Tag Archives: 92 points

VIK ‘O Leão’ 2019, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

29 Monday May 2023

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We took the whole gang to Fogo de Chao for dinner last night.  It’s the same list that I discovered Vina VIK Mila Cala and fell in love with this Chilean winery.  Apparently the O Leão is produced primarily for this particular restaurant chain and is hard to find elsewhere.  If you have ever had any of their wines they follow a profile…. the most obvious being fine-grained tannins and a silky smooth mouthfeel.  This particular version is 49% Carmenere with 29% Cab Sav, 17% Syrah and the balance Cab Franc.  It has a dense ruby color bordering on garnet with medium viscosity legs (14% ABV).  Bright black fruit, baking spice, a hint of green pepper, cassis, and some red berries on the nose and palate.  It’s dry with medium acidity plus their trademark medium (+) tannins that are polished to a shine.  The finish of this medium to full-bodied wine is long and caressing.  It was delicious with our carnivorous extravaganza as the structure held up to hearty red meat yet was gentle enough for the lighter fare we gorged on.  I’m guessing a $27 retail price if you can find it.  I would drink this 92 point wine till 2027.  5 Stars.  Salut….

Yohan Lardy Moulin-a-Vent Vieilles Vignes de 1903 2020, Beaujolais, France

27 Saturday May 2023

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The surprise WOTN at our 31st virtual tasting was this cru Beaujolais made from old vine Gamay grapes.  I was expecting a bit of tannic grip from previous experiences but it turned out just lovely.  The wine is medium garnet colored with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose gave us aromas of cherry coke, dark cherries, ripe/cooked strawberry and was noted as fruity- like a Jolly Rancher.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (+) tannins that are plush and well integrated.  Medium bodied- this wine had flavors of cherry, intense ripe strawberry and the aforementioned candy notes.  I suspect partial Carbonic maceration but they have vinified the bulk traditionally to maintain structure for cellaring capacity.  It’s delicious and a star of the tasting.  I gave it 16 points on our score sheet and would go as high as 92 points for this $30 wine making it a 5 star bottle to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Manni Nossing Kerner Sudtirol Eisacktaler 2020, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

02 Tuesday May 2023

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Medium lemon colored with medium to high viscosity even though it only sports a 13% ABV.  The nose has intense aromas of Meyer lemon peel, papaya, white flower, grapefruit, orange pith, mineral notes and petrichor.  The palate is dry with high acidity and some upfront bitterness. The acidity is piercing with a refreshing quality that leads into the citrus and tropical fruit flavors.  Florals are abundant with white flowers and geranium alongside orange blossom.  The body is medium (-) and leads to a long finish that is citrus focused with a hint of phenolic bitterness.  This is my first foray into the Kerner varietal, I like it.  This bottle runs $30 and gets 92 points from me.  I am going to pair it with Jamaican Curry Goat- I believe the acidity will balance the spicy dish nicely.  5 stars, drink till 2025.  Salut….

I Wines ‘I Latina’ Carmenere 2019, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

25 Tuesday Apr 2023

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This bottle was opened for a blind tasting last night and the nose just blew me away- intense.  It is opaque ruby, bordering on purple with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose, as mentioned, has pronounced aromas of eucalyptus, menthol, espresso bean, ripe black plum, blackberry, blackcurrant and dark chocolate nibs.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins that are silky smooth and well integrated.  Full bodied with rich flavors of ripe black fruits, eucalyptus, menthol and oaky coffee and chocolate.  It has a beautiful mouthfeel and lingers for a long time on the finish.  This is a stunning (for me) Carmenere that gets 92 points and for $18- 5 stars.  I like it a lot.  Drink till 2027 with rich meats and sauces.  Lovely stuff.  Salut….

Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere 2020, Apalta, Chile

02 Sunday Apr 2023

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Medium purple colored with viscous legs (14% ABV) and a touch of turbidity.  The nose gives me candied red plum and raspberry with licorice and a hint of green pepper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (-) tannins.  Medium to full bodied, this wine has delicious flavors of red plum, raspberry, coffee, mocha and green pepper.  I usually find Carmenere to either be lush and fruity or overly herbaceous.  This one is delicious and the flavors carry on to a long finish.  It’s very smooth and the candied aromas on the nose (which do not appeal to me btw) blow away and the mouthfeel and flavors are in unison- delicious and worthy of 92 points.  I am pairing this $18 wine with roast Sirloin Cap, aka Picanha roast. It gets 5 stars for sure with a drinking window till 2027.  Salut….

Substance ‘Me’ Vineyard Collection Stoneridge Merlot 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington

17 Friday Mar 2023

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Medium garnet, this 4 year old Merlot is starting to show a bit of age already.  The nose has some tertiary notes starting to come alive but there is still loads of primary and secondary aromas of black plum, bramble, black raspberry, vanilla, sage and violets.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and gritty, medium (+) tannins.  The brambly fruit character is there along with vanilla and spice, black raspberry and purple florals with signs of maturity by way of caramel and some desiccated plum.  The body is quite full, not surprising since this bottle boasts a 14.5% ABV.  The finish is velvety smooth and long with black raspberry dominating.  I like the vanilla/oak note on the front end,  but it disappears on the back end.  Really delicious wine that I am pairing with corned beef since it’s St. Patricks day after all.  92 points from me for this $42 effort makes it a 4 star wine to drink till 2028.  Salut….

La Mascota Vineyards ‘Unanime’ Gran Tinto 2017, Maipu, Argentina

06 Monday Mar 2023

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Inky purple colored, this blend of 60% Cab Sav, 25% Malbec and 15% Cab Franc leaves a slight stain on the walls and has thick, slow moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose has wafting aromas of blackberry jam, black plum, violet, vanilla bean, chocolate,   some bell pepper and a medicinal note from the oak.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are fine grained but prominent.  Full bodied, this wine gives me flavors of black fruit, oak influence that is well masked/integrated (vanilla, medicinal, chocolate) and a touch of blueberry.  It hangs in there for a decent length finish and is silky smooth on the back end.  It’s delicious and will pair beautifully with our grilled lamb chops with roasted potatoes.  This is drinking beautifully now and will cellar till 2028.  I will give it 92 points which is a bit shy of the 95 it got from one pro.  At $25 it gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils Pommard ‘La Chaniere’ 2020, Cote de Beaune, France

06 Monday Mar 2023

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If you read my previous post on our Parisian dinner you will have read that we drank two Pinot Noirs from Burgundy.  This is the second bottle- notes taken were basic as it was dinner!

Deep ruby. Rich aromas of cherry pie, pomegranate , coffee, chocolate and raspberry.  Medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a medium (-) body with flavors of red fruit and silky oak spice carrying through to a medium finish.  92 points from me for this $41 stunner makes it a 5 star wine to seek out.  Salut….

Pacheco Pereda Estirpe Organic Cabernet Franc 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

03 Friday Mar 2023

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Not quite opaque, this deep ruby Cabernet Franc has medium viscosity legs (14% ABV).  The nose has bright aromas- violets, black raspberry, bell pepper, vanilla, baking spices, black plums and an interesting purple twizzler note.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and crunchy tannins that are medium (+) in intensity.  A touch astringent- the mouthfeel leads to a medium-to-full body with flavors of black plum and raspberry, vanilla bean and oak spices.  The tannins really grip on the back end where they get a little more fine-grained.  On the initial push they were very raw and coarse.  This wine could use aerating methinks.  I like the finish, it’s pretty long in length and the florals that I got on the nose reappear alongside the dark red fruit and softening tannins.  I have been simmering a Port reduction sauce to go over some grilled Strip steaks, this wine is going to pair beautifully.  92 points from me for this $30 offering makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Quinta do Crasto Roquette & Cazes 2019, Douro, Portugal

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Inky purple in the glass with virtually no legs- 14.5% ABV.  Vanilla, spice, ripe blackberry, (served in the wrong glass so it was difficult to draw off aromas).  Ripe black fruits, fresh oaky notes of vanilla, chocolate powder, black plum and cassis.  Delicious with medium tannins and acidity- a full body that covers my palate through to a medium length finish.  Great drinking right now with a few years left in cellar.  92 points from me and at $26, worthy of looking for as this 5 star beauty will impress.  Salut….