Tag Archives: 90 points

Fonseca Reserve Porto Bin 27 NV, Portugal

06 Wednesday Apr 2022

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Deep ruby color.  The nose has a unique greeness to it on first whiff.  With a bit of air I am able to coax dried blueberry, cola, mint(?) and sultanas.  It’s not what I was expecting tbh.  The palate is semi-sweet, warm (from the 20%ABV) and inviting.  The wine is tannic and has gobs of acidity.  Full bodied for sure it has more classical Port flavors than what I got on the nose.  Dried black and blue berries, nuts, cola, prunes, sultanas and a richness of stewed black fruit.  It leaves a tannic impression on my gums well after the medium length finish fades.  What started out as a questionable Port wine turned into a delicious effort that gets 90 points from me.  These are meant to be drunk on release, so don’t waste any time!  Widely available for $16 it’s worth stashing a bottle or two for a late night treat with some warm chocolate gateaux.  5 stars.  Salut….

Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee 2016, Alexander Valley, California

01 Friday Apr 2022

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Deep garnet colored, this Zinfandel is showing a touch of age.  Besides a whiff of alcohol right off the bat- the nose has aromas of stewed blueberry, vanilla, black plum, clove and purple licorice.  The palate is dry and tannic with juicy acidity and a full body.  The flavors are quite complex- there’s a touch of stewed/cooked fruit showing the wine’s age, plus some oak influence as well as primal fruit still hanging in there.  The finish is grippy and the acid really hits the tongue and jaw on the medium length finish.  This is not the usual overly extracted and jammy Zin, it has some good fruit and structure and needs a spicy meat dish like middle eastern spiced lamb kofta.  90 points for this $35 wine makes it a 4 star effort.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

 

Costers del Priorat Petit Pissares 2016, Priorat, Spain

25 Friday Mar 2022

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Deep garnet in the glass with thick legs (14.5% ABV), this Garnacha/Carinena blend from Priorat has medium intensity aromas of baked plums, blackberry, raisins, black raspberry, coconut and some spice.  The baked/cooked aromas disappeared almost immediately.  The palate is dry with high acidity, medium (+) tannins, medium (+) body and medium (-) finish.  The fruit flavors are quite intense and I get the black raspberry, blackberry, some plum and spice but no oak-derived coconut.  Black and smoky Lapsang Souchong teas present on the mid palate and add to the tannic grip that has enveloped my gums.  I find this wine a bit of a conundrum- it is very primal in fruit, yet shows advances in age beyond its 6 years, I wonder if it was mishandled along the way.  Let me have a look.

I did some research, this wine should have lots of tertiary and secondary notes, instead, I get the baked and stewed fruit which is either very aged wine or heat damaged wine.  The flavors I get do not match the descriptions of where I bought this $23 bottle from.  I would love to revisit it I could get a good bottle.  For now, I would imagine it to hold up to the 90 point score the pros awarded.  It could potentially be a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Bodega Garzon Reserva Albarino 2020, Maldonado, Uruguay

20 Sunday Mar 2022

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The 101st bottle tasted at our Virtual Wine tasting was this Albariño from Uruguay. As always- we tasted it at room temperature first and then chilled.  The wine is a pretty, pale gold color.   The room temp version had aromas and flavors of honeysuckle, peach, apricot, yellow pear, lemon zest and evidence of MLF and Sur Lie aging by way of yeast, bread and buttered popcorn.  We agreed that the wine had high acidity, medium (+) body and a medium finish.  I gave it 12/20 on the VWTC scale and 90 points.

The chilled version was a touch flabby- the flavors were muted but we did get buttered popcorn, green apple, tangerine, pear and honeysuckle.   Quite a marked difference in flavor profiles.  One thing that we noticed was a cotton candy flavor, albeit very faint.  Someone mentioned a touch of residual sugar was noticed but at 3.2 g/l, it is considered a Dry wine.  Chilled- this wine had a lower weight body and seemed less acidic.  It scored 8/20 and I gave it 87 points.

To be fair, this is a decent wine that deserves the 90 points I originally assigned and for $17, it gets 4 stars.  Drink now with seafood cocktails or a crisp salad.  Salut….

 

Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Montague Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir 2018, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

14 Monday Mar 2022

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When I was last in Quebec I bought a few bottles of this delicious Pinot.  Having enjoyed the 2017 Montague immensely I could hardly contain myself when I found this vintage.  It is a pale ruby in the glass as expected but has very thick legs- interesting considering it rolls in at 13% ABV.  The nose is quite intense- red cherry, strawberry coulis, cinnamon, clove, pomegranate, mocha and florals of violet and geranium.  The palate it dry and surprisingly tannic for this varietal.  The flavors are a bit less intense from the nose but I get strawberry as the lead component with the red cherry and pomegranate supporting.  The chocolate, spice and florals are present along with a touch of oak. The wine is medium (-) bodied with juicy acidity and a decent length finish.  This wine perplexes me- it’s a bit in-your-face at the get go, the tannins are quite persuasive yet it morphs into a seductive and soft Pinot as it transitions to the mid palate and finish.  It may need a bit of time.  Right now it is a 90 point wine that I see potential for.  At $32 CAD ($26) it’s worth looking for and cellaring.  5 Stars from me- I’m pairing it with roast Duck and Scalloped Potatoes.  Salut….

M. Chapoutier Banyuls 2016, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

13 Sunday Mar 2022

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This is a first for me- Banyuls is a sweet, dessert style red wine that has been slightly fortified to halt the fermentation which leaves residual sugar.  This one is six years old and displays a deep garnet color in the glass with loads of legs showing off its 17% ABV.  The nose is quite pronounced with aromas of stewed plum, cooked red cherry, walnuts, charred oak, raisins, orange peel and strawberry tart.  The palate is off-dry and a bit furry.  Tight grained tannins coat my mouth and my upper palate immediately.  Green almonds come to mind.  I get really juicy flavors of the cooked/stewed red fruits, oak influence, nuts and orange peel.  These flavors are slightly offset by the astringency I feel throughout the whole mouthfeel.  I sense it is somewhat ‘green’, yet quite zesty, versus the silky nature of Port, which it closely resembles.  I like it, and considering it is often served as an aperitif- I can see why.  It is medium (+) bodied with a medium finish and medium (+) acidity which is a bit strange considering the grape varietal (Grenache).  Then again it’s also more tannic than expected.  The palate feels like I have been coddling a black tea pouch inbetween my cheek and gums- the intensity of the tannins is that great.  I guess that will stead the wine well in the cellar and allow it to mellow over the next 10-15 years.  I like this wine and think it is a nice intro to the style of Vin Doux Naturel.  I paid $30 for the 500ml bottle that gets 90 points and 4 stars.  Drink as an aperitif or with some soft cheese after dinner.  Salut….

Colene Clemens Vineyards ‘Dopp Creek’ Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon

09 Wednesday Mar 2022

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Medium ruby colored, this wine is a shade more opaque than most Pinot Noirs.  The nose is exquisite after a good swirl to get things going.  Ripe cherry, strawberry coulis, cola, a touch of forest floor and bilberry.  The palate is a touch subdued from the intensity of the nose.  The wine is dry with very lithe tannins, medium (+) acidity, medium bodied and long in the finish.  The bright red fruit flavors are present as is some Rooibos tea, a definitive Pinot flavor that I cannot name and spices like Christmas cake.  For close to $30 this 90 pointer gets 4 stars from me.  Delicious now, it will drink well till 2030 and pair nicely with Roasted Cornish hens or Ratatouille.  It has a fantastic mouthfeel btw.  Salut….

William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2014, Alexander Valley, California

25 Friday Feb 2022

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Moxie is cooking dinner- a beef dish that is heavily influenced by mushrooms.  In case you did not know- umami (found in mushrooms) has a distinct affect on wine.  It makes a red taste more dry and bitter, more acidic, less fruity/sweet.  A perfect pairing for this would be a full bodied, rich, tannic wine with medium acidity and not overly dry- Petite Sirah is the answer.  Here goes.

Deep purple in the glass, this wine is inky.  The nose has pronounced aromas of black cherry, blackberry, macerated black plum, dark chocolate, anise, barnyard (kinda strange for the varietal) and smoke.  The palate is rich and dry.  Medium (+) tannins, full body and medium length finish.  The fruit flavors are delicious.  Black berries, currants, plums and pepper.  The smoke is evident as is the licorice note I got earlier.  It doesn’t quite hold up to the 2013 Petite Sirah I drank last year but it does rate well at 90 points.  For $45 it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink till 2028 with hearty meat dishes, especially those with some well marbled beef.  Salut….

Alpha Estate Hedgehog Vineyard Xinomavro 2018, Amyndeo, Greece

06 Sunday Feb 2022

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Our third wine of the evening (virtual wine tasting) was this Xinomavro from Greece.  Having never tried this varietal everyone was on an even keel starting out with some loving it and others hating it.

Reminiscent of Pinot or Nebbiolo this wine is see-through and has a beautiful shade of ruby in the glass.  It’s a vegetal wine with earthy tones on the nose alongside syrupy anise, white pepper, rhubarb, tomato and BBQ sauce (I know…..just go with it).

The palate is dry with high levels of tannin, medium acidity, medium body and a medium length finish.  Tart cherries are the flavor of the day- this wine was loaded with sourness which was off-putting to some.  Rhubarb, another tart component, was present as was cranberry.  See where I’m going here?  A touch earthy there was perhaps a bit of licorice as well.  This wine was revered by the New Jersey peeps, and poo-pooed by the Maryland crowd.  Technically speaking I gave it 90 points and feel it is worthy of a re-taste tonight after it has had some air.  For $23 you too can explore this Greek varietal and let us know your thoughts.  4 stars, with a drinking window till 2027.  Salut….

KWV ‘The Mentors’ Orchestra Red Blend 2018, Paarl, South Africa

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

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A classic Bordeaux blend of 33% Cab Sav, 30% Petit Verdot, 11% Cab Franc, 10% Malbec and 6% Carménère from the Western Cape of South Africa.  Deep ruby in color the wine has thin legs in the glass.  On the nose I get lush, ripe aromas of blackberry, black currant and plum.  Oak influence is evident with notes of cedar box and coconut,  it is slightly herbaceous with some bell pepper but not overly so.  The palate is dry with medium tannins and juicy acidity.  The wine is medium bodied and not as jammy as the nose.  Nice flavors of blackcurrant, plum, coconut, cedar and not so much pepper.  The finish is medium length and certainly tart from the lingering acidity.  The whole package is pretty balanced and drinks nicely now with another 4-5 years of cellaring possible.  I would say the palate is a bit of a letdown from the nose- I was hoping for full throttle, getting only 75%.  Overall it’s a decent drop that gets 90 points from me and for $20 it’s a no-brainer to stock up on.  5 stars, similar to the 2017 KWV Mentors I drank recently.  Salut….