Tag Archives: california

Cameron Hughes Lot 725 Zinfandel 2018, Russian River Valley, California

11 Monday May 2020

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I was looking for a spicy wine for tonights dinner- Chicken and Rice, Middle Eastern style.  This Zin was up next on the tasting rack.  In the glass it is a semi opaque purple with globby legs.  The nose presents rich purple fruit.  Plums, licorice, black cherry and a noticeable dose of sassafras.  The palate is what I had hoped for.  Luscious ripe fruit- blackberries, plums, that sassafras note and some nice, charred oak.  The wine has a nice acidity, not piercing but just enough to liven things up.  Tannins become evident on the back end and the wine finishes with a nice dry note, akin to leather.  Blackcurrant jam and spice box round out the finish that lasts a good 30 seconds.  Tasty wine with some cellaring potential.  Drink till 2027.  90 points and 5 stars for this $17 effort.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 682 Pinot Grigio 2018, Russian River Valley, California

03 Sunday May 2020

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Very pale yellow in the glass.  The nose is very citrusy- lemon peel, tangerine and …green almond?.  The palate is somewhat sweeter than expected, with that citrus component meeting up with green apples and melon.  The mid palate is really interesting to me, tamarind comes to mind as I taste sweet and sour at the same time.  There is a juicy acidity that keeps this wine from becoming cloying.  The green apple takes over on the finish and it is a tart affair.  Refreshing to say the least.  This wine has played tricks on me, starting out as an overly sweet, flabby beast to this razor sharp finish that leaves me wanting more.  I couldn’t have picked a better pairing to the Pork belly burnt ends that I have been cooking all day.  90 points and 5 stars for this amazing deal- $13.  Drink now.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 633 Riesling 2017, Napa Valley, California

30 Thursday Apr 2020

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It’s a very pale shade of gold.  On the nose I get quince, green apple and cardamom seed.  The palate is quite a lot sweeter than I was expecting, but it has some nice acidity to bring me back down.  The flavors are more apples, a citrus note and that spice.  The mid palate softens up a little and the sweetness subsides.  It’s more of a yellow apple meets baking spices.  The finish is where this wine shines- long, slightly tart and filled with more fruit.  The mouthfeel on the finish is very round and lush.  This is a very tasty wine that will pair well with seafood and tapas.  Drink till 2023.  90 points and 5 stars for this $13 steal.  Buy it by the case!  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….

Cameron Hughes Lot 706 Chardonnay 2018, Napa Valley, California

28 Tuesday Apr 2020

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A medium shade of yellow in the glass.  Pears, citrus and wildflower nectar greet me on the nose.  A very fresh and yet layered first impression.  On the palate it is a touch buttery, which I like as it’s not overdone.  Crisp acidity from lemon, some Bartlett pear and a green melon all hit me on the palate.  It’s got a really nice balance between the acidity and bold fruity flavors.  The mid-palate is a very linear channel to the finish.  It simply carries the same flavors and allows the juiciness to permeate the whole palate.  The finish is long, tasty and refreshing.  There is an abundance of fruit on the back end that carries that lemony component and introduces some oak influence- vanilla and popcorn.  I like the way this wine teases the palate with some hints of big time oak but waits until the very end to actually show some of it off, interesting indeed.  I really like this wine, it’s relatively lightweight to drink by itself but I would pair it with Cobb salad, Blackened Salmon or grilled veggies.  90 points from me and 5 stars for this $16 rocker.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….

 

Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

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I love this wine btw, having had older vintages in the past.  This one shows see-through dark purple in the glass.  The nose is ethereal- raspberries, rooibos tea, cinnamon and some oak.  The palate is very much New World.  Tart, crispy and loaded with red fruits.  The cinnamon and raspberry components are very much accentuated. There is a bit of heat from the alcohol, which I kinda like.  It’s only showing 13.5%, but I can sense its presence.  The mid palate is more earthy with some wild game and mushroom notes along with some red berries.  The finish is warm, with a raspberry reduction and charcoal note.  It’s quite long and a touch tart, making me lick my chops.  Overall this is a well made wine that is in a mid-life crisis.  It’s lost some fruit yet doesn’t quite have tertiary flavors developed fully.  I would give it another 3 years and drink from 2023-2030.  92 points and 4 stars for this $70 Pinot.  I’m pairing with Chicken Kabobs.  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….

Cameron Hughes Lot 703 Pinot Noir 2017, Alexander Valley, California

05 Sunday Apr 2020

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Nice shade of dark red, see-through.  The 14.1% alcohol evident by some nice looking legs.  On the nose it is somewhat atypical.  Violet, strawberry compote and cherry cola.  The palate is a touch sweet with some nice stewed rhubarb notes. Cherry comes along eventually as do some nice fine grained tannins.  There’s a nice acidic bite on the finish that balances it out without making me wince.  It’s a very interesting wine that has a warm mouthfeel, that nice touch of sweetness countered by the acid on the back end.  This wine will appeal to the novice and also provide tasting groups with an interesting mix of flavors.  I’m baking up some Brisket that will pair nicely.  91 points and 5 stars for this $15 bottle to drink till 2028.  Salut….

Peach Brisket, crisped to perfection

Cameron Hughes Lot 625 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Yountville, California

27 Friday Mar 2020

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Medium shade of purple and semi-opaque in the glass.  The nose offers up strawberry and raspberry notes alongside sweet bramble, perhaps even honeysuckle.  It’s a pleasing nose for sure.  The palate is very sprite, unlike some Napa Cabs that are full throttle- this one is more seductive in its approach.  Sweet blackberry versus the red notes I got on the nose are intriguing.  There is a violet and damson streak as well.  The tannins creep in on the midpalate and I taste some charcoal as well.  More plums and a touch of acidity round it out.  The finish is quite dry but not cloying.  I am enjoying the mouthfeel and look forward to pairing it with peach baked Beef Brisket.  The acidity is going to be a good cut for the sweetness of the dish.  I am enjoying this wine and think it will cellar nicely till 2025.  90 point and 4 stars for this $24 Cab.  Salut….

Refugio Ranch Petite Sirah 2016, Santa Ynez Valley, USA

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

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Dark and dense, totally opaque.  The nose gives me blackberry jam, florals, cinnamon, but just a touch.  On the palate it’s as rich as it smells.  Full throttle with the black fruits, a touch of sour black cherry and a definitive tea component.  There is an upfront astringency that goes head to head with a brisk acidity.  Somewhat overpowering but balanced. The midpalate is all about the to-and-fro with these two components.  The finish is really juicy, black fruited and tannic.  Petite Sirah is typical of these notes.  90 points and 4 stars for this $40 wine.  Pair with Moussaka or Bangers and Mash and drink till 2025.  Salut….