Tag Archives: 91 points

Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils Chorey-les-Beaune 2019, Cote de Beaune, France

06 Monday Mar 2023

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We recently dined at an amazing Parisian restaurant where the entire menu, wine included was extremely reasonable yet of such a high caliber that I will include some pictures.  We drank two bottles of Burgundian Pinot Noir, the first being this Chorey Les Beaune.  I did not want to detract from dinner so very basic notes were taken.

Medium ruby, more extracted than I expected.  Aromas of strawberry, cherries jubilee, a touch of baking spices and some smoke.  Medium (-) tannins and a medium acidity lead to a medium body.  Delicious with flavors of dark cherry, strawberry coulis, baking spice and charred oak on a medium finish. 91 points and for $40 this is a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Scallops to die for

Parmesan Filet

Oh, la la

Can you say Souflé?

Perfection on a dessert plate

Chateau Les Ormes-de-Pez 2006, Saint-Estephe, France

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Purchased at the gift shop in Bages, this Cru Bourgeois is part of the Lynch Bages portfolio.  Pardon the abrupt notes, but it is being drunk at our Parisian Air-bnb in glasses that are not optimal.   Medium garnet colored , nose of blackberry, cassis, tobacco, cedar box, classic aged Bordeaux. Delicious with medium acidity and medium tannins that are well integrated with a medium body.  Slightly tart on the back end with black fruit puree and cassis.  Secondary and tertiary flavors of tobacco, cedar lined drawers, smoke and espresso.  Long finish with tart dark fruit- 91 points.  For around $43, you too can taste this delicious and mature wine.  4 stars.  Salut….

Bodegas Palacios Remondo ‘Finca La Montesa’ 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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When I think of Rioja I imagine dusty, leathery Tempranillo.  This bottle was different- Grenache based it was lighter colored in the glass and had aromas of blackcurrant, cherry and pepper with earthy notes.  Medium acid, body and tannins led into a slightly jammy palate of blackcurrant, dark raspberry, black cherry.  A medium finish to this semi-complex wine makes it a 91 pointer that gets 5 stars ’cause it only runs $15.  I would pair it with Filet Mignon or perhaps Veal on the charcoal.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Donnafugata Anthilia 2021, Sicily Italy

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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I’ve been rather busy lately, studying for exams, attending blind tastings and conducting classes- so when the opportunity came up to drink a few bottles with friends I did just that.  We started out with this Catarratto from Sicily, which we tasted chilled and then at room temperature.  Pale gold colored it had awesome aromas of apricot, peach, yellow apple and citrus.  Crisp acidity and a medium (-) body made for a refreshing mouthfeel that was laced with grapefruit, lemon pith, melon, honeysuckle and stone fruit.  A decent finish made me award it 91 points.

The room temperature version had less citrus on the nose and more stone fruit.  We still got the apple, honeysuckle and some waxy notes.  The palate felt a bit heavier with less acidity and it was less complex overall.  90 points from me on this one.  It’s interesting how a wine morphs with temperature.  For $15 this many be on my short-list for summer patio pounders.  It is delicious, refreshing and will pair well with many lighter dishes.  I would drink it on purchase.  5 stars.  Salut….

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Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa Solera Reserva NV, Jerez, Spain

09 Thursday Feb 2023

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Pale yellow/gold in color with a watery sheen in the glass.  The nose of this Manzanilla is refreshing- like citrus meets sea breeze and biscuit.  There is a slight nuttiness that intermingles with a yeast component after a while in the glass.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and a medium (-) body.  The citrus is neither lemon, nor lime or grapefruit, but it definitely has a citrus note alongside the nutty, yeasty, biscuit driven flavors that have evolved under the yeast blanket called Flor.  The wine finishes long with a salty note alongside the yeast.  This is not a flavor profile for everyone, it’s an acquired taste that begs for tapas, olives or some charcuterie.  I can see why it is so popular in Southwestern Spain by the coast.  I’m drinking it at room temperature, as I normally do when scoring, but it deserves a chilling to freshen it up a touch.  I like it and will go with 91 points.  This 5 star wine runs $18 and should be drunk on purchase.  For tonight, I am will attempt a pairing of shrimp scampi and sautéed zucchini strips with a shredded carrot salad. I think the buttery, garlicky seafood will meld nicely.  This Palomino varietal has been fortified to 15% ABV.  Salut….

Geil 1760 Gewurtztraminer Kabinett 2021, Rheinessen, Germany

25 Wednesday Jan 2023

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Pale to medium lemon/lime colored with a watery sheen (8.5% ABV!).  The nose is intensely aromatic with rose water, apricots, ginger snaps, grass, honeysuckle, curry powder (yup, curry powder), lychees and crushed stone.  The palate is off-dry as expected but has medium acidity and hint of bitterness.  I feel the body is quite full, as the wine coats my palate but the low alcohol defies that logic.  The fruity, aromatic, perfumed flavors echo the nose with emphasis on ginger and lychees.  The finish is quite long, the perfume just lingers on the palate.  It’s a delicious wine and I picked it to pair with spicy tacos- I think the level of sugar, acidity and big aromatic qualities will do well in the combination.  I am thinking 91 points for this $20 wine, making it a 5 star effort.  I can see myself loading up on this low alcohol, slightly sweet wine that will pour easily all summer long and pairing it with all manner of lighter fare- even some spicy dishes like mine.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa Valley, California

27 Sunday Nov 2022

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The second wine at Virtual Tasting #29 was this Napa Cabernet.  It has a deep ruby color and smells ‘yummy’ according to the group!  Menthol was the first thing I noticed on the nose followed by dark chocolate, tobacco, green pepper, black cherry, blackcurrant and Kirsch.  Medicinal notes along with a dusty component were commented on.  Dry with medium acidity and medium intensity tannins that were very well melded made for a really nice mouthfeel.  Medium to full bodied this Cabernet had flavors of black pepper, green pepper, tart cherry, tobacco, cranberry, pencil shavings and graphite.  The group really felt it was red-fruit dominant and had started developing tertiary flavors.  The finish was short-medium in length.  This $28 wine gets 91 points from me making it a 5 star effort to drink till 2028.  I would pair it with braised beef cheeks or a plate full of Osso Bucco.  Salut….

Chateau Carbonnieux Blanc 2019, Pessac-Leognan, France

27 Sunday Nov 2022

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Last night we drank four wines at the 29th Virtual Wine tasting.  Opening up with both a chilled and room temp serving of this Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon the group found the wine to be a pale lemon color with the textbook aromas of cut grass, citrus and dare I say- cat pee.  Other aromas and flavors included peaches, algae (?), pineapple, grapefruit and lemon curd.  The wine was dry with high acidity and a medium (-) body leading to a short finish.  I think this $45 bottle is worthy of 91 points, slightly shy of the pros who went as high as 94.  It’s delicious now and will keep for a few more years but why wait on this 4 star effort.  Seafood or poached chicken would pair nicely.  Salut….

Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Reserva DOCG 2018, Tuscany, Italy

20 Sunday Nov 2022

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We went out to dinner last night and ordered this $21 Sangiovese ($65 at the restaurant 😳).  I did not take notes but loved the wine.  At 4 years of age it was showing plenty of earthy, tertiary notes along with some fruit and oak influence.  The leather fingerprint of this varietal was abundant and the tannins had really integrated. Acidity was en pointe and the wine had a lovely mid length finish.  Well worth the price of entry even at a restaurant.  91 points from me and a drink till 2025 window.  5 stars.  Salut….

Quinta Das Carvalhas Reserva Tawny Port NV, Porto, Portugal

12 Saturday Nov 2022

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I bought this Tawny Port to compare to the Ruby version I recently tasted.  It is a medium garnet color, less intense that the ruby port.  The nose is quite pronounced with raisins, prunes, jammy blackberry, walnuts, Brazil nuts and dusty mocha.  Semi sweet on the palate with medium acidity and medium tannins.  I get rich flavors of  stewed black fruit with prunes and raisins.  The nuttiness is not as pronounced on the palate as the nose but it is still present.  The heat on the back end is quite noticeable on this full bodied wine.  It’s delicious with a long finish that I’m savoring.  For the price of $23 this 91 pointer gets 5 stars from me.  I’m trying to decide if I prefer Ruby vs. Tawny port.  You?  Drink this with some rich cheese.  Salut….