03 Thursday Dec 2020
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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, california, chardonnay, sonoma county
Golden yellow with apple and pineapple on the nose. On the palate- yellow apple, marzipan, pineapple and green melon. Low levels of acidity make for a full mouthfeel. It’s a very nice wine that doesn’t rely on loads of oak, rather it leans on warm fruits, lithe acidity and good length. 90 points. Enjoy with warm goat cheese salad. Drink till 2024. For about $15 it’s worth stocking up on as it gets 5 stars. Salut….
29 Sunday Nov 2020
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Almost opaque with a dark purple, almost black color in the glass. The nose offers up dark fruit, some earthiness and a meaty note. The palate is really tasty- black cherry, black currants and cola. Really nice acidity and a hint of tannins make for a very approachable mouthfeel. The midpalate really accentuates the black fruit flavors and adds a little licorice and white pepper. The acidity is starting to overtake the tannic grip and the wine finishes with a long burst of black currants, focused acidity and that gamy note I got on the nose. Yummy stuff that needs to be drunk by 2025. I’m baking a Brisket with peaches, should be just about right. 90 points and 4 stars for this $22 wine. Salut….
28 Saturday Nov 2020
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It’s a semi opaque pale purple wine in the glass. The nose has candied cherries, cinnamon stick, black currants and cedar. On the palate it is really rich and warm. Gobs of black fruits with toasty oak, spice and very lithe tannins all form the first wave. The mid palate has a nice acidic pop alongside the black fruit cocktail. The tannins are present but not obtrusive on the somewhat dry finish that has tons more fruit to offer including black cherry. Nice mouthfeel, it’s an easy Cab to drink right now and will cellar till 2025. I really like it and will be pairing it with Sous Vide Strip steaks. For $20 it’s a great deal ’cause it gets 90 points from me and 5 stars. Salut….
27 Friday Nov 2020
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$30, 3 stars, 90 points, oregon, pinot noir, willamette valley
This Oregonian Pinot Noir is pale purple and see-through in the glass, as expected. On the nose I get a dose of cherry, some straw and strawberry. The palate is a touch spicy- ginger perhaps? The cherry flavors are very prominent but I also get red currants. The mid palate brings a shot of acidity that is really nice, not overpowering. The spice factor is no longer there, just red cherries and rhubarb. The finish is a juicy affair with the acidity really taking off. It’s not overpowering, but there’s a definite cut. The ending takes me back to the spice box- cinnamon and clove. Really tasty and still very young, it will drink well till 2025. 90 points from me for this $30 wine that gets 3 stars. I paired it with Turkey and stuffing! Salut….
24 Tuesday Nov 2020
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This Pinot hails from the Pays d’Oc region in France. It is light purple and see through. The nose has light red fruit notes, boysenberry and a dusty earth component. On the palate it is richer than expected. Red raspberry, bramble and a cherry reduction with some lithe acidity greet me. The mid palate continues the red fruit theme with just a hint of tannin. The finish is very smooth and nicely balanced. Although not a very complex wine, it has some weight and good fruit flavor to handle many dishes. Roast chicken comes to mind, as does Salmon on the grill. I would drink till 2023. 90 points and for $20 it gets 4 stars. Salut….
22 Sunday Nov 2020
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$17, 4 stars, 90 points, california, paso robles, viognier, VWTC
At the 12th virtual wine tasting we drank this Viognier at room temp first and then chilled. As usual there is a marked difference in both smell and taste, but this time I preferred the chilled version- it seemed more focused on fewer key flavors, the warm version was all over the place. Here are some of the notes I recorded from the group.
Pale gold, straw or even Goldenrod in the glass. The nose has a sweetness to it with orange, honey, apricot, pear and floral notes. On the palate we got apricots, orange rind, bakers spices, ‘Icewine’ and a yeasty/bready flavor. The chilled version had melon, pineapple and that bread component on the nose. The palate was softer and smoother with tangerine, honeysuckle and gingerbread with good acidity. One of the tasters remarked that it tasted like good Riesling. Overall it scored decently and I would give it 90 points. Drink till 2022. For $17, it’s a nice intro to the varietal and gets 4 stars from me. Salut….
12 Thursday Nov 2020
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$26, 4 stars, 90 points, france, loire valley, Naked Wines, Sauvignon blanc
Pale gold in the glass with weepy legs. The nose is bright citrus, cut grass and green apple. It smells fresh and inviting. On the palate it is quite rounded and full. Nice flavors of Pomelo, lemon zest and green apple are kept fresh with a touch of acidity. The mid palate cuts more with lemons and a herbaceous note. The finish is a delight- long and generous with the citrus notes whilst not too tart. There is a warmth to this wine even though I am tasting it chilled, the mouthfeel is great. I am enjoying it thoroughly and will pair with Beef Bulgogi, a Korean dish. The spices will work well with the lower acidity of this Sauvignon Blanc. 90 points and 4 stars for this $26 wine that you should drink till 2023. Salut….
05 Thursday Nov 2020
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$20, 5 stars, 90 points, firstleaf, Pinotage, South Africa, western cape
Pinotage is an interesting grape to me. I’m excited for this South African wine that is bright purple in the glass and semi opaque. On the nose it has telltale tar and blackberry notes. The palate is rich with sweet blackberries, bramble, earthy dust and that tar component I get so often with this varietal. The mid palate has some cola, sassafras and more black fruit. It’s got lithe tannins that build but never overtake the fruit. There’s a nice acidity but it’s not overly done. The earthiness of this wine is something to behold, it’s got a gamey note to boot. I really like the way it finishes with a flurry of different flavors wrapped in an easy drinking package. The structure encourages short term drinking so get popping. I’m paring it with leftover Kebabs and fried potatoes. 90 points for this $20 gem make it a 5 star wine for me! Salut….
31 Saturday Oct 2020
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$20, 5 stars, 90 points, chehalem mountains, oregon, pinot noir
It’s a typical Pinot in the glass- see-through, pale purple. On the nose it gives me loads of strawberry, violets, cherry and cinnamon. The initial palate is rich with warm strawberry pie, baking spices, sweet rhubarb and very fine grained tannins. There’s juicy acidity right off the bat and the wine continues it’s red theme throughout the palate. The baking spice component is an interesting facet to this wine. The flavor profile is neither Old nor New World, somewhere in the middle as far as taste, extraction and weight. It’s nice to drink and has some good structure to endure extended cellaring. The red currant and rhubarb finish is mid length and the tannins are very much evident. There is a hint of Rooibos tea right at the end that I am enjoying. I’m grilling up some Pork tenderloins, tossing some pasta with black olives and calling this a nice pairing. 90 points from me and 5 stars for this $20 effort. Salut….
16 Friday Oct 2020
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$80, 4 stars, 90 points, cabernet sauvignon, california, Napa, napa cabernet
Dark purple in the glass with nice legs belaying the 14.7% alcohol. On the nose it bursts with notes of blackberry, caramel (yes, caramel) and cola. On the palate it is quite refreshing, lighter than expected but still chock full of flavor- typical Napa Cab. Blackberry pie meets Dr. Pepper and a stave of oak. The mid palate is really lush with layers of fruit, ripe tannins, charcoal and tar. The tannins creep up and are balanced nicely on the finish with a touch of acidity. The black fruit theme continues as does the cola note. Very nice and balanced- this wine drinks nicely now and will go till 2023. 90 points from me, 91 from the pros. It retails for $80, making it a 4 star wine for me. I would pair with Filet, perhaps a well seasoned Cornish hen or even braised Beef rib. Salut….
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