03 Thursday Dec 2020
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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, california, chardonnay, sonoma county
Golden yellow with apple and pineapple on the nose. On the palate- yellow apple, marzipan, pineapple and green melon. Low levels of acidity make for a full mouthfeel. It’s a very nice wine that doesn’t rely on loads of oak, rather it leans on warm fruits, lithe acidity and good length. 90 points. Enjoy with warm goat cheese salad. Drink till 2024. For about $15 it’s worth stocking up on as it gets 5 stars. Salut….
01 Tuesday Dec 2020
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Semi opaque and a bright shade of purple in the glass. On the nose I get blueberry pie, red licorice and zesty cranberry. On the palate it is very fruity- blueberry dominant with a sweet spiciness and very gentle acidity that make for a very enticing mouthfeel. The mid palate has an oak note that I did not catch at the beginning. It joins the blue fruits and some very lithe tannins. The finish is very fresh- the acidity keeping it zesty while the blueberry and plum notes hang around for a while. The tannins are very integrated in this wine already and the cellaring potential is somewhat short. I would drink till 2025. It’s really tasty and easy to drink, getting 88 points from me. For $16 it gets 3 stars. Salut….
30 Monday Nov 2020
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Reddish purple and semi opaque in the glass. The nose gives me pomegranate, strawberry, black pepper and rich cherry extract. On the palate it is silky smooth with a very gentle intro to the fruit- it’s more a melange of ripe red fruits that are melded together. Bright acidity and a touch of tannin all make this a pretty full bodied wine. The mid palate has a purple streak, like damson plum jam. There’s a nutmeg spice note as well. The finish is quite dry and still loaded with those purple fruit notes. It’s an interesting take on New World Pinot that I am enjoying. If you like them full-throttle, this one is up your alley. 91 points from me and 5 stars for this $38 gem. Drink till 2026. Salut….
28 Saturday Nov 2020
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It’s a semi opaque pale purple wine in the glass. The nose has candied cherries, cinnamon stick, black currants and cedar. On the palate it is really rich and warm. Gobs of black fruits with toasty oak, spice and very lithe tannins all form the first wave. The mid palate has a nice acidic pop alongside the black fruit cocktail. The tannins are present but not obtrusive on the somewhat dry finish that has tons more fruit to offer including black cherry. Nice mouthfeel, it’s an easy Cab to drink right now and will cellar till 2025. I really like it and will be pairing it with Sous Vide Strip steaks. For $20 it’s a great deal ’cause it gets 90 points from me and 5 stars. Salut….
22 Sunday Nov 2020
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$17, 4 stars, 90 points, california, paso robles, viognier, VWTC
At the 12th virtual wine tasting we drank this Viognier at room temp first and then chilled. As usual there is a marked difference in both smell and taste, but this time I preferred the chilled version- it seemed more focused on fewer key flavors, the warm version was all over the place. Here are some of the notes I recorded from the group.
Pale gold, straw or even Goldenrod in the glass. The nose has a sweetness to it with orange, honey, apricot, pear and floral notes. On the palate we got apricots, orange rind, bakers spices, ‘Icewine’ and a yeasty/bready flavor. The chilled version had melon, pineapple and that bread component on the nose. The palate was softer and smoother with tangerine, honeysuckle and gingerbread with good acidity. One of the tasters remarked that it tasted like good Riesling. Overall it scored decently and I would give it 90 points. Drink till 2022. For $17, it’s a nice intro to the varietal and gets 4 stars from me. Salut….
17 Tuesday Nov 2020
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$45, 3 stars, 89 points, Alicante Bouschet, california, petite sirah, Sonoma, syrah, zinfandel
This blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet is quite brooding in the glass. Dark purple and completely opaque. On the nose it has a sweet blackberry note alongside earthy herbs and violets. The palate is fruit forward with black cherry, blackberries and steeped plum notes. A dusty earthiness is ever present and some lithe tannins present at the mid palate. I sense the alcohol and just read the content- 14.9%…. careful out there. Black tea and iodine hit me on the back end as the tannic grip envelopes the mouth and melds with the fruit. It’s a tasty one for sure and I like the blend. It’s rich, rewarding and the structure is decent for medium term cellaring. Moxie is cooking up some stuffed Green Peppers, I think it will work nicely. Drink till 2023. 89 points and 3 stars for this $45 wine. Salut….
14 Saturday Nov 2020
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89 points, cabernet sauvignon, california, Malbec, merlot, Napa, petit verdot, petite sirah, syrah
This Napa blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah and Petite Sirah is really dark purple and inky in the glass. The nose is rich with blackberry flavors, iodine, a whiff of alcohol and oaky vanilla. The palate is very pleasing- blackberry compote, plump raisins, black cherry cola and bakers chocolate. The mid palate has a nice mouthfeel that has a touch of astringency and a whiff of acidity. Black fruits dominate and the oak influence is evident. Black tea, iodine and tannins round out the wine with a decent length finish that is neither dry nor sour. The structure feels like it will drink nicely till 2024, but extended cellaring probably won’t happen. It drinks nicely as is but I am pairing it with some Sous Vive Ribeyes, baked taters and grilled Asparagus. Overall- a decent drop that gets 89 points from me and 3 stars for its $45 release price. Salut….
13 Friday Nov 2020
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I have been on a bit of a Merlot kick lately and this one had my name on it. It is semi opaque and a dark shade of purple in the glass. On the nose it gives off plum, cedar and spice box. Plums, baking spices and blueberry pie all hit the palate. Very fine grained tannins pop up on the middle palate along with more blue fruit flavors. There is a nice shot of acidity that keeps me on my toes, balancing out the tannins. There is a second wave of blueberry and plum flavors that really hit the back end, overriding the tannins and giving me a great fresh finish. Whilst not a big or complex wine, it drinks nicely and will do so till 2025. I’m pairing it up with some Steak and Cheese Hoagies. Should do the trick nicely. 88 points and 3 stars for this $15 wine. Salut….
09 Monday Nov 2020
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$25, 5 stars, 92 points, alexander valley, california, chardonnay, VWTC
The 11th Virtual Wine tasting opened up with this Chardonnay from California. Tasted at room temperature first it gave the tasters: Butter, vanilla, buttered popcorn. Butterscotch. Honeysuckle, floral. Orange blossom. On the palate- Waxy, caramel, pear, Medium length with a pleasant finish.
The chilled version got passion fruit, green apple, toast, ‘crisper’, buttery, star fruit. On the palate: hazelnut, slightly bitter on the finish, like grapefruit. Pith of lemon from our MD friend. Lemon drop, not too sweet. Butterscotch. Full bodied with just a smidge of acidity.
For me this wine was delicious on day 1 and even better the following night. I preferred it at room temperature when we first tasted but the chilled bottle was even more impressive on night 2. 92 points from me which coincides with the pros. For $25 it’s a nice, rich Chardonnay that delivers complexity and gets 5 stars from me. Think grilled Salmon or Salad Nićoise with this one. Drink till 2027. Salut….
09 Monday Nov 2020
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$75, 4 stars, 92 points, cabernet sauvignon, california, Napa
Inky and opaque in the glass. The nose is spicy and layered with black fruit, graphite and violets. On the palate it is very fruit driven but packs a nice tannic punch. Black currants, Blackberry jam, coffee bean and some vanilla. The tannins are quite present but not overly dry. The midpalate shows off layers of fruit, complexity and structure. The black theme continues but the tannins are really starting to grip. The finish is long, nuanced and full of flavor. There’s a definite oak influence and I’m sensing the alcohol- which turns out to be 15.4%. It’s not an issue but just be careful! I’m loving this wine for its bright Cali sunshine, it’s fruit forward style and it’s structure. Drink till 2030. 92 points and 4 stars for this limited production charmer that normally retails for $75. It’s mainly Cab Sav with 6% Cab Franc and 3% Merlot. Pair with Steaks. Salut….
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