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Tag Archives: 92 points

Quinta do Crasto Roquette & Cazes 2019, Douro, Portugal

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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$26, 5 stars, 92 points, Douro, portugal


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….

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Cosentino Winery Reserve Selection Pinot Noir 2011, Sonoma Coast, California

07 Tuesday Feb 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 92 points, california, pinot noir, sonoma coast


Pale garnet colored with a watery sheen in the glass, to be expected from an 11 year old wine.  The nose is surprisingly youthful with red cherry, strawberry and red currants that eventually blow off to reveal tertiary aromas of dank forest floor, mushroom, caramel, chocolate and wet wood.  The palate is dry with low tannins- barely perceptible in fact and medium acidity.  Super sleek mouthfeel with a medium body and flavors of chocolate covered strawberry with baked red cherry pie followed by some earthy forest with wild mushrooms and dank wood.  It’s very peculiar and exciting.  The soft finish runs for a while and I get flat cherry cola with earth on the back end.  I wrote about this wine nearly five years ago, it’s interesting to read that post.  

I will have to agree with my original assessment- the wine was at peak a few years ago, but here’s the rub.  It has matured beyond my wildest dreams and has really plateaud as a mature wine and has withstood time to allow tertiary development without losing balance.  It is super smooth, delicious and has rewarded my cellaring.  I paid $15 per bottle back in the day.  I am sticking with 92 points and 5 stars.  Excellent effort.  Salut….

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Sam Plunkett Forest Hut Vineyard Shiraz 2019, Pyrenees, Australia

06 Friday Jan 2023

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$17, 5 stars, 92 points, australia, Naked Wines, pyrenees, shiraz


Somewhat hazy (unfiltered?) but a very opaque shade of ruby in the glass with medium legs and slight staining on the walls.  The nose is intense with gorgeous aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, menthol, elderberry, coffee bean and chocolate powder.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (+) tannins.  Really ripe flavors of black cherry, blueberry, blackcurrant and elderberry meld beautifully with the menthol and coffee notes.  Rich and full bodied this is a delicious wine that only rings in at 13.6% ABV, surprising to me.  The tannic structure is excellent, giving a nice and silky dryness to the mouthfeel while fading gently as the fruit continues to roll on to a long finish.  This is an outstanding Shiraz if you like them big and bold, which suits me fine for the Lamb chops I am grilling to pair with.  I would say this one has some cellaring capacity but is drinking beautifully now and will last until 2028.  92 points from me for this $17 wine makes it a hard to beat 5 star effort.  Salut….

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Boasso Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba 2018, Piedmont, Italy

22 Tuesday Nov 2022

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$32, 5 stars, 92 points, barolo, Italy, nebbiolo, Piedmont


Medium garnet colored this Nebbiolo has some thick legs in the glass (14.5% ABV).  The nose has pronounced aromas of leather, cherry, dusty earth, licorice and coffee.  Charred oak is evident and there is a perfumed floral note as well.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  Full bodied, this delicious wine has flavors of tart cherry, red currant, pomegranate, leather, dusty earth, tar and coffee.  The oaky note is very faint.  It finishes long and a touch tart with grippy tannins.  Still relatively young at 4 years, it will cellar nicely and drink till 2030 at the least.  I think it gets 92 points and for $32 it’s a 5 star wine.  I am pairing it with slow cooked beef roast and trimmings.  Salut….

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Quinta Das Carvalhas Reserva Ruby Port NV, Porto, Portugal

04 Friday Nov 2022

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$18, 5 stars, 92 points, dessert wine, port, portugal


I love Port, but I’ll be honest…. the packaging lured me on this one.  Who doesn’t need a small decanter to have around?  This Ruby Port is deep garnet colored and sports the traditional 20% ABV.  The nose is gorgeous- ripe black plum jam, golden raisins, caramel, toffee, figs and bakers spice box.  The palate is semi-sweet with lush stewed black fruit, toffee, caramel, figs and spices.  Medium (-) acidity and a full body with supple tannins make for a great mouthfeel.  The finish is long and laced with black fruit nuance.  The alcohol is noticeable but not a detractor, well integrated.  This is a delicious bottle of dessert wine that begs for blue cheese and some apricots with almonds.  I love it- 92 points from me.  Th upcharge for the decanter and packaging brings this beauty to $42.  Get one for the souvenir factor and then downgrade to the regular 750ml bottles to lay around, they run $19 and are well worth stocking up on for the cold winter ahead.  5 stars, drink now.  Salut….

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Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Cabernet Franc 2015, Napa Valley, California

04 Friday Nov 2022

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$57, 5 stars, 92 points, Cabernet franc, california, Naked Wines, napa valley


Medium garnet colored this Cab Franc has pretty thin, slow moving legs (14.5% ABV). The nose gives me medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, coconut, cedar plank, toasty oak, chocolate powder, blueberry jam and some brioche/yeast notes.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and super smooth medium tannins.  The wine coats my mouth and is full bodied with rich blueberry flavors.  The red fruit are there but not as prominent.  Toasty oak and some cocoa with a hint of coconut round out the palate.  The finish is medium-ish and very caressing- the tannins are fully melded in this 7 year old wine that is drinking en pointe.  It is delicious and will pair beautifully with my Hangar steaks and mashed taters.  92 points from me for this $57 offering that gets 5 stars.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

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i-Latina La Armonia Vineyard Syrah 2019, Curico Valley, Chile

21 Friday Oct 2022

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$17, 5 stars, 92 points, chile, curico valley, Naked Wines, syrah


Medium ruby in the glass with thick legs (13.5% ABV).  On the nose I get eucalyptus, menthol, black plum, perfume, super-ripe black currants and vanilla.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, gorgeously smooth medium (+) tannins and a full body.  Flavors of blackcurrant, black plum, vanilla and a hint of menthol all intertwine around a lovely mouthfeel.  This is a very tasty Syrah folks, with good structure built for the medium term.  With a medium length finish I get loads of fruit and fading tannins.  It begs for Pepper Steak and a side of gratin potatoes.  I would drink this 92 point Syrah till 2027.  For $17 it gets 5 stars and possibly a cellar stock-up.  Salut….

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Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Petit Sirah 2016, Napa Valley, California

15 Saturday Oct 2022

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92 points, california, Napa, petite sirah


Inky purple in the glass with noticeable stains on the side walls.  Aromas of very ripe blackberry, charred oak, black cherry coulis, dark chocolate, a medicinal note (Oak?) and cracked pepper.  Th palate is dry with medium acidity and high tannins.  Full bodied and oozing with rich flavors of ripe black fruit and charred oak.  The medicinal note I got is there as is the dark chocolate.  The teeth staining tannins are very persistent throughout to a medium length finish.  I love this varietal and really enjoy this winery- a winning combination that makes this a 92 point wine imho.  You can find it for $53 online, making it a 4 star wine.  I am pairing with Rib Roast and all the trimmings.  Drink till 2030.  Salut…..

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Chateau De La Huste 2019, Fronsac, France

13 Thursday Oct 2022

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$25, 5 stars, 92 points, bordeaux, france, fronsac, merlot


Rich ruby colored and about 75% opaque.  The nose has enticing aromas of black plum, cassis, blackberry, menthol, vanilla, coffee, mocha.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  They are well integrated but still grippy.  Flavors of cassis and plum dominate but I get blackberry with oak influence and some green pepper alongside the menthol.  Full bodied it carries on to a long finish.  This is textbook Right Bank Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Franc- delicious and reasonably priced at $25.  I like it and think it is worthy of 92 points and 5 stars.  I’m searing some Hangar steaks with Gratin Potatoes to pair.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

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VIK ‘Milla Cala’ 2018, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

09 Tuesday Aug 2022

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$45, 5 stars, 92 points, bordeaux blend, cachapoal valley, chile


It’s not often we get all four of my kids together, but when we do it’s off for a big night out.  This adventure took us to a Brazilian Steakhouse where the waiter completely butchered the opening, serving and cork removing of this spectacular wine.  Without taking any notes I will say that for $45 you are getting a super smooth Bordeaux Blend from Chile that has very soft, integrated tannins, medium acidity, full body, a long finish and a melange of fruit, oak and tertiary aromas and flavors.  A stunning wine that went beautifully with all the different cuts of beef, pork, lamb and sausage we gorged on.  The structure of this wine makes it perfect for immediate pleasure, but I would not cellar it too long, say till 2025 for this vintage.  A real surprise and a treat. 92 points and 5 stars.  Salut….

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