western cape


Pale gold in the glass, it is crystal clear.  On the nose there’s lemon, melon, pear and lychee.  The palate echoes those flavors from front to the finish.  There is a unique mouthfeel, effervescence, without the bubbles.  The acidity is in check but not shy.  It adds depth and cut.  The Chenin Blanc varietal is widely found in France and South Africa.  Differing climates produce variations on the flavor profile but this grape is very enticing, versatile and delicious.  I am going with 88 points and 4 stars for this $9 offering that you should drink till 2022 with grilled chicken, sausage and mash or even smoked salmon.  Salut….

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DFJ Vinhos Portada Winemaker’s Selection Tinto 2016, Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal

21 Wednesday Aug 2019

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$9, 3 stars, 88 points, portugal


Quite dense and opaque purple in the glass.  The nose has blueberry, iodine and espresso.  On the palate it is quite sweet with creme de cassis, vanilla and butter.  There is a hidden astringency from the very fine grained tannins.  The midpalate glides along with the blue fruit theme and finishes with a short burst of tannic thrust that leaves the gums a little quenched.  88 points, drink till 2021 with lighter fare.  For $9 it’s a pretty decent buy and gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

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Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

26 Tuesday Jun 2018

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$9, 2 stars, 85 points, chianti classico, Italy, sangiovese


The last of my Kirkland test wines….  Cherry nose with some fresh cut pine thrown in.  The palate continues the light cherry profile but adds mushroom and a crushed violet note.  Rose water comes to mind as we transition to the finish.  Overall, this is not a great wine point wise.  It lacks depth, the flavors are somewhat out there and the extraction is pretty thin.  I’m not sure I would buy again.  85 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering.  Salut….

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