Tag Archives: 92 points

Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella 2019, Ripasso Superiore Veneto, Italy

18 Thursday Jul 2024

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Medium ruby colored with copper highlights, slight staining and medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, prune, black raisin, acacia tree planks, band aid, coffee, a medicinal note, blackberry jam and dried herbs.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium tannins that are silky.  The flavors echo the nose and are medium in intensity but leaning more to the jammy blackberry, black plum and medicinal notes.  It’s delicious and far better than the last vintage I drank- this one is layered and inviting.  A perfect pairing for grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops methinks.  I’m going with 92 points on this $26 bottle, making it a 5 star effort to drink ill 2030.  Salut….

Osborne Pedro Ximenez 1827 Sweet Sherry NV, Andalucia, Spain

30 Sunday Jun 2024

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Deep amber colored with heavy staining and a high viscosity (17% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of stewed prunes, dried nuts, desiccated blueberry, vanilla thread, raisins, Christmas cake and cherry cola syrup.  The palate is very sweet, with medium acidity and a full body that sits heavily on the tongue.  The flavors echo the nose with a touch of heat interfering on the back end.  It’s a luscious wine for sure that has a medium to long finish.  I would pair it with vanilla ice cream or a cheese board with some stinky blue on it.  Delicious stuff but a thimble-full will go a long way.  92 points, and for $32 it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Domane Wachau – Freie Weingartner Bruck Riesling Federspiel 2021, Wachau, Austria

11 Tuesday Jun 2024

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Pale lemon colored with medium viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of petrol, white blossom, lime pith, lemon zest, grapefruit, peach and crunchy yellow apple.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium (-) body.  Crisp flavors of lemon zest, grapefruit, white peach, petrol, flint and melon.  The finish is zesty and refreshing with nice cut and medium length flavors that caress.  It’s a delicious and lithe expression of Riesling that I have chilled nicely to pair with baked Salmon and Tortellini salad.  92 points from me for this $38 effort makes it 5 star wine to drink till 2035.  It should evolve nicely.  Salut….

Pecchenino Botti Langhe Nebbiolo 2021, Piedmont, Italy

20 Monday May 2024

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I wanted to introduce our tasting group to young Nebbiolo without the price tag of a Barolo, nor the monster structure of one that is not yet ready to drink.  The answer lay in Langhe where this grape is made in a more approachable and affordable style.  Pale garnet colored with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of forest, messy floor (!), stinky feet (not my descriptors!), chocolate covered cherry, strawberry, flint, anise, tobacco, smoke, green and floral.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins that are starting to soften.  Cherry tart, tobacco, black tea, forest floor and mushrooms with a long finish.  At $27, it’s an excellent value bottle to showcase the wonderful tastes and structure of this alluring grape.  I gave it 18/20 points on our grading scale making it my #2 wine of the night.  Technically speaking I scored it 92 points and 4 stars.  Drink till 2030 with pasta.  Salut….

Trivento Golden Reserve Black Series Malbec 2021, Uco Valley, Argentina

15 Wednesday May 2024

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Deep ruby with high viscosity (14% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of mulberry, pie crust, vanilla, oak and steeped black plum.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors are quite pronounced with dark fruit dominating the very well integrated oak treatment- it’s a pleasure.  Charcoal and Lapsang Souchong tea add a new dimension.  It’s a young wine with some cellaring capacity that will reward over the medium term.  I’m loving it, even more so than when previously drinking gallons of this brand, always delicious.  92 points from me for this $20 bottle makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….. 

Kir-Yianni ‘The Fallen Oak’ 2019, PGI Imathia, Macedonia, Greece

23 Tuesday Apr 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Xinomavro, Merlot and Syrah blend has medium (-) intensity aromas of black raspberry, black plum, lilac, mulberry, licorice, coffee, vanilla and bilberry.  It’s quite an interesting nose that gains some power as it opens.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are a touch green.  Flavors of blackberry, bilberry, black raspberry, plum with coffee, vanilla and a hint of purple licorice are balanced by the firm structure of tannins and acidity.  It’s a pretty bold wine with nice fruit that lingers on a medium length finish.  The tannins are the last to bow out leaving my mouth slightly dried out but wanting more.  I am mixing up some Chimmichurri to go with cast-iron prepared Hanger steaks with Korean sweet potatoes and green beans, should work a treat.  92 points from me for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine to buy again.   Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Izadi Seleccion Blanco 2021, Rioja DOCa, Spain

10 Wednesday Apr 2024

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A vibrant hue of lemon with a watery sheen (13.5% AVB).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon zest and pith, grapefruit, beeswax, white blossom, crunchy green apple, slate, vanilla thread and petrichor.  The palate is dry with a medium to full body and medium (+) acidity.  Flavors of lemon zest, grapefruit zest, white flower, tart green apple and that mineral note like licking a piece of granite.  There is a slight waxy feel to it that I am intrigued by, it’s delicious.  There is obviously some oak attention here, which explains some of the heaviness and also the slight vanilla character I am picking up.  The finish is moderate in length and sits nicely on my palate- an interesting dichotomy of freshness from the acidity yet weight from the treatment.  I like it.  92 points worth, and at $22, it gets 5 stars.  Drink till 2029.  I am pairing it with Yuzu marinated grilled chicken.  It’s a blend of Viura (60%) with support from Malvasia, Torrontes, Garnacha Blanc and others.  Salut….

Xavier Vignon – Barbare ‘Cuvee XL Premier’ 2012, Turkey

30 Saturday Mar 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight bricking, some staining and a high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose of this Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend has medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, vanilla, baked red apple, rhubarb crumble, blueberry pie, coffee, baking spice and garrigue.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (-) tannins that are plush.  The baked nature of the fruit comes out on the initial attack and then I start to get oak nuance by way of coffee, vanilla and baking spice followed by that earthy garrigue note and some meaty hints of game.  The red and blue fruit are ripe and slightly desiccated but then I get a tart finish that is medium in length, intriguing.  The high alcohol hits on the back end, I normally don’t sense it but this case is different.  I like it all things considered- 92 points and for a wine that is already 12 years old, it’s just starting to show methinks.  Drink till 2030 with stews, lighter grilled meats or even pasta.  At $20, worth looking out for this 5 star effort.  Salut….

Rippon Mature Vines Pinot Noir 2019, Wanaka, New Zealand

23 Saturday Mar 2024

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The second wine at our 35th tasting was this Kiwi Pinot.  It is pale-to-medium garnet colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of black cherry, cherry Coke, barnyard, cranberry, white pepper, licorice and leather.  On the palate it was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) body and low tannins.  Flavors of cherry cola, Rooibos tea, white and black pepper, clove, cedar, cough medicine and yet more cherry led to a medium length finish.  I loved this wine for its beautiful mouthfeel and great balance and gave it 15 points on our scoring sheet.  We paid $55, which is quite pricy but the quality and purity of this wine was worth it- 92 points from me which makes it a 4 star effort to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Chateau Poujeaux 2018, Moulis-en-Medoc, France

11 Monday Mar 2024

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Deep ruby colored with minor staining and a high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of cassis, tobacco, cedar, black plum, camphor, mint, black coffee and iodine.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky and crunchy.  Flavors of ripe blackcurrant, black plum, tobacco, cedar, coffee and that sanguine iodine note caress the tongue and carry on to a longish finish.  I like the tannic structure- it’s grippy yet lets the fruit do its job.  I like the flavor profile, it’s a classic Left Bank Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Lovely stuff that gets 92 points from me and for $34- 5 stars.  It’s open for business now if you like ’em a bit dry and astringent, or you could wait.  This beauty will last till 2035.  I’m charring up some Sirloins with a pepper sauce.  Salut….