01 Wednesday Nov 2023
Posted in Wine reviews
A brief note- en point and at peak,. This is a delicious and full throttle Grenache that is layered with ripe fruit, great structure and a long finish. It will pair beautifully with my minted Lamb Shanks and should drink well till 2028. A stunner. Salut….
31 Thursday Aug 2023
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I recently travelled to the UK where I had dinner with a fellow wino. He pulled this maturing Sauvignon Blanc out for openers- it was probably the best Sancerre I have ever tasted. My notes were crude but you get the idea.
Viscous, pale lemon- surprising with medium viscosity (13% ABV). Intense aromas of gooseberry, lime verbena, jalapeño, asparagus. High acidity, medium (+) bodied with a very unique opening- vegetal medley with a smoky note, perhaps a bit reductive? Burnt sulphur that should ease off once in air. Stunning and young- till 2030. 93 points for this $100 bottle makes it a 4 star wine in my books. Salut….
26 Monday Jun 2023
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We just hosted a family reunion and I opened this Magnum of Portuguese wine- delicious. My notes were brief but you get the point.
Deep purple with high viscosity and a touch of staining. Ripe blackberry, vanilla, coconut, black plum. Dry, medium acidity, medium (+) tannins. Full body. Mouthcoating lush ripe black fruit with oaky sweetness. Long finish. 93 points and 5 stars for this $27 blend of Touriga Nacional…. drink till 2029. Salut….
23 Friday Jun 2023
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$25, 5 stars, 93 points, bekaa valley, cabernet sauvignon, lebanon, merlot, syrah
Deep, inky purple which is surprising given the fact that it has 10 years of age already. The walls show a touch of staining and the viscosity is medium (14% ABV). The nose is developing nicely- cassis, cedar shake, blackberry coulis, tobacco, baking spices, vanilla bean, dried herbs and a touch of mint. The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) to full tannins that are still youthful and grippy. Ripe black fruit along with some dried fruit point to the mid life development of this wine. The oak nuance is present and the dried herbs are evident along with a black tea component. Full bodied, this blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah coats my mouth with lush fruit that goes on to a long finish which is somewhat astringent but inviting- I sip again. I love this winery and the folks that run it (they are relatives for full disclosure). They make a wine that has huge cellaring capacity yet drinks beautifully when young. I have drunk many bottles of the same vintage over a long span of time and am always impressed by the development and further potential. This wine will last till 2030 at the least and gets 93 points from me- at $25 a bottle it’s a tremendous deal that you should seek out. I’m grilling New York strips to pair. with this 5 star effort. Salut….
09 Friday Jun 2023
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A friend brought this bottle of Russian River Pinot Noir over for a party, I got to evaluate it on day 2- here goes.
Medium ruby with a watery sheen (14.5% ABV). Intense aromas of sweet black cherry, strawberry pie, baking spices, vanilla bean, candied cherry (like red twizzlers). On the palate- medium (+) acidity with fine grained, medium tannins and a relatively full body. Imagine ripe, bright red fruit with subtle oak nuance of baking spices and vanilla. A stunningly delicious and well structured New World Pinot that gets 93 points- drink till 2028. Salut….
15 Monday May 2023
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$25, 5 stars, 93 points, cabernet sauvignon, california, Sonoma
Medium ruby with high viscosity and staining (14.6% ABV). Intense aromas of black plum, blackberry, cassis, vanilla, cedar, cigar box and black raspberry. The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are plush and fine-grained. Confirming the black fruit and oak on the palate- full bodied with a seductively smooth medium finish, 93 points. We are pairing this Magnum with char-grilled Ribeyes on this glorious Mother’s Day. Drink till 2028, at $25 per 750 ml bottle this has to be one of the best QPR’s in Cali Cabs. 5 stars! Salut….
02 Sunday Apr 2023
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Pale Amber in the glass with a very viscous sheen on the walls. The nose has pronounced aromas of walnuts, caramel, dark chocolate paste, raisins, prunes, almond skin and a touch of heat. The palate is sweet and luscious with medium acidity. Confirming the flavors on this full bodied wine that finishes long, the almond bitterness I got on the nose translates to the back end and it’s delicious. 93 points for this silky treat that runs $50 makes it a 4 star effort. Enjoy with dessert or cheese tray. Salut….
11 Saturday Mar 2023
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Inky purple in the glass, this opaque wine has thick, slow moving legs and leaves a stain on the glass (14.5% ABV). The nose has ripe and concentrated aromas of cassis, blackberry pie, perfumed violet, vanilla and blueberry alongside baking spices. The palate is dry with medium acidity and very fine grained tannins that grip nicely. The rich, ripe black fruit and cassis syrup are evident as is the oak influence which is in check. Full bodied, this wine leads me to a long finish that has some charred oak hints as well. At 5 years old, it is drinking beautifully and will do so till 2030. I’m pairing it with braised lamb and roasted sweet potato. It would go nicely with a filet au poivre with gratin potatoes as well. 93 points from me for this $65 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to savor. Salut….
21 Tuesday Feb 2023
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Intense and brooding, this Alicante Bouschet (a teinturier grape) was spectacular. Licorice hit me on the nose from a mile away, closer in I got aromas of smoke, vanilla, ripe blackberry, blueberry, leather, earth and baking spices. The palate had gentle acidity, robust tannins and a full body. The fruit flavors were very ripe and almost jammy- blackberry and blackcurrant with dark chocolate, licorice and baking spice. A long finish made me give this wine 93 points- not far off from the pros. For $15 you better believe I am stocking up on this 5 star stunner. Drink till 2027. Salut….
16 Thursday Feb 2023
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$90, 5 stars, 93 points, california, pinot noir, sonoma coast
Pale garnet colored, this 9 year-old Pinot is showing signs of age and has medium viscosity legs (14.2% ABV) and a bit of haze (Unfined and unfiltered). Pretty lofty aromas of baked cherry, strawberry pie and an earthy, mineral note dominate the nose but I get beautiful cola meets vanilla and cocoa powder. Stunning. The palate is dry with silky tannins and medium (+) acidity. Delicious flavors of baked and stewed red fruit with earthy funk and seasoned oak caress my mouth. Vanilla cola really lights it up on the mid palate. The finish is very svelte with remnants of cooked fruit and some floral notes. A spectacular wine that get 93 points from me and for an estimated $90, 5 stars. Drink till 2026. I’m searing some Strip Steaks and some risotto to pair. Salut….
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