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The Fableist 373 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Paso Robles, California

16 Friday Sep 2022

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This Cabernet Sauvignon did not show well today- the bottle had been left open far too long and it was past it’s prime.  However, I chose to taste it and will include it in my next wine class as I have previously drunk this $18 offering and was impressed with its structure and fruit.  This particular example had medium acidity, a full body and high levels of tannins.  The fruit was stewed and basically undrinkable but I recall the previous bottle had lovely black and blue fruit, nicely integrated oak treatment and a decent finish.  If I had to score this wine- 90 points which would make it a 5 star effort with some cellaring capacity- stay till 2028.  Hearty, fatty steak would do well here.  Salut….

Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Paso Robles, California

26 Thursday May 2022

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I would consider this as a deep purple colored wine that has some slow moving, thick legs in the glass.  The nose reeks of ripe, sun-drenched California Cabernet.  Blackberry, blueberry, black plum, coconut, vanilla, baking spices, eucalyptus, cassis and purple licorice.  The palate is dry with grippy tannins that I would call medium (+) in intensity.  Juicy acidity makes my jaw water and the full body on this wine coats my mouth with rich black fruit, spices and oak that is deftly worked in there.  This is a delicious wine folks.  It has an astringent yet short finish that may cost a point but this wine is very balanced overall and will pair beautifully with hearty game dishes, rich stews or a fatty cut of Ribeye on the grill.  I’m going with 92 points and would drink this $23 wine till 2030.  5 stars for this level of quality at that price.  Loving it.  Salut….

Cactus Park Red Blend 2016, Paso Robles, California

07 Thursday Apr 2022

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This blend from Paso Robles is medium ruby colored.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black fruit, cedar, blueberry and vanilla.  The palate is enticing with flavors of blackberry, black plums, rich blueberry, oak nuance from cedar and vanilla with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins, medium body and a shortish finish.  It’s easy to drink and quite versatile- roast chicken, veal parmesan or shish kebabs would pair nicely.  I think it deserves 88 points and for the $24 price point- 3 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin Red 2017, Paso Robles, California

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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Almost opaque, this dark ruby colored ‘Red Wine’ is a blend of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah that rings in at 13.9% ABV.  The nose has rich black plum, blackberry coulis, licorice and vanilla.  The palate is meh…  Tart, dry and lacking depth of fruit.  I do get some blackberry and plum but I’m missing the oak nuance, the licorice and am distracted by the sourness.  The tannins are medium (+) and the wine is mid weight.  The finish is short, TG.  Not impressed by this $18 wine (I paid $10) that gets 84 points from me.  1 star and a major pass. I’m pairing it with leftover Lasagna.  Salut….

Daou Vineyards ‘Pessimist’ Red 2019,Paso Robles, California

30 Saturday Oct 2021

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When shopping for the 21st Virtual Wine Tasting, I selected Durif as the keyword which is basically another name for Petite Sirah- one of my current favorites.  This wine did not disappoint.  Basking in sunny Paso Robles (California), the grapes for this elixir were harvested very ripe which makes a pretty potent 15.2%ABV wine that has rich, jammy fruit flavors.  It looks menacing, nearly fully opaque with a dark shade of purple.  The nose and palate gave the group flavors and aromas of blackberry preserves, black plum, dark chocolate covered raisins, leather, coffee, black pepper, blueberry and black tea (on the finish).  Mid grade tannins and nice, gentle acidity made for a beautiful mouthfeel that was mid weight, leading to a decent length finish.  I did not score it the highest on my scoring sheet but I believe it is worthy of 91 points.  It was a crowd pleasing $17 bottle from DAOU vineyards that gets 5 stars from me.  I would love to pair this wine with some grilled Venison.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Paso Robles, California

06 Wednesday Oct 2021

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When I saw this vintage I had to buy it- the 2018 Daou was amazing so I’m hoping for a repeat.  This one is opaque purple.  On the nose it is rich with pronounced intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, black cherry, tomato leaf, mint and charred oak.  The  palate is sweet from ripe fruit- blackberry jam, licorice, charred oak, black tea, good acidity and a hefty dose of back-end tannins.  Medium to full bodied it fills the mouth with great fruit notes and ripe tannins.  The California sunshine is evident in this fruit bomb.  I really like it for what it is- Cali Cab with great structure that will pair beautifully with steaks, pasta and game.  91 points for this $20 steal makes it a 5 star home-run.  Buy in bulk and drink till 2026.  Salut….

Clayhouse Syrah ‘Red Cedar Vineyard’ 2013, Paso Robles, California

03 Saturday Jul 2021

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As I practice writing notes for my wine class I am trying to get the format correct and use only the approved words from the lexicon they gave us. I know it’s not my style, nor do I like the restricted descriptors, but hey- it’s only temporary till I pass the tests. So, bare with me as we taste this $18 smooth sipper from out west that gets 89 points from me and 4 stars. Salut….

  • Appearance- hazy deep garnet.
  • Nose- medium (+) intensity, aromas of plum, blackberry, white pepper, cinnamon, coconut. Developing.
  • Palate- dry, medium (-) acidity, medium body, medium (-) tannins, medium (+) flavor intensity of plum, blackberry, white pepper, coconut. Finish medium (-).
  • Conclusions- quality level  is good, can drink now but has potential for aging.

A very smooth Syrah with some bottle age that is at peak now.

Sharon Weeks Cattoo Zinfandel 2019, Paso Robles, California

25 Tuesday May 2021

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This Paso Zin is a lovely shade of purple but only 50% opaque. The legs give a hint of what to expect, 14.8% ABV is pretty hefty kick, beware. On the nose I get wafts of the alcohol but it subsides and the flavors of dark plum, white pepper, cloves and creamy blackberry ganache. On the palate it is rich and powerful. The fruit profile is more toward the blackberry side but I do get the peppery notes I would expect from this varietal. There is a slightly astringent hit from black tea notes as well as some decent acidity. The tannins kick in very gently on the back end. A lovely, full mouthfeel for this wine that carries it to a medium length finish. The dark fruit flavors ever present. I sense a touch of oak overall, but it is not over done. The heat is the only concern as this wine drinks very easily, one can get caught up in the moment if one is not careful!. A decent drop that will go well with a lean cut of beef on the grill. 89 points from me and at $14, it’s a 4 star effort worthy of a try! Salut….

J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Paso Robles, California

23 Friday Apr 2021

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Bright purple, semi opaque.  On the nose it is very fruity with bright blackberries, dark cherry and red twizzlers.  The palate is very fresh with  lighter black fruit notes, some cherry cola and vibrant tannins.  The finish is simple yet full of fruit flavors and a modicum of tannins.  There is a good dose of acidity that keeps it lively.  This is meant for immediate drinking and will go well with marinated sirloin or pasta with red sauce.  87 points and for $14 it gets 4 stars from me. Salut….

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Pull Red Blend NV, Paso Robles, California

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….