Tag Archives: 90 points

Ulibarri Artzaiak Tzakoli 2018, Spain

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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We went out for an amazing dinner that encourages ordering small plates of various dishes.  Our choices included:

Gnocco Fritto, Ricotta, Prosciutto di Parma, Preserved Lemon
Grilled Octopus, Romesco, Red Watercress, Garbanzo and Almond
Chicory Salad, Sunflower, Poppyseed, Meyer Lemon, Finger Lakes Gold Cheese
Burrata, Roasted Carrot, Carrot Top Pesto, Mint
Escargot Braised in Vichyssoise Butter, Potato Confit, Preserved Lemon
Fried Point Blue Crab and Pink Peppercorn Strozzapreti, Chile, Lemon, Old Bay Breadcrumb
Roasted Beet Mezzalune, Toasted Pistachio, Ricotta Salata, Brown Butter

Choosing a red wine would be hard for the appetizer section so I went with this white from the Basque Country.  Hondarabi Zuri is new to me- this one is medium/deep lemon colored.  High acidity makes it very fresh and lively  Medium (-) bodied I got intense aromas and flavors of lemon, white flowers, sea salt and lime zest.  It was delicious.  The finish was a tart and juicy affair that was medium in length.  A really nice wine that I think paired very well with our myriad of culinary angles.  I think this bottle retails for $23 and gets 90 points from me.  Serve chilled all summer long!  5 stars.  Salut….

Cave Dog Albarino 2019, Napa Valley, California

17 Friday Jun 2022

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A New World Albariño, I’m excited!  Medium lemon colored, it has fast moving legs belying its modest 13% ABV.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of pineapple, lemon zest, bruised apple, geranium and baking spice.  On the palate it is dry, really dry, with high acidity and a tart opener.  Lemon, underripe pineapple, green apple and spice.  There is a piercing minerality on the mid palate that I am really enjoying.  The body is fairly light whilst the finish is medium in length and refreshing with the cut I got initially.  A nicely crafted wine that gets 90 points from me and 4 stars for it’s $37 sticker price.  I am pairing it with Thai beef salad and some Szechuan fried veggies.  Drink now.  Salut….

Iapetus ‘Subduction’ Red 2019, Vermont

07 Tuesday Jun 2022

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This is a curious wine, made in Vermont from 100% Marquette grapes.  In the glass it is a deep purple color with some haze that confirms the data sheet- unfined and unfiltered.  Here we go!  Medium intensity aromas of wild blackberry, baking spices, black cherry, sour cherry, leather and a minty greeness.  The palate is dry with juicy acidity, low tannins, medium body and sprite flavors of dark fruit, oak nuance and that green note I caught on the nose.  It finishes tart and dry with lithe tannins tickling my cheeks.  The sour cherry taking pole position.  I had to look up this grape’s lineage, it is a crossing of two other hybrids.  They were trying to make a cold-hardy grape that is disease resistant.  I like it.  It reminds me of Sangiovese without the searing tannins.  That sour cherry note being the key here.  I would imagine this wine will evolve a little but it should be drunk by 2026.  It can be found for $27 online and gets 90 points from me making it a 4 star effort.  Try something different!  I would pair it with pasta, grilled duck breast or peppercorn steaks.  Salut….

Negretti Barolo DOCG 2017, Piedmont, Italy

25 Monday Apr 2022

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Bordering on medium garnet- Nebbiolo typically shows this color even when but a few years old.  The nose gives off charming aromas of red cherry, dried herbs, cranberry, coffee, a touch of tar and some violet.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium (+) tannins.  A full body and luscious flavors of red fruit, some sour cherry and the nuances of oak, tar and floral violets.  The finish is purely sour cherry, tannins and juicy acidity with some smooth yet powerful tannins.  It is medium in length and balanced.  For a young Barolo it is drinking nicely already and will mature over time to give tertiary notes hopefully.  90 points from me and for $36 it gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Tomfoolery Son Of A Gun Cabernet Sauvignon – Shiraz 2016, Barossa Valley, Australia

23 Saturday Apr 2022

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Every so often I shop the bin-ends at my local wine shop, some are hits whilst others are a waste of time and money.  This blend of Cab Sav and Shiraz ran me $20.  It is showing a bit of age- medium garnet in color.  The nose is still fresh however with primal aromas of blackberry, mint, black pepper, ripe blueberry jam, cloves, cedar and vanilla.  The palate is dry with resolved and silky tannins, high acidity, medium to full body and flavors of black and blue fruit, menthol, spicy black pepper and oak by way of vanilla and cedar.  The finish is medium in length and leans on the mint/menthol as well as the blackberry fruit.  It’s a tasty drop that is at peak now and will need to be drunk by 2024 if you have some.  Pairing tonight with grilled steaks and salad.  90 points from me make this a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Doble de Diez Mencia 2018, Spain

21 Thursday Apr 2022

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This Mencia varietal is medium garnet in the glass with interesting aromas starting with vanilla and dill.  I get fruit-driven cherry, pomegranate and cranberry with secondary notes of cinnamon and smoke.  The palate is lightweight for sure- it’s very easy to drink with medium (+) acidity, gentle tannins and medium intensity flavors of red fruit.  The vanilla and green note taper off quickly but I do get the smoke and spice.  The finish is short lived but very yummy with tannins that just fade away.  This wine is begging to be drunk- it is so smooth and the lower than usual alcohol (12.7 ABV) makes it possible.  We are pairing it with meatballs in Boom Boom sauce on a bed of shredded veggies.  Drink this 90 point wine till 2024.  It retails for $20 and gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Nik Weis Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett 2017, Mosel, Germany

20 Wednesday Apr 2022

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Tasted blind for practice at my WSET class, this Riesling was pale gold in the glass.  Medium (+) intensity nose with aromas of ginger, honey, tangerine, lemon, lanolin and wet stone.  I made a note that it was developing ‘nicely’.  The palate was off-dry with high acidity, low alcohol and a full body.  Medium (+) intensity flavors echoed the nose and the wine finished with a decent medium (+) finish.  I thought this was an ‘Outstanding’ wine based on the WSET criteria and feel it could be drunk now or aged some more.  I really liked it and for $17 this 90 pointer gets 5 stars.  Spicy Asian dishes come to mind.  Salut….

Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes 2017, Rhone, France

17 Sunday Apr 2022

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I’ve been on a big Grenache kick lately and bought several different offerings from this producer whom I’ve tried before.  This one is medium ruby colored and has some nice red fruit and meaty aromas.  Raspberry, black cherry, bacon, lavender, red plum, red licorice and sweet cedar.  The palate is dry and tannic upfront.  Great acidity balances the well integrated tannic component and the flavors are delicious.  Red fruit, Ceylon tea, game, florals and oak nuance all mingle together.  The mid palate has a slight astringency akin to tea meets charred oak and mineral slate.  The finish is quite long for this full bodied wine that needs a bit of time to flesh out methinks.  I think it will be a great wine in a few years but right now it turned a bit angular on me.  I’m going with 90 points for now on this $32 blend that has some Mourvedre in it.  4 stars with a drink between 2024-2030 window.  Salut….

Folonari Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2020, Veneto, Italy

15 Friday Apr 2022

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The first of two blind-tasted wines for my WSET course was this Pinot Grigio- I guessed Chardonnay but was corrected with a comment that indicated it had some lees aging which could have contributed to the conclusion I made.

It was pale lemon colored and had a medium (+) intensity nose of lemon, lime, green apple, pear, blossom and brioche (which was questioned by the instructor and a note was made to indicate possible lees aging).  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, medium body and medium intensity flavors of the above- with a medium (-) length finish I thought this wine was of good quality but should be drunk now.  Overall- 90 points and for $7 it’s a steal for the summer time.  5 stars so stock up.  Salut….

Folk and Fable Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, California

08 Friday Apr 2022

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This medium purple colored wine has got a fruity, medium intensity nose.  I get aromas of black plum, blackberry, vanilla, blueberry jam and charcoal.  The palate has a sweetness from the Bourbon barrel- that delicious caramel, smoke, vanilla combo that melds nicely with the jammy black and blue fruit.  Medium tannins and medium acidity create a nice mouthfeel in this medium (+) bodied wine.  The finish has got loads of rich fruit and oak nuance and is short to medium in length.  This is not an overly complex wine, yet it adds a new dimension with the oak usage that makes it easy to enjoy and pair with many meat dishes, pasta, pizza and even burgers on the grill.  For $30 it is an elegant offering that gets 90 point from me and 4 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….