Tag Archives: 90 points

Quinta do Noval Noval Black, Portugal

27 Thursday Dec 2018

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I asked for and got a bottle of Port for Christmas, which we opened with the Pudding.  I was expecting an oaky, full bodied, black fruited mouthbomb but was surprised with this offering.  It is very brooding and dark in the glass.  The nose is brandy laced plum pudding, black currant and cedar.  On the palate it gives me iodine infused black berries and oaky smoke.  It is tasty for sure.  The tannins are very integrated, lithe and very present on the mid palate.  The wine has an astringent note that harkens from a tea component,  The finish is nice and deep, with tannic dryness and a stewed plum component.  Overall, I am enjoying this wine, even though I feel it is lighter in mouthfeel and slightly less flavorful than what I was expecting- perhaps it is a more ‘refined’ Port.  I am going with 90 points and 3 stars for this $23 bottle.  Salut….

Robert Mondavi Winery Private Selection Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Monterey County, USA

24 Monday Dec 2018

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Very bright purple in the glass.  The nose is very lively, with blackberry and plum notes alongside vanilla.  On the palate it is delicious- rich, with caramel, oak and black fruits galore.  Very lithe tannins and a touch of acidity make for a very easy drinking red with nice mouthfeel.  The mid palate turns a touch astringent, with lapsang souchong tea, blackberry and oak.  The finish is mid length with more dark fruit and black tea.  A nice drop that will do well with many dishes but is delicious all by itself.  90 Points and 5 starts for this $13 effort.  Drink till 2021.  Salut….

Barbanera Ser Passo Toscana IGT 2016, Tuscany, Italy

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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Bright purple in the glass.   Black cherry and sassafras come to mind on the nose.  The palate is very tasty, brimming with Black cherry, cola, and dark chocolate.  Very fine grained tannins introduce themselves right off the bat and help to coat the gums very gently all the way through the mid palate and onto the finish.  Speaking of the mid-palate, there’s more cola than fruit here along with some licorice.  It’s quite nice!  The finish is medium length and continues the theme.  A very satisfying wine that I am enjoying with pasta and meatballs.  90 points, drink till 2025 with anything Italian!  For the $13 price tag, you need some of this 5 star wine.  Salut….

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Cornerstone Cellars Chardonnay 2014, Willamette Valley, USA

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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Light golden. Buttery, lemony and laced with yellow apple on the nose.  The palate is round, full and very smooth.  It offers up buttered popcorn, quince, butterscotch.  It is a classic Chardonnay that has undergone malolactic fermentation and a dose of wood.  Very smooth, with very low acidity makes it somewhat flabby but delicious nonetheless.  I like it. 90 points.  It’s rings up at $40 making it a 3 point wine, but if you can get a hold of a few on sale- stock up.  Salut….

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Cantina Colomba Bianca ‘Vitese’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT 2016, Sicily, Italy

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Inky purple with medium opaque hues.  Nose is crushed blueberries with black berry jam.  The palate is lovely, blueberry with açaí berry and fig.  The tannins are so sleek, they sneak up on me at the end.  The mid palate has a nice body to it and shows off more blue fruits.  The finish is of medium length, slightly dry and more of a black fruit tint.  90 points and 5 stars for this $12 wine.  Paired with Truffled Ravioli, seared Petit Sirloin and tomato jam.  Drink till 2022.  Salut….

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….