Tag Archives: 90 points

Bledsoe Family Winery ‘Flying B’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Walla Walla Valley, USA

16 Sunday Sep 2018

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Number 4 in the line up, it followed a hard act.  This is Drew Bledsoe’s brand (NFL QB).

Medium opacity in the glass.  The nose starts off with a lot of wood.  I swirl and swirl to finally get violet, damson and stone.  On the palate it is quite young, bracingly tannic and somewhat shut down for business.  What I do coax out of it include plums, fir tree essence, mocha.  The finish is very dry and decent in length.  90 points is a decent score for this winery’s first vintage Cabernet Sauvignon.  At $60 it’s a step up from everyday drinking wines, but it gets a decent 90 points from me and 4 stars.  I would cellar it for a while and drink from 2020-2037.  Pair it with some hearty grilled meats, Venison or even Osso Bucco.  Salut….

Baer Winery Arctos 2013, Columbia Valley, USA

09 Sunday Sep 2018

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Very dark in the glass, somewhat murky.  The nose is lush with plums, eucalyptus, bramble and fir tree.  On the palate it echoes the flavors with delicious purple plum paste and fresh earthy herbs.  A green note pops up on the mid palate which gives a bit of pique.  The tannins are well integrated and the acidity shines through at the end.   Green bitterness hits right on the back end which detracted me for a sec.  I love the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (84%) with the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  The greenness I’m guessing is from the Verdot.  Overall a very delicious, layered wine that drinks well now through 2022.  90 points and 4 stars for this $40 effort.  Salut….

Francis Ford Coppola Director’s ‘King Kong’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, California, USA

09 Sunday Sep 2018

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Rich plums and thick oak staves fill the nose on this nearly black wine.  On the palate I get delicious black berries, lush dark currants and a tar component.  I’m trying hard to pinpoint the missing flavor, could it be coffee?  Tannins are present but not obtrusive, with dark fruits and more wood present on the mdi to back end.  90 points and 5 stars for this uniquely labelled Cab that runs about $18.  Salut….

Donne Fittipaldi Bolgheri 2015, Tuscany, Italy

10 Sunday Jun 2018

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A few of these came across my desk at a reasonable price so to speak.  I had to try.  Quite a dark shade of purple in the glass.  The nose is fresh, plummy and hinting of Ribena.  The initial palate gives me quite a biting dose of plums, tannins and acidity.  All at once.  It kinda made we wince.  The label says this wine is unfiltered, has a 14% alcohol and contains sulfites….

On the mid palate is where it opens up, adding some black currants and nutmeg to the mix.  The tannins are searing however and this wine needs some time in the cellar.  The finish is woody, with that astringency of young tannins.  Strong black tea comes to mind.  As does an old oak barrel.  I like this wine, it has potential.  I would decant/aerate the hell out of it if you want to drink before 2020.  It will last a good while after that and hopefully mellow down some.  I am giving it 90 points and 4 stars for the $20 I had to fork over for this 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Sangiovese blend.  It got 93 points from the pros, so there is that.  Think hearty stews, beef rib or even eggplant Parmigiana for this heavyweight.  Salut….

Marques de Caceres Reserva 2012, Rioja DOCa, Spain

30 Wednesday May 2018

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Very deep purple color.  The nose is voluptuous with tons of plums, bramble, some tar and an earthiness.  On the palate I get upfront dryness with lots of tannins leading up to the plum core, with blueberry and creosote adding to the mix.  The tannins really dry up my gums and are going to go swimmingly well with the Lamb shanks that are braising.  The mid palate is mostly blue fruits and more gum dryness.  The finish has that earthiness that I love about Riojas.  It’s a dusty, tarry, brambly thing that I really enjoy.  Even though I am sure this wine has had lashings of Oak, it is not overly evident.  What wood is present is very integrated.  Reservas are only made in certain years, this one is pretty decent IMHO.  90 points and 5 stars for this relatively modest $15 Tempranillo.  I would say buy a case and drink for the foreseeable future!  Salut….

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT 2014, Veneto, Italy

30 Wednesday May 2018

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Dark purple in the glass, opaque AF.  The nose is unique…. pomegranate meets cherry reduction and almonds.  On the palate I’m confronted with wood bark, black fruits, more nuttiness and a dense stack of tannins.  Brooding, rich and foreboding- it is a heavy duty wine with decent balance and good grip. The dryness of the tannins kick in on the finish in a big way.  This wine could use a trip through the aerator.  I like it as is with some grilled lamb or possibly with pasta after aerating.  If you read the label closely you will see that it is made in the Ripasso style, being a blend of Corvina and Rondinella.  90 points and 4 stars for this very reasonable $17 wine.  Salut….

Mark West Pinot Noir 2014, Willamette Valley, USA

25 Friday May 2018

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The Brown truck arrived today with a box full of these.  They were on sale so I decided to pull the trigger on 6.  I probably should have let this one rest a few days, but there are more in case it shows poorly.

Slightly more opaque than what I was expecting from Pinot Noir.  The nose is airy and uplifting, with strawberry, that certain Pinot scent that I get and some elderberry.  The palate is exactly what I was expecting, New World all the way but not in a powerful, jammy way.  Smooth strawberry with a lithe vanilla stripe and more of that wild berry fruit.  The acidity is on pointe, just a nudge every now and then.  The mouthfeel is great with some ever so slight tannins swirling around.  Cherry/Strawberry cooler happens on the finish with that sourness that is really okay in Pinot.  My mouth feels a tad dry from the acidity/tannins when it’s all said and done.  I like this wine and am serving it with some smoked pulled pork that I just finished.  The acidity is perfect to counter the fattiness and smoke from the meat.  I’m going with 90 points here and for the $11 I paid, it’s a 5 star wine.  Drink now till 2024.  Salut….

CVNE Vina Real Reserva 2012, Rioja, Spain

23 Wednesday May 2018

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Very dark purple.  Nose is loaded with plum, violets, vanillin and some earthiness.  On the palate- black fruits, a sour cherry component and leather. Classic Rioja with the earthiness.  The wine has some really juicy acidity but the well integrated tannins are a little green for me.  The label claims a 92 RP rating, I’m going with 90 points as I feel the acidity overpowers the tannins and the balance is a little off.  I like the fruit profile though and encourage you to drink now.  I paired it with grilled blackened Pork chops and sautéed Spinach.  $20 and 3 stars.  Salut….

Bulgariana Imperial Red Blend 2009, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria

21 Monday May 2018

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Lighter shade of purple.  On the nose I get a strong cassis note which intrigues me.  Black fruits abound along with a cherry wood hint.  The palate is delicious, slightly tannic but very interesting.   Dark fruits galore with some bramble, a mintiness and coffee bean.  I cannot believe the complexity of this $8 wine which made me review my previous notes from October 2016.  I gave it 90 points back then and stated that it was young.  It still is young, but it has developed substantially.  You will not go wrong with this wine if you like grippy, tannic wines, like Tannat, Nero D’Avola or even Pinotage.  Thick and juicy, heavy accented and most definitely made for the longer term.  I am sticking with 90 points and 5 stars.  I think I will be back to buy more.  I served it with chipotle marinated skirt steak, salad and some Alfredo pasta.  Salut….

Domaine Sebastien Magnien Les Aigrots 2010, Beaune Premier Cru, France

19 Saturday May 2018

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Very light and see through, just as I would expect from Burgundian Pinot Noir.  The nose shows off bright renditions of strawberry and rhubarb compote.  The palate is somewhat different, cherry being the dominant player with backing from strawberry and ginger snap.  Crisp acidity forms a defined backbone and the wine has ever so slight tannins.The finish offers more rhubarb with a tangy sourness that I am enjoying.  This wine strikes me as young, needing some time to develop tertiary, earthy flavors that I love in aged Burgundy.  Thankfully it only sports 13% alcohol.  For now it gets 90 points from me.  Serving it with grilled chicken, blue cheese laced salad and sautéed onions.  $35 and 4 stars.  Salut….