Tag Archives: 90 points

Cameron Hughes Lot 771 Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, Oregon

31 Saturday Oct 2020

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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….

Cade Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, California

16 Friday Oct 2020

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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….

Henry’s Drive Magnus Shiraz 2017, Padthaway, Australia

08 Thursday Oct 2020

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Dark purple and fully opaque in the glass.  The nose is rich with jammy blackberry, black licorice and toasty oak.  On the palate I get what I was expecting from this Aussie Shiraz- rich, layered black fruit with some black tea and more licorice.  The tannins are definitely present, but not overpowering.  There is a nice dryness to the mid palate and some juicy acidity- very balanced.  The finish is very fruit driven with thick, jammy black berries, nuances of oak and that tannic thrust that has been present all along.  A delightful, full bodied wine that is hitting the spot on this chilly Fall evening where I am serving up a Rib Roast with Yorkshire puddings and horseradish.  Drink till 2027.  90 points and 4 stars for this $30 stunna from downunda. Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 733 Petite Sirah 2018, Sierra Foothills, California

30 Wednesday Sep 2020

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I’m a fan of both the varietal and the region, they are exciting and interesting.  This particular one is opaque and dark purple in the glass.  On the nose I get a melange of blueberry, plum and black cherry.  I often think of the color Purple when I smell this particular scent.  There’s also a touch of oak and lavender.  On the palate it has a great depth of blue fruit and is a touch tannic right off the bat.  There is a nice violet component that comes through on the mid palate, giving the wine a nice rounded flavor profile.  The tannins are a bit raw though, perhaps they need a bit of time.  The finish is very dry with my teeth feeling gritty.  The fruit is abundant though which makes it all worthwhile.  Notes of coffee linger on the long finish.  This wine is a young’un.  Drink after a healthy decant or wait till 2023.  It will last a fair amount in the cellar, till 2029 at the least.  For $18, it’s a 5 star wine that gets 90 points from me.  Salut….

Mercouri Estate Kallisto 2018, Peloponnese, Greece

28 Monday Sep 2020

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Kicking off the 9th Virtual Wine tasting was this Greek wine.  I have never tried Assyrtiko before and was very intrigued.  As usual, we tasted both room temperature and then chilled versions of the same bottle.  The nose gave us honeysuckle, cedar, citrus, pear and rose water.  I personally found the wine to be very floral, aromatic and buttery with hints of persimmon.  The palate was honeyed with some lemon, pear, melon and pepper notes all being reported by the group.  To me it continued that floral, aromatic angle and had a touch of acidity but was also a smidge sweet.

The chilled version was much more muted on the nose and the palate.  Members noted cat pee, lemon, squash blossoms, Pez candy and florals.  I added Passion fruit to my descriptors.  It was much better at room temperature where the flavors were abundant but I did enjoy the chilled version and would certainly serve it that way with some seafood, a salad Niçoise or some charcuterie.  Overall this $16 wine is worthy of 90 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

Patricia Green Cellars Reserve Pinot Noir 2018, Willamette Valley, USA

25 Friday Sep 2020

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This Oregonian Pinot is quite dark and nearly opaque, very extracted and brooding.  On the nose I get cinnamon, cherry and black currants.  It’s an interesting mix for this varietal.  The initial palate is telling- very fruity with tannic grip right off the bat.  This is not your typical Old World Pinot folks, it’s full throttle with all the bits and pieces.  Cherry cola, sassafras and a hint of oak are all present.  The mid palate is a continuation of the theme but there is now a hint of acidity showing up.  It’s quite nice if you like this style of Pinot.  The finish is a dry affair, tannins and black tea alongside the red fruits and spice.  It’s not my cup of tea but it will certainly appeal to many.  Technically speaking I would give this $23 wine 90 points and 4 stars.  Drink till 2027 with lighter fare.  Salut….

F. Stephen Millier Black Label Old Vines Zinfandel 2019, Lodi, California

21 Monday Sep 2020

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I have had a few wines from Lodi recently and am becoming a big fan.  Zinfandel is one of their signature grapes so this wine is exciting to me.

As I look at it in the glass it’s a nice shade of opaque purple.  I can also smell the waft of fruit from a foot away, always a good sign.  The nose is very fruit forward with tons of black berry, dark plums and a cinnamon twist.  The palate is misleading- when you smell that much fruit you automatically expect a wine with a touch of sweetness, which I do not look forward to in reds.  This wine is not at all sweet- it is rich, concentrated with black fruit and very tasty.  There is a core of minerality on the mid palate that mixes it up with some oaky char and anise.  I usually expect pepper with this varietal but I’m not getting any.  The wine has a nice, balanced mouthfeel with very lithe tannins and supporting acidity.  The finish is a fruit salad of black cherry, blackcurrants and blackberry jam.  It is mouth filling and satisfying if you like a ton of flavor.  I’m enjoying it with some Spaghetti Arrabiata with garlic bread.  Kudos to the winemaker for this 90 point effort that I paid $13 for.  It gets 5 stars and will drink nicely till 2027.  Salut….

Jose Hernandez Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Uco Valley, Argentina

15 Tuesday Sep 2020

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I recently ordered six different bottles from Naked Wines.  This Mendoza wine is the first of the series.  At $11, I’m not sure what to expect, here goes.

It’s a nice shade of purple and semi opaque in the glass.  I sense dark plums, black currants and spice box on the nose.  The palate is really juicy with a fruit forward approach.  Dark fruits dominate with black cherry as the leader.  There is a really nice tannic component that is not too astringent but gives just the right amount of dryness.   The mid palate is really juicy with a nice rounded acidity and good mouthfeel.  The fruit is very warm and satisfying.  The fruit components are joined by some black tea notes and more spice box.  Cedar shake also comes to mind as I ponder the finish.  It’s decent in length and has the right amount of tannic grip to keep me interested without making my gums wince.  The acidity is very gentle and balanced.. I really like this wine for an everyday drinker and give it 90 points.  At that price it’s worthy of 5 stars and a stock up, drink till 2026.  A blend of Malbec and Cab Sav that I’m pairing with grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip roast and baked potatoes.  Well done.  Salut….

 

Graham Beck The Game Reserve Chenin Blanc 2018, Robertson, South Africa

30 Sunday Aug 2020

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As with the past seven Virtual Wine tastings, it’s difficult for me to objectively write a review and run the tasting, so I take basic notes of what others are tasting and smelling.

This Chenin Blanc kicked off the evening with us tasting it at room temperature followed by a chilled glass of the same wine.  It’s really amazing how the wine morphs when served at different temps.  The one thing that is constant is the color- in this case a light golden shade, really pretty in the glass.  The warm version gave us melon, fruity lemon, pear, citrus, stone fruit and green apple on the nose. The palate notes are ‘very fruity’, citrusy, tangerine, oakiness, lime and yellow apple.

The chilled version was a bit muted but introduced Brioche, minerality, piecrust, toast, green pepper, slightly more acidity and ‘crisp’.

Keep in mind there were 8 different bottles being served in different environments- some inside and some outside all up and down the east coast.  My overall impression was that I enjoyed the room temp glass more as it was open for business and the nose and palate were fuller.  I am going with 90 points and 5 stars for this $18 effort.  Drink  till 2024 with seafood, perhaps a grilled Salmon filet.  Salut….

Ascua Rubia Red 2019, Mendoza, Argentina

27 Thursday Aug 2020

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Very deep purple in the glass and totally opaque.  The nose is fresh and offers up black currants, mocha and black cherry.  On the palate it has a juiciness, black fruits galore and medium grained tannins.  The mid palate shows off dark, bold cherry, like a really ripe maraschino.  Black tea components kick in and the wine gets quite dry.  The combo of the acidity on the front end and the tannins on the back make for a nice mouthfeel if you’re into a bit of a rough ride.  I’m liking it and and thinking it would pair very well with some carne asada.  The finish is quite tart from the residual acidity but I still get some decent dark fruit, Christmas pudding and spice box on the very end.  A decent drop that gets 90 points from me.  No pricing info unfortunately.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….