Tag Archives: 93 points

Alpha Omega Cabernet Franc – Petit Verdot 2016, Napa Valley, USA

02 Tuesday Jun 2020

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Stunning purple in the glass with nice thin legs.  On the nose I get a huge dose of black currants, black berries and oaky vanilla.  Mint also makes an appearance.  On the initial palate it is really juicy with black fruits galore.  Beautiful oak is well integrated with coconut flavors present.  The tannic structure shows a gradual ramp up to reach a drying peak on the finish.  The mid palate is lush and fruity with some black tea, cassis, more coconut and capsicum.  The finish is dry with those nice tannins really gripping.  There’s a very balancing, juicy acidity that I’m really enjoying.  This wine begs to be drunk, it is a stunning example of how delicious Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are as the prime components in wine.  93 points and 5 stars for this $104 stunner.  Drink till 2030.

J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Diamond Mountain District, USA

14 Thursday May 2020

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The nose is all-singing and dancing Napa Cab.  You can smell the sunshine.  Wow….. Ripe, lush blackberries.  Vanilla, coconut and several other oaky traits are evident without being obnoxious.  On the palate there’s a ton of vanilla alongside black fruits, jammy currants and a dose of the wood.  The mid palate is very smooth, full bodied.  Juicy and jammy with gobs of black fruit, lithe tannins and some deft oak.  The finish is very smooth, loaded with those wood nuances and providing me with a beautiful mouthfeel.  93 points.  For $100 it’s quite pricy, but then again Napa Cabs are not cheap.  5 stars.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

David Noyes Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2007, Sonoma County, USA

30 Thursday Apr 2020

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This wine is 13 years old and I just found it in my cellar. The cork did not look good and I feared for the worst.  In the glass it’s very dark, almost fully opaque but it shows nice legs.  The nose is mature- earthy, with mushrooms, forest floor, game and a hint of black cherry reduction.  On the palate this is stunning- fully developed with a boatload of tertiary flavors.  Umami, dried shiitake, garigue and stewed cherry.  This wine is at peak.  The midpalate is super smooth- rich fruitcake, secondary flavors and a lithe dose of acidity.  The tannins are fully melded and give me a great mouthfeel.  The finish is lovely if somewhat curt.  Rich fruit reduction, trace tannins and those delicious secondary players we hope for after extended cellaring.  20 plus seconds. I love this wine and am stoked it turned out so nicely.  Drink till 2022.  93 points.  I paid under $20 back into the day, I doubt you can find any of this 5 star wine these days.  Salut….

Chateau Raymond-Lafon 2010, Sauternes, France

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

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Golden color.  Loads of legs in the glass.  The nose is delightful and consists of orange marmalade, honey, candied citrus.  On the palate I get silky orange syrup, marmalade, honey and hazelnut.  The sweetness is balanced with a brisk acidic component that gives me an unctuous mouthfeel.  The finish is long and tart with some astringent orange curd and white tea components.  Really interesting and delightful to drink.  93 points and 5 stars.  $35 for a 375ml bottle.  Drink this sweet dessert wine till 2030.  Salut….

World’s End ‘If 6 were 9’ Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 revisited, Napa Valley, USA

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

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I tasted this wine when it was much younger.  It was appealing then and more so now.  Very rich purple, semi opaque. The nose is very fruity with blackberry jam, blackcurrants, toasted oak.  The palate is really delightful with warm blackberry ganache, coconut, eucalyptus and iodine.  On the midpalate I start to sense some tannic buzz, nothing overpowering.  Gobs more black fruit reduction and a charcoal note.  The finish marries up some acidity, just a touch to complete the mouthfeel and balance this very fruit-forward Napa Cab.  93 points and 5 stars for this $48 bottle.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Maison Michel Picard Le Clos Micot 2005, Pommard Premier Cru, France

12 Sunday Apr 2020

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I’m afraid for this wine, the cork was very dry when I put the screw in and the sides were wet when I started to pull it out.  I only got halfway before the cork broke.  Luckily I have other tools to retrieve the broken half.  In the glass it looks okay, dark red, with no signs of bricking and barely any legs on the glass.  The nose is gorgeous, earthy, full of tertiary flavors- forest floor, mushrooms, bacon and a whiff of rich cherry compote.  The palate is sublime, smooth and a mix of fruit, acidity, those tertiary flavors and a warm mouthfeel.  The cherry component is backed up by rooibos tea, some nutmeg and leather.  This wine has aged nicely and thank goodness the cork held out.  The finish is long with a nice streak of acidity that delineates the fruity red berries from the secondary evolution that I get.  Nice ingrained tannins are holding it together but I feel it is peaking so drink till 2027 .  I am serving it with Baked Ham and mashed potatoes for Easter dinner.  93 points for this $100 Burgundian Pinot Noir.  4 stars.  Salut….

San Felice Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 tasting #2, Tuscany, Italy

10 Friday Apr 2020

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I have sat on a few of these bottle of San Felice for a while now because they were not quite ready the last time I drank one in 2017.  This bottle is showing a semi opaque medium shade of purple in the glass.  Really nice legs are exhibited.  The nose has an earthy tone, pomegranate and cherry.  I also get cardamom.  Interesting.  The palate is far more evolved since the last time, really nice dark cherry, rhubarb and spice box. The wine exhibits a really nice acidity that is even and of the right amount.  The mouthfeel is really smooth, with a nice warmth that leads into a very delicate tannic frame.  The midpalate has more of the red fruits and some dusty earthiness.  The finish is very much a cherry affair, with the acidity and tannins really peaking into a dry, mouth puckering ending.  It’s a really delicious wine, but not quite there yet.  I am seeing evolution, with more to come.  The framework will hold this wine up for a long while, giving me time to re-evaluate over the next 10-15 years with the other bottles.  Overall I am sticking with my 93 point rating and 5 stars for this $45 Sangiovese.  Pairing with spaghetti and sausage meatballs.  Salut….

 

Cameron Hughes Lot 699 Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Calistoga, California

02 Monday Mar 2020

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I’m tasting this one in the dark, literally.  We lost power earlier today and I have rigged up the generator but it only runs certain things, like the dishwasher😳.  

From what I can see via flashlight this is a semi opaque, dark purple looking wine.  The nose is somewhat subdued, but I managed to coax blackberries and vanilla bean.  The palate is sweet- oh my.  A very, very interesting assemblage of flavors.  Coconut, blackberry pie, mint, the list goes on.  It’s one of the most intriguing, surprising and tasty wines I have come across.  The mid palate continues the swirling bouquet of differing flavors but introduces some very nice, medium intensity tannins. I really dig this wine.  It’s finish is a nice dry affair that allows those dark fruits, coconut and vanilla flavors to once again take turns in caressing my gums.  This is an amazing display of very unique flavors, well done.  93 points.  Drink till 2030 with beef stew, steaks or just by itself.  $32 makes this a 5 star wine to stock up on.  Salut….

Correlation Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, USA

04 Tuesday Feb 2020

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Bright shade of purple and nearly opaque.  The nose is delightful- some plums, charcoal, espresso and black cherry.  The palate is creamy, sweet with plum reduction and mouthwatering with beautiful acidity and lithe tannins.  There is a silkiness to this wine that’s just amazing.  The acidity scorches my mid palate but gets held in check by the fine grained tannins.  Nice black and blue fruits carry me to the decent length finish that introduces oak and coconut to the mix.  Delicious wine that I’m serving up with Osso Bucco and roasted Brussels Sprouts in garlic butter and capers.  Drink now if you like them with bite or cellar this beauty and enjoy till 2030.  93 points and 5 stars for this $80 treat.  Salut….

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2015, Clare Valley, Australia

18 Wednesday Dec 2019

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To say I am excited about today’s tasting would be an understatement.  Many years ago, I discovered this Shiraz in a wine shop in Anchorage, Alaska.  The local restaurant also carried it so it was easy to avail myself of this heady Shiraz, the little brother to the iconic Armagh.  I have searched high and low for over 10 years, until today.  Nestled into a corner of the local wine shop in Hong Kong were 5 bottles.  I’m trying this one out and will return for the others if it works out.  Here goes….

It has changed with the absence of a cork, replaced with the ease of a screw cap.  Fully opaque, dark and brooding…  Like I remember.  The nose offers up sweet damson,  charred oak, plums and lilac.  I get a little blackberry jam note as well.  The palate is as I remember- rich, deep, layered and chock full of flavors.  It’s a lighter, less jammy version of the older ones which makes it a bit fresher and easier to drink.  Blackberries, delicious oak, blueberry pie and vanilla all swirl around the palate.  There is a very gradual introduction to the tannins, which are super fine grained and not very obtrusive.  This wine has a very lush mouthfeel, it coats my gums and palate with delicious dark fruits from the front to the back.  The astringency is well in check and there is a touch of acidity that keeps it fresh.  This wine is a pleasure to drink, I am loving it.  I would imagine it would pair beautifully with Filet and Bearnaise, or you can just sip it alone like I am.  93 points from me for this $38 effort that gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….