Tag Archives: 92 points

William Fevre Chablis 2018, Burgundy, France

29 Saturday May 2021

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We started off Virtual tasting #18 with this Chardonnay, served at room temp and then chilled. The wine has a light, pale gold color to it. The tasters chimed in on the nose immediately with ‘bakery item’ (Brioche), crispy citrus, pear, and someone mentioned buttery. The palate gave us pear, beeswax, citrus, yellow apple, a hint of butter and a touch of minerality. It had a long finish by my clock. Medium acidity was noted and the wine had a nice mouthfeel. The chilled version was far more focused and mineral driven. On the nose we got more citrus but less pear, lemongrass and honey. Arty commented that she smelled ‘fruity pebbles’, Moxie agreed. On the palate there was some butterscotch, lemon and lime, but the overall impression was that it was much more steely and more acidic. I enjoyed the room temperature version better, giving it 92 points as a technical rating. The chilled version was very good and exactly what I was hoping for in a Chablis- citrus, stone, clean and not oaked to hell and back. I think this was one of the better whites we have tried at our tasting group, it appealed to a wider audience. For $24, this wine is a steal that gets 5 stars from me. BTW it came in #66 out of the top 100 in an illustrious magazine last year. Worth stocking up on for sure. I’m planning on finishing the bottle with some Shrimp Alfredo. Salut….

Two Hands Wines Fields of Joy Shiraz 2016, Clare Valley, Australia

20 Thursday May 2021

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Inky AF and fully opaque, a very rich purple in the glass with thick legs belying the 14.2% kick.  Rich, layered notes of red currants, very ripe cherry, cigar box, blueberry ganache and blackberry.  The palate is full bodied, showing medium tannins and juicy acidity.  The red and blue fruit flavors are complemented by the cedar and I also get some menthol.  There is a hint of Brazilian roasted coffee bean to boot. There is another, indescribable note I’m having a tough time pinpointing that I’m enamored with.  The tannic structure is very good, integrated yet still fresh it coats my gums but is not too dry.  The finish is of good length with a nice mouthfeel.  This is a really delicious wine that gets 92 points from me.  Serve it with lamb, game meat or juicy ribeyes.  It has the flavors and backbone to pair with rich dishes.  $30 is a decent price for such a blockbuster that gets 5 stars from me. Drink till 2027. Salut….

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Dr. H. Thanisch Berncasteler Ley Riesling Auslese 2017. Mosel, Germany

06 Thursday May 2021

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As you may have read in my last post- the assignment for the wine course I am taking has a comparison between a dry Aussie Riesling with a sweeter German Auslese. Here is the official review that I submitted:

Dr. H. Thanisch Berncasteler Ley Riesling Auslese 2017.  Mosel, Germany.  8.5% ABV

Appearance : 

  • Intensity : Pale
  • Color : Gold

Nose : 

  • Intensity : Light 
  • Aroma characteristics : Primary notes of Mango, Passion Fruit and Apricot.  Secondary aromas of Gingerbread.

Palate : 

  • Sweetness : Medium
  • Acidity : Medium
  • Alcohol : Low
  • Body : Medium
  • Flavor intensity : Pronounced Primary flavors of  Peach and Apricot.   Tertiary flavors of Honey and Marmalade.
  • Finish : Medium

Conclusions : Very good quality, unctuous but not overly sweet.

Moxie was tasting with me but she thought this wine was too sweet for her. It’s a good quality drop if you are in the market but it runs $32 right now, getting 92 points makes it a 5 star sweetie. This one will last a good while, till 2035. Salut….

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William Gordon Winery Petite Sirah 2013, Alexander Valley, California

02 Sunday May 2021

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I loved this winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon, I’m hoping for a repeat. In the glass this wine is a deep purple and opaque AF. The nose is stupendous. Pronounced aromas of blackcurrants, blackberry, toasty oak and coffee bean. The palate is technically dry, with black fruit flavors- but not as pronounced as on the nose. Grippy tannins are still working the gums in this 8 year old bottle as is some nice acidity. The wine is full bodied with a nice mouthfeel and copious amounts of fruit. The finish is very long and caresses my gums with black cherry, Lapsang Souchong tea and those really well integrated tannins. This is a delicious wine that is but a hair shy of the Cabernet as far as technicalities go, but I love me some Petite Sirah so this one gets some Lamb chops with fresh mint and garlic mashed taters. 92 points and 5 stars for this $35 gem. Drink till 2028. Salut….

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Clos Apalta ‘Le Petit Clos’ 2017, Apalta Valley, Chile

20 Tuesday Apr 2021

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Deep purple in the glass with a nose of black plum, dark berries and rich oak. The palate is dry with juicy acidity, dark fruits galore and a bucketful of tannins. The blackberry component is very focused and I also get a delicious dark chocolate note. The grip of the tannins is quite searing but I am enjoying them, well composed and not overly astringent. The fruit flavors kick it up a notch on the mid palate alongside licorice and charcoal. The finish is long and fruity- dry AF. The mouthfeel is great on this full bodied wine. The acidity is watering, balanced by the stoic tannins and gobs of extracted black fruits. The 14.5% alcohol is not evident, be careful! A young wine that is drinkable now yet will cellar well till 2030. 68% Cab Sav, it is rich, opulent and full throttle. 92 points from me for this $40 wine make it a 5 star effort. Salut….

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Gypsy Dancer Estates Christine’s Cuvee Pinot Noir 2017, Willamette Valley, Oregon

06 Tuesday Apr 2021

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See-through and pale purple, this Pinot has a touch of murkiness to it. On the nose I get baker’s spice, dark cherry and pomegranate. The initial palate is rich and warm- cherry cobbler, fruitcake, clove and rooibos tea. It is extracted, but deftly so. The mid palate is where I start to get some really nice acidity that overlays the rich fruit with a juiciness. My jaw is starting to water as the wine gets to the finish. Lasting dark red fruits, spice, and a hint of lithe tannins take me to the medium length closure. I’m enjoying this wine a lot. It is a nice balance of New World fruit and winemaker restraint, producing a juicy yet medium bodied wine to enjoy till 2027. I am going with 92 points and for $45 it gets 5 stars. Salut….

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Frog’s Leap Merlot 2014, Rutherford, California

04 Sunday Apr 2021

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Tonight I am cooking a standing rib roast in my Big Green Egg- something I have never done before. I figured it was a good time to crack this Napa Merlot open and give it a try. It’s got a nice purple hue and is about 70% opaque. Thin legs in the glass hint at the 13.4% alcohol. On the nose I get rich plums, perhaps some blackberry and toasty oak. The initial palate is delicious with plum torte, blackberry coulis, some smoked wood, Tobacco and some fruit cake. The mid palate has exceptionally integrated tannins and really nice acidity. The plum and blackberry flavors are very much present but I’m starting to get a dark cola note.  The finish is very rounded with the tannins and acidity in perfect balance. I can almost taste the California sunshine in this wine. Merlot is such a supple, rounded varietal that has been unfairly thrashed of late. I really enjoy this particular profile and am going with 92 points. Drink till 2028 with any grilled meat, rich pasta or even by itself. At $33, it gets 5 stars. Salut….

Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2018, Sonoma County, California

25 Thursday Feb 2021

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A lighter shade of yellow in the glass with pretty hefty legs belying the 14.2% alcohol. The nose has creamy citrus, like a mousse, plus a hint of butter and coconut. The palate is very rounded with lush flavors of nectarines, clementines, lemon zest and peach. It’s like a tropical fruit salad with buttery popcorn as a side. I taste layers with this wine, which shows some nice complexity. The acidity is relatively mild giving a full mouthfeel. The finish is mid length and adds some papaya to the mix. Delicious stuff, really. 92 points worth. Seriously, and at $21- it’s a steal. This one will be featured in another blog post early next year, and if I could give it 6 stars I would. Drink till 2025. I am pairing it with Shrimp Scampi and salad. Salut….

Michael David Winery Earthquake Petite Sirah 2017, Lodi, California

21 Sunday Feb 2021

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Turns out his was the Wine of the Night at tasting #15. It is inky purple and opaque AF. Initially the members noted a dusty smell- which led on to black pepper, herbs, tobacco, dried fruits, cigar, prunes, blackberry jam and was considered ‘leathery’. On the palate it was very rich and full bodied with prunes, blackberry compote, cracked black pepper, dark chocolate, coffee beans, raisins and tobacco. I thought it was delicious and worthy of a juicy Filet. It was not very tannic at all, inconsistent with the varietal, but I was not complaining. It gets 92 points from me and 5 stars for sure at it only runs $20. Buy it by the case and drink till 2026. Salut….

Brandlin Prince and Pedro Red Blend 2017, Mount Veeder, California

08 Monday Feb 2021

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Wow, this Napa wine is super opaque and dark purple-it looks like Welch’s grape juice. I can smell fruit flavors about a foot away from the glass, it’s wafting over and I think I’m going to like it. Yup, I do. Saturated with blackberry notes, I also get blueberry essence. On the palate it is delicious. Layers of blackberry, blueberry and cassis. Very primal, extracted and yummy. Lithe tannins appear on the mid palate but this wine is really juicy, the acidity really has a grip. Deft use of oak keeps this wine interesting without overplaying tertiary flavors. The finish turns quite dry with the tannins really starting to make themselves known. Overall a nicely balanced wine with good structure, great fruit and decent cellaring capacity. I would drink this blend of Syrah, Malbec, Zin, Merlot etc till 2028 with a big ole T-bone. 92 points from me make this $50 wine a 5 star effort. Salut….