Tag Archives: 90 points

Kobal ‘Roots’ Blaufrankisch 2022, Podravje, Slovenia

28 Sunday Jul 2024

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Pale to medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black cherry, pomegranate, acai berry, white pepper, chocolate licorice, orange peel and kirsch.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body and medium tannins.  Flavors of acai berry, red and black cherry, pomegranate along with white pepper and orange peel.  The fruit is somewhat tart, perhaps the acidity is driving the bus?  The finish is medium in length and tart, but refreshing.  This wine has a light structure but a piercing personality.  It’s a conundrum that I am enjoying.  I picked it to pair with Jerk Lamb, something with spice is a difficult pairing for reds but I feel the higher acidity of this grape with the lower tannins might work.  90 points for this $19 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to drink till 2028.  Salut….

J. Navascues ‘Cutio’ Garnacha – Carinena 2019, Carinena, Spain

27 Saturday Jul 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Garnacha (Grenache)/Cariñena (Carignan) blend has medium (-) intensity aromas of black plum, black raspberry, mulled blackberry, licorice, coffee, dried green herbs and charred oak.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium tannins that are chalky.  Confirming dark berry and plum flavors with a dose of oak and some licorice.  It has a medium (-) finish with quite a bit of heat on the back end.  It’s quite tasty but the slight imbalance of high alcohol detracts a bit.  I am grilling beef and lamb kabobs to pair, should go nicely.  90 points and for $13 it won’t break the bank.  5 stars.  Salut….

Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2015, North Coast, California

25 Thursday Jul 2024

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Medium garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of bruised strawberry, ripe yet desiccated cherry, dusty earth, cinnamon, vanilla, crushed pomegranate and musty leather.  The palate is a hint off-dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and low tannins.  The fruit is somewhat tart which defies the bruised and desiccated state I noticed on the nose.  Red fruit driven with a touch of oak nuance and some tertiary development.  It’s very smooth with very little structure left yet it is seductive and alluring.  A delicious yet delicate wine that pleads for time alone without a food pairing.  It’s not expensive and this bottle was a bin end that had sat on a supermarket shelf for years yet still delivers for me and gets 90 points.  I would drink it soon if you have any.  List price is under $15 making this a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Oyster Bay Pinot Noir 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand

14 Sunday Jul 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of barnyard, roses, baking spices, dusty bramble, cherry and black raspberry.  On the  palate it is dry with medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a medium body. I get flavors of funky barnyard, cherry, raspberry, roses and deft oak that lead to a medium length finish. 90 points from me for this $22 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  Drink till 2028.  (It got 86 pints on release but I feel it has developed nicely, if you like a meatier, heavier style of Pinot with lashings of oak).  Salut….

Buil & Gine ‘Gine Gine’ 2020, Priorat DOCa, Spain

27 Thursday Jun 2024

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Deep purple/garnet with some haze, minor staining and high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe black cherry, black raspberry, licorice, slate, menthol, baking spices, brambleberry and is very primal at this stage.  The palate is  dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins, bordering on high.  Rich, ripe dark cherry, raspberry and brambleberry resonate right off the bat.  I get nuance of licorice as was on the nose and also some menthol and dried herbs.  The slate/iron note is somehow absent.  The fruit is very much in charge here but the tannins kick it up on the mid-palate.  The finish is a touch dry and quite long.  This Grenache based wine has aging capacity and should soften with tertiary development till 2032.  I am going with 90 points and for $21, this is a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli 2022, Getariako Txakolina, Spain

26 Sunday May 2024

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Pale lemon with gold highlights, some spritz and low viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose of this Hondarabbi Zuri has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon, lanolin, seaweed, saline, white grapefruit, lemon pith, brioche and peach.  The palate is off-dry with an ever-so-soft hint of effervescence to go along with a light body and high acidity.  Citrus, sea breeze, minerality and a touch of peach round out the very refreshing flavors that linger on a medium finish, making me want to sip more. The Brioche I smelled is very feint on the palate and is a result of some Sur-lie aging. It’s a delicious summer sipper and at a relatively low 12 % alcohol, it’s easy going.  I was planning to pair with Alfredo, good thing there’s shrimp going in as well plus the Caeser salad.  Anything heavier would not work, this wine needs lighter fare and perhaps something from the sea.  90 points from me for this $19 effort makes it a 5 star stunner to buy in bulk- summer is here.  Salut….

Inama Carmenere Piu 2021, Veneto Rosso IGT, Italy

20 Monday May 2024

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A Carmenere from Italy was next up at the 36th virtual wine tasting.  This one had a dab of Merlot added but still showed plenty of greeness, especially on days 2/3.  Our tasters found this wine to be medium garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  On the nose we got toasted marshmallows (!), vanilla, white pepper, toasted nuts, black cherry, plum, black raspberry, tobacco, the telltale capsicum, cedar and tomato leaf.  The pallet was dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins.  Leather, tobacco, green pepper, black cherry, prune and some toasty notes were tasted.  The finish was medium in length.  I scored it 14 points on our tasting scale.  Technically speaking I think this is a 90 pointer with good potential.  For $22, it gets 4 stars from me with a drink by 2028 window.  Salut….

Bodegas Agro de Bazan Granbazan Etiqueta Verde 2022, Rias Baixas, Spain

20 Monday May 2024

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We kicked off the 36th virtual wine tasting with this delightful Albarino, tasted chilled first and then at room temperature for comparison.   I picked this bottle as we had tasted the 2018 Gran Bazan Ambar and loved it.  Pale lemon in color with a watery sheen (13% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of cantaloupe, melon, yellow apple skin, peach and saline were noted by the members.  On the palate we got medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  Minerality was a key component of the taste with saline, cantaloupe, melon, honeydew, lemon pith and peach all present.  The finish was medium in length leading to a 17 point award on our tasting scale.

The room temperature version was very muted on the nose and palate but it had more minerality, less fruit and was waxy on the mouthfeel.  There was a pithy bitterness on the back end that we did not get with the chilled version.  It showed a shorter finish as well making it a 12 point effort.

Overall I love this wine and gave it 89 points which makes it a 4 star bottle considering its $19 price point.  I would pair it with grilled Swordfish or a Paella.  Drink now.  Salut….

A to Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Noir 2021, Oregon

16 Thursday May 2024

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Pale to medium ruby colored with low viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium intensity aromas of funky strawberry, pomegranate, rooibos tea, cherry cola, rose and sassafras.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a light to medium body and medium (-) tannins.  Flavors of red pomegranate, ripe strawberry and cherry cola pop right off the bat.  Funk, rooibos and rose come next.  It has an interesting finish- medicinal meets ginger.  Never had that before.  The acidity is marked yet the diminutive tannins seem to hold balance.  A medium length finish is enjoyed whilst savoring the red fruits.  90 points, and a steal at $15 which makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2029. Salut….

Clos de los Siete by Michel Rolland 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

08 Wednesday May 2024

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Deep inky purple with slight staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of baked blackberry cobbler with vanilla, warm spices and nicely browned crust.  Mulberry and açaí berry follow with some mint and black tea notes.  The palate has medium acidity, a full body and medium tannins.  Medium (+) flavors of dark fruit, toasty oak, a slight bitterness from the tannins that have finally gripped and some heavy layers of mint/acai/vanilla that go on to a medium (-) finish.  A very delicious wine with decent structure – 90 points. Drink till 2028 with grilled tenderloins.  A blend of 50% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot makes this $20 bottle a 5 star effort.  Salut….