25 Tuesday Jul 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium amber colored with high viscosity (20% ABV). The nose has intense aromas of yeasty bread, green almonds, warmed cashews, dates, and coffee. The palate is sweet with medium (+) acidity and a full body. It shows off more nuts and fruit than bread/yeast- Dates, raisins, smoky oak, dried figs and cashew. A luscious dessert wine to enjoy with a cheese board or some Baklava. 91 points from me and at $20- a 5 star deal. Salut….
25 Tuesday Jul 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium garnet with high viscosity and staining on the walls (14.5% ABV). I can smell the alcohol on the first whiff but it blows away to reveal- red currants, pomegranate, exotic spices, game, red peppercorn and baking spices. Dry with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins that are well rounded and a medium-full body. The palate echoes the nose with delicious red fruit and silky tannins. A medium to long finish makes this Grenache/Mourvedre blend an enjoyable 91 point wine to drink till 2034. For $40, it gets 4 stars from me. We drank it at a traditional Lebanese feast! Salut….
20 Thursday Jul 2023
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$12, 5 stars, 91 points, Naked Wines, South Africa, syrah, viognier, western cape
Deep ruby colored with medium viscosity legs (14.1% ABV). The nose has a gamy hint alongside ripe black cherries, black raspberry, plum, cloves, a hint of menthol, black pepper and coffee. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are pretty smooth. Medium to full bodied- I get flavors that mimic the nose, with a touch less game. There’s also a licorice component coming through that I quite like. The finish is medium in length and nicely balanced. The 1% Viognier addition to this Syrah/Shiraz is a Northern Rhone trick to deepen the color (yes, adding the juice of a white grape to Syrah will make it deeper and more enticing), smooths out the rough tannins (which it has achieved nicely) and adds a floral note (which at this low percentage has slipped by me). Overall this $12 is a screamingly good deal that gets 91 points from me. Drink this 5 star effort til 2025. I’m pairing my bottle with shish kebabs and pepper-crusted pork tenderloin. Salut….
19 Monday Jun 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium ruby colored with slow moving legs (14.1% ABV). The nose is classic New World Pinot- ripe red cherry, baked strawberry, spice box, vanilla, black raspberry twizzlers and a delightful floral note when I sniff the top of the glass…honeysuckle perhaps? The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins, more so than I was expecting but they are fine grained. A full body leads me to the ripe red fruit I got on the nose along with some oak spice. The finish is quite lengthy and a touch tart, which keeps it fresh and interesting. It’s a full throttle style that I am planning to pair with grilled Pork Tomahawk chops and a crisp salad. 91 points from me. Drink this $26 bottle till 2028. 5 stars, Salut….
09 Friday Jun 2023
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$50, 4 stars, 91 points, bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon, france, merlot, pessac leognan
Deep, inky-ruby colored with a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV). Classic Left Bank aromas with an intense nose of ripe cassis, pencil shavings, tobacco, cedar box, ripe blackberry and black plum. A hint of green pepper keeps it somewhat on the rails- it’s a beautiful nose. The palate is dry with medium acidity that is a touch tart along with medium intensity tannins that are well integrated. Medium bodied- it’s a seductive wine with good length and more cellaring capacity. It finishes old world with slightly tart dark red fruits and tertiary notes of cedar, tobacco and pencil shavings. 91 points. We drank this Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Magnum but you can find a standard bottle for around $50. Drink till 2028 with grilled Filet steak and au gratin potatoes. 4 Stars. Salut….
03 Wednesday May 2023
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Deep ruby colored with medium viscosity legs (14.5% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, bramble, black licorice, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, cedar slate and blackberry pie. The palate is dry with crunchy medium tannins, medium acidity and a full body. The black fruits coat my mouth and the oak nuances balance them out. The finish is a touch tart, reminiscent of underripe blackberries. It’s a silky affair with nice structure and good length that runs $24 and gets 91 points from me. I would pair this wine with Filet, the tannins befitting the cut. Drink till 2027. 5 stars. Salut….
30 Sunday Apr 2023
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$100, 3 stars, 91 points, Ribera del duero, spain, tempranillo
Deep ruby with purple accents and high viscosity (15% ABV). The nose has aromas of charred oak, vanilla, toast, blackberry reduction, cassis, bramble and a dusty earth component with some baking spices thrown in for good measure. The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are plush and fine-grained. I can confirm the oak and dark fruit flavors echo the nose but there is also a licorice tinge. The wine is full bodied and the high alcohol is very well hidden, buyer beware. The finish is a dry affair with charred oak notes and some ripe blackberry coulis that is medium in length. I love this style of Tempranillo, list price is rather steep though- $100. I gave it 91 points and 3 stars for the QPR. Drink till 2030 with grilled Filet and a bleu cheese sauce. Salut….
30 Sunday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Dinner at a friend’s house revealed this impeccably stored Margaux. It was so fresh and youthful I would never have guessed 18 years old in a blind tasting. I took very basic notes:
Fresh, youthful. Deep ruby. Medium acid with smooth, silky tannins. Graphite, pencil lead, cassis, cedar, blackberry, vanilla bean and charcoal on a medium weight body ending in a long, tart finish. 91 points for this $90 bottle makes it a 4 star effort, drink till 2028. Salut….
28 Friday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium amber, a beautiful hue with high viscosity legs showing off the 20% ABV. The nose has medium intensity aromas of dried mixed nuts, desiccated plum, raisins, prunes and a salty herbal combo. The palate is dry with high alcohol and medium (+) acidity. Full bodied, this wine has loads of rich nutty flavors with dried fruit and a slightly bitter almond note with caramel and umami. The finish is a touch hot from the alcohol but I get lovely warmth from the heat- picture a mound of warmed nuts and some dried black fruit. The back end is medium in length and makes me reach for more from the glass. This wine needs to be chilled and served as an aperitif with some charcuterie along with olives and nuts. I like this oxidative style of sherry and am giving this $30 offering 91 points. 4 stars. Salut….
13 Thursday Apr 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium lemon colored with high viscosity legs (13.5% ABV). The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon rind, Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, white flower, honeydew and a nut component. The palate is dry with medium acidity and a rather large dose of bitterness right off the bat. The body is medium and I get flavors of Meyer lemon, brioche, some baking spice, melon and hazelnut. This wine has obviously seen some oak and perhaps a little lees stirring. The finish is quite lengthy- with bitter hazelnut skins and lemon notes alongside the brioche and vanilla. It runs $25 and gets 91 points from me. I would drink till 2028 with heavier dishes of chicken, perhaps an Alfredo. This blend of 70 % Viura and 30% White Grenache gets 5 stars. Salut….
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